“Starting from March 2, Special Representative of the Chinese Government for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui will visit Russia, the EU headquarters, Poland, Ukraine, Germany and France for the second round of shuttle diplomacy on seeking a political settlement to the Ukraine crisis,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced at a press conference this week. As anticipation … Read more
To mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last week and the recent death of Russia opposition politician Alexei Navalny, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions on almost 300 individuals and entities. Embedded in the list were a handful of Central Asian companies. The latest … Read more
In shaping patterns of future warfare, there is little doubt that militaries across the world will be seeking to absorb the key lessons of the Russia-Ukraine War, ranging from the employment of tanks to the use of anti-ship cruise missiles and the ubiquitous drones. For the Chinese military, these lessons might even assume a greater … Read more
“In the Ukraine War, China Is the Only Winner.” This observation served as the title of an article published in May 2023 by The National Interest. Although that sentiment is not a widely held consensus in Europe, it well summarizes an idea circulating across the Atlantic on the benefits that China can derive from the war in Ukraine: Both … Read more
As we reach the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, questions are being raised over the long-term commitment of Kyiv’s allies to its full victory and the liberation of all occupied territories. With political games continuing in Washington, and European countries struggling to plug the gap caused by U.S. inaction, Russia has entrenched … Read more
Multiple news articles report Beijing snubbing Ukraine during the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Switzerland, with Chinese Premier Li Qiang refusing to meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In response, Zelenskyy clarified that he never wanted to meet Li, suggesting that the latter was not high-ranking enough to be worth meeting. “There is a … Read more
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, and other countries around the world have imposed a wide range of sanctions on Russia, forcing Moscow to use Turkey and neighboring Central Asian countries to route trade of sanctioned goods. Many countries did not join the sanctions against Russia outright, but nevertheless … Read more
Zakhar Prilepin, a notable Russian public figure, made a startling statement during a press conference in Moscow on December 20, 2023. Advocating for the Soviet Union’s restoration and Russian language imposition in former Soviet states, his remarks have resonated deeply within public discourse in Uzbekistan. Prilepin’s televised remark that Russia could claim territories with significant … Read more
In a geopolitical move echoing their resilient ties, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko embarked on his second visit to China this year. Lukashenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s close ally, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on December 4. Amid biting Western sanctions and Belarus’ diplomatic isolation over its participation in the invasion of Ukraine, China has … Read more
An interesting development is occurring in Central Asia. Over the past year, leaders from Western states have visited the region to meet with representatives from the five Central Asian states. Others welcomed Central Asian delegations to their countries. These events occur at a time when there may be a power shift in the region. Since … Read more