Ukraine
The Putin apologists of the European parliament
Never underestimate Vladimir Putin, and certainly never underestimate his advisers. Well before the first Russian rockets exploded in metropolitan Kiev,…
Ethical investors have weakened the West's defences
It won’t be the first, or indeed the most serious, casualty of the war in Ukraine. It probably won’t be…
Joe Biden’s gung-ho State of the Union speech
It’s arguably not the right moment to focus on Joe Biden’s verbal slips, but it is a little unnerving when…
No, Scottish independence is not like the war in Ukraine
Perhaps it’s the absence of any oppression of their own country that compels Scottish nationalists to latch onto the oppression…
'Staying Switzerland' on Ukraine is impossible
The striking thing about the financial sanctions on Russia is not their severity, but just how many countries are joining…
Viktor Orbán has played a perfect game with Putin
On 3 April Hungarians will have their ninth set of free parliamentary elections since the collapse of the communist dictatorship…
Will Britain welcome Ukrainian refugees?
Immigration used to be the most-discussed issue in British politics. It gets less attention these days, for reasons too varied…
Germany has rejected Merkel's military legacy
‘We are witnessing a turning point… the world is not the same anymore,’ said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz yesterday in…
Has Putin resurrected the West?
I think Putin will have been surprised. I mean: I was surprised. Weren’t you? Not, necessarily, that Ukraine should have…
The war in Ukraine has divided Putin’s court
It is striking how little enthusiasm there is in Russia for Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine – but for some, it has…
The end of the post-Cold War era
Russia’s invasion is not just an effort to retake what was once part of the Soviet Union. It is a…
A new Europe is emerging from this crisis
With every hour that Kiev holds out, the geopolitics of Europe changes more. Germany, which so values its prohibition on…
Expelling Russia from Swift would be a massive economic shock
If Russia is expelled from the Swift banking messaging system, that would be serious economic warfare against Putin. Because Thursday’s…
‘This is our land. This is our history’: my appeal to the people of Russia
I come today with an appeal to all citizens of Russia. Not as President. I am appealing to the people…
The post-Soviet roots of the war in Ukraine
In his hour-long speech earlier this week setting out why he was invading Ukraine, Vladimir Putin blamed Vladimir Lenin, the…
It’s time for Germany to stand up to Russia
In his novel The Loyal Subject, which appeared on the eve of the first world war, Heinrich Mann, the brother…
Ukrainians are living through a hell on earth
‘Live long enough and you watch everyone go mad,’ the man said to me gloomily. It was around 2009, and…
Putin’s invasion has exposed the frailty of Europe’s armies
Putin’s forces are currently steamrolling Ukraine’s defences, with Russian troops circling the capital and invading from the south and east…
For Russian sanctions to work, they must hurt the West too
No British soldiers will go to fight in Ukraine. The UK’s military involvement will be limited to weapons shipments and…
The West missed its chance to help Ukraine
Yet another east European tragedy is unfolding before our eyes. We have watched this movie for more than 80 years.…
Vlad the Invader: Putin is trying to recreate the tsarist Russian Empire
To appreciate Putin’s intent, you only have to look at Russian history
Are Russians turning against Putin?
One of the reasons why I judged — wrongly — that Vladimir Putin would not order an all-out invasion of…
Macron’s posturing as a global statesman will get him re-elected
It is bordering on tasteless amidst the horror of war in Europe to question the political impact of the conflict…
To hurt Putin, go for oil and gas – not Swift
Both the British and the Americans have been explicit that it is the Europeans who are blocking Russia being cut…
Is Britain prepared for the cost of sanctions?
Sanctions hit both sides: this is a point that Joe Biden has made to Americans and Olaf Scholz is making…
