While far from an alliance, the SCO is increasingly utilized for managing Eurasian affairs without traditional Western mechanisms and organizations.
Continue readingWill the Samarkand Spirit Revive the Word ‘Mutual’ in World Affairs?
Despite countries that attended the SCO summit not seeing eye to eye on various issues, they have built trust with each other and are interested in cementing diplomatic and economic ties.
Continue readingDid Nancy Pelosi Accelerate Chinese-Russian Military Cooperation With Her Taiwan Visit?
China had warned of “serious consequences” in the lead-up to the visit but has avoided any significant military escalation so far.
Continue readingU.S. Pressure on India Forces New Delhi to Reassess Its Options
India’s balanced approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict has provoked the ire of Washington.
Continue readingHunger Stalks Central Asia as the Ukraine War Unfolds
Rising food prices and financial turbulence have set the alarm bells ringing across the region.
Continue readingWhat Would a Potential CSTO Intervention in Ukraine Look Like?
While Russia’s original and shifting objectives in Ukraine remain unclear, the Kremlin is increasingly wary of a publicized, drawn-out conflict. A potential intervention by its military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), could give Russia a diplomatic victory and an acceptable path to de-escalating its campaign if it can leverage its influence over member states effectively.
Continue readingCentral Asia Struggles With the Consequences of Russia’s War
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has already begun to have a negative economic impact on the five Central Asian republics.
Continue readingHow Russia’s Frozen Conflicts Could Warm Up Along Its Sizable Borders
Russia’s ongoing offensive in Ukraine reveals the Kremlin’s increasing willingness to use military force to manipulate conflicts and destabilize Europe’s security order. The lingering presence of the Russian military across the former states of the Soviet Union will only entice the Kremlin further.
Continue readingWhy It’s Time to Take the Russian-Led Military Alliance Seriously
The intervention by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan marks a change for multinational security both regionally and around the world.
Continue readingAfghanistan Tackles the Islamic State
A horrific attack by ISIS-K on a Shiite mosque has raised alarms not just among the Taliban, but in Iran and China.
Continue readingWhy the World’s Eyes Are on the Afghanistan-Tajikistan Border
The war of words between Dushanbe and the Taliban has deep historical roots.
Continue readingAfghanistan’s Impoverished People Live Amid Enormous Riches
The long-neglected northeast has been famed for its gemstones, but the Taliban are ill-equipped to exploit such resources.
Continue readingTurkmenistan Joins Regional Consensus on Supporting the Taliban
The Turkmenistan president Berdimuhamedow probably spoke for the region when he said in his speech at the UNGA earlier this week: “The situation there is not easy, the government and public institutions that are being formed are very fragile. This is why assessing the situation in the country requires ultimate consistency, prudence and responsibility — both in words and actions. “
Continue readingA Viable—and Perhaps the Only—Path to Lasting Peace in Afghanistan
Ex-president Najibullah’s daughter urges adoption of his National Reconciliation Policy to prevent yet another debilitating proxy war.
Continue readingAs the U.S. Withdraws From Afghanistan, China Forges Ties With the Taliban
With no end in sight to the internal conflict in Afghanistan, China has been meeting with regional players to build a strategy that seeks to guarantee peace and stability for all.
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