Near East

27.June 2025 Ina Ruk (DW)

Putin's Failed Ambitions in the Middle East

First Syria, now Iran? Russia is unable to help its allies in the Middle East and is increasingly losing influence in a region that is strategically extremely important to Moscow. What options are left for Putin?

Right or West

18.May 2025. MLJ

Second round of presidential elections in Romania

On Sunday, May 18, in the second round of presidential elections, Romanian citizens will choose between far-right Eurosceptic Djordje Simion and pro-Western reformist Nikušor Dan, whose victory would keep the country on a pro-European path and reassure investors.

Damascus, Syria

TV maniac

11.December 2024. Dragan Ilic

Saber Dimisk

Who in the West will care about the state of democracy or women's rights in Syria when there is already talk of removing this country from the list of countries at risk to prevent the influx of new refugees

Interview: Professor Chris Alden

12.June 2024 Jelena Jorgacevic

Africa between China and the West

"Some countries in Africa have a much stronger civil society and are more vocal when it comes to non-transparency of loans, corruption or human rights. They see China as a violator of human rights, and Western sources are more attractive to them. However, I have heard many times what African politicians say to their colleagues from the European Union and the West in general: 'Yes, we would rather have a loan package and we are happy to have human rights as part of it, but there is no money from you. In fact, you are only talking big stories, pointing fingers at us when we borrow from China, but you are not offering us any alternative'”

A geopolitical turn

27.March 2024. MP/RSE

Russia's position in Armenia has never been more unstable

The Russian military base in Armenia, not far from the border with Turkey, has been a guarantor of security for many citizens for decades. However, the opinions of the local population about its real function are divided, while some Armenian officials see the alliance with Russia as a mistake.

Republika Srpska

28.December 2023. Nemanja Rujevic

Dodik's Senator Vulin: A petty provocation of the West

Milorad Dodik appointed Aleksandar Vulin to the Senate of the Republic of Srpska. That body practically does nothing, so the message is exclusively political, says Srđan Puhalo for "Vreme". Or, as Vulin would say, they are "hurt" by what the West says

Personal attitude

08.November 2023. Maja Stojanović

A road paved with good intentions

There is a generally accepted thesis, unfortunately also from the international community, that statements by ambassadors of foreign countries that support free media or human rights defenders represent interference in the internal affairs of the state. It is exactly the opposite - the international community, in its democratic impotence or incompetence, keeps the parties in power, not distinguishing between cooperation with the state and non-criticism towards the party in power and its actions.

"Dialogue" between Belgrade and Pristina after Banjska

04.October 2023. Nemanja Rujevic

When Kfor returns to the north of Kosovo

The action in Banjska was supposed to provoke the engagement of international forces in the north of Kosovo, but it turned into a fiasco for Aleksandar Vučić. Now only the Americans can save him if they want to. The continuation of the dialogue in Brussels is conceivable only if the European Union takes a thicker stick and a juicier carrot

Fiasco in Banjska

02.October 2023. MN

Ponoš and Janković: Serbia's security system has been dismantled

We no longer have an intelligence-security system, and Aleksandar Vučić has no control either in politics or in the security sector, according to security expert Saša Janković, while the leader of the SRCE party Zdravko Ponoš assesses that a "security and institutional vacuum" has arisen for Serbs in Kosovo.

Johannesburg

23.August 2023. Z.S.

The Chinese president did not appear at the BRICS summit

"The absence of the Chinese leader could mean that something is wrong," Bonnie Glaser, director general of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund, wrote on the X social network. Jorge Guajardo, Mexico's former ambassador to Beijing, said Xi Jinping's absence should be big news in the media.

johanesburg

22.August 2023. Z.S.

BRICS summit: Russia and China's new world order

The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit, chaired by the Republic of South Africa, is taking place this week in Johannesburg. The leaders of the famous "five" will probably discuss the expansion of the organization at the summit, but due to complicated internal relations, they insist on defining the criteria for entry.

Politics

14.August 2023. MJ

CNN: The West "sees no evil" in Vučić, and this is destabilizing the Balkans

Serbia has refused to participate in all rounds of EU sanctions against Putin, and has continued to pursue its own interests in the region with ever-diminishing responsibility, fomenting conflicts across the border to distract from discontent at home, safe in the knowledge that they will not be held accountable in the West.

Analyze

08.August 2023. Andrei Ivanji

Kosovo Letter from Western Parliamentarians: A Serious Warning to Serbia

Serbia has been detected as the main disruptive factor standing in the way of normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina and calming tensions in Kosovo. In essence, several dozens of Western parliamentarians are asking the USA, the EU and Great Britain to put pressure on Belgrade, and as an effective example they point to the US Government's move to put the head of the BIA, Aleksandar Vulin, under the sanctions regime