Perhaps each of the parties was hoping that one of the others would have such a vested interest in continuing the transit that they would agree to lose face and make concessions, but in the end everyone was prepared to suffer rather than give anything away to the enemy.
Moscow’s approach to Moldova is to play for time and keep the country in geopolitical limbo by stoking internal divisions, stalling reforms, and fueling disenchantment with the pro-European course.
Washington and Brussels appear to believe making it more expensive to get around Western restrictions will fuel inflation in Russia and boost economic inefficiency.
The EU can provide valuable assistance for Kazakhstan when it comes to developing a hydrogen strategy, from regulatory frameworks to sustainability standards.
Finland sees the weaponization of migration as a form of hybrid warfare and has introduced legislation to combat it.
The exchange is not just the end of the story about the release of certain people, but also the beginning of a story about an injection of fresh blood into the Russian opposition abroad, and its relationship both with independent Russians inside the country, and with the outside world.
The exchange was not accompanied by any rhetoric of a reset in Russia-U.S. relations—instead, it was like a divorcing couple dividing up assets.
