Chatham House: What does Russia want in the Black Sea region?

This Chatham House roundtable discussion is chaired by Hugo Dixon, Reuters. On the panel are: Galip Dalay, Turkey Initiative, MENA Programme and Natalie Sabanadze, Russia and Eurasia Programme. Galip and Natalie have done a report on ‘Russia’s Black Sea Strategy’. The entire European security architecture is under scrutiny in the…

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Review: Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia To Confront The West – by Keir Giles

I am a new member of Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, in London. On a recent visit, I made use of the vast resources of a very well-stocked library at Chatham House and this book is the first of the loans that I have finished reading. It…

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Review: The Last Empire – The Final Days of the Soviet Union – by Serhii Plokhy

When the Soviet Union ended and thus the Cold War ended on Christmas Day 1991, it was probably one of the biggest political events of my lifetime. This well-researched, detailed book, by Ukrainian author Serhii Plokhy, details the last 18 months of the Soviet Union’s existence. After USSR President Mikhail…

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Review: 2017 War With Russia: An Urgent Warning from Senior Military Command – by General Sir Richard Shirreff

When I first purchased this book I thought it would be a work of non-fiction, but instead I discovered it was actually fiction. The author, a former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, was, in his employment, well-used to war-gaming scenarios with, in particular, Russia. This book, aimed at the general…

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