Gorbachev’s Thorn: Soviet Concessions and the Road to the INF Treaty
The United States’ withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in August 2019 reignited concerns about destabilizing the nuclear and conventional balance in Europe.
The HMS Defender Incident: Lawfare, Optics, and a Changing European Strategic Direction
On the morning of June 23, 2021, the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender departed its port of call in Odessa, Ukraine, and made way for Batumi, Georgia. While in transit, the destroyer conducted a Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) near the southwestern tip of Crimea, triggering a Russian reaction comprising at least three ships and dozens of aircraft.