Articles on Nicu Popescu
Familiarity breeds contempt: Why Russia makes mistakes on the world stage (Commentary)
Nicu Popescu - 14 March 2019
For all the accepted wisdom to the contrary, Russia is largely failing to achieve its core foreign policy objectives
Nord Stream 2: ECFR opinions (Commentary)
Piotr Buras & Josef Janning & Kadri Liik & Nicu Popescu - 20 December 2018
Nord Stream 2 is a contentious project - here, ECFR experts weigh in on the debate with an array of opinions on the topic
Ukraine’s new front is Europe’s big challenge (Commentary)
Carl Bildt, Nicu Popescu - 28 November 2018
There’s plenty Europe should do to push back against Russia’s latest attack on Ukraine
Russian cyber sins and storms (Commentary)
Nicu Popescu - 10 October 2018
Cyber-espionage is business as usual for most great-power governments - so why the growing storm of indignation directed at Russia's cyber activities?
Three scenarios for Ukraine (Commentary)
Nicu Popescu - 11 March 2014
Following events in Crimea, three worrying scenarios are conveivable, including a future with more military interventions. To minismise the chance of this happening, Russia's actions have to be met more than just diplomatic signals.
Time for Azerbaijan to open up (Commentary)
Nicu Popescu - 01 October 2012
Azerbaijan has hydrocarbon riches and a strategic position, which means that all the great powers have an interest in good relations. But one family has dominated the political scene for many years, corruption is rampant and the economy needs diversifying. It’s time to open up.
Power and Weakness in Putin’s Russia (Commentary)
Nicu Popescu - 15 March 2012
Vladimir Putin’s support machine was strong enough to guarantee him victory in the presidential election. But Putin’s strength is the weakness of the opposition and he should be worried by the divisions within his own government.
How Putin ran out of ideas and won (Commentary)
Nicu Popescu - 01 March 2012
Russia has changed and Vladimir Putin has run out of ideas. Although he will still win the Russian presidential election, Putin faces the biggest ever challenge to his power once he re-enters the Kremlin.
Russia's liberal-nationalist cocktail: elixir of life or toxic poison? (Commentary)
Nicu Popescu - 23 February 2012
Young, liberal figures such as Alexei Navalny and Vladimir Milov are building bridges between democratic and nationalist wings of the protest movement. Will this marriage prove a mix that mobilises a nation against the Putin regime, or will it taint the legitimacy of both sides in years to come?
The beginning of the end for Putin? (Commentary)
Nicu Popescu - 06 December 2011
Russia's election results are bad news for Putin for two reasons. Firstly United Russia did badly despite the election being biased in its favour, and secondly it shows that Putin can no longer rely on an apathetic population.