Throughout the Ukraine crisis, the West has been surprised at the brutality of Russia's reaction. It has also been surprised by the broad support for Vladimir Putin's policy among the country’s elites and the population at large (88% of whom back the policy), despite the impact of sanctions and countermeasures that are contributing to the deterioration of the country's economy. This level of support cannot be attributed solely to Russia's propaganda machine, though it has been exerting unprecedented influence since early 2014.

Hillary Clinton should announce very soon that she is running for president in 2016. On the Republican side, candidates' abundance promises a long and wild primary campaign. On the Democratic side, Clinton should not face any serious rivalry. The Democrats' (most to the left) champion, the senator of Massachussetts, Elizabeth Warren, repeated many times that she would not run for primaries. Clinton nevertheless has to take into account a radicals' fringe susceptible to play up her in her own party. What is their capacity of nuisance on the American political scene?

Nationalism appears to be an important part of the growing frictions between China and Japan.

In Japan, the return to power of Shinzo Abe as prime minister, and the historic breakthrough of an extreme right-wing party onto the political scene reinforce the view that there has been a clear shift to the right. Public opinion is today also more realistic about direct security threats to Japan.

The position of oil companies toward East Africa has changed considerably since 2006 when the first reserves in Uganda came to light. However, for many investors interested in the region, it remains difficult to get a clear picture of the scale of developments of this sector.

Nigeria is entering a new electoral cycle, holding its sixth general elections since the restoration of civilian rule in 1999. The elections were initially scheduled for February 14 (presidential elections) and 28 (governorship elections), 2015. The first round has now been postponed until March 28. The issue of the threat posed to Nigeria by Boko Haram is not, as one might expect, at the heart of the debate surrounding the presidential campaign in the country. Nevertheless, the peculiar security context in which the forthcoming elections will take place, as well as the changes under way in Nigeria's political landscape, make this vote unique. It is therefore essential to analyze the various issues at stake in the country's sixth general elections.

Since 2010, the United States has been undergoing a second shale revolution with the very rapid development of Light Tight Oil (LTO) or shale oil, following the revolution in shale gas. This development has allowed the production of oil and liquids to increase, so that the US is the world’s largest producer today, ahead of Saudi Arabia and Russia.

For much of the post-Soviet period, Central Asia has been a backwater of Russian foreign policy. But things are changing. Circumstances in and beyond the region are driving a more committed approach in Moscow. 

The East Asian region has long been characterized by its informal structure. Strong economic integration, backed by dense intra-regional trade, has never been accompanied by regional institutional commitments. At the end of the 1990s, there was a vague desire to institutionalize the region, but to no avail.