What’s behind Trump’s pressure on Zelensky to work things out with Putin
What’s behind President Trump’s pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to get together with Vladimir Putin and “solve your problem”? President Trump: And I really…
Donbas
Ukraine, South China Sea: Donald Trump and the U.S. failure to defend international law
It comes as no surprise that President Donald Trump, who has demonstrated little regard for law in general, has failed spectacularly to uphold and defend…
Americans’ knowledge of international law, the military conquest of the Crimea, and proper dental floss use
Developing “Thirty-eight percent of Americans do not know that dental floss is used between the teeth, not between the tongue and lips.” –Joe Queenan, “Grungy…
REPRISE: The last international lawyer, or so it seemed
A fitting commentary on 2015 follows: Originally published on September 27, 2015 THE LAST INTERNATIONAL LAWYER, OR SO IT SEEMED It was a curious time,…
As Kerry travels to Moscow, Putin thwarts investigation into assassination of Boris Nemtsov on February 27, 2015
As John Kerry travels to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin to discuss Syria and the Ukraine, Putin’s cover-up “investigation” into those responsible for Boris…
Putin’s playing “chicken” in Syria and the risk of escalation to nuclear war
Developing With reports of Russian aircraft having forced American planes to change course in order to avoid a collision, the risks of escalation in Syria…
After the Ukraine Summit in Paris: What, if anything, was achieved?
Update and Analysis See (1) Stefan Braun (Berlin) und Christian Wernicke (Paris), “Ukraine-Gipfel in Paris: Hollande und Merkel ringen mit Putin; Bundeskanzlerin Merkel und Frankreichs…
Obama-Putin meeting at UN: The resurgence of pacifism and appeasement toward Putin and Russia in Europe and the U.S.
See Julia Smirnova, “Die wundersame Rückkehr des Wladimir Putin In der New Yorker UN-Woche drängt Putin ins Zentrum der Weltbühne. Durch die aktive Rolle im…
Who is Putin? Proof of Russian military aggression in the Ukraine
A stellar team from a leading German newspaper, Die Welt, have now assembled a powerful narrative of Russian aggression in the eastern Ukraine or Donbas…
Putin resumes fighting near Mariupol
UPDATE–Latest News (August 12, 2015) See Pierre Vaux, “Ukraine’s Cold War Hot as Combat Explodes in the Last 24 Hours,” The Daily Beast, August 12,…
Putin and the Ukraine: What is the deceptive KGB man and judo master up to?
Developing Since Boris Nemtsov’s assassination on February 27 and Vladimir Putin’s 11-day disappearing act shortly thereafter, Putin, and Russia’s ongoing military aggression in the eastern…
Top articles on Putin, the Ukraine, and Russia
Check back for updates Some of the best articles by the Trenchant Observer on Putin, the Ukraine, and Russia include the following: (1) “Russian propaganda…
What’s the hurry? Russia pushes hard for U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing Minsk II agreement—a “Munich II” agreement reached under the pressure of Russian military aggression
Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande may assume they have achieved something notable in the Minsk II agreement of February 12, but in point of fact…
Latest news on fighting in the eastern Ukraine
Developing See Pilar Binet, “La escalada bélica se agrava en Ucrania y se ceba con los civiles; Fracasa la nueva ronda negociadora con Rusia y…
Leftist victory in Greece threatens continuation of EU sanctions against Russia
Developing See (1) Julia Smirnova und Boris Kalnóky, “Mit Tspiras hat Russland einen neuen Verbündeten; Die neue griechische Regierung verfügt über bemerkenswert enge Kontakte nach…
Putin attacks Mariupol, may seek land corridor to Crimea
Developing See (1) Julia Smirnova, “Mariupol wäre für die Separatisten wertvollster Ort; Die Angriffe auf Mariupol markieren eine neue Eskalation des Kriegs in der Ostukraine….
Negotiating with terrorists: Merkel’s proposal for a broad economic zone with Russia and its friends
See “Ukraine-Krise: Bundesregierung lockt Russland mit Handelszone; Zur Belohnung gäbe es eine Wirtschaftskooperation: Die Bundesregierung hat laut Medienbericht dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin eine Handelszone…
Poroshenko interview in NZZ; agreement to withdraw heavy weapons from Minsk September 19 demarcation line
Developing Vladimir Putin acting, through his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, reached an agreement in Berlin this week under which Russian “separatists” in eastern Ukraine would…
Fighting in eastern Ukraine intensifies, as implementation of Minsk Protocol stalls; future of EU sanctions regime in doubt
Revised January 14, 2014 See Frontline, “Putin’s Way”, PBS, January 13, 2015 (on Putin’s rise to power and the nature of the Russian dictatorship he…
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier convenes four-party talks in Berlin on Minsk Protocol, as Russia intensifies invasion of the Donbas
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier plans to meet with the foreign ministers of Russia, France and Ukraine in Berlin on Monday to see if progress…