Russia’s War in Ukraine

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

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?

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

(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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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 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.

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

Latest Stories

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks to journalists at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks to journalists at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

How Europe Can Prepare for a Second Trump Term—Now

The continent must bolster its own defense capabilities before an isolationist ringleader returns to the White House.

A view of the Russian Central Bank headquarters in downtown Moscow. The Russian flag flies above the building.
A view of the Russian Central Bank headquarters in downtown Moscow. The Russian flag flies above the building.

The U.S. Is Considering Giving Russia’s Frozen Assets to Ukraine

The unprecedented move could offer a tidy way to make Moscow pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

U.S. President Joe Biden stands behind a podium onstage at a NATO summit, speaking into a microphone, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stands beside him with a serious expression on his face. Biden wears a navy suit, while Zelensky is dressed more casually in his usual army green trousers and polo shirt.
U.S. President Joe Biden stands behind a podium onstage at a NATO summit, speaking into a microphone, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stands beside him with a serious expression on his face. Biden wears a navy suit, while Zelensky is dressed more casually in his usual army green trousers and polo shirt.

U.S. and Germany Push to Delay Ukraine NATO Membership Invite

Ukraine and its Eastern European allies want the invite to come soon, but Washington and Berlin are wary.

Tourists inspect Russian wooden dolls showing  Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, in downtown Moscow on Nov. 15, 2023.
Tourists inspect Russian wooden dolls showing Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, in downtown Moscow on Nov. 15, 2023.

Is China Sincere About Peace in Ukraine?

Beijing has done very little to help—but it could.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledges supporters at the conclusion of a campaign rally at the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledges supporters at the conclusion of a campaign rally at the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Europe Braces for Trump 2.0

European officials are scrambling to ensure the transatlantic relationship can survive the U.S. election.

A woman wearing a Soviet military uniform directs pedestrians during an exhibition of Soviet tanks and military vehicles at Red Square in Moscow.
A woman wearing a Soviet military uniform directs pedestrians during an exhibition of Soviet tanks and military vehicles at Red Square in Moscow.

The Broken Bargain of Russian Womanhood

Why they won’t rebel against the war that kills their men.

Ukrainian soldiers drive a tank close to the front near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, on Dec. 13, 2023.
Ukrainian soldiers drive a tank close to the front near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, on Dec. 13, 2023.

­­Ukraine Has a Pathway to Victory

Why the new conventional wisdom that the war is a stalemate favoring Russia is wrong.

Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries are pictured on an open field in Zamosc, Poland.
Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries are pictured on an open field in Zamosc, Poland.

NATO Scrambles to Reload Ukraine’s Air Defense

With U.S. military aid to Ukraine frozen, Europe is ramping up support.

A woman wearing winter clothes and a reflective orange vest smiles as she hands a piece of rubble to another woman. Other volunteers stand around them as they help to clear rubble as snowflakes fall around them.
A woman wearing winter clothes and a reflective orange vest smiles as she hands a piece of rubble to another woman. Other volunteers stand around them as they help to clear rubble as snowflakes fall around them.

The Ukraine War May Be Decided at the Ballot Box

Political and economic changes in 2024 could weaken Kyiv’s struggle.

This photograph shows a school classroom damaged as a result of a Russian missile strike in the city of Lviv, western Ukraine.
This photograph shows a school classroom damaged as a result of a Russian missile strike in the city of Lviv, western Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Nightmare Scenario Is Now Its Reality

The ground has frozen. The aid is freezing, too.

People visit a makeshift memorial for Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in central Moscow on Oct. 1.
People visit a makeshift memorial for Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in central Moscow on Oct. 1.
A soldier fighting for Ukraine stands in front of a destroyed monastery in Dolyna, Ukraine.
A soldier fighting for Ukraine stands in front of a destroyed monastery in Dolyna, Ukraine.

FP Live Looks Back at 2023

Stephen Walt explains why countries are accusing America of hypocrisy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures with an open hand while speaking during a TV news interview. Zelensky is dressed in his typical black t-shirt and is seated at a desk in front of a bright blue wall.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures with an open hand while speaking during a TV news interview. Zelensky is dressed in his typical black t-shirt and is seated at a desk in front of a bright blue wall.

Ukraine Braces for Political Disaster in 2024

Grim possibilities in the United States and European Union have Kyiv on edge.

A crumbling mosaic showing the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus is seen at an Orthodox monastery near the airport of Donetsk. The tiles of Mary's halo and lower face have fallen away, leaving behind a battered background of gray stone.
A crumbling mosaic showing the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus is seen at an Orthodox monastery near the airport of Donetsk. The tiles of Mary's halo and lower face have fallen away, leaving behind a battered background of gray stone.

Ukraine Has a Civil Rights Problem

Wartime unity hasn’t healed the wounds of the country’s past.

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko sits behind a placard reading "Belarus" during a meeting of the Belt and Road Forum.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko sits behind a placard reading "Belarus" during a meeting of the Belt and Road Forum.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Belarus?

Washington’s new envoys face a Sisyphean task.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the Fox News bureau in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 12.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the Fox News bureau in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 12.
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