This issue deals with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Firstly, Maria Shagina posits that the contentious Nord Stream 2 pipeline has revived the fundamental differences of opinion that divided the allies during the Cold War and created new inter-European tensions. A closer look at the crises in the Western alliance occasioned by the Druzhba oil pipeline in the 1960s and the Yamal–Urengoi gas pipeline in the 1980s reveals the continuity of ...

This edition considers recent developments in Russia’s relationship with China. Firstly, Marcin Kaczmarski suggests that in spite of renewed talk, obstacles remain for a fully-fledged Russia-China military alliance. Secondly, Xin Zhang focuses on Chinese elite and expert policy narratives about Russia, noting that they emphasize that the relationship operates on a level both distinct to, and higher than, an “axis of convenience”. Thirdly, ...

The topic of this issue is the current state of Russian agriculture. Firstly, Natalia Karlova, Olga Shik, Eugenia Serova, and Renata Yanbykh cover changes in the structure of agricultural production, trade development, and agri-food policy. The article concludes by listing the major challenges Russian agriculture must address in order to maintain its position in the national economy and in global markets. Secondly, Vasyl Kvartiuk and ...

The topic of this issue is “Mitigating the Social Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic”. Firstly, Gurgen Aslanyan, Vardan Baghdasaryan and Gayane Shakhmuradyan examine the social policy response of the Government of Armenia to the COVID-19 crisis. Secondly, Farid Guliyev posits that Azerbaijan’s social assistance and income support schemes adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic need to be seen within the context of the existing social ...

The topic of this issue is the Russian Regions after the Elections of the Unified Voting Day 2020 (11-13 September). Firstly, Andrei Semenov describes the outcomes of the subnational elections and argues that although the results confirmed the dominance of regime-backed candidates, long-term changes in the electorate’s preferences and tactical innovations employed by the opposition foreshadow a major battle over the parliamentary elections ...