Graham Lanktree    Britain’s top diplomat will host foreign ministers from the five Central Asian countries in London on Thursday.

Victor Jack    Ankara said it won’t comply with a new EU bill to fully quit Moscow’s fuel, potentially creating a loophole for Russian gas to keep entering the bloc.

Myah Ward    The president’s executive order restricts bars people from 12 countries, while partially issuing restrictions against nationals from seven others.

Karl Mathiesen, Zack Colman    Diplomats and activists from around the world are discussing ways to keep up the fight against global warming, even in the face of an absent or...

Sergey Goryashko    If you want excitement, go to the circus, the theater, concert venues, says head of the country’s electoral commission.

Gabriel Gavin    More Western interest helps ’strengthen the agency of Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan in dealing with all other partners in the world,’...

Elisa Braun, Gabriel Gavin, Eddy Wax    European lawmakers are keen to show support for Armenians, but Azerbaijan’s gas diplomacy makes sanctions unlikely.

Gabriel Gavin    After a year of setbacks in Ukraine, Russia’s military arsenal looked distinctly depleted.

Nicolas Camut    No hits were made, with no casualties,’ head of Kyiv military administration says.

Jacopo Barigazzi, Barbara Moens, Leonie Kijewski    Third countries that help Russians get banned goods could be hit with sanctions, under plans being drafted by the European Commission.

Zack Colman, Ben Lefebvre    U.S. officials downplayed the potential for immediate impacts from the leaks hobbling the two Nord Stream natural gas lines. But the incidents are...

Olivia Olander    Elizabeth Rood, previously second in command at the embassy, will take it over until the ambassador’s successor arrives.

Gligor RadeÄ�ić    An agreement with yet another autocratic regime, it stands in defiance of the bloc’s climate goals and human rights standards.

David M. Herszenhorn    Josep Borrell announces restrictions on transit from six countries to thwart ’trafficking.’

Jacopo Barigazzi    The plan ’does not mean recognition,’ but the EU does need to liaise with the Taliban on critical issues.

POLITICO Studio   

Karl Mathiesen, Jakob Hanke Vela    The EU is hunting for a way out of the Energy Charter Treaty.

Judith Mischke    Russian president gets a belated birthday gift.

Sara Stefanini, Kalina Oroschakoff    Sour relations with Russia are pushing the EU to hunt for gas contracts far beyond Europe’s borders, but most of those countries are unlikely to fill...

European Voice Staff    Patricia Flor has resigned as the European Union’s special representative to central Asia and will step down on 28 February, four months before her...

Ian Mundell    Asia is adopting Europe’s tuning method’ to reform its higher education processes.

Hugh Williamson, Steve Swerdlow    Eight years after the Andijan massacre, Uzbekistan remains a human-rights disaster. When will the EU change its strategy towards Uzbekistan?

Andrew Gardner    The EU’s energy diplomacy will grow in importance and diversity - but still leave the EU vulnerable to shocks

Mirakmal Niyazmatov, Freedom Now, South Bend, Indiana, US    Specific human-rights criteria are needed on Turkmenistan.

Andrew Gardner    There was little hint of spring left of the Arab uprisings in 2012. The civil war in Syria was the headline issue and by the year’s close up to 60...

Hugh Williamson    Ashton has set herself a benchmark for human rights in foreign policy. Her visit to central Asia will be a tough test.

Veronika Szente Goldston    When it votes on a partnership and co-operation agreement with Turkmenistan, the European Parliament should do what member states have not done -...

Toby Vogel    Spain’s ambassador to Russia to be in charge of Europe and Central Asia in the EU’s diplomatic service.

Andrew Gardner    Germany’s envoy to the former Soviet republics will be named the EU’s special representative to central Asia.

Anne-Marie Slaughter    NATO is becoming an alliance that exists to empower - to offer assistance and partnership - as much as to overpower.

European Voice Staff    It would be a mistake to forswear sporting sanctions entirely.