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Commentary

Not so quiet on the Western Front: Why Russia’s Zapad exercise highlights the need for military confidence-building measures

Russia’s strategic exercise Zapad, which begins later this week, is not only about combat preparation; it is also an instrument of strategic communication. The real challenge is reading it correctly. ELN Senior Policy Fellow Alexander Graef writes that this is where confidence-and security-building measures (CSBMs) may help. They can reinforce deterrence by demonstrating capabilities to observers and clarify the difference between sabre-rattling and genuine threats, but only if all sides share an interest in stability.

9 September 2025 | Alexander Graef
Russia-West relationsBelarusCSBMsRussiaRussia-West RelationsELN
Commentary

Helsinki+50: Rediscovering the OSCE’s legacy

As the OSCE marks 50 years since the Helsinki Final Act, Paul Fritch argues that participating States and civil society should shift from debating its relevance to rediscovering its legacy. Despite recent crises, its rich experience in arms control, conflict resolution, and democratic governance offers valuable tools for addressing today’s security challenges, should states choose to act through it.

29 July 2025 | Paul Fritch
OSCERussia-WestOSCERussia-West relationsOSCE Expert Network
Podcast

The Women Leaders podcast: The South Caucasus conundrum

As the eyes of the world look to the US, Ukraine, and the Middle East, attention is distracted from rapidly changing events in the Caucasus. Traditionally Russia’s “backyard”, its full-scale invasion of Ukraine has lessened its influence in the region. Meanwhile, Armenia is in disarray following Azerbaijan’s military offensive in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2023, and in Georgia, the Russia-backed government is cracking down on opposition leaders. To understand these fascinating dynamics, ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El is joined by YGLN member Tinatin Japaridze, Eurasia analyst at the Eurasia Group.

11 July 2025 | Ilana Bet-El, Florence Ferrando and Tinatin Japaridze
Russia-WestRussia-West relationsArmeniaBlack SeaDemocracyDiplomacyEUEuropeForeign policyGeorgiaPodcastsRussiaRussia-West RelationsSecurityTurkeyUkraineSenior Associate FellowYGLN
Commentary

The US-Ukraine mineral resources agreement as a signpost in Eurasia’s emerging resource realignment

The recent mineral resources agreement between the US and Ukraine is more than just an isolated bilateral deal – it is part of a broader pattern unfolding across Eurasia as Western powers ramp up efforts to secure alternative sources of strategic raw materials in competition with China and Russia. Nikita Gryazin writes that if the West hopes to offer a viable, sustainable alternative to the China-Russia axis, it must begin acting not as a set of competing actors but as a coordinated front.

3 July 2025 | Nikita Gryazin
Russia-West relationsChinaRussiaRussia-West RelationsUkraineUnited StatesELNYGLN
Commentary

A tale of two summits

Around the political NATO Summit in the Hague last week, with its limited ambition to make Donald Trump happy again, a less visible and much more productive summit occurred, writes ELN Senior Network Member Nicholas Dungan. Concentrating on what Europe needs to do to increase European deterrence, efficiency, and resilience, it produced sound thinking and actionable proposals.

1 July 2025 | Nicholas Dungan
Euro-Atlantic SecurityRussia-West relationsDefenceEUEuropeNATOSecurityUkraineUnited StatesELN