Welcome to Episode 3 of the Geopolitics Snapshot, where we take a look at current geopolitical events that are shaping the world around us! In August 2024, the Ukrainian parliament approved a controversial new bill that will enable Ukrainian authorities to disband the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Since then, headlines like “Ukraine just banned the Orthodox Church” or “Ukraine is banning the Russian-Orthodox Church” have circulated online - but is this really the case? In actuality, the religious situation in Ukraine is way more complicated than often depicted. While being a predominantly Orthodox-Christian country, Ukraine has been the religious battle-ground of two competing orthodox churches since 2018. On the one hand, we have the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), sometimes also called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Until 2022, this church was part of the Russian Orthodox Church, but then split due to the latter's support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine - however, many in Ukraine doubt the sincerity of this split. On the other hand, we have the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), a church that was formed in 2018 with the approval of the Patriarch of Constantinople. This church has no former connection to the Russian Orthodox Church which is why it's also favoured by the Ukrainian government. While it is strongly debated whether or not the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is still affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, the new Ukrainian law has been heavily criticised by religious organisations and human rights advocates, as it allows the Ukrainian authorities to disband any religious organisation that they conclude is affiliated with Russia. __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join __________________ Music: "News Theme" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ __________________ Sources (That are not featured directly in the video): Timothy Ware (2015) The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity Dmytro Vovk, Elizabeth A. Clark (2019) Religion During the Russian Ukrainian Conflict Andriy Fert (2024) Is There a Russian Church in Ukraine? In: Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS) Publications. For more information about other sources I used, feel free to email me. __________________ #ukrainewar #ukrainerussiawar #russiaukrainewar

(Advertisement/Werbung/El Alnuncio) Go to https://ground.news/paint for a local perspective on international news that doesn’t make mainstream media. My link gets you 40% off unlimited access to the Ground News Vantage plan. __________________ The Greater Idaho Project in the United States is probably one of the most unusual secessionist movements currently on the rise. It is not driven by Idahoans, but by the mostly conservative inhabitants of rural Eastern Oregon. For them, shifting the Idaho-Oregon border westward represents an opportunity to leave Democrat governed Oregon in favour of Republican governed Idaho. In 2020, a group named "Citizens for Greater Idaho - Move Oregon's border" formed, which set out to achieve this goal. And they had some impressive successes: At the time of the making of this video, a total of 13 Oregon counties has voted in favour of seceding from Oregon to instead join Idaho, with the most recent vote having occurred in 2024 in Crook County. However, changing the Idaho-Oregon border is not that simple. It requires the consent of several legislative bodies through a process known as an interstate compact. But why do some Eastern Oregonians support this secessionist movement? How could they actually achieve this difficult goal? And if they eventually do, would it make reduce political polarization in the US? Or would shifting the border actually contribute to it and lead to more such separatist movements that segregate US-citizens along political lines? __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join __________________ Music: "Cafe Regrette" by Asher Fulero (YouTube Audio-library) "Blue Ribbons" by TrackTribe (YouTube Audio-library) "Simple Gifts" by Cooper Cannell (YouTube Audio-library) "Colonel Bogey March" by U.S. Coast Guard Band (YouTube Audio-library) __________________ Sources (That are not featured directly in the video): Greater Idaho Movement Website (2024) Preston Joiner (2024) Greater Idaho: Oregon's Modern Decline Jeffrey B. Litwak, Elise Koepke (2023) Developments in Interstate Compact Law and Practice 2023 For more information about other sources I used, feel free to email me. __________________ #idaho #oregon #secession

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Geopolitics Snapshot, where we take a look at current geopolitical events that are shaping the world around us! This time we take a look at China's president Xi Jinping's visit to Europe - specifically to France, Serbia and Hungary. This was his first visit to the continent since 2019, and the situation between China, the European Union and other European countries has changed quite a bit since then. In Paris, Xi Jingping met with French president Emmanuel Macron and President of the the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, where they discussed issues like Chinese 'Overcapacity', Russia's invasion of Ukraine and trade relations. Afterwards, Xi flew to Belgrade where he met with Serbia's president Aleksandar Vucic. Chinese-Serbian relations intensified quite significantly in the last years and during the visit, Serbia become the first European country to join China's "Global Community of Shared Future" Initiative. Another topic was the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade during the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Lastly, Xi visit Budapest where he met with Victor Orban where both leaders agreed to intensify relations and entered a strategic partnership. Soon, Hungary hopes to become a European hub for Chinese electronics, batteries and electric vehicles. __________________ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:23 Xi Jinping in France 4:20 Xi Jinping in Serbia 8:48 Xi Jinping in Hungary __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join __________________ Music: "Ether Disco" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "News Theme" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ __________________ Sources (That are not featured directly in the video): Atlantic Council experts (2024) What to look for as Xi Jinping visits France, Serbia, and Hungary | Atlantic Council Stefan Vladisavljev (2023) Why Serbia Refuses to Stick to the EU’s Line on China | China Observers Laurent Geslin (2024) Serbia opens its arms and economy to ‘Brother Xi’ | Euractiv For more information about other sources I used, feel free to email me. __________________ #china #xijinping #geopolitics

(Advertisement/Werbung/El Alnuncio) Go to https://ground.news/paint for a local perspective on international news that doesn’t make mainstream media. My link gets you 40% off unlimited access to the Ground News Vantage plan. __________________ Welcome to Episode 1 of the Geopolitics Snapshot, where we take a look at current geopolitical events that are shaping the world around us! This time we take a look at the Caucasus: On April 19th 2024, it was reported that Armenia and Azerbaijan reached an agreement to delineate a part of their Northern border. Four abandoned Azerbaijani villages that were occupied by Armenia since the 1990s will be returned to Baku's jurisdiction. Although the change in territorial control is limited, it's a huge step towards a formal peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, there are still many pitfalls. In this video, we explore the details of this new agreement, what the territorial transfer and the delineation of the border will mean for Armenia and Azerbaijan down the line and why a military conflict could still emerge, especially over the Zangezur Corridor. __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join __________________ Music: "News Theme" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ __________________ Sources (That are not featured directly in the video): Thomas de Wall (2024) In the Caucasus, Another Year of War or Peace: https://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/91621 Patrick Wintour (2024) Armenian PM defends decision to give four villages to Azerbaijan: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/22/armenia-prime-minister-villages-azerbaijan-nikol-pashinyan Kirill Krivosheev (2024) Landmark Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Treaty Inches Closer: https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/91455 For more information about other sources I used, feel free to email me. __________________ For more content on this topic check out: __________________ #Armenia #Azerbaijan #Karabakh

(Advertisement/Werbung/El Alnuncio) Stop data brokers from exposing your personal information. Go to my sponsor: https://aura.com/politicswithpaint to get a 14-day free trial and see how much of yours is being sold. __________________ In September 2023, Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau levied heavy accusations against the government of India. During his address, he alleged that an Indian government agent was involved in the assassination of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. The target, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was not chosen randomly: He had long been active in the Khalistan movement in Canada, which advocates for the establishment of Khalistan; a state for Sikhs to be carved out of India's Punjab region. Accusations similar to those made by Trudeau were eventually made in the US as well, after an indictment accused an Indian agent of plotting to assassinate another prominent Sikh separatist in New York. This caused a severe diplomatic crisis between India and Canada, and also damaged US-Indian relations. In this video, we are taking a closer look at what is happening between India and the West and the issue of Khalistani/Sikh separatism. Why do some Sikhs seek to establish a separatist state in Punjab, especially among the diaspora? And how will this impact the partnership between India and the West? __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join __________________ Music: "Assembling" by Asher Fulero "Local Forecast" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com/) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1300010 "Dhaka" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com/) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400003 "Roast Beef Of Old England" by the U.S. Marine Corps Band "Kirwani - Teental" by Aditya Verma & Subir Dev "Nocturne" by Asher Fulero "Jalandhar" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com/) Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400018 "Manj Khammaj - Teental" by Aditya Verma & Subir Dev __________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 3:02 History of Sikhism & India 7:12 Khalistan Insurgency 10:53 2023 Diplomatic Crisis & Western-Indian partnership __________________ Sources: Gurharpal Singh, Giorgio Shani (2022) Sikh Nationalism: From a Dominant Minority to an Ethno-Religious Diaspora. Giorgio Shani (2008) Sikh Nationalism and Identity in a Global Age. John Zubrzycki (2023) The Shortest History of India. Sajal Nag (1999) Nationalism, Separatism and Secessionism. For more information about other sources I used, feel free to email me. __________________ For more content on this topic check out: (A more detailed history of Sikh separatism in India) @CogitoEdu: https://youtu.be/JAk83kdnFrQ?si=T3SET1O-9F3MzIJ1 (A Canadian assessment of the diplomatic crisis between Canada and India) @JJMcCullough : https://youtu.be/OdtyKdY_xcM?si=f4nJq8IW0A2-4PRD __________________ #Indiacanadaconflict #khalistan #geopolitics

(Advertisement/Werbung/El Alnuncio) Play Conflict of Nations for FREE on PC or Mobile: 💥 https://con.onelink.me/kZW6/05et491j Receive 13K GOLD & 1 month premium subscription, only available for the next 30 days! __________________ The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is by far the largest and most powerful alliance on the globe, with all (currently) 31 member states having a total military budget that is larger than the rest of the world combined. What makes NATO such an effective alliance is in part the wording of its’ core provision, Article 5, which states that “(...) an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all (...)”. Because of the military power of the alliance, Article 5 is the most powerful deterrence tool NATO members have at their disposal. However, it is a lesser known fact that the protection provided by NATO’s Article 5 has geographic limits. These limits are found in the NATO-treaty’s Article 6, which specifies that to invoke Article 5, an armed attack has to happen in the so-called “North Atlantic Area”. The treaty defines this area as any territory of member states in North America and Europe, the entirety of Turkey, as well as all islands that are located North of the “Tropic of Cancer”. This has enormous security implications for all those NATO-members, who are in possession of territories outside these geographic limits, which includes the United Kingdom, France, Spain, the Netherlands and the United States. In this video, we are taking a closer look at these geographic limits, why they were introduced and how they influence the geopolitical situation within NATO. __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join __________________ Music: "Laid Back Guitars" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ __________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 1:24 Sponsorship 2:21 Creation of NATO-treaty 3:16 Unprotected NATO territories 7:51 Politics behind invoking Article 5 __________________ Sources: Uwe Hartmann (2017) NATO'S Adaptation: Challenges and Opportunities. Timothy Andrews Sayle (2019) Enduring Alliance: A History of NATO and the Postwar Global Order. Massimo de Leonardis (2022) NATO in the Post-Cold War Era: Continuity and Transformation. For more information about other sources I used, feel free to email me. __________________ #nato #article5 #geopolitics

(Advertisement/Werbung/El Alnuncio) Play War Thunder now for free and receive a cool bonus pack with boosters and vehicles by using my link: https://playwt.link/Politicswithpaint This video is sponsored by War Thunder, a highly detailed vehicle combat game that contains over 2000 playable tanks, planes, helicopters and ships spanning over 100 years of development! Immerse yourself completely in dynamic battles with an unparalleled combination of realism and approachability. __________________ Gibraltar is a small peninsula strategically located at the entrance to the Mediterranean sea. Despite being physically attached to Spain, it is a British overseas territory that is known for its’ iconic limestone rock, Europe’s only monkey population and its' status as a tax haven. It is, however, also one of the few serious territorial disputes in Western Europe - namely, between the United Kingdom and Spain. Before becoming a part of Great Britain in 1713, Gibraltar was a part of Spain. And ever since Spain lost the territory, the Spanish have been adamant about wanting it back. What makes Gibraltar dispute especially complex is that it's actually three separate disputes in one: Firstly, about Gibraltar as a whole. Secondly, about the Isthmus of Gibraltar, which is a small territory that Spain claims is illegally occupied by the United Kingdom. And Thirdly, about the issue of land reclaimation in Gibraltar. While the dispute's impact on the region was fairly limited due to the European Union, it gained significantly more relevance after the 2016 Brexit vote. This begs the question: Could the Gibraltar dispute be resolved, and if so, how? If you enjoy my videos, subscribe for more countryballs / polandball educational content! __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join __________________ Music: "Divertissement - Pizzicato (from the ballet Sylvia)" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Ibn Al-Noor" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Sardana" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Roast Beef Of Old England" by The U.S. Marine Corp Band (YouTube Audio-library) "Vespers on the Shore" by The Mini Vandals (YouTube Audio-library) "As I Figure" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ __________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 1:10 Broad History 5:36 Recent History 7:00 Negotiations over Gibraltar 8:23 Why Gibraltar is hard to solve __________________ Sources: Peter Gold (2014) Gibraltar: British or Spanish? Routledge. Howard S. Levie (1983) The Status of Gibraltar. Routledge. Edward G. Archer (2013) Gibraltar, Identity and Empire. Routledge. For more information about other sources I used, feel free to email me. __________________ #gibraltar #spain #uk

(Advertisement/Werbung/El Alnuncio) Play War Thunder now for free and receive a cool bonus pack with boosters and vehicles by using my link: https://playwt.link/Politicswithpaint This video is sponsored by War Thunder, a highly detailed vehicle combat game that contains over 2000 playable tanks, planes, helicopters and ships spanning over 100 years of development! Immerse yourself completely in dynamic battles with an unparalleled combination of realism and approachability. __________________ Video Description The Falkland Islands, also known as the Islas Malvinas in Spanish, have been the subject of a major dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina for 200 years now. Although being a very remote archipelago in the South Atlantic, they are known worldwide for being the theatre of the 1983 Falklands War (or Malvinas War) between the United Kingdom and Argentina. It was a strange war between two nations that were nominally on the same side of the Cold War, and began when Argentina attempted to wrestle control over the Islands from the United Kingdom. Argentina ultimately lost and Britain remained in control of the Falklands/Malvinas - however, the dispute is still unresolved. Although some incremental progress on finding a long-term solution were made decades after the Falklands/Malvinas War, recent developments have indicated that this dispute’s conflict potential is still a danger to the stability of this region. In recent years, Argentina has significantly increased its efforts to reassert its claim over the Falklands/Malvinas to the dismay of British officials. Significant headlines were made when in 2022, China began publicly supporting Argentina’s claim, as well as in 2023, when Argentina withdrew from a negotiated agreement with the United Kingdom in which both countries agreed to improve economic ties instead of focusing on the dispute. The recent update in British oil and gas exploration in the region has also sparked concerns about a possible confrontation between Argentine and British vessels, which begs the question: Could a war over the Falklands/Malvinas happen again? If you enjoy my videos, subscribe for more countryballs / polandball educational content! __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join A big thank you to my current Patrons/Channel Members: Justin H.; Colanax; Marcelo Lacarda, Aleksandr B.; Rasmus Sorensen; Stephen Kurek; Stephen; Jeff H.; IvanTT; Fel Martins; Tim Canada; WaltzingMatilda; Matthew E.; Aleksandr L.; Geo the explainer; Ian T. __________________ Music: "Dragón Rojo" by The Mini Vandals (YouTube Audio-library) "Shadoma" by The Mini Vandals (YouTube Audio-library) "Village Consort" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Spanish Dance" by United States Marine Band (YouTube Audio-library) "Water Lily" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "The Descent" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Vespers on the Shore" by The Mini Vandals (YouTube Audio-library) __________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 0:46 History 5:28 Build-up to war 7:07 1982 war 10:27 Aftermath 11:15 Current situation __________________ Sources: Duncan Anderson (2002) Essential Histories: The Falklands War 1982. Osprey Publishing. Marcelo Gustavo Kohen; Facundo Daniel Rodriguez (2017) The Malvinas/Falklands Between History and Law: Refutation of the British Pamphlet "Getting it Right: The Real History of the Falklands/Malvinas". CreateSpace Independent Publishing. Russel Phillips (2013) A Close-run Damn Thing: A Brief History of the Falklands War. Shilka Publishing. For more information about other sources I used, feel free to email me. __________________ #falklandswar #malvinas #falklands

The 2008 Russo-Georgian war was an incredibly important event that shaped the geopolitics of the Caucasus region and Europe. The war began as a regional escalation in Georgia's separatist region of South Ossetia, but quickly evolved into a full-blown war with Russia and Abkhazia, Georgia's other separatist region. In the aftermath, Russia temporarily occupied parts of Georgia while Moscow also recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Today, only four other UN member states do the same. The story behind the Russian Georgian conflict is very complicated and has only become more relevant as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues. Georgians, Abkhazians, Ossetians and Russians have a deeply intertwined, complex and often tragic history - from the early Middle Ages to the chaos of the 1990s. In this video, we explore the origins of this conflict and try to answer three questions: Who are the actors involved? Why did they fight? And how does the geopolitical conflict between Russia and the Western world influence this issue? If you enjoy my videos, subscribe for more countryballs / polandball educational content! __________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join A big thank you to my current Patrons/Channel Members: Justin H.; Colanax; Marcelo Lacarda, Aleksandr B.; Bruno Dantas; Rasmus Sorensen; Stephen Kurek; ; Stephen; Jeff H.; IvanTT; Fel Martins; Tim Canada; WaltzingMatilda; Matthew E. __________________ Music: Laendler in C Minor Hess 68 (by Kevin MacLeod) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/?keywords=laendler&Search=Search Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Folk Round (by Kevin MacLeod) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Teller of the Tales (by Kevin MacLeod) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Russian Dance (by Joey Pecoraro) Source: YouTube Audio library Magic Escape Room (by Kevin MacLeod) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Miri's Magic Dance (by Kevin MacLeod) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Vespers on the Shore (by The Mini Vandals) Source: YouTube Audio library __________________ Time stamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:50 Broad history 4:20 Soviet period 5:07 After independence 9:15 2008 war 11:29 Situation today __________________ Main Sources: Thomas de Waal (2019) The Caucasus: An Introduction. Oxford University Press. Donald Rayfield (2012) Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia. Reaction Books. John F. Baddeley (1999) The Russian Conquest of the Caucasus. Curzon Press. __________________ #georgia #russia #russiageorgiawar

(Sponsorship/Werbung/El Anuncio) This video is sponsored by Blinkist! Get 25% off Blinkist premium and enjoy 2 memberships for the price of 1! Start your 7-day free trial by clicking here: https://www.blinkist.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Guantanamo Bay (also known as Gitmo or GTMO) is one of the best known US Navy bases worldwide, located in South-Eastern Cuba, near the Cuban city of Guantánamo. While it achieved its infamy due its the detention and prison facilities, it is also the focal point of a decades-old dispute between the United States and Cuba which has been raging since 1959. The origins of this dispute can be traced back to the early 1900s, when the US and Cuba signed several agreements, which allowed the US to lease the Cuban territory of Guantanamo Bay for constructing a naval station. But after the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the new Cuban leadership under Castro demanded that the US leaves the area - which the US refused. In this video, we are taking a closer look at this issue: How did the US get Guantanamo Bay? Why is the lease agreement so controversial? And what is the deal with the rent that the US continues to pay to Cuba, despite Cuba refusing to accept it? If you enjoy my videos, subscribe for more countryballs / polandball educational content! __________________ If you enjoy my content, consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join A big thank you to my current Patrons/Channel Members: Justin H.; Colanax; Curtis Vognet ; Rasmus Sorensen; Stephen Kurek; Bruno Dantas; Stephen; Jeff H.; Aleksandr B. __________________ Music: "Tango de la Noche" by Wayne Jones (YouTube Audio-library) "Sardana" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "The Voice Of Our Nation Medley Part 1" by United States Marine Band (YouTube Audio-library) "Dragón Rojo" by The Mini Vandals (YouTube Audio-library) __________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 2:27 History 7:57 Guantanamo Bay conflict today 10:17 Why does Cuba refuse the US' rent payments? __________________ Sources: Agreement Between the United States and Cuba for the Lease of Lands for Coaling and Naval stations; February 23, 1903. Lease to the United States by the Government of Cuba of Certain Areas of Land and Water for Naval or Coaling Stations in Guantanamo and Bahia Honda; July 2, 1903. Treaty Between the United States of America and Cuba; May 29, 1934. Ada Ferrer (2021) Cuba: An American History. Sribner. Jonathan M. Hansen (2011) Guantánamo: An American History. Hill and Wang. __________________ #Cuba #USA #guantanamo

(Sponsorship/Werbung/El Anuncio) This video is sponsored by NordVPN! Go to https://nordvpn.com/politicswithpaint to get an amazing deal on a 2 year plan plus 4 extra months for free! ____________________ Description: Hans Island ("Hans Ø" in Danish) is an arctic Island located between Canada’s Nunavut territory and Greenland, which is under Danish sovereignty. For 50 years, the Island was disputed between Canada and Denmark, and for decades the Island was known best for the ‘Whiskey War’, one of the friendliest geopolitical “conflicts” ever. But in June 2022, something remarkable happened: Both sides agreed to finally resolve the territorial dispute once and for all by splitting it in approximately half through a new border treaty. The timing of this Canadian-Danish agreement was no coincidence: Only months prior, Russia had started its’ infamous invasion of Ukraine. As a symbolic response to the war in Ukraine, Canada and Denmark decided it was time to send a signal to the world and particularly Russia by resolving a territorial dispute peacefully and in accordance with international law. But what exactly is Hans Island? Is it worth anything? Why wasn’t it resolved earlier? And did this symbolic gesture really have the effect the Canadians and Danes hoped for? We’ll explore exactly that in this video! __________________ If you enjoy my content, consider supporting this channel on Patreon or by becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join A big thank you to my current Patrons/Channel Members: Justin H. Colanax Curtis Vognet Rasmus Sorensen Stephen Kurek __________________ Music: "Jesse's Carnival Waltz" by The Great North Sound Society (YouTube Audio-library) "Minima" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200053 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ "South Of The Border" by Audionautix Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/ "Manic Polka" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100168 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ __________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 0:37 What is Hans Island? 1:17 Whiskey War 5:30 Dispute history 7:22 Effect of the Ukraine war __________________ Sources: Erin Blakemore (2022) The barren Arctic island that sparked Canada and Denmark’s Whisky War. National Geographic (Online). Global Affairs Canada (2022) Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark, together with Greenland, reach historic agreement on long-standing boundary disputes (Online). Klaus Dodds (2021) The New Border Wars: The Conflicts That Will Define Our Future. Diversion Books. __________________ #canada #denmark #border

Russia is a country which has multiple border disputes with its neighbours, and soon there might be another one with a country which doesn’t technically have a border with Russia: South Korea. Subject of this developing territorial dispute is the former island known as Noktundo or No’ktundo (Ноктундо in Russian and 녹둔도 in Korean). Since mediaeval times, Noktundo was a remote outpost of the Korean state (Chosen or Joeson). However, centuries later, when the Tuman river (or Tumen river) began changing its course, the island became permanently attached to the mainland which would become Russian territory in 1860 after the treaty of Aigun. Since then, the territory has been under Russian control - but recently voices calling for the return of Noktundo to South Korea are getting louder in the South Korean media and public. In this video we’ll take a look at what this conflict is really all about, how it developed and what it means for the future of East Asian security politics - all through hopefully entertaining countryballs or polandballs. ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join A big thank you to my current Patrons/Channel Members: Justin H. Frad Curtis Vognet Rasmus Sorensen ____________________ Music: "Brandenburg Concerto No4-1 BWV1049 - Classical Whimsical" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100303 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ (YouTube Audio library) "Finding Movement" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100693 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ (YouTube Audio library) "Russian Dance" by Joey Pecoraro (YouTube Audio library) "Trio for Piano Violin and Viola" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/music.html Artist: http://incompetech.com/ "Sonatina in C Minor" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/music.html Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Egmont Overture by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200069 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ (YouTube Audio library) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 2:19 History 7:48 Current situation ____________________ Sources: Nianshen Song (2018) Making Borders in Modern East Asia: The Tumen River Demarcation, 1881-1919. Cambridge University Press. Ivanov A. (2011) The problem of the Noktundo Island in the media in South Korea. Asia Pacific International Relations Study Center. Byung Yool Ban (2010) The Formation and Changes of the Korean Village, Krasnoe Selo at the Mouth of the Tuman River in the Russian Maritime Province (Primorye). ____________________ #russia #korea #geopolitics

Mont Blanc (French) or Monte Bianco (Italian) is the highest mountain in the European Alps and has been a point of contention between France and Italy for years. Both countries have a territorial dispute going one, which not only includes Mont Blanc/Monte Bianco, but also the nearby areas of Pointe Helbronner and Dôme du Goûter. Although France and Italy have a close economic, political and cultural relationship while being both part of the European Union, the issue over Mont Blanc/Monte Bianco has still strained Franco-Italian relations on multiple occasions. This video explores the origin of this territorial dispute, the situation we have today and what it means for the future of France, Italy and Europe. ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi625BLDw-fiaxK_dFhM2Ow/join A big thank you to my current Patrons/Channel Members: Justin H. Curtis Vognet Rasmus Sorensen ____________________ Music: Parisian Cafe - Aaron Kenny (YouTube Audio library) Bushwick Tarantella - Kevin MacLeod licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1300002 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Bushwick Tarentella Loop - Kevin MacLeod licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1300003 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Summer Symphony Ball - Sir Cubworth (YouTube Audio library) No.9 Esther’s Waltz - Esther Abrami ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 1:49 History 7:31 Current situation ____________________ Sources: Michal Day (2015) Mont Blanc controversy: French suffer a fit of pique as Italy's Prime Minister 'reclaims' Europe's highest mountain. In: The Independent. Angela Giuffrida (2020) Italy reignites Mont Blanc border dispute with France. In: The Guardian. Michael MacCarthy-Morrogh (1991) The Unification of Italy. ____________________ #montblanc #france #italy

(Sponsorship/Werbung/El Anuncio) This video is sponsored by Surfshark! Go to https://Surfshark.deals/pwp and use code pwp to get 83% off a 2 year plan plus 3 extra months for free! ____________________ Description: Transnistria is a mostly russian speaking separatist region of Moldova, right at the border with Ukraine, which has been de facto independent since 1992 after the 4-month long Transnistrian war came to an end through a ceasefire agreement. Since then, the region has been under the control of Transnistrian forces while Russia also maintains military units here. After 1992, very little changed about the situation in Transnistria until late February 2022, when the war in Ukraine began. With that, discussions about Transnistria became tense, especially after a series of explosions occurred in Transnistria in late April 2022. Unsurprisingly, concerns grew that the region might drag Moldova into the conflict as well, since Russia may seek to integrate it into the Russian Federation alongside what it can occupy in Ukraine. In this video, we take a look at the history of Transnistria and Moldova, how the conflict developed and what the situation in Ukraine means for the conflict and the world. ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon or becoming a channel member: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Bucolic Acrylic by Dan Bodan (YouTube-Audio library) Morning Stroll by Josh Kirsch/Media Right Productions (YouTube-Audio library) A Baroque Letter by Aaron Kenny (YouTube-Audio library) Russian Dance by Joey Pecoraro (YouTube-Audio library) E-minor Prelude by Frédéric Chopin (YouTube-Audio library) From Russia with Love by Huma-Huma (YouTube-Audio library) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 2:04 Surfshark Sponsorship/Werbung/Anuncio 3:39 History of Moldova & Transnistria 9:53 Situation after 1992 13:07 Transnistria & the Ukraine War 17:30 Outro ____________________ My recommendation for more information on this topic: Red Line Podcast Episode Transnistria - Europes Last Soviet Republic: https://youtu.be/n29g5jE6Sts Check out their podcast @TheRedLinePod for great content on geopolitics! ____________________ Sources: Bebler, Anton (2015) “Frozen conflicts” in Europe. Bahcheli, Tozun (2004) De facto states: the quest for sovereignty Kostov, Chris (2020) Separatism and Regionalism in Modern Europe. ____________________ #transnistria #moldova #ukraine

The South China Sea is one of the most infamous territorial conflicts in the world, involving six governments (China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines & Taiwan), as well as plenty of external actors (United States, India, Japan, Australia, etc.). Focus point of the dispute are the many tiny islands, reefs and rocks which are scattered across the South China Sea, including the Spratlys, Paracels, Pratas & more. These islands are the key to controlling this vital region defined by strategically important trading routes, natural resources like oil and gas, as well as the geopolitical rivalry between the USA and China. In this video we explore what is behind the South China Sea dispute and find answers to the following questions: Why is it important and valuable to all these nations? Who is involved and why? And what does this conflict mean for the future of regional and global peace? ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (by Liszt) (YouTube Audio-library) Fur Elise (by Beethoven) (YouTube Audio-library) Opium (by Kevin MacLeod) (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Sao Meo (by Doug Maxwell/ Zac Zinger) (YouTube Audio-library) Cambodian Odyssey (by Kevin MacLeod) (incompetech.com) Licensed under a Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100585 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ The Star Spangled Banner - Band Only (by The U.S Army Band) (YouTube Audio-library) Morning Mood (by Grieg) (YouTube Audio-library) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 1:17 Value of the South China Sea 4:15 The claimants 7:48 Other actors 12:14 Chinese-American rivalry 18:09 Outro ____________________ Sources: Robert D. Kaplan (2014) Asia's Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific. Bill Hayton (2015) The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia. Ren H. & Lui F. (2013) Transitional Security Patterns in the South China Sea and the Involvement of External Parties. In: Issues & Studies 49:2. John J. Mearsheimer (2001) The Tragedy of Great Power Politics U.S.-China Strategic Competition in South and East China Seas: Background and Issues for Congress. Online: https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/R42784.pdf ____________________ #southchinasea #china #geopolitics

Does every human being need the protection of a state? This centuries-old question has baffled political scientists for a very long time. Both the idea of the perfect state and the idea of complete freedom from the state have been romanticized by famous scholars, including Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau. But will we ever find an answer to this theoretical question? In this video, we try to do exactly that by looking at a group of human beings which seemingly have no need for a state at all: uncontacted tribes, which live lives as extremely isolated hunter-gatherers in the most inaccessible regions of Africa, Asia and South America. We examine how they have fared without the state throughout history while focusing on the Sentinelese, the infamous isolated natives of North Sentinel Island, which has often been described as India’s forbidden island. ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: No.7 Alone With My Thoughts (by Esther Abrami) Infados (by Kevin MacLeod) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100449 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Clouds (by Huma-Huma) No.1 A Minor Waltz (by Esther Abrami) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 0:18 The purpose of the state 1:30 Uncontacted tribes 1:57 North Sentinel Island 2:33 History of the Sentinelese 5:06 What can they teach us? 7:01 Conclusion 7:29 Outro ____________________ Sources: Dorn, Harold; McClellan, James E. III (2006) Science and Technology in World History : An Introduction. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Hay, Colin; Lister, Michael; Marsh, David (2006) The State : Theories and Issues. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Pandya, Vishvajit (2009) In the Forest : Visual and Material worlds of Andamanese history (1858-2006). Lanham: University Press of America. Hobbes, Thomas (1651) Leviathan: Or the Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill. Holmes, Bob (2013) How many uncontacted tribes are left in the world. McGirk, Tim (1993) Islanders running out of isolation: Tim McGirk in the Andaman Islands reports on the fate of the Sentinelese. Nuwer, Rachel (2014) Anthropology: The sad truth about uncontacted tribes. Rickett, Oscar (2013) Human Safari Tribe: Tourists threaten the existence of the Andaman Islands' Jarawa natives. SurvivalInternational (2018) The Sentinelese. Retrieved from: https://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/ sentinelese Wight, Martin (1960) Why is there no International Theory? ____________________ #northsentinelisland #states #politicaltheory

The waters between Iran and the Arabian peninsula are among the most important and valuable waterways in the world. And for decades now, Iran and the Arab Gulf States (mainly Saudi-Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates) have struggled to obtain dominance in the region. The dispute not only revolves around the material and strategic value of the waters, but also its name itself: Is it the Persian Gulf, or the Arabian Gulf? This question has become a heated discussion in the region, with many Arab states favouring the term ‘Arabian Gulf’ while Iran, and most of the rest of the world, consider the term ‘Persian Gulf’ as the correct one. In this video, we take a look at this strange naming conflict, its history and origins, as well its contemporary political implications. ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Desert City by Kevin MacLeod (licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100564 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Desert Caravan (by Aaron Kenny) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 1:20 History of the Gulf 5:12 Iranian point of view 6:08 Arab point of view 6:43 Geostrategic importance 7:29 Current situation 8:22 Future outlook 9:40 Outro ____________________ Sources: Askari, H. (2013) Conflicts in the Persian Gulf: Origins and Evolution. Palgrave. Kamrava, Mehran (2018) Troubled Waters: Insecurity in the Persian Gulf. Cornell University Press. de Ruyter, Mick (2019) Maritime Political Geography: The Persian Gulf Islands of Tunbs and Abu Musa. In: Northern Mariner/Le Marin du Nord. Vol. 29. Issue 4. Fred Halliday (1996) Arabs and Persians : beyond the geopolitics of the Gulf. Martin H. Levinson (2011) Mapping the Persian Gulf Naming Dispute. In: A Review of General Semantics. Vol. 68. No. 3. Brian Whitaker (2010) Persian Gulf? Arabian Gulf? One big gulf in understanding. Online: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/oct/27/gulf-of-understanding ____________________ #persiangulf #arabiangulf #geopolitics

The Dokdo (sometimes Tokdo) or Takeshima rocks (also known as the Liancourt rocks) have been one of the major obstacles in the development of Korean-Japanese relations for decades. In 2021, the conflict made headlines when Japan released a map for its 2020 olympic games, supposedly showing the rocks as Japanese territory, which sparked outrage across South Korea. Although this small territorial dispute has been a frequent topic of public discussion in both Japan and South Korea, it is relatively unknown outside the region. The current dispute originated in 1905, however its roots stretch back much further than that. Since 1954, the rocks have been de facto controlled by South Korea, however Japan continues to claim that this is an illegal occupation. In this video we take a closer look at the conflict: Where does it come from? How did it develop? And what drives South Korea and Japan in this dispute? ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Art Contribution: A big thank you to Teabag for helping me in this video: Check out his Twitter below! Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/elpg1576 His Art: 5:24-7:45 ____________________ Music: Impertinence (by Joel Cummins) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 0:28 What is the conflict about? 1:33 Dokdo/Takeshima's economic value 3:16 Dokdo/Takeshima's strategic value 3:44 Dokdo/Takeshima's symbolic value 4:35 Early history (Korean perspective) 6:50 Early history (Japanese perspective) 7:19 First conflict over the rocks 7:59 19th century developments 8:58 Japanese control until 1945 10:18 San Francisco Peace process 11:59 South Korean control until today 13:07 Increasing importance of the conflict 15:04 Effects on South Korea and Japan 17:10 Outro ____________________ Sources: Bridges, Brian (1993) Japan and South Korea in the 1990s: From Antagonism to Adjustment. Aldershot: Elgar. Bukh, Alexander (2015) Shimane Prefecture, Tokyo and the territorial dispute over Dokdo/Takeshima. In: The Pacific Review 2015, (1). Hara, Kimie (2006) Cold War Frontiers in The Asia Pacific: Divided territories in the San Fransisco System. London: Routledge. Koo, Min Gyo (2010) Island Disputes and Maritime Regime Building in East Asia: Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Dordrecht: Springer. Wiegand, Krista E. (2015) The South Korean-Japanese security relationship and Dokdo/Takeshima. In: The Pacific Review 2015, (3). ____________________ #korea #japan #conflict

Diplomatic Immunity is one of the rare concepts in International Law which has managed to sneak into the public consciousness through movies and TV series. While most people have heard about the existence of diplomatic immunity, it is very rarely explained in a comprehensive manner. This video is supposed to give you a basic understanding of diplomatic immunity: Its historic origins tracing back to antiquity to the modern understanding of the concept, including a short overview of the most important legal aspects of what it means to be a diplomat with such protections, with some examples. ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Bourree (by Joel Cummins) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 0:39 History 2:39 International Conventions 2:56 Who gets Diplomatic Immunity? 3:42 Functional immunity 4:35 Personal Immunity 5:25 Misuse of Diplomatic Immunity 6:08 Options for dealing with a Diplomat 7:50 Diplomatic vehicles, homes & embassies 8:36 Diplomatic Bag 9:34 Outro ____________________ Sources: Anders Henriksen (2019) International Law Markus Krajewski (2017) International Law Stefan Kadelbach (2013) Zwingendes Völkerrecht Encyclopædia Britannica (2021) Diplomatic Immunity: https://www.britannica.com/topic/diplomatic-immunity Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_1_1961.pdf Vienna Convention on consular relations (1963) https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_2_1963.pdf Convention on Special Missions (1969) https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_3_1969.pdf convention on the prevention, prosecution and punishment of crimes against persons protected under international law, including diplomats (1973) https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_4_1973.pdf convention on the representation of states in their relations with international organisations (1975) https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/5_1_1975.pdf ____________________ #internationallaw #diplomacy #geopolitics

In June 2020, the most serious confrontation between Chinese and Indian military forces since almost 60 years occurred at the Galwan River valley, right at the disputed border region, leaving several soldiers dead on both sides. This was a striking reminder that one of of the oldest ongoing territorial disputes is far from being solved, and since then concerns about a potential escalation of the issue have increased significantly. While this Himalayan conflict between China and India can be observed regularly in the news, it is rare to be provided an actual explanation of what the whole issue is really about. In this video, we are taking a look at all the disputed territories, from Aksai Chin, over to Sikkim and finally to Arunachal Pradesh, or how China calls it, South Tibet. We explore the historic background of the conflict, its development in the 20th and 21st century and also look at some of the reasons why these territories matter so much to the two states. ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Sarabande (by Joel Cummins) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:39 Line of Actual Control 1:36 Aksai Chin & nearby areas 4:57 Sikkim & surrounding areas 7:13 Arunachal Pradesh 11:23 Measures for de-escalation 12:17 China's interests in the conflict 13:40 India's interests in the conflict 14:44 Shared problems 15:52 Outro ____________________ Sources: van Eekelen, Willem Frederik (1967) Indian Foreign Policy and the Border Dispute with China. Springer. Bajpai, Kanti; Ho, Selina; Miller, Manjari Chatterjee (2020) Routledge Handbook of China–India Relations. Routledge Joshi, Manoj (2018) ORF Special Report: The Wuhan Summit and the India–China Border Dispute. Online: https://www.orfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ORF_Special_Report_62_Wuhan.pdf ____________________ #india #china #chinaindia

In 2013, China announced its Belt and Road Initiative for the first time. Since then, the country has been spearheading a staggering amount of mega-investments across the entire planet. One of these investments is a potential game-changing project in the Balkans: The Danube-Morava-Vardar/Axios canal. Estimated to cost around 17 billion USD, it would be one of China’s most costly single projects and could change the geopolitical and geoeconomic value of the region forever. This canal would connect the Danube river directly with the Mediterranean sea, thus presenting a new waterway which could be used to simply bypass the until now crucial Turkish Straits. In this video, we’ll take a look at China’s reasons behind the project, its negotiations with Serbia, North Macedonia and Greece, and also its impact in the region and beyond. Thanks for watching, consider subscribing for more content like this in the future! ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Allemande (by Wahneta Meixsell) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction ____________________ Sources: Arsim Ejupi (2018)The idea of Morava-Vardar water canal and its long-term geopolitical context. In: GeoScape, 12(2), 84-91. Dobrivoje Jovanovski (1993) Morava – Vardar (Axios) Navigation Route. Online: http://danube-cooperation.com/danubius/2011/11/28/morava-vardar-axios-navigation-route/ Dragan Dunčić, Jelena Lukić (2013) The Project to Construct the Danube-Morava-Vardar-Aegean Canal Alkis John Corres, Basil Tselentis (2014) An inland waterway option for sustainable freight transport in southeastern Europe. Online: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261996124_An_inland_waterway_option_for_sustainable_freight_transport_in_southeastern_Europe Milena Nikolic, Dragan Dincic (2014) The Waterway Danube-Morava-Aegean (Schiller Institute conference) Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olFlGTS2GzI ____________________ #china #balkans #geopolitics

The Nagorno-Karabakh-conflict involving Armenia, the unrecognised Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan has been described as one of many frozen conflicts worldwide. However, the latest developments of 2020 have demonstrated that the ice seems to have melted. In truth, the conflict was heading into the direction of escalation since at least 2016, as the ongoing peace process has yielded little to no results. This video is a simplified summary and analysis of what is going on in this conflict: How did the conflict about Karabakh start? What is it about? And which countries are involved? We are taking a look at the conflict's historic development since 1918, explore the value of Karabakh to the Armenian and Azerbaijani people and also touch upon the involvement of the most prominent regional powers in this conflict: Turkey, Russia and Iran. Thanks for watching, consider subscribing for more content like this in the future! ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: No.1 A Minor Waltz (by Esther Abrami) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:28 History 1918-1994 5:34 Developments after 1994 6:22 Unsuccessful peace process 7:23 Status quo until 2020 8:08 Why is Karabakh important? 8:35 Armenian historic claim 9:30 Azerbaijani historic claim 10:37 Legal claims of both nations 11:40 Karabakh's importance in internal affairs 12:19 Turkey's interests in Karabakh 13:05 Russia's interests in Karabakh 13:40 Iran's interests in Karabakh 14:17 Conclusion and Outro ____________________ Sources: Baddeley, John F. (1999) The Russian Conquest of the Caucasus. Curzon Press: Surrey. Baev, Pavel K. (2017) Russia: A Declining Counter-Change Force. In: Cornell, Svante (2017) The International Politics of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict: The Original “Frozen Conflict’’ and European Security. Palgrave MacMillan: New York. Bebler, Anton (2015) “Frozen conflicts” in Europe. Barbara Budrich Publishers: Opladen. Cornell, Svante (2017) The International Politics of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict: The Original “Frozen Conflict’’ and European Security. Palgrave MacMillan: New York. Kuburas, Melita (2011) Ethnic Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. In: Review of European and Russian Affairs (2011), Vol. 6, No. 1, 43-54. Pokalova, Elena (2015) Conflict Resolution in Frozen Conflicts: Timing in Nagorno-Karabakh. In: Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies (2015), Vol. 17, No. 1, 68-85. Rasizade, Alec (2011) Azerbaijan’s prospects in Nagorno-Karabakh. In: Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies (2011), Vol. 13, No. 2, 215-231. ____________________ #armenia #azerbaijan #karabakh

Nuclear Weapons have been a major issue in international politics since their development in the 1940s. While nine states managed to develop nuclear weapons in total, the international community is keen on preventing any further spread of them for the sake of world peace. However, there is a school of thought which believes that this is the wrong direction if one once to ensure global peace. Advocates of the Nuclear Peace Theory argue that instead of preventing their spread, we should encourage it. Find out more in my video. Thanks for watching, consider subscribing for more content like this in the future! ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Allégro (by Emmit Fenn) ____________________ Sources: The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: A Debate Renewed. W. W. Norton & Company. New York: 1995 Kenneth Waltz, “The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: More May Better,” Adelphi Papers, Number 171 (London: International Institute for Strategic Studies, 1981) Nuclear weapons and international security: collected essays. By Ramesh Thakur ____________________ #nuclearwar #nuclearforce #nuclearweapon

In this video we are exploring the rather obscure 2018 Moscow-Constantinople schism within the Orthodox Church and its effects on the politics of Eastern Europe. It was caused by the decision of the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I., to grant autocephalous (the right to self-governance of a church) to the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Until then, Ukraine was recognised by all other recognised Orthodox Churches to be under the jurisdiction of the Russian-Orthodox Church. This event has not only impacted the adherents of Orthodoxy in Russia and Ukraine, but will also influence the politics of the entire region. Thanks for watching, consider subscribing for more content like this in the future! ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Pirouette (by Asher Fulero) Habanera (by Bizet) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:23 What is the Orthodox Church? 2:34 Developments until 1990 5:05 Developments after 1990 5:57 The schism & its consequences 6:59 Impact on Ukraine 8:28 Impact on other Orthodox churches & nations 10:10 Conclusion & Outro ____________________ Sources: Ware, Timothy (2015) The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity Seddon, Max (2019) Putin and the Patriarchs; https://www.ft.com/content/a41ed014-c38b-11e9-a8e9-296ca66511c9 Masci, David (2019) Split between Ukrainian, Russian churches shows political importance of Orthodox Christianity; https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/14/split-between-ukrainian-russian-churches-shows-political-importance-of-orthodox-christianity/ If you like to know about more sources I used, feel free to contact me. ____________________ #ukraine #russia #orthodox

In this video we are delving into the the ongoing border dispute between Croatia and Serbia along the Danube river. The conflict exists in its current form since 1945 and is developing into a major problem in the region, as it threatens to halt Serbia’s EU-Integration process. While Serbia’s claims correspond to the contemporary shape of the Danube, Croatia’s claim corresponds with the Danube’s shape as it was in the 19th century. This has led to overlapping territorial claims, but has also created a few pockets of lands unclaimed by both. This peculiar circumstance made the conflict famous in 2015, when Czech politician Vít Jedlička decided to proclaim a new "country" there, Liberland. Thanks for watching, consider subscribing for more content like this in the future! ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Blue Danube (by Strauss) ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00​ Introduction 0:40 The Croatian-Serbian border 1:09 History of the conflict 2:45 Current situation 3:09 Creation of "Liberland" 4:02 Progress on resolving the issue 4:30 Outro ____________________ Sources: Schofield, Clive H. ; Klemenčić, Mladen (2001) War and Peace on the Danube: The Evolution of the Croatia-Serbia Boundary: Durham University Press, Durham. Kuzmanovic, Jasmina; Savic, Misha (2018) Online: Croatia, Serbia Vow to Solve Long-Standing Border Dispute. Online: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-12/balkan-rivals-vow-to-solve-long-standing-border-other-disputes ____________________ #croatia #serbia #liberland

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States have stood unopposed at the top of the geopolitical food-chain. However, in recent times some have suggested that a new alliance is threatening the United State’s position, namely the one between China and Russia. In this video we’ll take a closer look at the Sino-Russian relationship. Are these two nations really building a strong alliance or are there problems which tend to be overlooked? Thanks for watching, consider subscribing for more content like this in the future! ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Music: Kevin MacLeod "Waltz (Tschikovsky Op. 40)" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:20 Historic relationship 3:19 Trade cooperation 4:04 Political cooperation 5:00 Strategic cooperation 5:25 Russia's problems with China 7:07 China's problems with Russia 9:43 Conclusion & Outro ____________________ Sources: Kaczmarski, Marcin (2015) Russia-China Relations in the Post-Crisis International Order. New York: Routledge. Lo, Bobo (2008) Moscow, Beijing, and the new Geopolitics. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. Levin, L. Michael (2008) The Next Great Clash: China and Russia vs. The United States. Westport: Praeger Security International. ____________________ #china #russia #alliance

This video explains the territorial dispute over the Diaoyu or Senkaku Islands between China, Japan and Taiwan. The conflict exists in its current form since the 1970s and has caused worrying incidents involving Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese militaries and navies, which some have argued could even lead to war. Due to the political nature of this conflict, conversations over this topic tend to get heated or one-sided. In this video I try to present the facts of the conflict as neutrally as possible. Reaching a better mutual understanding is often the first step towards solving a problem. I hope this video can contribute to that. Thanks for watching! Consider subscribing for more videos with hopefully better quality! ____________________ Consider supporting this channel on Patreon: Link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/politicswithpaint ____________________ Wendover Production's "China's Geography Problem": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiBF6v5UAAE ____________________ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:27 Chinese & Taiwanese point of view 3:03 Japanese point of view 4:36 History after 1945 6:02 Recent events 7:22 Taiwan's difficult position 9:39 Reasons behind the conflict 10:01 Economic value of the Islands 11:31 Strategic value of the Islands 12:18 Symbolic value of the Islands 14:06 Conclusion and Outro ____________________ Sources: Hagström, Linus (2005) Japan's China Policy. Taylor and Francis. Hollihan, Thomas A. (2014) The Dispute Over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. Springer Palgrave Macmillan. Monika Chansoria (2018) China, Japan, and Senkaku Islands: Conflict in the East China Sea Amid an American Shadow. Routledge. ____________________ #china #japan #conflict