Financial Times (July 24)
“With pressure mounting to act swiftly, commercial interests and jobs at stake and national pride in play, there is a danger that the EU’s effort to respond coherently to Russian actions will get bogged down in acrimony. Avoiding that fate requires a willingness to compromise and some clear thinking.”
Tags: Act, Clear thinking, Commercial interests, Compromise, Danger, EU, Jobs, Pressure, Pride, Russia, Swiftly
Los Angeles Times (July 22)
“It’s neither pleasant nor polite to say it, but the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 may have been the best thing to happen to President Obama’s policy on Ukraine in weeks.” The U.S. had taken the lead, but the crisis had been fading from the radar as Europe’s politicians tried to avoid sacrificing business interests with Russia. Now, however, “Putin has a problem he didn’t have a week ago: Europe’s politicians and public are watching.”
Tags: Business interests, Crash, Crisis, Europe, Flight 17, Malaysia Airlines, Obama, Putin, Russia, U.S., Ukraine
New York Times (July 22)
“The comments from European leaders have been clear and tough, but words will count for little unless European Union foreign ministers enforce more stringent sanctions against Russia…. After the downing of Flight 17 and the brutish handling of the victims, it is time for Europe to hold Mr. Putin to his words.”
Washington Post (July 18)
“Energy politics underlie the explosive Ukraine crisis, as Europeans weigh U.S. calls for tougher sanctions against the ability of Russia to disrupt gas supplies this winter.” Despite the roll out of stronger penalties by Washington, the Europeans were dragging their feet, “a sign that many of its governments fear Moscow’s energy leverage more than U.S. displeasure.” With the downing of the Malaysian Airlines flight, Europe may finally be forced to react and Europeans “may be facing a cold winter.”
Tags: Crisis, Downing, Energy, Europe, Gas supplies, Leverage, Malaysian Airlines, Penalties, Politics, Russia, Sanctions, U.S., Ukraine, Washington, Winter
Washington Post (June 26)
With “gestures suggesting de-escalation,” Vladimir Putin has been working to avoid additional sanctions. But “Russia’s behavior remains unacceptably provocative. Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory in Crimea, it has not applied its influence to end the uprising it sponsored in eastern Ukraine and it continues to deploy forces to Ukraine’s border.”
Financial Times (May 23)
“India has a new prime minister; and each of Asia’s four most powerful nations is now led by a combative nationalist.” India’s Modi, Japan’s Abe, Russia’s Putin and China’s Xi make up the four “nationalist horsemen” who will transform Asia and perhaps the world. “The multilateralist assumptions of the postwar order are giving way to a return to great power competition. Nationalism is on the march, and nowhere more so than in the rising east.”
Tags: Abe, Asia, Assumptions, China, Combative, Competition, India, Japan, Modi, Multilateralist, Nationalist, Postwar order, Power, Prime minister, Putin, Russia, Xi
New York Times (April 27)
“If nothing changes in the next two decades, India will need to provide chronic care for more than 100 million people with diabetes — close to the entire adult population of Russia.” In China, diabetic numbers are also skyrocketing and expected to mushroom from 98 million to 142 million by 2035. And these numbers understate the challenge. We know how to manage diabetes “in Kansas City or Tokyo.” In developing countries without sufficient chronic care medical infrastructure and with incomes that can ill afford medication, diabetes becomes a devastating affliction. “If we’re going to be any help at all, we need to make a conceptual shift.”
Tags: China, Chronic care, Conceptual shift, Developing countries, Diabetes, Incomes, India, Kansas City, Medical infrastructure, Medication, Russia, Tokyo
Washington Post (April 17)
“Unlike the planners of D-Day or Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Russians organizing the invasion of Ukraine don’t need an immediate victory. They have flexible goals, and they are prepared to adjust their strategy depending on how much resistance they encounter.” In the short term, they are entirely flexible. “In the long term, Russia clearly hopes to annex eastern and southern Ukraine.”
Tags: Annex, D-Day, Flexible, Freedom, Goals, Invasion, Iraqi, Resistance, Russia, Strategy, Ukraine, Victory
The Economist (April 5)
“Reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian gas is possible—but it will take time, money and sustained political will.” With his belligerence and threats, Putin has indirectly done Europe’s leaders a favor by galvanizing their collective will. “They already knew what to do. They just didn’t want to do it.”
Tags: Belligerence, Dependence, Europe, Gas, Money, Putin, Russia, Threats, Time, Will
Washington Post (March 25)
Supplying Europe with nearly a third of its natural gas, Russia seems to give incredible leverage. This is misleading. In 2013, “natural gas represented only 22 percent of Europe’s total energy consumption.” Moreover, Europe currently has significant stores, substitute sources and substitute fuels. “The message here is simpler: The dangers of a cutoff should not intimidate the West. They’re overrated.”
Tags: Cutoff, Energy, Europe, Leverage, Natural gas, Russia, Substitutes
