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.
Why the Donbas Matters to Putin So Much
The region is at the heart of the Ukraine war.
Key Takeaways From Trump’s Meeting With Zelensky
Less fireworks in the White House, but no definitive outcomes just yet.
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
Putin’s New Martyr for the Russian Cause
The Kremlin has turned a dead propagandist into a symbol of the war—and a call to kill more Ukrainians.
Where Does the Ukraine War Go From Here?
Six months into Russia’s war, Ukraine is still standing. FP talked with experts about what comes next.
Ukraine Braces for an Explosive Independence Day
A signal date—six months into the war, just after the death of a Putin propagandist—has everyone in Kyiv on edge.
It’s Time to Throw NATO’s Door Wide Open
NATO was meant to be a harbor for the weak and imperiled. It should be again.
Technology Controls Can Strangle Russia—Just Like the Soviet Union
Export restrictions are slow and imperfect, but they work.
Ukrainians Brace for the Worst Around Zaporizhzhia
Fears are rising that Russia could stage a catastrophic accident at Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant.
Who’s Winning the Sanctions War?
The West has inflicted damage on the Russian economy, but Putin has so far contained those costs.
Will They Fight? Washington Wants to Know.
The United States thought Afghans would fight and Ukrainians would fold. Reality is forcing a reassessment.
Protect Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Before It’s Too Late
The Additional Protocol I to the 1949 Geneva Convention offers a model, but the United States can’t denounce Russia until it embraces the norms it’s seeking to enforce.
How to Prosecute Russia’s War Crimes
A new initiative centers justice in Ukraine itself.
Russia’s Brutal Honesty Has Destroyed the West’s Appeasers
Yet plenty of Western intellectuals and politicians still ignore what Moscow is saying loud and clear.
Russia’s Gone Nuclear in Ukraine—With Power Plants, not Missiles
The United States and United Nations have told Moscow to stop holding Europe’s biggest nuclear reactor hostage.
Will the Ukraine War Return Poland to Europe’s Democratic Fold?
Europe and Poland need each other more than ever.
Ukraine Tries to Blow Up Russia’s Grip on Crimea
Ukraine isn’t taking credit for the strikes, but officials see them as an effort to cut Russian supply lines.
How to Take Down a Tyrant
Three steps for exerting maximum economic pressure on Putin.
Russia Suspends U.S. Nuclear Inspections
But the Kremlin “doesn’t actually want an arms race” with Washington, experts say.