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
Russian Sanctions Are Working but Slowly
Moscow’s military capabilities are being ground down, piece by piece.
How Putin Learned to Hold Deadly Grudges
Russia’s president has been shaped by decades of bitterness and revenge.
Civilian Men Are Trapped in Ukraine
Human rights and humanitarian NGOs should pay attention to Kyiv’s sex-selective martial law.
Fiona Hill: Putin’s Running Out of Time
A top Russia advisor to three U.S. presidents explains why the world shouldn’t fall for Moscow’s narrative that it can wait out the West in Ukraine.
The NATO-Russia Founding Act Is Hanging by a Thread
Moscow has torn up the rulebook, but Western officials are paying lip service to the 1990s-era deal.
Biden’s Push for Lower Energy Prices Amounts to a ‘Declaration of Bankruptcy’
FP columnist Adam Tooze discusses how fluctuating oil and gas prices are changing the world as we know it.
Vladimir Putin Often Backs Down
The idea that Russia’s leader always fights to the finish is a myth.
Can There Be Real Justice in Ukraine?
Past tribunals offer valuable lessons for how war crimes and genocide could be prosecuted in Ukraine.
The Road to a Cease-Fire in Ukraine Is Full of Pitfalls
Any deal must not repeat the fatal flaws of the Minsk agreements, which laid the path to the current war.
Europe Can’t Afford Vacillation on Ukraine
Ukrainians have paid a price in blood for an EU future.
How to Equip Ukraine to Break the Black Sea Blockade
Russia’s grain blockade is a global catastrophe. It can be broken without NATO intervention.
Putin’s War Was Never About NATO
Russia makes its own choices—however bad they are.
Why America’s Far Right and Far Left Have Aligned Against Helping Ukraine
The discourse surrounding Russia’s war on Ukraine has created strange bedfellows.
West Worries About Fraying Consensus Over Ukraine
Do NATO countries have the stomach for a long war?
Sen. Coons: Putin Is ‘Counting on Us Losing Interest’ in Ukraine War
One of the leading voices on the Senate foreign affairs panel weighs in on the conflict, Turkey’s change of heart, and NATO’s turn to Asia.
What Ukraine Can Tell Us About China
Russia’s invasion might inadvertently reveal much about Beijing’s future plans.