Event 18. July 2024 International conference: “EU enlargement — a geopolitical necessity and the next steps for the EU candidate states” On 9 and 10 July, the Center for Liberal Modernity organized the international conference “EU Enlargement — a geopolitical necessity and the next steps for the EU candidate states” with its partner organizations in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Event 26. June 2024 EU Enlargement — A Geopolitical Necessity and the Next Steps for the EU Candidate States July 9–10: Center for Liberal Modernity in Tbilisi — international conference with our partner organizations aims at fostering collaboration among civil society organizations from the eastern partnerships and the Western Balkans and strenghten them on EU accession issues. Participants will share their paths to EU membership, exchange best practices and develop joint initiatives.
Event 23. May 2024 Moldova’s progress on the path to the EU membership negotiations On 14–15 December 2023, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova if progress can be made in implementing EU reforms, particularly in the Rule of Law. Since then, the Moldovan government has been continuously implementing the EU reforms. How should Moldova’s progress towards EU accession negotiations be assessed? What are the next steps in the EU integration process for Moldova? How can the EU and Germany support and accompany Moldova on its European path?
Event Nikolaus von Twickel 22. May 2024 A German Churchill or a Coalition of the Willing? Germany’s foot-dragging over military aid to Ukraine and the half-hearted implementation of Chancellor Scholz’ Zeitenwende were subjected to sharp criticism at the Center for Liberal Modernity’s recent public discussion “Russia...
Sergi Kapanadze 01. February 2024 How can the EU Regain Leverage over Georgia In December 2024, the EU made a geopolitical decision and granted Georgia EU candidate status. In his policy brief, Sergi Kapanadze analyses what leverage the EU has to promote EU integration in Georgia and what significance the upcoming parliamentary elections have in this regard.
Analysis Maria Sannikova-Franck 30. June 2023 Regime Change in Russia must not be a Taboo for the West The failed Wagner rebellion has drastically revealed the weakness of the Putin regime. Supporting Ukraine is now the West’s most effective lever to promote political change in Russia, argue Maria...
Event Ralf Fücks, Nikolaus von Twickel 04. May 2023 “The Best Russia Policy Is to Support a Ukrainian Victory” More than 120 experts from a dozen countries attended the fifth edition of our conference “Russia and the West” on 20 April in Berlin. The participants, including prominent Russian opposition figures in exile, discussed future policy towards Moscow and post-Putin scenarios.
Policy Paper 17. April 2023 Ukraine and Multilateral Formats in Central Europe In this policy paper, Alisa Muzergues and Pavel Havlíček analyse the multilateral formats and cooperations in Central and Eastern Europe in which Ukraine participates — or aspires to participate.
Policy Paper 10. April 2023 Security deficit in Europe: Updating and upgrading the EU’s security role in Ukraine What are the EU’s options regarding Ukraine’s integration into the European Defence Union? What measures are relevant for security on the ground? Iulian Romanyshyn explores these questions in the new LibMod policy paper.
Policy Paper Laure Delcour, Kataryna Wolczuk 31. January 2023 Ukraine and the EU at the Time of War: A New Paradigm The EU must become an autonomous foreign policy actor and use its enlargement policy to address the challenges posed by Russia’s aggression. A Policy Paper by Laure Delcour and Kataryna Wolczuk.
Policy Paper Vladimir Milov 10. January 2023 Future Scenarios for Russia: An Optimistic, but Realistic Outlook Putin has turned Russia into a dictatorship, but the country is by no means destined to be a dark imperialistic power. The Free World needs to support Russia’s next attempt for democratic change instead of snubbing it, writes Vladimir Milov.
Input Paper Dumitru Minzarari 05. December 2022 Moldova: Security Dimension in the Eastern Partnership after Russia’s War of Aggression on Ukraine The danger of Russian aggression in the Republic of Moldova is real, comments Dymutru Minzarari. He proposes concrete steps for Germany and the EU to ensure effective support in the field of security policy.
Input Paper Mykhailo Samus Ukraine: Security Dimension in the Eastern Partnership after Russia’s War of Aggression on Ukraine Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine raises questions about the security of Eastern European countries seeking membership in the EU and NATO — especially Ukraine. Mykhailo Samus analyses the missing security dimension and necessary changes in Western security policy.
Input Paper Sergi Kapanadze Georgia: Security Dimension in the Eastern Partnership after Russia’s War of Aggression on Ukraine The Russian invasion of Ukraine shows Russia’s imperialist expansionist strategies, Georgia became a primary target of this power politics in 2008. Sergi Kapanadze describes what steps the West should take for a new and robust security strategy within the Eastern Partnership.
Policy Paper Marie Mendras 01. December 2022 France’s Autocritique of Its “Russia First, Ukraine Second” Policy French policy towards Russia was based on self-serving delusions that led to dangerous failures and exacerbated Putin’s paranoia. The West needs to overhaul its policies and build a strong security system in Europe and beyond.
Policy Paper Ulrich Speck 24. October 2022 Zeitenwende: Towards a New German and European Russia Policy Germany’s decades-long policy of political partnership with Russia is in tatters — instead of a friendly democratic country it got an aggressive dictatorship. To avoid future failures, we need strength and resilience, writes Ulrich Speck.
Comment Ralf Fücks 19. October 2022 Whither Russia? A defeat in Ukraine is a chance for renewal It is time to think about a Russia after Putin. If defeated in Ukraine, conditions in the country will also change. Whether for the better or the worse is an open question. Without a departure from the imperial delusion, Russia will remain in the eternal vicious circle of war politics and authoritarian rule.
Policy Paper Daniel Fried 10. October 2022 Don’t Bet Against the West! The US tried to integrate Russia with the liberal international order, but Putin destroyed the basis for cooperation by dismanteling democracy and seeking domination of his neighbors, writes Dan Fried.
Essay Armin Huttenlocher 31. August 2022 Putin’s war is also Kirill’s crusade Under Orbán’s pressure, the EU-Commission has removed the Russian Patriarch Kirill from the sanctions list – a fatal underestimation of the powerful role of the Russian-Orthodox Church in the war against Ukraine.
Debate 25. March 2022 Appeal: European import ban on Russian oil and gas! More than 80 scholars, politicians, businesspeople and civil society representatives have signed an appeal to the German government to stop oil and gas imports from Russia. Remarkably, the coalition of...
Analysis John Lough 22. March 2022 Russia must be defeated in Ukraine Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is reaching a perilous stage. The West needs to step up efforts to make Putin’s war unwinnable. Concessions will only prolong his regime and increase Moscow’s appetite...
Analysis 21. March 2022 European values at the core of unprecedented Moldovan humanitarian efforts amidst the tragic war in Ukraine Moldova, a country in the heart of Europe, its current leadership and first and foremost its people, opened not only its borders but also their homes for the suffering neighbours. The...
Analysis Vladislav Inozemtsev 14. March 2022 Why Putin got so Delusional By waging a war against Ukraine, Putin has badly miscalculated. The Russian leader has become victim of his own propagandistic visions and failed to anticipate the Western response, writes Vladislav Inozemtsev.
Event 10. March 2022 Join our discussion “Russia and the West” How should we deal with a repressive and confrontational Russia? Join our annual discussion “Russia and the West” on 24 March, which will be held jointly with the Munich Security Conference...
Ralf Fücks 09. March 2022 What is Europe’s freedom worth to us? We must stop funding Putin’s war with our energy imports
Press Release Ralf Fücks, Marieluise Beck 24. February 2022 Putin must be branded a war criminal Statement on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Analysis Iryna Solonenko 15. December 2021 Eastern Partnership and Ukraine: the marriage of convenience This Wednesday, the Eastern Partnership Summit will take place for the first time in four years. On this occasion, Iryna Solonenko, Senior Fellow at the Center for Liberal Modernity, sheds...
Analysis 02. December 2021 The Occupation of Crimea – a Challenge for the Global Order As 2021 draws to a close, we look back on this year’s important events. Among them is the Crimea Platform, which was launched in August at Ukraine’s initiative to shore up...
Analysis Khatia Kikalishvili 17. November 2021 Whither Georgia? The political crisis in Georgia continues after the municipal runoff elections. The close election result exacerbates the polarization between the supporters of the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition...
Comment Veronika Movchan 18. October 2021 EU-Ukraine Summit 2021: What does it say about the state of EU-Ukraine relations after 7 years of the association? The considerable breakthroughs in the EU-Ukraine economic agenda have been harmed by sluggish political development, particularly concerning the rule of law. The judicial reform, anti-corruption efforts, independent and efficient law-enforcement...
Essay Olena Pavlenko 01. October 2021 Ukraine can help in the EU gas price crisis Europe is suffering from high gas prices. At some gas hubs, they increased more than 250% since January, and already have impact on the retail prices for households in many...
Analysis Andreas Umland 27. September 2021 Merkel’s Ambivalent Legacy in Post-Soviet Eastern Europe When Angela Merkel took office as German Chancellor in 2005, she was better prepared for the challenges on the EU’s eastern border than any other West European head of government....
Analysis Volodymyr Dubovyk 09. September 2021 Zelenskyy’s US visit reaffirms partnership. But much work lies ahead. The reactions in Ukraine to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recent visit to the United States vary widely and are often politicized. They range from statements that the visit lifted relations to...
Analysis Artyom Shraibman 09. August 2021 One year after the protests began — what’s Russia’s plan for Belarus? A year ago protests began against electoral fraud in Belarus. Dictator Lukashenko responded with a wave of harsh state violence, which led to the country being further isolated and sanctioned internationally....
Input Paper 09. July 2021 Input Paper “European Green Deal for Ukraine: current status and future” As part of our project “Eastern Partnership Plus”, we are publishing a second series of input papers on the topic of Perspectives and Priorities European Green Deal (EGD) in Ukraine, Georgia...
Input Paper 07. July 2021 Input Paper “Georgia and European Green Deal” As part of our project “Eastern Partnership Plus”, we are publishing a second series of input papers on the topic of Perspectives and Priorities European Green Deal (EGD) in Ukraine, Georgia...
Debate 29. June 2021 Putin’s Poisoned Chalice* An answer to Wladimir Putin’s fine tuned op-ed in the German weekly Die Zeit by Ralf Fücks, Center for Liberal Modernity.
Input Paper 21. June 2021 Input Paper on Anti-Corruption Environment in Georgia As part of our project “Eastern Partnership Plus”, we are publishing a first series of input papers on the topic of anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The authors from...
Input Paper Input Paper “Overview of the current situation and challenges of the fight against corruption in the Republic of Moldova” As part of our project “Eastern Partnership Plus”, we are publishing a first series of input papers on the topic of anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The authors from...
Input Paper Input Paper “Fighting corruption in Ukraine” As part of our project “Eastern Partnership Plus”, we are publishing a first series of input papers on the topic of anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The authors from...
Analysis Richard Giragosian 09. March 2021 Armenia’s post-war Political Crisis Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is facing protests and requests to resign after Armenia lost the war with Azerbaijan for Nagorno Karabakh. Richard Giragosian, Director of the independent Thinktanks Regional...
Analysis Aksana Lutskaya 06. February 2021 The Birth of a new civil society in Belarus vs. a “European North Korea” While violence thrives in silence, it has no chance to persist if brought to public attention. International attention and support to the people in Belarus are now more crucial than...
Analysis Artyom Shraibman 15. December 2020 Can the EU resolve Belarus conundrum? A four-month stand-off between Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko and the pro-democratic protesters posed a serious challenge for the EU. The block that had announced its ambition to become a geopolitical actor, has...
Analysis Ralf Fücks, Marieluise Beck 08. September 2020 Russia and the Germans – a complicated affair In Germany, a majority favour closer ties with Russia despite new authorianism under Putin, military aggression against Ukraine and bombing in Syria. Where does the desire for a special relationship with Russia...
Russia and the West – Rapprochement or New Systemic Conflict? Panel and online discussion with Marieluise Beck, Vladimir Kara-Murza und Michael McFaul on 9 September 2020, 7 pm CET
Analysis Ralf Fücks 13. July 2020 Soviet Nostalgia and Great Power Aspirations Ahead to the Past – The World in the Mind of Putin Эту статью можно читать и на русском
Dossier 02. July 2020 Program “Eastern Partnership Plus” With its “Eastern Partnership 2.0” project, LibMod is bringing perspectives from Georgia, Moldova and the Ukraine to Berlin’s and Brussels’ policy circles.
Analysis Artyom Shraibman 30. June 2020 Whom the West should support in Belarus? A time for a strategic approach Traditional opposition parties and movements has long seized to be a politically meaningful force in Belarus. It is time for Western decision-makers to finally admit this unpleasant reality and shift its...
17. June 2020 German-Russian Digital Civil Society Talks The Russian Government is trying to get access to the internet – perhaps the most important refuge for freedom of speech. Cyberspace is increasingly restricted through state censorship: state pressure...
28. April 2020 Ulana Suprun: Government Agencies Are Using the Quarantine to Become Much Less Transparent An interview with Dr. Ulana Suprun, former acting minister of Health of Ukraine (2016–2019) on the government’s response to COVID-19, including an erratic communication strategy, a lack of transparency and corruption...
Olga Karatsch 20. April 2020 Mortal Combat in Belarus: Lukashenko vs Coronavirus Der belarusian President leaves it to orthodox priests und the KGB to fight the epidemic. The people are getting more and more upset because the government can no longer hide...
Policy Paper John Lough 31. October 2019 Belarus: Danger ahead – EU response needed Many EU capitals regard Belarus as an extension of Russia and take little interest in it. EU leaders are also uncomfortable dealing with its long-time autocratic leader, Alexander Lukashenka. Such...
Press Release 12. June 2019 Open Letter to PACE concerning Russia An Open Letter to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe: Please don’t deprive yourself of the right to impose sanctions on member states that are violating the statutes...
Debate Ralf Fücks, Nikolaus von Twickel 24. January 2019 Russia and the West – Do We Need a New Ostpolitik? On January 17 the Centre for Liberal Modernity held its second international Russia conference. This year’s topic was if Germany’s policy of detente of the 1970s can offer any guidance...
Book Review Wolfgang Eichwede 18. January 2019 Dangerous advisors The book discussed below (Why we need peace and freedom with Russia) explicitly presents itself as an appeal for a change in Germany’s policy towards Russia. It brings together authors from...
18. September 2018 Save the Council of Europe With the annexation of Crimea and the undeclared war in Eastern Ukraine, the Russian leadership gravely violates the principles of the European peace order. In response, the Parliamentary Assembly of...
Debate Edward Lucas 17. May 2018 Stop Russia now, or lose to China later What will be at stake when Moscow and Beijing begin to share their lessons?
Factsheet Ralf Fücks, Christoph Becker 07. May 2018 Factcheck: Encirclement of Russia? Are Russia’s interventions in Georgia, Ukraine and Syria merely a reaction against the expansion of NATO? Facts and arguments concerning a propaganda myth.
Attila Juhasz 16. April 2018 After the Elections: Hungary Divided The elections on April 8, 2018 gave Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party another two-thirds majority in parliament. Attila Juhasz explains why this does not imply a broad support for the concept of ‘illiberale democracy’. The hungarian...
Event Nikolaus von Twickel 19. March 2018 The Putin System and the Kremlin’s Influence in Europe On March 13 the Center Liberal Modernity held its first international conference on Russia. The event’s main intention was gaining a deeper understanding of the Putin System and to find out...
Ralf Fücks, Marieluise Beck 18. March 2018 Understanding Russia A Russian agent who switched sides is attacked with a military-grade nerve agent in a provincial English town. Prime Minister May holds Moscow responsible for the attack. Are we back in the...
Marieluise Beck 19. February 2018 Three years after Minsk II: Where are we now? Recapitulation of a faltering peace process: the second Minsk Agreement of February 2015, intended to put an end to the war in eastern Ukraine and to set a political process in motion,...