Russia’s War in Ukraine

Military news, global diplomacy, negotiations, and sanctions.

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Ukrainian troops being trained to command Challenger 2 tanks at a military facility on February 8, 2023 in Dorset, England.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Ukrainian troops being trained to command Challenger 2 tanks at a military facility on February 8, 2023 in Dorset, England.

Ukraine Can Only Rely on Itself

In any peace deal with Russia, security guarantees from outsiders won't guarantee much. This article has an audio recording

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Latest Stories

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.
A black smoke plume billows from a stack on an oil tanker at sea.
A black smoke plume billows from a stack on an oil tanker at sea.

Europe and the U.S. Still Haven’t Choked Off Russia’s Energy Riches

The Russian economy may be wobbly, but it is still funding a deadly war with oil and gas sales.

A close-up photo shows Zelensky and Trump leaning in and speaking to each other face to face in a friendly manner in the Oval Office.
A close-up photo shows Zelensky and Trump leaning in and speaking to each other face to face in a friendly manner in the Oval Office.

How Much Aid Is the U.S. Still Giving Ukraine?

Despite President Donald Trump’s claims that Washington is no longer funding the war, the reality is more complex.

Long line of cars at Russian gas station
Long line of cars at Russian gas station

Putin’s Fear of a Humiliating Economic Crisis

Greater sanctions pressure could finally bring Moscow to the negotiating table.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a telephone conversation with U.S. President Trump at the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania, on May 16.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a telephone conversation with U.S. President Trump at the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania, on May 16.

Stop Fabulating About ‘Security Guarantees’ for Ukraine

The best way to protect Ukraine from another Russian invasion is helping it to win.

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.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attend a document signing after their talks at the Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv on Aug. 23, 2024.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attend a document signing after their talks at the Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv on Aug. 23, 2024.

Is Ukraine the Future of Asia?

Washington’s switch to accommodating Moscow’s geopolitical goals sends an ominous signal.

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?

Steve Witkoff sits on a couch and looks over his shoulder with wide eyes. Two other men sit next to him. Out of focus behind them are Zelensky and Trump, also seated.
Steve Witkoff sits on a couch and looks over his shoulder with wide eyes. Two other men sit next to him. Out of focus behind them are Zelensky and Trump, also seated.

Why Steve Witkoff Is Trump’s Master of Disaster

The helpless envoy embodies everything that is dysfunctional about current U.S. foreign policy.

Ukrainian service members line up before an honorary ceremony in Ukraine on Aug. 3.
Ukrainian service members line up before an honorary ceremony in Ukraine on Aug. 3.

How Much of Ukraine Does Russia Control?

The situation remains challenging along the 600-mile front line.

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

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