Russia’s War in Ukraine

Military news, global diplomacy, negotiations, and sanctions.

All four men sit on matching chairs in front of the flags of their respective countries, side by side, with their feet resting on the border of an ornate rug. Starmer and Zelensky's eyes are locked; the other two watch intently from either side.
All four men sit on matching chairs in front of the flags of their respective countries, side by side, with their feet resting on the border of an ornate rug. Starmer and Zelensky's eyes are locked; the other two watch intently from either side.

A Ukraine Peace Deal Could Be Getting Closer

Here’s what Trump can do to get there.

Argument
David Ignatius
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
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

Analysis
Anchal Vohra
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
Joe Biden, in silhouette, walks up stairs to board a plane, with ominous dark clouds in the background.
Joe Biden, in silhouette, walks up stairs to board a plane, with ominous dark clouds in the background.

Biden’s Long Shadow Over Ukraine

His administration failed Ukraine at almost every turn, shaping the war to this day. This article has an audio recording

Essay
Adrian Karatnycky

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the Kremlin in Moscow on Dec. 27, 2018.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the Kremlin in Moscow on Dec. 27, 2018.

Russia Can’t Protect Its Allies Anymore

Moscow is overstretched in Ukraine—and Armenia is suffering the consequences.

Analysis
Maximilian Hess
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on economic issues in Moscow on Feb. 17, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on economic issues in Moscow on Feb. 17, 2022.

Putin Doubles Down on a Bad Hand With Mobilization

The war in Ukraine is going so bad, he’s willing to risk domestic unrest.

Report
Amy Mackinnon, Jack Detsch, Robbie Gramer
A closeup of Russian President Vladimir Putin
A closeup of Russian President Vladimir Putin

What Russia’s Elites Think of Putin Now

The president successfully preserved the status quo for two decades. Suddenly, he’s turned into a destroyer.

Argument
Tatiana Stanovaya
Old tanks and armored personnel carriers are parked at an armor repair plant in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, on Sept. 23, 2014.
Old tanks and armored personnel carriers are parked at an armor repair plant in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, on Sept. 23, 2014.

‘We’re Working 24/7’: Ukraine Keeps Its War Machine Humming

Russian strikes have taken a toll on Ukraine’s defense industry, but offshoring and the cottage industry are keeping the shells coming.

Report
Jack Detsch
Members of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service rest.
Members of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service rest.

Forest of the Dead

Another mass grave in Ukraine reveals the horrors of Russia’s occupation.

Dispatch
Liz Cookman
The Battle of Saratoga, a painting by John Trumbull
The Battle of Saratoga, a painting by John Trumbull

Ukraine’s 1777 Moment

Victory in Kharkiv may be as significant for Ukraine’s independence as the Battle of Saratoga was for America’s.

Analysis
Gian Gentile, Raphael S. Cohen
Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states pose for a family photo during a summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept. 16.
Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states pose for a family photo during a summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept. 16.

Kazakhstan Is Breaking Out of Russia’s Grip

The Ukraine war has given Astana a unique chance to frustrate Moscow.

Argument
Temur Umarov
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose for a photo before a trilateral meeting on Syria in Tehran on July 19.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose for a photo before a trilateral meeting on Syria in Tehran on July 19.

How Ukraine Has Changed Russian Diplomacy

Moscow is shunning legacy platforms for dialogue—and creating its own.

Analysis
Hanna Notte
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg

NATO’s Stoltenberg: Ukraine’s Gains Are ‘Extremely Encouraging’

The trans-Atlantic alliance chief discusses Russia’s war in Ukraine and competing with China.

Insider
Ravi Agrawal
An archery target featuring the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin
An archery target featuring the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin

Ukraine Put Putin in the Corner. Here’s What May Happen Next.

Mobilization could be in the cards, escalation is in the air, and Russian nationalists are braying for blood.

Report
Amy Mackinnon, Robbie Gramer, Jack Detsch
A boy walks past destroyed buildings in Ukraine
A boy walks past destroyed buildings in Ukraine

Russia Is Seeding Ukraine’s Soil With Land Mines

Removing mines will be a long and costly operation.

Argument
Doug Klain
Russian tourists have their passports checked on July 28 at the Nuijamaa border crossing in Finland.
Russian tourists have their passports checked on July 28 at the Nuijamaa border crossing in Finland.

Why the EU Should Ban Russian Tourists

A visa ban won’t have the same impact as military aid to Kyiv, but it would send a strong message to ordinary Russians.

Argument
Natia Seskuria
Two people walking on the side walk in Red Square are framed by ears of wheat in the foreground.
Two people walking on the side walk in Red Square are framed by ears of wheat in the foreground.

Every Recent Oil and Food Price Shock Bears Putin’s Fingerprints

Russia is a pivotal actor in global markets—and its president is willing to destabilize them for political gain.

Analysis
Cullen Hendrix
A boy wrapped in the Ukrainian national flag stands on top of a Russian military vehicle displayed in central Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 21.
A boy wrapped in the Ukrainian national flag stands on top of a Russian military vehicle displayed in central Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 21.

The Tide Has Already Turned in Ukraine’s Favor

Military analyst Jack Watling unpacks Kyiv’s lightning offensive against Russian forces.

Insider
Amy Mackinnon
A captured Russian military tank is seen in Ukraine.
A captured Russian military tank is seen in Ukraine.

Russia Is Supplying Ukraine With Lightly Used Tanks

Ukraine plans to use Russia’s own armor against it.

Report
Jack Detsch
Pipe systems are seen at the industrial plant of Nord Stream 1.
Pipe systems are seen at the industrial plant of Nord Stream 1.

Moscow’s Gas Freeze Shows EU-Russian Trade Is Doomed

Russia is limiting supply in the hope of a short-term price rise.

Argument
Oleg Korenok, Swapnil Singh
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