Russia’s War in Ukraine

News, analysis, and background on military campaigns, battlefield technology, and global diplomacy, negotiations, and sanctions.

Putin sits at a table with his hands flat on the surface, leaning forward slightly. He wears a dark suit and tie; a Russian flag hangs in the background.
Putin sits at a table with his hands flat on the surface, leaning forward slightly. He wears a dark suit and tie; a Russian flag hangs in the background.

Russia and Ukraine Are as Far Apart as Ever

Despite Trump’s efforts, negotiation will only come when both parties believe their interests are better served by talking than fighting. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Ivo H. Daalder
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump participate in a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump participate in a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C.

7 Lingering Questions After the Trump Ukraine Summit

After a flurry of diplomacy, what was actually agreed to?

Explainer
Keith Johnson
U.S. President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, DC on August 18.
U.S. President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, DC on August 18.

Grading Trump’s Ukraine Diplomacy

Key takeaways from a spate of high-level meetings in Alaska and Washington. This article has an audio recording

Insider
Ravi Agrawal
(First row, from left) Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a family picture during a “coalition of the willing” summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris on March 27.
(First row, from left) Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a family picture during a “coalition of the willing” summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris on March 27.

How Europe Can Pressure Putin—Without Trump

Now that Trump appears to have sworn off additional economic sanctions to push Russia into a cease-fire, Europe may have to go it alone. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Keith Johnson
A soldier in a helmet and residents in T-shirts look toward a smoking house on the horizon.
A soldier in a helmet and residents in T-shirts look toward a smoking house on the horizon.

Why the Donbas Matters to Putin So Much

The region is at the heart of the Ukraine war.

Explainer
John Haltiwanger
Zelensky (left) gestures and laughs as he sits next to Trump who laughs as he holds a sheet of paper as they talk in front of the gilded backdrop of the Oval Office.
Zelensky (left) gestures and laughs as he sits next to Trump who laughs as he holds a sheet of paper as they talk in front of the gilded backdrop of the Oval Office.

Key Takeaways From Trump’s Meeting With Zelensky

Less fireworks in the White House, but no definitive outcomes just yet. This article has an audio recording

Report
Rishi Iyengar

Battlefield Strategy

Russian soldiers practice marching
Russian soldiers practice marching

Why Don’t Russian Soldiers Revolt?

Astonishing death rates and brutal abuse have not kept troops from following orders.

Analysis
Amelie Tolvin
Soldiers of the 115th Mechanized Brigade in a house where they are staying when not on the front lines near Lyman, Ukraine.
Soldiers of the 115th Mechanized Brigade in a house where they are staying when not on the front lines near Lyman, Ukraine.

The Mood on the Front Line, Three Years On

Ukrainian troops watch with anxiety as the United States moves closer to talks with Russia over the war.

Dispatch
Fabrice Deprez
Volunteers and Ukrainian military personnel attend a presentation about radio electronic warfare and intelligence systems made by the Ukrainian company Kvertus in Ukraine’s Lviv region on May 28.
Volunteers and Ukrainian military personnel attend a presentation about radio electronic warfare and intelligence systems made by the Ukrainian company Kvertus in Ukraine’s Lviv region on May 28.

Ukraine’s Pocket-Sized Answer to Russian Drones

Moscow has the upper hand in electronic warfare. Can grassroots-led efforts help Kyiv catch up?

Analysis
Fabrice Deprez
The first batch of the Ukrainian-made Peklo drone missile is delivered to a Ukrainian Armed Forces facility in Kyiv on Dec. 6, 2024.
The first batch of the Ukrainian-made Peklo drone missile is delivered to a Ukrainian Armed Forces facility in Kyiv on Dec. 6, 2024.

The Ukrainians’ New Way of War

The audacious drone attack deep into Russia’s rear fits a larger pattern of wartime innovation.

Analysis
Christian Caryl

Wartime Diplomacy

Trump sits on an upholstered chair in the Oval Office, leaning forward slightly as he rests his hands on his knees. Rutte sits in a matching chair next to him, his hand on his chin. Vice President J.D. Vance and others sit on a sofa to the right, microphones on poles hanging over their heads.
Trump sits on an upholstered chair in the Oval Office, leaning forward slightly as he rests his hands on his knees. Rutte sits in a matching chair next to him, his hand on his chin. Vice President J.D. Vance and others sit on a sofa to the right, microphones on poles hanging over their heads.

Do Trump’s Lines in the Sand Mean Anything?

Blustering threats to Putin over Ukraine are reminiscent of Obama’s Syria failure.

Analysis
Luke McGee
NATO military forces during a display to demonstrate NATO’s ability to rapidly deploy forces from Europe, in Smardan, Romania.
NATO military forces during a display to demonstrate NATO’s ability to rapidly deploy forces from Europe, in Smardan, Romania.

It’s Time for a New Trans-Atlantic Bargain

Europe should take primary responsibility for its security, but the United States needs to deliver key assurances to allow such a transition.

Argument
Ivo H. Daalder
U.S. President Donald Trump announces U.S. strikes on Iran with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth standing alongside, at the White House in Washington on June 21.
U.S. President Donald Trump announces U.S. strikes on Iran with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth standing alongside, at the White House in Washington on June 21.

An Emerging Trump Doctrine?

Success in the Middle East could be a template for a new approach to Russia’s war.

Argument
Adrian Karatnycky
Workers construct an outdoor ice skating rink in Red Square in downtown Moscow on Nov. 9, 2021.
Workers construct an outdoor ice skating rink in Red Square in downtown Moscow on Nov. 9, 2021.

What the Next Round of Sanctions Against Russia Should Look Like

Moscow has successfully restructured its economy on an impressive war footing, but there are weaknesses under the hood. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Nicholas Fenton, Maria Snegovaya

Regional Dynamics

U.S. Marines take part in the international military exercise Cold Response 22 near Sandstrand in northern Norway on March 21, 2022.
U.S. Marines take part in the international military exercise Cold Response 22 near Sandstrand in northern Norway on March 21, 2022.

A Russia-NATO War Would Look Nothing Like Ukraine

Moscow will seek to avoid a full-on war and focus on breaking the bloc’s resolve. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Fabian Hoffmann
People walk along a street past a mural dedicated to Oleksandr Khmil, a former hockey player and coach killed in battle against Russian troops, in Kyiv on May 15.
People walk along a street past a mural dedicated to Oleksandr Khmil, a former hockey player and coach killed in battle against Russian troops, in Kyiv on May 15.

A European Peacekeeping Force in Ukraine Won’t Work

Any plan needs NATO involvement to be credible. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Azeem Ibrahim
A large ship in the ocean
A large ship in the ocean

What Europe Can Do If Trump Drops Russia Sanctions

Europe has much more economic leverage on the Kremlin than Washington.

Analysis
Agathe Demarais
A worker in a white fireproof smock and face guard is seen from across a room at a factory as they shovel smoldering coals into a massive metal furnace. The room is dim other than the bright light from the furnace and the scattered glow of coal spread across the floor.
A worker in a white fireproof smock and face guard is seen from across a room at a factory as they shovel smoldering coals into a massive metal furnace. The room is dim other than the bright light from the furnace and the scattered glow of coal spread across the floor.

Ukraine Has Become Europe’s Arsenal

The Ukrainian arms industry has kept its own country—and potentially the entire continent—competitive on the battlefield. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Paul Hockenos

Latest Stories

A worker secures cylinders of Russian enriched uranium on a truck following its arrival at the port of Dunkirk, France on March 20, 2023.
A worker secures cylinders of Russian enriched uranium on a truck following its arrival at the port of Dunkirk, France on March 20, 2023.

Russia’s Rosatom Fuels Putin’s War Machine

The nuclear company’s expanding corporate empire is an urgent target for sanctions.

Argument
Lloyd Doggett
Drone operators for the Ukrainian army train not far from the front line in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
Drone operators for the Ukrainian army train not far from the front line in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

Ukraine’s Cheap Drones Are Decimating Russia’s Tanks

But experts say they’re not a long-term solution to a lack of artillery rounds.

Report
Jack Detsch
A black and white photo of a man standing at a podium holding his arm out.
A black and white photo of a man standing at a podium holding his arm out.

How Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Became Putin’s Spiritual Guru

The strange story of a global literary hero who went on to inspire Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Argument
Casey Michel
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference at a meeting of allied foreign ministers, coinciding with NATO’s 75th anniversary, at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 3.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference at a meeting of allied foreign ministers, coinciding with NATO’s 75th anniversary, at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 3.

NATO Tries to Trump-Proof Ukraine Aid

NATO wants to help Ukraine for the long term. But Kyiv needs help now.

Situation Report
Jack Detsch, Robbie Gramer
A pencil illustration depicts Jens Stoltenberg, in suit and glasses, gesturing.
A pencil illustration depicts Jens Stoltenberg, in suit and glasses, gesturing.

The Steady Hand

Jens Stoltenberg has led NATO through a decade of war, chaos, and Trump. What comes next?

Interview
Robbie Gramer
Security gates surround Moscow's Red Square.
Security gates surround Moscow's Red Square.

Migrants in Russia Are Terrified as Racism Grows After Deadly Attack

Violence and war are shaping Moscow’s brutal response.

Argument
Emily Couch, Sher Khashimov
Flowers are seen left outside the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow.
Flowers are seen left outside the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow.

Moscow Terrorist Attack Undercuts Putin’s Strongman Image

Russia’s security services are stretched, distracted, and politicized, experts say.

Analysis
Amy Mackinnon
A clock and calendar hang on a wall covered in floral, vined wallwaper. A hole from a shell is torn in the wall on the left of the scene, revealing a bright gleam of light from outside.
A clock and calendar hang on a wall covered in floral, vined wallwaper. A hole from a shell is torn in the wall on the left of the scene, revealing a bright gleam of light from outside.

Can Ukraine Escape the Curse of Nonexistence?

A landmark translation of a Ukrainian novel explores a nation caught between the jaws of empire.

Review
Johannes Lichtman
A massive orange conflagration of flames and thick smoke billows from a raging fire at a storage tank of al-Awda oil field.
A massive orange conflagration of flames and thick smoke billows from a raging fire at a storage tank of al-Awda oil field.

Shifting Conflicts Hit Key Energy Routes

From Russia to Yemen, gas and oil exports have become prime targets.

Analysis
Eugene Chausovsky
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet warships take part in the Navy Day celebrations in the port city of Novorossiysk on July 30, 2023.
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet warships take part in the Navy Day celebrations in the port city of Novorossiysk on July 30, 2023.

Russia’s Black Sea Naval Ambitions

Ukraine has busted up most of the Black Sea Fleet. Russia is plotting a comeback.

Situation Report
Robbie Gramer, Jack Detsch, Rishi Iyengar, Amy Mackinnon
A commercial airline aircraft flies past clouds as the sun sets over Kuwait City.
A commercial airline aircraft flies past clouds as the sun sets over Kuwait City.

War-Zone GPS Spoofing Is Threatening Civil Aviation

A surge in spoofing from the Middle East to northern Europe is throwing onboard navigation systems off course.

Report
Amy Mackinnon
A man seen from behind stands on grass with his arms outstretched to the sky. Above his head on a blue sky is a hovering drone.
A man seen from behind stands on grass with his arms outstretched to the sky. Above his head on a blue sky is a hovering drone.

Technology Alone Won’t Break the Stalemate in Ukraine

Kyiv’s Western backers need to grasp that drones are no substitute for a capable fighting force.

Argument
Gavin Wilde
Members of Ukraine’s 72nd Brigade anti-air unit use binoculars to search for Russian drones near Marinka, Ukraine, on Feb. 23.
Members of Ukraine’s 72nd Brigade anti-air unit use binoculars to search for Russian drones near Marinka, Ukraine, on Feb. 23.

Russia Is Betting on Battlefield Gains

As Ukrainian forces brace for a new Russian offensive, Kyiv urgently needs supplemental military aid and ammunition.

Argument
Doug Klain
A helicopter crew member of the Ukrainian Army carries a box of ammunition in each hand as he crosses a dirt path beneath a blue sky. There are patches of snow on the ground. Another solider is visible unloading more boxes from the back of a pickup truck in the background, and piles of empty, used shells are visible in the foreground.
A helicopter crew member of the Ukrainian Army carries a box of ammunition in each hand as he crosses a dirt path beneath a blue sky. There are patches of snow on the ground. Another solider is visible unloading more boxes from the back of a pickup truck in the background, and piles of empty, used shells are visible in the foreground.

The U.S. Military Is Running Short on Ammunition—and So Is Ukraine

If Congress fails to pass a national security supplemental funding bill, Ukraine will be getting fewer bullets.

Report
Jack Detsch
Theodoros II, the Eastern Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria and Africa, lifts a palm branch as he speaks into a microphone while delivering a sermon in Cairo. He is dressed in elaborate red-and-gold robes and a stole, and a crowd of people and other priests are visible through an ornate wood-carved doorway behind him.
Theodoros II, the Eastern Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria and Africa, lifts a palm branch as he speaks into a microphone while delivering a sermon in Cairo. He is dressed in elaborate red-and-gold robes and a stole, and a crowd of people and other priests are visible through an ornate wood-carved doorway behind him.

Russia is Waging Spiritual War in Africa

The Patriarchate of Moscow is trying to steal Orthodox believers to weaken Ukraine.

Analysis
Elisabeth Braw
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 24, 2017.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 24, 2017.

Claims That Sanctions Hurt Europe More Than Russia Are Wrong

A false narrative is being peddled by the Kremlin and its Western friends.

Analysis
Agathe Demarais
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