SpecialEurasia’s Post

What are the recent trends in International Relations? Pro-Russian Party Wins Polls in Georgia Georgia's pro-Russian ruling party has maintained its hold on power, potentially undermining the nation's European Union (EU) ambitions. Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have reported claims of intimidation and coercion during the election, describing it as an example of "democratic backsliding." Despite allegations of voter intimidation and coercion, Georgia's ruling party has retained control in a contentious parliamentary election, dealing a setback to the country's long-standing aspiration to join the EU. A potential political crisis, which could further polarise the Caucasus nation, was set in motion as Georgia's pro-Western opposition refused to accept defeat, calling the ruling party's victory a "constitutional coup" and vowing to declare rallies. With almost 99% of precincts counted, the commission reported that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party had garnered 54% of the vote. The outcome for GD would effectively halt the nation's ambitions for EU membership and dash the opposition's expectations for a pro-Western alliance of four blocs. #georgia #elections #GeorgianDream #GD #BidzinaIvanishvili #EU #politics #Russia #opposition #updates #news #international Picture Courtesy: DAVID MDZINARISHVILI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

🗳 While lots of people are focused on the UK #GeneralElection, we shouldn't lose sight of the #EuropeanElections at the end of this week with around 370 million voters across 27 member states set to vote for 720 MEPs and choose the political direction of the European Commission. 🇪🇺 With the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement set for review in the next term of both the UK and European Parliaments, the make up of the Parliament and who is President of the European Commission matters. That's why I've joined my Instinctif Partners colleagues from across the world in reflecting on the global impact and importance of the EU elections. 🇬🇧 For us here in the UK, it's not just what they mean in terms of the UK's political and trade relationship with the EU and the impact that has on UK businesses, but also our national security and defence in a fractured world as a war rages in Europe. 🤓 To read more about why this weekend's elections in the EU are relevant for the UK, click here: https://lnkd.in/gMEmvq9h #EUPolitics #UKPolitics #EUElections #Brexit #Trade #Security #Policy

As the #UK gears up for its general election, the stakes for #Ukraine couldn’t be higher. Stepan Stepanenko, Director of Research at the Forum for Foreign Relations, delves into how different UK political parties' manifestos address the ongoing challenges and support for Ukraine amidst the war with #Russia. Discover which parties offer robust strategies and which ones fall short. This timely analysis is crucial as UK voters decide how their choices at the polls will influence international relations and security. https://lnkd.in/evytrvEH #UKElections #UkraineCrisis #InternationalRelations #PoliticalAnalysis #GlobalSecurity

More and more people, including Pope Francis, are asking Ukraine to drop its defense and sit at the negotiation table with Russia. Citing the stalemate on the battlefield and Russia’s superior resources, they urge Ukraine’s leadership to consider a deal. What exactly that would involve is largely left unsaid. But it would clearly involve freezing the conflict, resigning Ukraine’s occupied territory to Russia in exchange for an end to the fighting. Moldova, knows about that kind of bargain. A small western neighbor of Ukraine, Moldova experienced Russia’s first post-Soviet war, which ended with a cease-fire agreement in 1992. Thirty-two years later, 1,500 Russian troops are still stationed on internationally recognized Moldovan territory.

Election interference is an important problem to be considered before #EUparliament elections. Belgian and Czech leaders are urging urgent action within the European Union to counter Russian interference in the upcoming EU elections. Evidence of attempts to bribe EU lawmakers has been uncovered by their intelligence services. Belgium's intelligence service has identified a network aiming to undermine European support for Ukraine in its conflict against Russia. #Elections #EU #Diplomacy #Cybersecurity #ElectionIntegrity

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 As elections approach, the European Union is actively monitoring for interference, a prudent step considering the geopolitical implications. The EU’s vigilance involves assessing threats, implementing defensive actions, and ensuring transparent communication with its citizens. These difficult circumstances are not unique to the EU. Nations worldwide are learning to counteract foreign interference. Canada, while facing similar challenges, is lagging in approach and action. We need to learn from the many worldwide best practices and improve quickly. #foreigninterference #hybridwarfare

How does the EU fight against foreign disinformation and its impact on shaping EU public opinion? The EU is increasingly concerned over foreign efforts, notably from Russia and China, interfering in its democratic processes, particularly as elections approach in 2024. Measures taken by the EU include new legislation such as the Digital Services Act and rules on political advertising transparency, as well as reforms to protect journalists and strengthen the European Parliament against foreign influence. #Elections #EU #Security #Cybersecurity #EU2024

I highly recommend this insightful article by ZVIAD ADZINBAIA, a fellow The Fletcher School at Tufts University community member with firsthand experience in Georgia and Ukraine. Adzinbaia argues that abandoning Georgia to the Kremlin would be a major geopolitical blunder. He highlights the democratic crisis following the disputed October parliamentary elections, aptly stating, "The country now stands at a pivotal crossroads in its modern history, with the outcome of the current confrontation set to have geopolitical consequences that will reverberate far beyond Georgia’s borders." This piece is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of democracy and stability in the region. #Georgia #Ukraine #GeopoliticalRisk #NationalSecurity #InternationalRelations #Energy #China #StrategicCompetition #Elections2024 https://lnkd.in/gTaTvyb9

Russia attempting to sway election and EU referendum in Moldova, warn US, UK and Canada. Why it matters: 1. Russia's alleged interference in Moldova’s presidential election underscores the global challenge of protecting democratic processes from external manipulation. Russia is utilizing aggressive strategies including disinformation, covert activities, and corruption to influence the election outcome, demonstrating the sophisticated nature of cyber threats. 2. Moldova's pursuit of EU membership and anti-corruption efforts have sparked significant pushback, most notably from pro-Russian elements. These instances illustrate the geopolitical friction that can arise when nations seek to transition away from Russia's sphere of influence towards alignment with the West. 3. The unified response from the US, UK, and Canada signifies the increasing importance of multinational cooperation in upholding democratic values and combating foreign interference. Despite trust in Moldova’s resilience, the allies' explicit support underscores the necessity of international solidarity in confronting such threats. Learn more by visiting The Record from Recorded Future News: https://lnkd.in/eC4Chepy

European MPs are now divided over whether to recognize the presidential election as illegitimate — or to deem #Putin’s new term illegitimate altogether. Negotiations have been taking place in recent days, The Moscow Times has learned. #Brussels #EuropeanParliament #EU