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Publications
Articles, publications, books, tools and multimedia features from the U.S. Institute of Peace provide the latest news, analysis, research findings, practitioner guides and reports, all related to the conflict zones and issues that are at the center of the Institute’s work to prevent and reduce violent conflict.
Why Georgians Are Protesting Against Russian Influence
Earlier this month, the ruling Georgian Dream party withdrew proposed “foreign agent” bills that have been a source of contestation in the country, particularly over the last year. A diverse coalition of Georgians hit the streets to protest these bills, which they said would be a blow to Georgia’s democracy and undercut its efforts to be a candidate for European Union membership. Just as Ukrainians are resisting Russia’s illegal invasion, these Georgian protesters fear growing Russian influence in their country, which is already partly occupied by Russia. The bills’ collapse in the Georgian parliament revealed the power of civil society resistance and the continued fight within the country for European integration and democracy.
Russia’s Ukraine War Could Offer Chance to Resolve South Caucasus Conflicts
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world’s attention has been justly focused on the war and the devastation inflicted on Ukrainian civilians. However, as the war drags on — and becomes ever more costly to Russia — policymakers in the United States and Europe must pay increasing attention to other areas where the diminution of Russia’s military reputation may upset local balances of power.
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia’s Balancing Act Over Russia’s War in Ukraine
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia have tried in different ways to balance the need for good relations with Moscow with a desire to support Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty. Each has reason to be cautious: Moscow has exploited ongoing conflicts in all three countries to dominate its self-defined sphere of vital interests. While these conflicts persist, Moscow will maintain significant leverage over Yerevan, Baku and Tbilisi. Working with them to resolve these conflicts and preserve their sovereignty should be a priority for the United States and Europe.
Donald Jensen on Secretary Austin’s Visit to Georgia, Romania and Ukraine
USIP’s Donald Jensen looks at what Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s recent trip to several countries along the Black Sea means for U.S. policy, saying, “We are looking at the region in its entirety … and Romania, Ukraine and Georgia are key players in the broader effort to curb Russian influence in the region.”
Georgian Prime Minister: Reforms Will Continue
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said his government is stepping up economic and political reforms to draw greater foreign investment and to strengthen political stability in the face of the country’s confrontation with Russia. Speaking at the U.S. Institute of Peace in his first visit to Washington as prime minister, Kvirikashvili said Georgia will continue its “pragmatic approach” to opposing Russia’s support for separatist movements in two regions of Georgia “in order not to pr...
Georgia, Facing Russian Pressure, Needs NATO Path, Defense Chief Says
Even as hostilities continue in Ukraine, Russia is trying to undermine Georgia’s sovereignty with a multi-prong campaign that may not include a direct military confrontation yet poses a significant threat, according to Georgian Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli.
'Women of Courage' Awardees Challenge Social Norms Head On
Roshika Deo’s announcement that she would run in her country’s first election since a military coup eight years ago drew vicious condemnation on social media – racist and homophobic comments, threats of rape. Her story hails from the South Pacific island nation of Fiji, but it reflects the kinds of attacks, verbal and physical, also faced by her fellow recipients of the U.S. State Department’s International Women of Courage Awards this year.
NATO’s Balancing Act
NATO's Balancing Act evaluates the alliance’s performance of its three core tasks—collective defense, crisis management, and cooperative security—and reviews its members’ efforts to achieve the right balance among them. Yost considers NATO's role in the evolving global security environment and its implications for collective defense and crisis management in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Africa, Libya, and elsewhere.
Georgia's New Coalition Maps Political, Economic Path in First U.S. Visit
As the former Soviet republic of Georgia’s new leadership determines which direction it will take a country with a struggling democratic transition, the new ruling party sent its first delegation to Washington recently to discuss what each side will contribute to the relationship—and what the other will need in return, both politically and economically.
Georgian President, at USIP, Says Reforms Must Follow Revolutions
Arguing that the popular uprisings of the past year reflect the global appeal of American values of freedom, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who led his own country’s 2003 “Rose Revolution,” told an audience at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) on February 1 that the success of such revolutions requires sweeping reforms that aim for a complete “social transformation,” commence quickly and “never stop.”