Geoeconomics Archives - Robert Lansing Institute

The Budapest Loophole: Viktor Orbán’s Corrupt Empire and Russia’s Backdoor into Europe

Orbán is no longer just a problematic EU member—he has emerged as a direct agent of the Kremlin, wielding bribery and institutions to destabilize the bloc from within. His strategic…

July 11, 2025Hungary, Russia

Geoeconomics Geopolitics National Security

U.S. Sanctions Lifted on Rosatom: The Case of Hungary’s Paks II Nuclear Power Plant

The Biden administration has quietly authorized a sanctions exemption for Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom to allow completion of Hungary’s Paks II nuclear power plant. This move, occurring amid ongoing Western sanctions on Russia…

June 30, 2025Hungary, Rosatom, Russia, Ukraine, USA

Geoeconomics Intelligence ops National Security

Africa’s New Overseers: Inside Russia’s Covert Gold Empire”

Russia’s involvement in building a gold refinery plant in Mali is not just an economic move — it’s a strategic maneuver involving sanctions evasion, geopolitical influence, and shadow financing of military operations in Africa and…

June 18, 2025gold, GRU, Russia, SVR, Wagner Group

Conflict Geoeconomics Geopolitics

Escalating Tensions Between Iran and Israel (June 2025): Timing, Scenarios, and Global Implications

Recent weeks have seen a dramatic intensification of tensions between Iran and Israel, marked by tit-for-tat military threats, cyberattacks, and covert operations across the region. With the specter of direct…

June 13, 2025Iran, Israel, USA

ecology Geoeconomics Geopolitics National Security

Hungary’s Sanctions Evasion Nexus: Economic Ties with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as a Backdoor for Russia

Hungary’s economic engagement with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan appears smooth on the surface, but it plays a deeper role in enabling Russia to circumvent Western sanctions. Both Central Asian nations formally condemned…

June 6, 2025EU, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Geoeconomics Geopolitics National Security

How Hungary’s Outreach to Central Asia Risks Undermining EU Sanctions on Russia

In its ongoing effort to choke off the Kremlin’s war machine, the European Union has levied unprecedented sanctions on Russia. But far from Brussels, a new triangle is quietly forming on…

June 5, 2025Hungary, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan

Energy Geoeconomics

Kazakhstan’s Pivot to China for Nuclear Power: Strategic Choice and Geopolitical Signal

Kazakhstan's decision in 2025 to select a Chinese company over Russia's Rosatom to build its first nuclear power plant marks a pivotal moment in Central Asian energy geopolitics. This move carries…

May 30, 2025China, Kazakhstan, Russia

Corruption Democracy Geoeconomics Geopolitics

Hungary’s Balancing Act: Strategic Risks of Budapest’s Covert Ties with Russia

Hungary under Viktor Orbán has become a geopolitical pivot point where Russian oil money, Chinese strategic investments, and American capital intersect. This convergence presents serious risks to both the European…

May 2, 2025China, Hungary, Russia, USA

Economy Geoeconomics

“Critical Ground: The Geopolitics of U.S.-Ukraine Mineral Cooperation Amid War”

The U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement is not just economic—it is strategic. It aims to reduce American and Western dependency on China and Russia for critical raw materials. Washington sees Ukraine’s mineral wealth…

May 1, 2025Ukraine, USA

Corruption Geoeconomics Governance

From Liberation to Exploitation: Russia’s Resource Deals in Africa

The recent agreement between the Burkinabé government and the Russian company Nordgold—previously owned by Alexey Mordashov, a sanctioned Russian oligarch with close ties to the Kremlin—signals a deliberate and strategic…

April 29, 2025Burkina Faso, Russia

Geoeconomics