Ukraine

Vladimir Putin proclaimed set of objectives for his newest invasion of Ukraine appear paradoxical. Putin noted Russia’s key aims for Ukraine were a replacement of Volodymyr…

Europe triggers “temporary protection” for Ukraine war refugees

Until this week, everyone thought the European Union’s Temporary Protection Directive was dead in the water. Drafted 21 years ago in the aftermath of the Yugoslav crisis, it was…

Ukraine: Don’t write off the international order – read and rewrite it

Given all that is on the line right now in Ukraine, the persistence of the so-called “rules-based international order” is probably not high on the list of most people’s concerns…

China needs to rethink its Russia policy

When the Chinese embassy in Ukraine hastily began the evacuation of its citizens much later than those of other nations, it seemed a sign that Beijing either wasn’t given advance…

Back in the USSR – surprises in the Russia-Ukraine conflict

My grandfather Kopel Harkowitz was born in Lismore, which is experiencing the worst floods in more than a century. In 1880, when the last big wet hit the Northern Rivers, his…

Sanctions bite – but how dangerously?

Though not without precedent against lesser rivals, the decision to impose severe financial sanctions against a major economy – and a nuclear-armed great power – has been a…

Australia and the crisis in Europe: threats and opportunities

Vladimir Putin’s ruthless bid to erase Ukraine’s nationhood and redraw the map in Europe is a direct attack on the foundations of the post-war rules-based order, from which…

Ukraine: Winning online matters less on the ground

One week in, the information war that has accompanied, and to an extent framed, the military invasion of Ukraine has not gone as Vladimir Putin may have hoped. But it still…

The half-hour that fundamentally split Germany from Russia

If you want to see how Vladimir Putin’s aggression is reshaping the European mindset then Germany offers the best view. It’s remarkable how far strategic thinking has shifted in…

How long will Europe’s generosity towards Ukraine’s refugees last?

Six days after Russia invaded Ukraine, a mass exodus has begun. At least half a million people are estimated to have fled Ukraine, around half of them to Poland, and others to…