China & Russia
China and the West: The gap is set to grow
05 June 2024
China’s relations with the US and the EU are likely to worsen, because of both its aid for Russia and its economic strategy.
And the winner is… Vladimir Putin (for now)
21 March 2024
Putin’s ‘election victory’ does not mean that he will remain in power forever. Western leaders should plan for continued confrontation, but (unlike Putin) they should not fear change in Russia.
Ukraine fatigue: Bad for Kyiv, bad for the West
21 November 2023
Some Western leaders are expressing ‘Ukraine fatigue’ – a luxury Ukrainians do not have. But the cost to Europe of Ukraine failing would be higher than that of helping it to win.
Building UK-EU bridges: Convergent China policies?
10 July 2023
The EU and the UK have almost identical objectives vis-à-vis China, and are pursuing very similar policies. After Brexit, can they still work together closely?
China and Russia: Are there limits to 'no limits' friendship?
15 December 2022
China has mostly offered Russia rhetorical support in its war against Ukraine. Beijing seems uncomfortable with Putin’s nuclear sabre-rattling. But China is unlikely to allow Russia to be decisively defeated.
Can the West stay united on Ukraine – and what will China do?
30 March 2022
The longer the war in Ukraine continues, the greater the risk that Western unity will fracture. Meanwhile the choices that China makes will determine the future shape of geopolitics.
Europe must stop paying for Russia's war
30 March 2022
Putin wants Europe to pay for gas in roubles, forcing it to deal with Russia’s central bank. Europe should respond by ending Russian hydrocarbon imports sooner than planned.
Russia's assault on Ukraine and European security
30 March 2022
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will require NATO to greatly strengthen deterrence. Europeans will have to shoulder a larger share of the security burden, acting through both NATO and the EU.
Russia may ditch the dollar – but it needs the euro
29 March 2022
Naysayers claim Western financial sanctions will speed Russia and China’s drift away from Western currencies and finance. But the West’s predominance in the global financial system is enduring.
Russia's war on Ukraine: There is worse to come (for the West as well)
17 March 2022
The EU has reacted robustly to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. But it must now mitigate the economic, social and political consequences, which will hit ordinary citizens and challenge Western cohesion.
Russia-Ukraine: The West needs a sanctions strategy
10 March 2022
After the initial flurry of sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, Western leaders now need to take a more strategic approach.
Four questions on how the Russian assault on Ukraine will affect Europe
01 March 2022
CER experts provide answers on the off-ramp for Putin, Germany’s defence spending, how to deal with refugees, the internal battle over the rule of law and the impact on the EU’s neighbourhood.
Stronger sanctions on Russia: Essential, but not a strategy
25 February 2022
The West is rightly responding to Putin’s all-out attack on Ukraine’s territorial integrity with sanctions. But they need to be part of a wider strategy to ensure that he cannot win.
Britain needs a new Russia policy
24 January 2022
The British government, once naively optimistic about Russia, has become more hard-nosed in its analysis. It should now do more to pursue a coherent Russia strategy with like-minded countries.
The Moscow coup(s) of 1991: Who won and why does it still matter?
17 August 2021
Thirty years after the coup that triggered the Soviet Union’s collapse, Russia is ruled by the heirs of the plotters, not their democratic opponents. Why?
Russia, Ukraine and the West: How do you solve a problem like Vladimir?
13 April 2021
Vladimir Putin is threatening Ukraine again. The West so far lacks a unified and effective way of dealing with this and other challenges from Russia.
Europe, the US and China: A love-hate triangle?
21 September 2020
The EU risks being caught between an increasingly hostile US and China. It must manage relations with both in order to protect the rules-based global order.
Lukashenka fights for survival
13 August 2020
There was never any doubt who would ‘win’ Belarus’s presidential election. But the country is undergoing profound changes – which pose dilemmas for both Russia and the EU.
Hand-wringing for Hong Kong: What else can the EU do?
11 June 2020
The EU should not be indifferent to what is happening in Hong Kong. China’s willingness to violate Hong Kong’s autonomy is part of a pattern of increasingly confrontational behaviour.
Putin hits a bad patch
07 May 2020
Putin may have thought 2020 was going to be an excellent year for him. Instead, he has to deal with the oil price crash and COVID-19.