Russia’s War in Ukraine
News, analysis, and background on military campaigns, battlefield technology, and global diplomacy, negotiations, and sanctions.

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.

7 Lingering Questions After the Trump Ukraine Summit
After a flurry of diplomacy, what was actually agreed to?

Grading Trump’s Ukraine Diplomacy
Key takeaways from a spate of high-level meetings in Alaska and Washington.

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.
Battlefield Strategy

Why Don’t Russian Soldiers Revolt?
Astonishing death rates and brutal abuse have not kept troops from following orders.

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.

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 Ukrainians’ New Way of War
The audacious drone attack deep into Russia’s rear fits a larger pattern of wartime innovation.
Wartime Diplomacy

Do Trump’s Lines in the Sand Mean Anything?
Blustering threats to Putin over Ukraine are reminiscent of Obama’s Syria failure.

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.

An Emerging Trump Doctrine?
Success in the Middle East could be a template for a new approach to Russia’s war.

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.
Regional Dynamics

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.

A European Peacekeeping Force in Ukraine Won’t Work
Any plan needs NATO involvement to be credible.

What Europe Can Do If Trump Drops Russia Sanctions
Europe has much more economic leverage on the Kremlin than Washington.

Ukraine Has Become Europe’s Arsenal
The Ukrainian arms industry has kept its own country—and potentially the entire continent—competitive on the battlefield.
Latest Stories

The Global South Is Keeping Russia’s Energy Economy Afloat
Gas and oil flows are reshaping geopolitical alignments.

Cluster Munitions Are Biden’s Latest Slow-Roll on Ukraine Aid
Yes, they can put some civilians at risk—but that should be the Ukrainians’ call to make.

Prigozhin’s Mutiny Is the Beginning of Putin’s End
Nobody in Russia understands what the war in Ukraine is about. And now, nobody knows if that war is coming to them.

What Russian Elites Think About the Wagner Crisis
What Russian elites are thinking about the mercenary leader’s abortive march on Moscow.

How to Curb Corruption in Ukraine’s Postwar Reconstruction
Lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan on managing malfeasance while rebuilding.

How to Use Russia’s Frozen Assets to Rebuild Ukraine
Conventional institutions won’t be able to handle reparations.

Congress Pressures Biden to Help Ukraine Into NATO
Kyiv doesn’t want to get stuck in NATO’s never-never land.

China’s Big Gas Bet Raises Questions About Complicity With Russia
Chinese-linked firms went on a spree of deals in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainians Are Accusing Russia of Ecocide. What Does That Mean?
The dam blast rekindled a concept with Vietnam War roots but no place in international law—yet.

Ukraine’s Big Counteroffensive Gets Underway
Unlike last fall, Ukraine has to crack hardened Russian lines before doing any open-field running.

Sweden Pushes to Fast-Track Delayed NATO Bid
NATO is revamping defense plans that will be a whole lot harder to execute with Sweden on the outside.

What Ukraine’s Dam Collapse Means for the War
The breach could unleash a disastrous new humanitarian crisis as Kyiv readies its counteroffensive.

Blockade Runners Keep War-Torn Ukraine Working
“We’re basically homeless here, but at least we’re home.”

Taiwan Faces No Trade-Offs With Ukraine
But Taipei is also getting tired of supply chain issues.

Ukrainian U.N. Ambassador: Russia Is ‘Mold That Invades Your House’
Sergiy Kyslytsya talks about Putin’s nuclear blackmail, what to do with the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, and how even Henry Kissinger can learn.

Putin Wants You to Think He’s an Anti-Woke Crusader
By pitching himself as a hero to the U.S. right, he’s taking a page from the 1960s North Vietnamese playbook to undermine support for Ukraine.