Ústav mezinárodních vztahů

Trump's White House is starting to look a lot like Putin's Kremlin
"Critical media voices denounced as "enemies of the people." Power not in the hands of elected officials, but the President's close friends and family. Statecraft taking second place to the interests of the inner circle. While there's no real evidence that Donald Trump is Vladimir Putin's puppet, his White House is certainly starting to resemble the Kremlin in the way it works," writes Mark Galeotti in his piece for CNN.

Not Quite The Comintern
Mark Galeotti commented on Power Vertical Podcast of the RFE/RL on the agreements the ruling United Russia party has signed with far-right European parties. Over the past three months, the ruling United Russia party has signed formal agreements with two far-right European parties: Italy's Northern League this week and Austria's Freedom Party in December.

Zeman: not so much Moscow’s 'trojan horse' as a symptom of Western malaise
Zeman, in his cavalier disregard for the niceties of consensus-building, his open doubts about the European project, his scare-mongering about a mythical migrant threat, is a symptom of a wider malaise in both the Czech Republic and the West as a whole. Addressing that on a fundamental level will naturally undermine the Zemans of this world, " writes Mark Galeotti in his article for bne IntelliNews regarding Zeman's confirmation to compete again in the 2018 presidental elections.

Corruption: Russia's greatest ally
Head of our Centre for European Security Mark Galeotti on Russia deliberates in an article for International Policy Digest over how the corruption in Western society helps Russia gain power.

Wilders security scare escalates Dutch election campaign
Netherlands far-right Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders has gone underground ahead of the country's general election, after a police agent reportedly leaked information about him to a Moroccan gang. Authorities have insisted Wilders is safe. Benjamin Tallis was interviewed regarding Geert Wilders by the RFI radio.

The Tao Of Lavrov
After nearly 13 years as Russia's top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov appears to be getting fed up. He also appears to have been marginalized and excluded from the decision-making process in Moscow. The story of the incredible shrinking foreign minister isn't just about Lavrov. It's about the downgrading of the Foreign Ministry as a whole, as well as the foreign policy professionals in the Putin regime. THe ongoing changes in governing of Russian foreign policy were the topic of RFE/RL Power Vertical Podcast, with Mark Galeotti as one of its guests.

The Prague Agenda in a Post-Truth World
This guest contribution from Heather Wokusch, a writer, educator, and activist based in Vienna, Austria, recounts the discussion at the 6th Prague Agenda Conference in early December 2016, and the somber mood of the event. Wokush quotes also Benjamin Tallis, one of the conference organizers from our Institute of International Relations Prague.

Russia's hybrid war against the West
"War has changed in the 21st century and combat is not always kinetic. Russia’s battlefields are the internet, financial markets and television airwaves. The goal is not necessarily to take and hold territory but to expand Russia’s sphere of influence and achieve political goals. This is hybrid warfare, or gibridnaya voina," topic of Mark Galeotti's appearance on War College by Reuters.

Visegrad on Trump: Anxious but optimistic
Depending on which country you ask, in Central Europe, the new US government is either a source of unease in matters concerning Moscow or, in the case of Hungary, newfound confidence. Jan Kovář was among the experts asked by EurActiv, Brussels, to provide their opinion.

Treason Through the FSB Looking Glass
"Why 'espionage' arrests at the heart of Russia’s security services are not all that they seem," that is what Mark Galeotti tries to explain in his newest piece in The Moscow Times.