Assad Just Gassed Putin’s Chance at a Deal

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: April 5, 2017

It’s always difficult to pinpoint the moment in which a policy changes, but yesterday’s horrific chemical weapons attack in Idlib appears to signal a shift in how the Trump administration may view its options in the conflict. The attack, which has already killed more than 100 people and injured another 400, including a great number […]

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Economic Consequences of South Africa’s Political Crisis

By Robert Amsterdam | Published:

Earlier this week, South Africa’s debt was downgraded by S&P to junk bond status for the first time in 17 years, which will have a very negative effect on borrowing costs. The downgrade was prompted by a dramatic, middle-of-the-night cabinet reshuffle, when President Zuma sacked about one-third of his ministers including Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, […]

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A Salute to Russia’s Courageous, Woken Youth

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: March 29, 2017

Mikhail Fishman has a great oped in the Moscow Times which highlights the role of youth in the anti-corruption protest movement which shocked Russia and the world this past weekend. The next generation of Russians doesn’t bear the trauma and exhaustion of the beleaguered opposition – they don’t remember a past without Putin, but they […]

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Talks At Google with Robert Amsterdam: Disruption and the Weaponization of Law

By Editor | Published: March 25, 2017

Robert Amsterdam of Amsterdam & Partners LLP visits Talks at Google to discuss how international law is changing in the face of rapid technological disruption, and how in some countries law enforcement has become weaponized as an anti-competitive tool to benefit some organizations and damage others. Amsterdam highlights examples and outlines some strategic approaches for […]

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Top 3 Things Putin is Loving about the United States

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: March 24, 2017

Given the deepening controversies surrounding the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russia’s election meddling, it has become fashionable to conclude that it is already game over for Vladimir Putin. Indeed, it seems like ages ago when Donald Trump’s victory was greeted with champagne toasts in Moscow. Putin even told state media to cut back on […]

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The Expediency of Russian Oligarchs

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: March 23, 2017

In light of the rapidly developing news stories surrounding President Donald Trump, his former advisor Paul Manafort, and the alleged connection through his previous work on behalf of Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska, I spoke briefly with Damien Sharkov at Newsweek about how Vladimir Putin and most Russian oligarchs align their interests. Excerpt below: Robert Amsterdam, […]

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