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An expert's point of view on a current event.

Vladimir Putin speaks during the Preliminary Draw of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia at The Konstantin Palace on July 25, 2015 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Vladimir Putin speaks during the Preliminary Draw of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia at The Konstantin Palace on July 25, 2015 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

What Putin Got Right

The Russian president got many things wrong about invading Ukraine—but not everything.

Supporters of the religious Namak Mandi Tajir Group against French President Emmanuel Macron during a protest against the publishing of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad they deemed blasphemous.
Supporters of the religious Namak Mandi Tajir Group against French President Emmanuel Macron during a protest against the publishing of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad they deemed blasphemous.

Pakistan’s Government Is Choosing Extremist Islam Over Economic Stability

By curtailing free speech and doubling down on blasphemy laws, Islamabad is endangering its relationship with Europe and the United States.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (second on the right) attends an emergency ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (second on the right) attends an emergency ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. Is Missing a Chance to Engage the Muslim World

Six years have passed without a special envoy. China and Russia will fill the void.

A picture taken on August 25, 2022 shows Egyptian pound, British pound sterling, and US dollar banknotes.
A picture taken on August 25, 2022 shows Egyptian pound, British pound sterling, and US dollar banknotes.

The IMF Has Too Many Economists for Its Own Good

The Fund's bailouts for Egypt had one big problem: they weren't designed by country experts.

People visit the PMC Wagner Centre in Russia.
People visit the PMC Wagner Centre in Russia.

How to Beat the Wagner Group

The U.S. Treasury Department’s recent sanctions are only a first step in stopping the Russian mercenaries.

Dmitry Medvedev (center in the group of officials), an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is now deputy chairman of the country's security council, visits the Omsktransmash (Omsk transport machine factory) in the southern Siberian city of Omsk.
Dmitry Medvedev (center in the group of officials), an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is now deputy chairman of the country's security council, visits the Omsktransmash (Omsk transport machine factory) in the southern Siberian city of Omsk.

Russia Has Already Lost in the Long Run

Even if Moscow holds onto territory, the war has wrecked its future.

U.S. sailors recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon.
U.S. sailors recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon.

Spy Balloons Evoke Bad Cold War Memories for China

Covert U.S. intrusions into Chinese airspace were common for decades.

Sam Bankman-Fried speaks onstage during a charity gala in New York City.
Sam Bankman-Fried speaks onstage during a charity gala in New York City.

Sam Bankman-Fried’s Real Victims Aren’t in Crypto

Charity can’t be dependent on the whims of billionaires.

Dalton speaks while sitting at a table alongside other U.S. officials.
Dalton speaks while sitting at a table alongside other U.S. officials.

The U.S. Overreacted to the Chinese Spy Balloon. That Scares Me.

So unused to being challenged, the United States has become so filled with anxiety over China that sober responses are becoming nearly impossible.

Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, speaks during a joint signing ceremony for offshore gas exploration in Beirut on Jan. 29.
Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, speaks during a joint signing ceremony for offshore gas exploration in Beirut on Jan. 29.

How Lebanon Can Unlock Its Oil and Gas Wealth

A new maritime deal with Israel could be an economic lifeline for Lebanon—if the government in Beirut can get its act together.

A woman gives the middle finger to destroyed Russian tank exhibited in Kyiv
A woman gives the middle finger to destroyed Russian tank exhibited in Kyiv

Ukrainian Women’s Looks Are None of Your Business

Fetishizing femininity has complicated and painful post-Soviet roots.

The beginning of the conquest of Siberia in shown in a 19th-century painting.
The beginning of the conquest of Siberia in shown in a 19th-century painting.

It’s High Time to Decolonize Western Russia Studies

Why has it taken a war of conquest for experts to recognize Russia’s nature as a vast imperial enterprise?

People stand in front of a huge mound of rubble.
People stand in front of a huge mound of rubble.

How Corruption and Misrule Made Turkey’s Earthquake Deadlier

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hollowed out state institutions, placed loyalists in key positions, and enriched his cronies—paving the way for this tragedy.

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro invade Planalto presidential palace in Brasília on Jan. 8.
Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro invade Planalto presidential palace in Brasília on Jan. 8.

Biden Can’t Ignore America’s Role in Brazil’s Insurrection

As the U.S. president hosts Lula, they must commit to defending democracy together.

A view shows people seated and standing on both sides of the central aisle of the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, facing Biden as he gives his address.
A view shows people seated and standing on both sides of the central aisle of the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, facing Biden as he gives his address.

Why I Have Hope for Bipartisan Progress on U.S. Foreign Policy

Rhetoric aside, most congressional Republicans and Democrats agree on the key national security challenges the United States faces.

The Emirati and Qatari energy ministers attend a meeting.
The Emirati and Qatari energy ministers attend a meeting.

Persian Gulf States May Be the Best Mediators for Peace in Ukraine

The Gulf Cooperation Council has maintained links to both Russia and the West.

Two soldiers are seen from the back on a dirt road.
Two soldiers are seen from the back on a dirt road.

Nigeria’s Alleged Forced Abortion Campaign Demands Action

For too long, the international community has ignored the Nigerian military’s abuses.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meet the press at the G-7 summit at Schloss Elmau in Krün, Germany, on June 27, 2022.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meet the press at the G-7 summit at Schloss Elmau in Krün, Germany, on June 27, 2022.

It’s Time to Tie India to the West

India’s geopolitical shift is inexorable, and membership in the G-7 would help bridge north-south divides.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a working session in Mariinsky Palace, in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a working session in Mariinsky Palace, in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022.

The Top Five Lessons From Year One of Ukraine’s War

Europe’s brutal conflict has been a harsh but instructive teacher.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) walks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni after their press conference at the state house in Entebbe, Uganda.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) walks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni after their press conference at the state house in Entebbe, Uganda.

Why Russia Markets Itself as an Anti-Colonial Power to Africans

Colonial exceptionalism and a victim mentality are integral to Russia’s self-image.

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TOPSHOT - Ukrainian soldiers adjust a national flag atop a personnel armoured carrier on a road near Lyman, Donetsk region on October 4, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on October 2, 2022 that Lyman, a key town located in one of four Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia, had been "cleared" of Moscow's troops. (Photo by Anatolii Stepanov / AFP) (Photo by ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - Ukrainian soldiers adjust a national flag atop a personnel armoured carrier on a road near Lyman, Donetsk region on October 4, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on October 2, 2022 that Lyman, a key town located in one of four Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia, had been "cleared" of Moscow's troops. (Photo by Anatolii Stepanov / AFP) (Photo by ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia’s War in Ukraine, One Year On

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It’s been almost one year since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. If one steps back from the daily news cycle, it’s clear that both sides have faced devastating impacts, including...Show more

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - DECEMBER 29:  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir react after sworn in at the Israeli parliament during a new government sworn in discussion at the Israeli parliament on December 29, 2022 in Jerusalem, Israel. Conservative Benjamin Netanyahu and a bloc of nationalist and religious parties won a clear election victory last month and will be sworn in as government to the Knesset today. This completes Netenyahu's political comeback with a record sixth term in office.  (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - DECEMBER 29: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir react after sworn in at the Israeli parliament during a new government sworn in discussion at the Israeli parliament on December 29, 2022 in Jerusalem, Israel. Conservative Benjamin Netanyahu and a bloc of nationalist and religious parties won a clear election victory last month and will be sworn in as government to the Knesset today. This completes Netenyahu's political comeback with a record sixth term in office. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going ahead with legislation designed to weaken the country’s Supreme Court, a move that analysts are warning could lead to a...Show more

The suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the East Coast as seen from Surfside Beach, South Carolina, on Feb. 4.  Randall Hill/Reuters
The suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the East Coast as seen from Surfside Beach, South Carolina, on Feb. 4. Randall Hill/Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a much-anticipated visit to China after the discovery of a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over U.S. territory. The very public spat over ...Show more