Russia’s War in Ukraine

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

The city of Pokrovsk, Ukraine, shrouded in fog, where destroyed homes and buildings seem to be abandoned among the city's trees following intense fighting.
The city of Pokrovsk, Ukraine, shrouded in fog, where destroyed homes and buildings seem to be abandoned among the city's trees following intense fighting.

Trump’s New Ukraine Policy Is Old Hat

The White House may soon preside over the first negotiated defeat of a modern democracy.

Argument
Fareed Zakaria
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declares "peace for our time" at Heston Aerodrome in London on his return from negotiations with Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declares "peace for our time" at Heston Aerodrome in London on his return from negotiations with Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany.

Don’t Call This a ‘Peace Plan’

If the U.S.-Russia draft for Ukraine goes forward, Donald Trump will be remembered as the Neville Chamberlain of the 21st century.

Analysis
Christian Caryl
U.S. President Donald Trump walks from the Maine One presidential helicopter to Air Force One on Sept. 22.
U.S. President Donald Trump walks from the Maine One presidential helicopter to Air Force One on Sept. 22.

Trump’s Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan Is a Step Forward

For Europe, continued war is perhaps not entirely unwelcome.

Argument
Emma Ashford
A blond woman in a black suit sits behind a sign with her last name on it. The EU flag is seen behind her.
A blond woman in a black suit sits behind a sign with her last name on it. The EU flag is seen behind her.

Ukraine’s New U.S. Ambassador Previews Her Pragmatic Approach to Washington

“I am Ukrainian, right? I’m not a Democrat or Republican.”

Interview
Sam Skove
Dmitriev, a man with white but balding hair in a suit and wearing glasses, stands next to a young soldier in an ornate dress uniform and helmet. The younger man is giving Dmitriev the side-eye.
Dmitriev, a man with white but balding hair in a suit and wearing glasses, stands next to a young soldier in an ornate dress uniform and helmet. The younger man is giving Dmitriev the side-eye.

Putin’s Unlikely Envoy to Washington

Kirill Dmitriev is a prominent purveyor of the Kremlin’s line—but real power may lie elsewhere. This article has an audio recording

Profile
Sam Skove, John Haltiwanger
Maria Semyonova, wife of a Russian soldier, poses in front of a recruitment poster in Moscow on December 17, 2023.
Maria Semyonova, wife of a Russian soldier, poses in front of a recruitment poster in Moscow on December 17, 2023.

How to Fight Putin on the Information Battlefield

The West can’t fully adopt Russia’s methods—but it should study them. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Peter Pomerantsev, Sviatoslav Hnizdovskyi

Battlefield Strategy

A fiery orange and black explosion behind a gray razor wire fence.
A fiery orange and black explosion behind a gray razor wire fence.

Ukraine Is Hitting Russia Where It Hurts: Its Oil Refineries

Kyiv’s two-year offensive against Russian oil facilities has intensified, eating away at Moscow’s energy revenues.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
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
Drones fly above grass in an open field dotted with trees and small sheds.
Drones fly above grass in an open field dotted with trees and small sheds.

How Russia Is Escalating the Drone Arms Race

Routine strikes involve smaller, daily launches designed to keep steady pressure on Ukraine. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Yasir Atalan
The oil tanker Eagle S is seen anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, on the Gulf of Finland, on Jan. 7.
The oil tanker Eagle S is seen anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, on the Gulf of Finland, on Jan. 7.

The ‘Paper Tiger’ Still Has Its Shadow Fleet

Trump says Russia is in economic trouble—but there’s a loophole in the West’s sanctions.

Argument
Petras Katinas

Wartime Diplomacy

From left, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
From left, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

Trump Makes U-Turn on Ukraine Rhetoric

Trump says Ukraine can win back all of its territory.

Report
Sam Skove
A Finnish defender is seen near the front during the Finnish-Soviet Winter War in early 1940.
A Finnish defender is seen near the front during the Finnish-Soviet Winter War in early 1940.

The Ghost of Finlandization Is Haunting the Ukraine Debate

A 1944 armistice that traded land for peace is a poor precedent for ending Russia’s war. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Kristi Raik
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
Ukrainian soldiers hold the Ukrainian and Lithuanian flags over the coffin of Tomas Valentelis, a Lithuanian volunteer in the Ukrainian army who was killed in battle in Ukraine, at a funeral ceremony in Kyiv on April 16.
Ukrainian soldiers hold the Ukrainian and Lithuanian flags over the coffin of Tomas Valentelis, a Lithuanian volunteer in the Ukrainian army who was killed in battle in Ukraine, at a funeral ceremony in Kyiv on April 16.

To Deter Russia, Europe Needs Ukraine

A Ukraine-Baltics defense pact would bring Kyiv into Europe’s security architecture.

Argument
Fredrik Wesslau
The oil tanker Eagle S next to Finnish border guard ship Uisko and tugboat Ukko in the Gulf of Finland on December 28, 2024.
The oil tanker Eagle S next to Finnish border guard ship Uisko and tugboat Ukko in the Gulf of Finland on December 28, 2024.

Anchors Away

Finland’s failure to convict Russian crew clears the way for more cable-cutting attacks.

Argument
Elisabeth Braw
A photo of two white tanks near a yellow crane. A blue-and-white tanker carrying liquified natural gas is docked nearby in snow and sea ice. White smoke billows out of its smokestack.
A photo of two white tanks near a yellow crane. A blue-and-white tanker carrying liquified natural gas is docked nearby in snow and sea ice. White smoke billows out of its smokestack.

The China-Russia Axis Is Getting Firmer, and It’s Built on Gas

Moscow pivoted to the east a decade ago, but it is now besmitten—or captive.

Analysis
Keith Johnson

Latest Stories

Putin and Trump stand close beside each other. Putin, left, is wearing a black suit and a burgundy necktie. Trump is wearing a dark blue suit with a bright red tie and an American flag pin on his left lapel. His mouth is open wide, as if shouting or speaking emphatically.
Putin and Trump stand close beside each other. Putin, left, is wearing a black suit and a burgundy necktie. Trump is wearing a dark blue suit with a bright red tie and an American flag pin on his left lapel. His mouth is open wide, as if shouting or speaking emphatically.

Will Trump’s Russia Oil Sanctions Finally Sway Putin?

The threat to Moscow’s oil earnings is huge. But will it be enough? This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Keith Johnson
LUKOIL is spelled out in white letters against a red and black background.
LUKOIL is spelled out in white letters against a red and black background.

U.S. Sanctions Major Russian Energy Companies

The move follows a U.S. decision to cancel plans for a peace summit in Budapest.

Report
Sam Skove
Russian President Vladimir Putin, at left, sits next to US President Donald Trump, at right.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, at left, sits next to US President Donald Trump, at right.

Trump-Putin Budapest Summit Crumbles

Analysts and diplomats were already skeptical that the meeting would happen.

Report
Sam Skove
Men in suits and ties and one man in a brown, gold, and white dishdashah sit in an audience.
Men in suits and ties and one man in a brown, gold, and white dishdashah sit in an audience.

Russia’s Oil Earnings May Get Clobbered by OPEC

Big supply increases this year threaten a global oil glut that could knock the Kremlin’s budget out of whack. This article has an audio recording

Report
Keith Johnson
A man holds a drone in Ukraine.
A man holds a drone in Ukraine.

Ukraine Needs More Drones

Tight cooperation with Beijing and Tehran is giving Moscow an edge on the critical weapons.

Analysis
Sam Skove
Russian flags fly above the graves of Russian soldiers
Russian flags fly above the graves of Russian soldiers

Russia’s Next Opposition Will Not Be Liberal

Army corruption and mass death are breeding new dissent—deep inside Vladimir Putin’s loyal core.

Analysis
Alexey Kovalev
A Tomahawk missile launches from a boat
A Tomahawk missile launches from a boat

Why the White House Is Considering Tomahawks for Ukraine

The move makes sense for U.S. strategy, but it may cause heartburn for isolationist and Pacific-focused Pentagon leaders.

Analysis
Sam Skove
A woman in a red face mask and a coat over a red hoodie stands on a sidewalk, holding a laptop and speaking on her phone. Cars drive past behind her, with a suitcase and an international airport visible in the background.
A woman in a red face mask and a coat over a red hoodie stands on a sidewalk, holding a laptop and speaking on her phone. Cars drive past behind her, with a suitcase and an international airport visible in the background.

Putin vs. the Press

You’d have to be fearless or a fanatic to persist in journalism in Russia. These women are both.

Review
Anastasia Edel
Putin gives an interview
Putin gives an interview

From Moldova to Africa, Russia’s Power Is Waning

The defeat of Moscow-friendly parties in the Moldovan election is just the latest of many setbacks.

Analysis
Adrian Karatnycky, Alexander J. Motyl
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses an audience
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses an audience

How the EU Could Push Hungary and Slovakia to Quit Russian Oil

But a call from Hungary to Trump could easily spoil its plans.

Analysis
Sam Skove
Donald Trump leaves UNGA following his speech
Donald Trump leaves UNGA following his speech

Europe Is on Its Own With Russia Now

Donald Trump’s latest U-turn on Ukraine doesn’t change the naked truth for Europe.

Analysis
Christian Caryl
Ursula von der Leyen arrives at a summit.
Ursula von der Leyen arrives at a summit.

Europe Outlines New Sanctions on Russia

EU measures to kneecap energy, banks, and defense firms contrast with Washington’s passivity.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
Donald Trump sits behind the resolute desk with European leaders gatehred around him in chairs. Behind him are flags on stands. At right is a map of Ukraine on a stand..
Donald Trump sits behind the resolute desk with European leaders gatehred around him in chairs. Behind him are flags on stands. At right is a map of Ukraine on a stand..

A Pragmatic Endgame for the Russia-Ukraine War

A clever map trick, Ukrainian self-defense, and European Union membership should form the core of a face-saving deal.

Argument
Cynthia Roberts
Macron, Starmer, and Merz talk at a summit in Tirana, Albania
Macron, Starmer, and Merz talk at a summit in Tirana, Albania

Europe’s Delusions Over What It Means to Deter Russia

Leaders are afraid to tell voters what it will take to defend their continent. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Franz-Stefan Gady
Polish police and army personnel inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a Russian drone shot down over the village of Wyryki-Wola, Poland, on Sept. 10.
Polish police and army personnel inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a Russian drone shot down over the village of Wyryki-Wola, Poland, on Sept. 10.

Russia Just Attacked NATO. Again.

One can only hope that Trump will draw the right conclusion: Coddling Putin leads to disaster. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Christian Caryl
A photo illustration shows Vladimir Putin standing and looking down at a piece of paper with caution tape in front and behind him for a story about sanctions.
A photo illustration shows Vladimir Putin standing and looking down at a piece of paper with caution tape in front and behind him for a story about sanctions.

My Theory Says Sanctions on Russia Won’t Work. So Why Do I Want Them Anyway?

The inventor of the sanctions paradox stress-tests it 25 years on.

Argument
Daniel W. Drezner
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