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How Putin primed Kazakhstan for evading EU sanctions

The events in January in Kazakhstan, previously known as an island of stability in an otherwise turbulent region, have received little follow-up attention, largely as a result of Russian president Vl…

Which countries can replace Russia as Europe’s gas suppliers? – opinion

Which nations can Europe trust to supply it with the energy it needs?It’s more than seven weeks into the war in Ukraine, and the global security and energy picture is looking increasingly bleak…

A Friend in Need: Kazakhstan lends Russia a helping hand

International sanctions against Russia have not had the full intended effect because the Russian economy is being propped up by allies, including Kazakhstan. With this continued support, internationa…

A tale of two ‘Stans’

One month into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it seems clear that Vladimir Putin has overplayed his hand. By underestimating the level of Ukrainian resistance and extent to which the West would coo…

Kazakhstan: History Will Reward the Modernizers

As thousands of Russian boots hit the ground in Ukraine and bombs started decimating cities, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy adorned his military fatigues and with them the respect and admiration of mi…

After Ukraine, Could Central Asia Be Next?

Ukraine and Russia’s western flank is the first step of an attempt to restore a Russian Empire. Kazakhstan and its Central Asian neighbors look set to come next.When Ukraine appeared to be on the…

Kazakhstan’s State-Sanctioned Violence Demands Accountability

The Magnitsky Act must be used to hold Kassym-Jomart Tokayev responsible for his actions against his own people.While the Biden administration and Congress are focused on the war in Ukraine, it i…

The U.S. Needs to Get Tough on Thailand

By ignoring the democratic regression, Washington is sending dangerous signals to the rest of the region.Things are going in reverse in Thailand, one of the longest standing and most important U…

The Development of Energy Resources in Eurasia

I have lived, worked and traveled to this region for over two decades. I meet with the Presidents and Ministers in Central Asia.

Central Asia’s Energy Market: From Moscow to Beijing

Nowhere is the growing importance of the dynamic economies in Asia, as well as China’s increasing role on the world stage, better recognized than in the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan…

Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus: Allies in Waiting

Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs David A. Merkel considers the ways in which the United States can encourage progress in Europe’s eastern neighborhood…

Contributing Author, “Speaker’s Advisory Group Report on Russia,” Russia’s Road to Corruption

In March 2000, as Russia prepared for the presidential election that would formally establish the successor to the Yeltsin administration