China Can’t Have It Both Ways in Europe
Beijing is blowing up its relationships by backing Russia.
Forgetting the site where Russia became a nuclear power comes with its own risks.
One year on, events in Kazakhstan that cemented its president’s grip on power remain shrouded in mystery.
The Ukraine war has given Astana a unique chance to frustrate Moscow.
The region has long served as a testing ground for Beijing’s economic and foreign-policy ambitions and is becoming increasingly close to China.
The war in Ukraine is prompting countries from Kazakhstan to Moldova to reexamine their colonial past and seek diplomatic allies beyond the Kremlin.
A complicated conflict was reduced to an easy narrative of riots and chaos.
Promised changes after January’s chaos are unpromising so far.
Until the Tokayev regime shows remorse for its brutal crackdown, the country’s reforms won’t bring progress.
Overloaded hospitals are struggling amid a coronavirus spike.
Intense interest by diplomats and state media underscores the significance of Russia’s intervention.
Lofty democratic rhetoric can’t compete with autocratic boots on the ground. That should make Washington uncomfortable.
The country’s widespread popular demonstrations transcended class, region, and politics—making them distinct from those in Belarus and Ukraine.
As violence subsides, the country’s future remains uncertain.
Moscow’s swift aid to a neighboring regime tracks with its wider strategic goals.
Moscow has long claimed parts of northern Kazakhstan. The country’s current turmoil makes those claims a lot more relevant—and troubling.
A sudden wave of protests has spooked the Kremlin and precipitated an unprecedented intervention by Moscow and its allies.
After the Great Lockdown will come the next Great Migration.
A vibrant society is under threat from the authoritarian government.
How the self-styled “Asian Geneva” successfully navigated among Russia, China, and the West—at least for now.