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Articles by Josh Cohen

opinion Josh Cohen

Turning the Tide of U.S-Russia Relations (Op-ed)

A leaked document after Helsinki spells hope for a rapprochement.
opinion Josh Cohen

U.S. and Russia Must Cooperate to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism

A recent report from NATO asks a frightening question "Could the Islamic State go nuclear"? It's not an idle question, as U.S. President Barack Obama...
opinion Josh Cohen

Putin Is Achieving His Goals in Syria (Op-Ed)

As Russia's bombing campaign in Syria drags on, Western commentators increasingly portray President Vladimir Putin's Syrian campaign as a disaster.
opinion Josh Cohen

Path to Peace in Syria Runs Through Moscow

Love him or hate him, President Vladimir Putin continues to surprise the West. The president's latest surprise occurred last week, when Syrian President...
opinion Josh Cohen

Growing Extremism Threatens Fragile Tajikistan

With the media's terrorism coverage largely focused on the fight against the Islamic State in Syria, a new front line against Islamic militancy may...
opinion Josh Cohen

Ukraine Should Beware the Azov Extremists

Although Ukraine's revolution was overwhelmingly driven by liberal Ukrainians seeking to join Europe, the Maidan movement has included some troubling...
opinion Josh Cohen

Poroshenko Is Taking a Gamble on Saakashvili (Op-Ed)

Petro Poroshenko's recent decision to appoint Mikheil Saakashvili as governor of the Odessa region shocked many observers. Columnist Josh Cohen explains...
opinion Josh Cohen

Cracks Appearing in U.S.-Ukraine Relationship

Ever since the Maidan Revolution which overthrew Ukraine's former President Viktor Yanukovych early last year, Ukraine and Russia have been locked in a...
opinion Josh Cohen

West Must Compromise on Victory Day

During my time spent working and living in the former Soviet Union, one of the things that always made a powerful impression on me were the memorials...
opinion Josh Cohen

Russia Has Ukraine's Economy in a Choke Hold

The well-known military theorist Carl von Clausewitz once said that "War is a mere continuation of politics by other means."
opinion Josh Cohen

Is There Another Maidan Brewing in Ukraine?

Since the parliamentary elections in October and recent events in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian people have been largely focused on the perceived...
opinion Josh Cohen

Poroshenko's Incompetence Lost Debaltseve

Ukraine's forces suffered a needless defeat at Debaltseve because Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is totally removed from the reality of the situation...
opinion Josh Cohen

If U.S. Arms Ukraine, Russia Could Arm Iran

Arming Ukraine could cause Russia to retaliate and start causing problems for the West even outside Ukraine's borders, writes columnist Josh Cohen.
opinion Josh Cohen

Putin Wants Ukraine Intact, But On His Terms

As fighting in the Donbass once again explodes, Western governments and military analysts from Berlin to Brussels are asking the same question they...
opinion Josh Cohen

Where Is Russia's Foreign Policy Going in 2015?

As 2015 dawns, Russia finds itself facing a series of economic and geopolitical challenges that will test our mettle.
opinion Josh Cohen

Putin's Fear of China Weakens Russia's Asia Pivot

As Moscow's relationship with the West continues to deteriorate, Russia has engaged in a concerted and very public "pivot to Asia," the focus of which...
opinion Josh Cohen

Ukraine Must Confront Its Corruption Problem

Ukraine's corruption problem is crippling its development and imaginative solutions must be found to combat the problem, including the increased participation...
opinion Josh Cohen

Russia's Vested Interests in Supporting Assad

As the Syrian civil war drags on and the situation in the Middle East continues to spiral out of control, Russia remains a steadfast supporter of Syrian...
opinion Josh Cohen

Don't Let Ukraine Into NATO

Neither NATO membership nor any other privileged association with the alliance should be an option for Ukraine, a fact the West should have learned...
opinion Josh Cohen

Allying With Iran Is Putin's Ace in the Hole

As Moscow considers new ways of responding to Western sanctions, both existing and potential, the Kremlin has a range of economic and political...
opinion Josh Cohen

U.S. Sanctions Won't Stop Putin's War in Ukraine

While Putin no doubt wants to avoid the economic fallout that the sanctions will cause, he also faces substantial risks if he allows the separatists...
opinion Josh Cohen

Can Putin Get Everying He Wants in Ukraine?

After resuming its military buildup along the Ukrainian border last week, President Vladimir Putin has now taken a number of actions to step back from the...
opinion Josh Cohen

Kiev Should Let Donbass Go

Despite the referendums in Donetsk and Luhansk that seemingly point to an overwhelming desire of local resident for autonomy, Kiev is still determined...
opinion Josh Cohen

Golden Opportunity to Invade Ukraine

As Ukraine teeters on the brink of civil war after the recent tragedy in Odessa where at least 42 people died, tensions between Ukraine and Russia...
opinion Josh Cohen

Geneva Agreement Too Good to Be True

After an extended and dramatic meeting in Geneva on Thursday, the U.S., the European Union, Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement on some steps...
opinion Josh Cohen

A Federal Model for Ukraine

A federal model for Ukraine should include direct elections for governors and the limited authority on a local level to tax and spend.
opinion Josh Cohen

Putin Has Many Ways to Strike Back at Sanctions

In the wake of President Vladimir Putin's decision to annex Crimea, there is much talk in the West that Russia must pay a serious price. But the discussion...
opinion Josh Cohen

U.S. Threats Against Putin Will Only Backfire

The West needs to realize that Ukraine is of existential importance to Putin and Russia.
opinion Josh Cohen

Next, Putin Will Seize Donetsk and Kharkiv

As Russian troops consolidate their hold over Crimea, it seems clear that President Vladimir Putin will soon have troops in eastern Ukraine as well.
opinion Josh Cohen

Will Putin Seize Crimea?

As the battle on Maidan ends with the defeat and humiliation of President Viktor Yanukovych, some observers have turned their attention to Ukraine's...
opinion Josh Cohen

Sochi Guests Shouldn't Poop on the Russia Rug

As the Winter Olympics in Sochi got under way, we were treated to hordes of Western journalists tweeting and Instagramming about the mess in their...