The EU Is Finally a Union of Losers Only. And That Is a Great Thing!

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, representing the EU-27 “losers” are seen signing the post-Brexit trade deal with the UK. Photo: Charles Michel on Twitter; Above: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, representing long-time historical winner England/Britain, is jubilant after the signing the of the deal. Photo: Boris John on Twitter

For the first time in 47 years, the EU is made up solely of historical losers. And being the losers has resulted in much invalubale wisdom that the world should look up to.


Continue reading “The EU Is Finally a Union of Losers Only. And That Is a Great Thing!”

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The EU Survived Trump. Now It’s Gotta Survive Biden

The challenges underlying the EU-US relationship won’t be gone simply by Biden’s replacing of Trump. Photo: Video grab from YouTube. Above: Video grab from the EC Press Service

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Not to worry: the Biden years ahead will be no less challenging for the European Union and the Trans-Atlantic relations than the Trump years just past!


Continue reading “The EU Survived Trump. Now It’s Gotta Survive Biden”

Trump Was Good for the EU. Too Bad the EU Didn’t Take Advantage

US President Donald Trump and then EU chiefs Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker are seen here in Brussels in 2017. Photo: EC Press Service; Above: Photo: Video grab from EC Press Service

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Somehow Donald J. Trump seems to be on his way out of the White House some time by early 2021. The ripple effect from his one-term “reality show” presidency is going to be hovering around US and world affairs for quite some time. And European and EU affairs, for that matter.


Continue reading “Trump Was Good for the EU. Too Bad the EU Didn’t Take Advantage”

Top 10 Geopolitical Issues of Romania: Corruption, Emigration, Russia, Hungarians, Moldova, Et Al.

A map of Romania and its region derived from Google Maps.

Following is a view on Romania’s 10 most important and most pressing geopolitical and national security issues and challenges, ranked in descending level of importance. Continue reading “Top 10 Geopolitical Issues of Romania: Corruption, Emigration, Russia, Hungarians, Moldova, Et Al.”

Post-Brexit EU Is Finally a Union of True Humility. And That Is a Great Thing!

The European Union without the UK. Maps; Wikipedia

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Or why Britain is a lot more like the USA, Russia, China, Turkey, or Iran than it is like Germany, France, Italy, Spain, or Poland.


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Salvini’s Migrant Ship Trial: How the European Establishment Keeps Boosting the Far Right

Matteo Salvini on Twitter. Photo above: Matteo Salvini, then as Deputy Prime Minister of Italy, (left) with US Vice President Mike Pence in Washington, DC, in June 2019. Photo: Wikipedia

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Salvini’s quest for power has just been aided by those who want to stop or punish him by putting him on trial.


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Brexit Is Britain’s Final Opt-out. From Responsibility! (And What Did We Use to Talk about?)

Brexit Day, January 31, 2020, has a weird albeit an insipid feel to it, any way you look at it. Images: Pixabay

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Brexit is Britain’s biggest European opt-out – the opt-out from responsibility. Nothing more, nothing less.


Continue reading “Brexit Is Britain’s Final Opt-out. From Responsibility! (And What Did We Use to Talk about?)”

The Brady Bunch of Eurasia: Putin, Erdogan, Borisov, Vucic; Jets, Missiles, TurkStream, Balkan Stream, et. Al.

Putin and Erdogan looked notably more serious, and Borisov and Vucic seemed far more jovial during the entire set of TurkStream launch events in Istanbul. Photo: Boyko Borisov’s Facebook Page. Map (above) of the TurkStream pipeline by Gazprom

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Take a fun look at a wonderful display of the “strong men” frenemy macho state leaders that dominate the world of today in what might be its last decades. Continue reading “The Brady Bunch of Eurasia: Putin, Erdogan, Borisov, Vucic; Jets, Missiles, TurkStream, Balkan Stream, et. Al.”

2020: The Year of Brexit (R.I.P. EU Britain (1973 – 2020)), and Who Is How Old in EU Years

The ripping of the Brexit band aid has been delayed for way too long now. January 31, 2020, will have the honor of seeing it through. Photo: Pixabay

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The fact that the 3.5-year-long “life support” of “EU Britain” is finally about to be “unplugged” already at the start of 2020 is a good enough cause for optimism for the new year. Continue reading “2020: The Year of Brexit (R.I.P. EU Britain (1973 – 2020)), and Who Is How Old in EU Years”

2019: The Year the Far Right Sustainably Surged in Europe and Why It Will Keep Growing

Street-savvy neo-Nazis are only part of the picture of the rising far right in Europe. Photo: Pixabay

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

In 2019, Europe was once again spared from an overt rise of stereotypical “brownshirts”. Yet, diverse as it is, the far right is bound to keep growing because its two major root causes are not being addressed by the political mainstream. Hands down, the most crucial development of 2019 as far as the entirety of the European Union is concerned has been the seemingly sustainable and stable surge of the far right. Continue reading “2019: The Year the Far Right Sustainably Surged in Europe and Why It Will Keep Growing”

EU’s Ukraine War Conundrum in 2020 and Franco-Germany’s Failure in Relations with Russia

The uneasy atmosphere at the Normandy Summit in Paris despite Mercron’s best efforts. Photo: German Chancellor’s Office

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The current attempts to resolve the Ukraine – Russia conflict based on transactional arrangements seem doomed precisely because of their transactional nature. Continue reading “EU’s Ukraine War Conundrum in 2020 and Franco-Germany’s Failure in Relations with Russia”

Macron’s NATO Bashing, Global Cluelessness Could Throw Europe into Despair (written for The European Views*)

French President Emmanuel Macron’s deeds and words with respect to NATO, the EU, and the West seem to be growing ever more perplexing to the unbiased, well-meaning citizens of the West. Photo: Jens Stoltenberg on Twitter

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

If France’s President doesn’t know who Europe and the West’s enemies are, Europe and the West are in a very, very serious trouble.

Continue reading “Macron’s NATO Bashing, Global Cluelessness Could Throw Europe into Despair (written for The European Views*)”

30 Years of Post-Communism with Well-Deserved Gloom. But Why and By Whom? (written for The European Views*)

This isn’t a “Recylce Eastern Europe” sign but my gradation arc of post-communism in Eastern Europe – from most to least westernized, and from least to most oligarchical – going from the northwest down south and up to the northeast. Original map template derived from LizardPoint.com

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Western failures in Eastern Europe and at home, coupled with Eastern Europeans’ impotence, have entrenched post-communism, the highest stage of communism.

“A specter is haunting Europe. The specter of post-communism…” Continue reading “30 Years of Post-Communism with Well-Deserved Gloom. But Why and By Whom? (written for The European Views*)”

Can Franco-Germany Handle Becoming a Vanguard of Democracy after Brexit? (written for The European Views*)

Franco-Germany’s potential as a “vanguard of democracy” badly needed by the West is heavily limited by its unwillingness to commit to such a cause, its historical legacy, and some cracks that are emerging along the Rhine. Map: Wikipedia

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Franco-Germany seems like the only candidate capable of filling the Western leadership gap opened up by Trump and Brexit.

Continue reading “Can Franco-Germany Handle Becoming a Vanguard of Democracy after Brexit? (written for The European Views*)”

Macron’s ‘Africans over Eastern Europeans’ Comment Shows EU Must Start Getting Its Priorities Right (written for The European Views*)

A grand bargain between Trump and Putin that Macron has been trying to broker has been one of the explanations for the recent perplexing behavior of the French President, at least according to some Russian analysts. Photo: Emmanuel Macron on Twitter

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Western Europe has overwhelming reasons, both geopolitical and civilizational, to prioritize Eastern Europe above other regions.

Continue reading “Macron’s ‘Africans over Eastern Europeans’ Comment Shows EU Must Start Getting Its Priorities Right (written for The European Views*)”

Looking behind France’s Shameful Veto on Albania, North Macedonia’s EU Accession Talks (written for The European Views*)

The EU integration prospects of the Western Balkans have been thrown in disarray by French President Emmanuel Macron, hopefully not as part of some sort of a nasty backstage deal among world powers. Map: EPP

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The rationale for Macron’s decision doesn’t make sense as purely “enlargement fatique”.

Continue reading “Looking behind France’s Shameful Veto on Albania, North Macedonia’s EU Accession Talks (written for The European Views*)”

Post-Brexit Britain Will Be Fine. It’ll Just Be a Downshifter: a New Zealand 2.0 x 10 (written for The European Views*)

A voluntarily downshifting world power, Britain is looking at a post-Brexit future of a large “New Zealand”. Image: Pixabay

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Losing influence inside and through the EU as a result of Brexit will amount to Britain’s loss of one its last trappings of being a first-rate great power.

Continue reading “Post-Brexit Britain Will Be Fine. It’ll Just Be a Downshifter: a New Zealand 2.0 x 10 (written for The European Views*)”

‘Killing’ Two Birds with One Nazi Salute: the Racism Outburst at the Bulgaria – England Match (written for The European Views*)

Seemingly organized soccer hooligans, for whatever reason, have brought major international disgrace to Bulgaria. Photo: Video grab from BNT

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Modern day acts of racism are especially perplexing and worrying given Bulgaria’s own tradition of tolerance, fighting for freedom, and sympathy for the oppressed.

Continue reading “‘Killing’ Two Birds with One Nazi Salute: the Racism Outburst at the Bulgaria – England Match (written for The European Views*)”

Ukraine Is the Most Important Country for the EU. Here’s Why (written for The European Views*)

Unlike larger countries geographically eligible to join the EU, Ukraine isn’t enticed by the notion of its own empire from the past, present, or future. Map: Wikipedia

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Size and a desire to join set Ukraine apart from the rest of the world in a unique way as far as the European Union should be concerned.

Continue reading “Ukraine Is the Most Important Country for the EU. Here’s Why (written for The European Views*)”

Rewarding Erdogan, Forgoing the EU: the Moral from Volkswagen’s New Factory in Turkey (written for The European Views*)

The question of whether non-EU countries beat the EU for major investments because of its own self-imposed rules should be tackled as soon as possible by the entire Union. Map: Wikipedia

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The EU should rethink its state aid rules when it comes to foreign competition, and the EU multinationals – their approach towards the Union’s home turf.

Continue reading “Rewarding Erdogan, Forgoing the EU: the Moral from Volkswagen’s New Factory in Turkey (written for The European Views*)”

High Time to Rip Off the Brexit Band Aid. Rip Fast, Rip Hard, and Once and for All (written for The European Views*)

Continuing Brexit uncertainty is a recipe for a disaster of missed opportunities for the entire EU. Photo: MasterTux, Pixabay

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

In the three-and-a-half years since the Brits voted to leave the Union, the opportunity cost from the Brexit process has been enormous – for the EU, for the UK, and for the entire West.

Continue reading “High Time to Rip Off the Brexit Band Aid. Rip Fast, Rip Hard, and Once and for All (written for The European Views*)”

East Germany Is Perhaps Not Atavistic but Rebels against Some Extremes of the Old West

The growing popularity of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the five former East German provinces has helped turn them into a favorite target for “political correctness” warriors. Photo: Guvo59, Pixabay

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The main difference between East and West Germans 30 years after the Reunification seems to be that the former are less constained by the paradigms of political correctness.

Continue reading “East Germany Is Perhaps Not Atavistic but Rebels against Some Extremes of the Old West”

The Backstop to All Future Backstops: Didn’t the Brits Think of the Irish Border When Voting for Brexit? (written for The European Views*)

The excited headlines of the British press when the UK got into the EU back in 1973 remind of an era long gone. Photo: FlickR

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The Irish border backstop quagmire is certain to make all EU countries think of their border regions if they are ever tempted to consider leaving the Union.

Continue reading “The Backstop to All Future Backstops: Didn’t the Brits Think of the Irish Border When Voting for Brexit? (written for The European Views*)”

Stop Calling the EU a ‘Bloc’. It Isn’t. And Not for the Reason You Think (written for The European Views*)

A “bloc” is a more suitable epithet for the Soviet Bloc or the Axis Tripartite Pact, and not at all for the EU. Photo: Capri23auto, Pixabay

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Referring to the EU as a “bloc” doesn’t make enough sense any way you look at it.

Continue reading “Stop Calling the EU a ‘Bloc’. It Isn’t. And Not for the Reason You Think (written for The European Views*)”

Trump Seems to Hate the EU. Is It Because He Already Had a George W. Bush Florida Orange Juice Moment? (written for The European Views*)

“Obviously the European Union, as represented by @JunckerEU and the United States, as represented by yours truly, love each other!” Donald Trump commented when he tweeted this passionate photo of him and Juncker back in July 2018. Photo: Donald Trump on Twitter

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The United States has had to back down twice in the past 16 years in major trade disputes with the European Union.

Continue reading “Trump Seems to Hate the EU. Is It Because He Already Had a George W. Bush Florida Orange Juice Moment? (written for The European Views*)”

EU Defied US over Iran’s Nuclear Program with INSTEX. Was It Worth It? (written for The European Views*)

The leading EU powers’ INSTEX special purpose vehicle has managed to “p*ss off” both Iran and the United States, even though it was supposed to placate both of them. Map: Wikipedia

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

INSTEX has created a dangerous precedent that can ruin future Western sanctions, while also disgruntling everybody.

Continue reading “EU Defied US over Iran’s Nuclear Program with INSTEX. Was It Worth It? (written for The European Views*)”

How Long before Russia’s Risky Toying with Europe’s Far Right Really Backfires? (written for The European Views*)

The European far right seems like a logical and huge temptation for Moscow but it promises a lot more challenges than benefits. Map: Wikipedia

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Engaging with the European far right is unpredictable, risky business because you never what kinds of monsters it might produce.

Continue reading “How Long before Russia’s Risky Toying with Europe’s Far Right Really Backfires? (written for The European Views*)”

Eastern Europe: (Still) the Most Crucial of All Challenges Facing the European Union (written for The European Views*)

Western Europe is making the mistake of failing to focus enough on its Eastern European brethren. Map: Wikipedia

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

Without figuring out how to complete successfully the integration of Eastern and Western Europe, the EU will be doomed to failure.

Continue reading “Eastern Europe: (Still) the Most Crucial of All Challenges Facing the European Union (written for The European Views*)”

New EC Chief Ursula von der Leyen: A Disappointment Already or the First to Make Sense? (written for The European Views*)

Ursula von der Leyen’s rise to arguably the EU’s top job has come as a surprising and illogical development. Photo: (Banner image: Ursula von der Leyen on Twitter)

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The next President of the European Commission could outplay the unpleasant Eastern European and Italian leaders who voted her into office. And she really should.


Continue reading “New EC Chief Ursula von der Leyen: A Disappointment Already or the First to Make Sense? (written for The European Views*)”

Look Back in Anger: How the Brexit Debate Was Framed All Wrong (written for The European Views*)

When “Leave” won 52:48 in the 2016 Brexit referendum, the English tabloids proclaimed “victory” as though Nelson had defeated Napoleon at Trafalgar. Photo: Pixabay

(*This opinion / analytical article was written by Ivan Dikov for The European Views website.)

The British people would never have fallen for Brexit, had the European values of today not been completely frozen out of the Brexit debate. Continue reading “Look Back in Anger: How the Brexit Debate Was Framed All Wrong (written for The European Views*)”