Tigray People's Liberation Front fighters arrive June 29, 2021, in Mekele, the capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region. On left: TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael. On right: Ethiopian President Abiy Ahmed winning the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2019 / photo illustration: Toward Freedom

U.S.-Backed TPLF Breaks 5-Month Truce By Resuming War in Northern Ethiopia

Dismissing the Africa Union-led peace negotiations, the Tigray People's Liberation Front called for Western intervention in Ethiopia before resuming a war with the Ethiopian state on August 24. This ended a five-month truce with Ethiopia’s federal government, weeks after envoys from the United States and European Union visited its base. Pavan Kulkarni reports for People's Dispatch.

On left: Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. On right: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Cars with the Kosovo license plate (center left) and the Serbian license plate (credit: Nikola Mikovic) / photo illustration: Toward Freedom

NATO Wades Into License Plate Dispute Between Serbia and Kosovo

Despite the European Union moderating bilateral talks, ethnically Albanian-dominated authorities in Pristina, Kosovo’s capital, plan on September 1 to re-register vehicles featuring Serbian plates. But a poll shows the majority of Kosovo-based Serbs plan to continue using Serbian-issued license plates. This dispute comes amid Serbia’s refusal to recognize the 2008 secession of Kosovo. Nikola Mikovic reports from Kosovo.

The leaders of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan (right), and Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev (left), meet with EU President Charles Michel (center) in Brussels on May 22 / credit: president.az

EU Mediates Conflict in South Caucasus, Long Part of Russia’s Geopolitical Orbit

Although the South Caucasus region has traditionally been in the Kremlin’s geopolitical orbit, it is the European Union that seems to be playing the major role in peace talks, border delimitation and the reopening of transportation links. During the past six months, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev met three times through the mediation of European Council President Charles Michel, reports Nikola Mikovic.