Putin won his war in Ukraine
Marvin Kalb is senior adviser at the Pulitzer Center and a fellow at the Brookings Institution. His book “Imperial Gamble: Putin, Ukraine and the New Cold War” will be published this month.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/putin-won-in-ukraine/2015/09/07/02a0283c-5341-11e5-933e-7d06c647a395_story.html
Is Russia More Bark Than Bite?
As per Sir Andrew Wood, Chatham House
The received wisdom that Russia will always be ready to go further than the West in a confrontation over Ukraine is flawed.
‘The West could never prevail in a military confrontation over Ukraine with Russia, which would always be prepared to go further.’ This line, from a Financial Times editorial last week, reflects a commonly-held view among Western commentators about the crisis in eastern Ukraine. But if taken literally, it would imply that Vladimir …
Berlusconi visits annexed Crimea
Silvio Berlusconi, Former Italian Prime Minister arrived with a "private visit" in the Crimea annexed by Russia.
Berlusconi arrived on September 11 in Yalta, where he plans to take in the sights and have "several meetings".
As admitted in the Kremlin on September 9, during the trip Berlusconi could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Berlusconi is also expected to visit Sevastopol, and then go to Moscow and return to Italy on 13 September.
Earlier this year Berlusconi, who is a …
Russian troops join combat in Syria
According to a number of Lebanese sources, Russian forces have begun participating in military operations in Syria in support of government troops.
The unidentified sources, speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, gave the most forthright account yet from the region of what the United States fears is a deepening Russian military role in Syria's civil war, though one of the Lebanese sources said the number of Russians involved so far was small.
U.S. officials said Russia sent two tank landing ships …
Pope to meet Putin if he arrives on time.
Russian President Vladimir Putin could have an audience with Pope Francis at the United Nations on the sidelines of the development summit meeting later this month — but only, as per the Vatican envoy to the UN, if Mr. Putin gets here in time.
According to diplomatic protocol, the pope is to hold a bilateral meeting with the country that presides over the United Nations Security Council and only with its head of state. In September, that is Russia. Hence, Mr. Putin.
The pope is scheduled to …