It’s Debatable

Washington has influence and, with its allies, could shape an endgame that serves long-term U.S. interests.

Washington and Moscow care a lot about some post-Soviet conflicts—but are largely ignoring others.

As another multilateral forum issued a watered-down statement, Russia and North Korea met to deepen military ties.

The group’s countries share one concern—the growing use of U.S. sanctions to restrict trade and investment globally. 

A slow counteroffensive hasn’t led to major breakthroughs—prompting calls for negotiation rather than escalation.

Weak institutions and underdevelopment also plague nations led by undemocratic regimes.

The NATO summit offered Kyiv mostly vague pledges and empty rhetoric—but there could be other ways to defend the country short of alliance membership.

The Wagner Group’s short-lived mutiny seems to have weakened Putin—but that isn’t necessarily a win for Washington.

An indictment of the ex-president overshadows the beginning of Ukraine’s counteroffensive.

As U.S.-China tension increases, so does discussion about whether European states are pulling their weight.

Erdogan’s strong first-round showing could mean five more years of headaches for Washington and NATO.

Major speeches from Janet Yellen and Jake Sullivan double down on Biden’s strategy of linking U.S. national security with economic policy.

Sudan’s power struggle is a textbook case of the credible commitment problem in international relations.

One of the alliance’s long-awaited new members has joined, but it won’t necessarily bring Europe closer to strategic autonomy.

China’s embrace of Russia seems politically risky but Beijing is also benefiting economically and emerging as the dominant power.

The beleaguered Netanyahu government needs Washington’s backing on Iran—but unpopular judicial reforms and casual talk of ethnic cleansing could imperil it.

Combatting the West’s strategic narcissism with some strategic empathy would be a good start.

Beijing’s botched high-altitude surveillance has provoked a backlash among Biden administration officials and the American public.

Germany and the United States are sending Leopards and M1 Abrams tanks—but Washington’s desired endgame is still a mystery.

Erdogan’s foot-dragging on Sweden and Finland is causing headaches for Western leaders.

From Equatorial Guinea’s leverage over Washington to Qatar’s scandal in Brussels, small resource-rich states are flexing their diplomatic muscle.

Off the playing field, Iran’s protests and ongoing uranium enrichment have heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.

A Republican-led House could mean a more hawkish stance on China and less aid for Ukraine—or more of the same.

The long-awaited document leaves more questions than answers about the White House’s approach to global crises.

Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Ukrainian territories raises the risk of nuclear confrontation, but it’s unclear whether Washington’s rhetoric will stop him.

Doubling down on support for Ukraine could lead to wider conflict—or force the Kremlin to back down.

Framing geopolitics in terms of democracy and autocracy won’t necessarily help bring peace.

A revival of the nuclear deal might only delay an Iranian bomb—but it could help the West deal with the looming winter energy crisis.

Kyiv has shown that it can hit far behind enemy lines, but putting Crimea in play may deal a psychological blow without altering the territorial endgame.

The controversy over Nancy Pelosi’s proposed trip highlights the contradictions of U.S. policy toward the island.

The president’s trip to Saudi Arabia and talk of regional security guarantees are a dramatic departure from his rhetoric during the 2020 race.

Lithuania’s muscular move to enforce EU sanctions by blocking Russian rail cargo could risk escalating the Russia-NATO conflict.

Talk of security guarantees for the UAE and a thaw in Washington-Riyadh relations could enhance—or weaken—U.S. standing in the region.

The U.S. president’s surprise statement could deter China—or increase the risk of war.

As Washington prepares to send another $40 billion in military aid and Europe seeks a Russian oil embargo, the West’s ultimate goal is still unclear.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s comments raise questions about Washington’s endgame in Ukraine.

The Pentagon is scrambling to deter China while adjusting to war in Europe—but does its new approach amount to more than just rhetoric?

While a serious negotiated settlement could end Ukrainians’ suffering, a premature peace deal could be the worst possible outcome for Kyiv.

The urge to do more to help Ukraine is running up against concerns over nuclear escalation with Russia.

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine marks a tectonic shift in world politics and increases the danger of superpower confrontation and the militarization of Europe.

As Russia masses troops along the border—and in Belarus—the prospects for peaceful resolution are fading, but there are options.

As Putin prepares to invade, Washington and its allies still appear undecided on whether Kyiv is worth fighting for.

A sudden wave of protests has spooked the Kremlin and precipitated an unprecedented intervention by Moscow and its allies.

2021 has been a lesson in the limits of U.S. foreign policy.

From omicron restrictions to the Iran deal and the democracy summit, Washington is making questionable calls that don’t inspire confidence in U.S. leadership.

Moscow’s military buildup is raising eyebrows in Washington as Belarus ups the ante in its standoff with the EU.

Climate apocalypse still looms while world leaders haggle over haggis in Glasgow.

Beijing’s FOBS delivery system could provoke an arms race—or a more stable deterrence relationship.

Chinese incursions and U.S. training of Taiwanese forces raise the specter of war. Is it a conflict the United States can handle?

The submarine deal could reshape the balance of power in the Pacific—and draw Australia into future conflicts.

The small Baltic nation is facing down threats from authoritarian regimes in Russia, Belarus, and China.

Withdrawal was always bound to be chaotic, but wishful thinking, poor planning, and glacial bureaucracies have made a difficult situation worse.

The Tokyo Games have brought a surge of nationalism and laid bare the methods of autocrats like Belarus’s Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Billionaire rocket launches and ongoing cyberattacks reveal that, without norms governing conflict, there could be chaos.

The Chinese Communist Party’s anniversary celebration is taking place amid a nuclear buildup.

The White House set clear red lines on cyberwar, but don’t expect much progress in the months to come.

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s brazen air piracy and increasing closeness to the Kremlin demand a response, but Washington’s next move isn’t obvious.

From climate change policy to COVID-19 relief, Biden’s domestic and foreign-policy goals are coming under fire. 

Biden’s withdrawal announcement is meant to end a 20-year war, but Washington has been dragged back into conflicts before.

The new administration’s interim national security guidance gets many things right—but it has its shortcomings.

Biden was expected to revive the nuclear deal quickly—but as pro-Iran militias attack U.S. forces in Iraq and Washington strikes back in Syria, direct talks aren’t on the horizon.

From Afghanistan to China, the new administration seems likely to hold on to some ideas from the previous one.

A coup in Myanmar and Russia’s sentencing of Alexei Navalny raise questions about whether promoting U.S. values could weaken Washington’s hand when it comes to great-power competition.

With Avril Haines and Lloyd Austin confirmed, key officials are starting to offer hints of what’s in store.