New Eastern Europe.
New Eastern Europe.

In “Revenge of the Border,” published by New Eastern Europe magazine,Thomas de Waal of Carnegie Europe discussed how Soviet border-making practices continue to influence conflicts in the post-Soviet space. Citing other leading area experts, de Waal argues that the republican and autonomy borders were not intentionally placed “time bombs” as some have argued. Rather, they sought compromises to address various preexisting conflicts, but also helped preserve them.

Considering the efforts to redraw Soviet era borders, de Waal turned for inspiration to Bill Clinton-era approach to abortion: “separatism should be difficult but not impossible to achieve, that is, it should be “safe, legal and rare.”