Mikhail Gorbachev was only Soviet leader for a little over six years, from 1985 to 1991, but they were six years that changed both his country and the world. His policies of perestroika (reconstruction) and glasnost (openness) gave ordinary citizens the opportunity to exercise real political freedoms, including freedom ofContinue Reading
When the results of the Conservative leadership race are announced next week, the UK’s new prime minister will be facing a formidable set of challenges. There is the worst cost of living crisis in 50 years, a war in Europe, an antagonistic relationship with the EU and divisions within theContinue Reading
Tourism resorts around the world have suffered an economic hit with a drop in Russian tourists. Dima Fadeev/Shutterstock Tourism destinations globally are seeing a significant hit to their economies as Russians stay at home due to war-related sanctions, with possible long-term effects on international tourism. This comes as European countriesContinue Reading
The Government will take action to help people with “unaffordable” increases in energy prices, the Minister for Finance has said. Paschal Donohoe said measures aimed at assisting people with the increased cost of living will be at the heart of the Budget later this month. He also said he wasContinue Reading
The death this week of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, who presided over its disintegration at the end of the 1980s, prompted an avalanche of tributes. These came mainly from outside Russia – where he was viewed with considerable ambivalence by much of the population whoContinue Reading
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Russia is using its dominance of the European oil and gas market, where it accounts for 40% of EU gas consumption, to attempt to reduce support for Ukraine. To ramp up that pressure ahead of the winter, Russia has closed off the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany from AugustContinue Reading
Ukraine launched its counteroffensive in the Kherson region on August 29, the success of which would have major military, political and symbolic consequences. This move has been made possible by Ukraine’s recent maritime successes that have reduced Russia’s ability to control the southern coast of Ukraine. Six months after RussiaContinue Reading
Thanks to the final Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who has died aged 91, a disarmament treaty has denied Vladimir Putin thousands more missiles which he could have ordered to be used against Ukraine. Russian forces attacking Ukraine have not been able to use land-based missiles with ranges of between 500kmContinue Reading
h No other person but the final leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev – who has died aged 91 – could bring to life the eternal debate on the role of the individual in history. Does real change happen because of impersonal structural factors, or because of individual choiceContinue Reading
