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
Russian President Vladimir Putin

How to Take Down a Tyrant

Three steps for exerting maximum economic pressure on Putin. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, Steven Tian
A Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launcher parades through Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2022.
A Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launcher parades through Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2022.

Russia Suspends U.S. Nuclear Inspections

But the Kremlin “doesn’t actually want an arms race” with Washington, experts say.

Report
Amy Mackinnon, Jack Detsch
Finland's ambassador to the United States Mikko Hautala
Finland's ambassador to the United States Mikko Hautala

The Russia Whisperer

Finland’s envoy to Washington once shared a sauna with the Russian president. Here’s what he thinks the West got wrong about Vladimir Putin.

Interview
Robbie Gramer
A boy rides his scooter past the destroyed city hall in Okhtyrka, Ukraine on Aug. 1.
A boy rides his scooter past the destroyed city hall in Okhtyrka, Ukraine on Aug. 1.

The Case for Cautious Optimism in Ukraine

There are two Western views of the same facts on the ground in Ukraine—and only one can be correct.

Analysis
Raphael S. Cohen, Gian Gentile
A woman watches a video that shows the execution of Bosnia Muslims from Srebrenica by Serbian paramilitaries in 1995.
A woman watches a video that shows the execution of Bosnia Muslims from Srebrenica by Serbian paramilitaries in 1995.

Scenes From Hell

A disturbing video out of Ukraine evokes similar scenes from Srebrenica.

Analysis
Janine di Giovanni
Golob smiles in front of EU flags.
Golob smiles in front of EU flags.

The War in Ukraine Is Emancipating Central Europe

Countries in the region are finally becoming full members of the EU club thanks to the war.

Argument
Caroline de Gruyter
Russian President Vladimir Putin watches the Russian Navy Day parade.
Russian President Vladimir Putin watches the Russian Navy Day parade.

Russia Is Readying the Zinc Coffins Again

U.S. officials believe Russia is facing its toughest fight since World War II.

Report
Jack Detsch
A Ukrainian serviceman walks past the turret of a Russian tank next to a destroyed gas station
A Ukrainian serviceman walks past the turret of a Russian tank next to a destroyed gas station

Ukraine’s Economy Will Collapse Without More Aid Now

Losses are building up far faster than Kyiv can manage.

Argument
Maria Repko
A view of the destroyed Fabrika shopping mall in the Ukrainian city of Kherson on July 20.
A view of the destroyed Fabrika shopping mall in the Ukrainian city of Kherson on July 20.

Ukraine’s Battle for Kherson Could Be a Key Victory

Zelensky has pledged to liberate occupied territory.

Argument
Doug Klain
Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders staff help evacuate pensioners from villages near the front lines of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, on July 18.
Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders staff help evacuate pensioners from villages near the front lines of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, on July 18.

Russian Propaganda Is Targeting Aid Workers

Disinformation campaigns that worked in Syria have failed so far in Ukraine.

Argument
Shannon Van Sant
Farmers harvest barley in Ukraine
Farmers harvest barley in Ukraine

Ukraine’s Breadbasket Is (Almost) Open for Business Again

But the devil is in the details, including how ships can navigate offshore minefields and Russia’s shifting will.

Report
Robbie Gramer, Christina Lu
Smoke rises from the grounds of the Azovstal steel plant amid the ongoing Russian military action in Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 29.
Smoke rises from the grounds of the Azovstal steel plant amid the ongoing Russian military action in Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 29.

Destroying the Environment Is a War Crime, Too

Beneath the human catastrophe Russia has inflicted on Ukraine is an array of environmental disasters that will impact generations to come.

Argument
Eugene Z. Stakhiv
A view of the Russian Central Bank headquarters in downtown Moscow on May 26.
A view of the Russian Central Bank headquarters in downtown Moscow on May 26.

Actually, the Russian Economy Is Imploding

Nine myths about the effects of sanctions and business retreats, debunked. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, Steven Tian
A man holds wheat grains in Ukraine
A man holds wheat grains in Ukraine

Opening Up Ukraine’s Sea Routes Is Tough but Critical

With ports cut off, the world is going hungry.

Argument
Vladislav Davidzon
Anti-tank obstacles line a street in Odesa on March 13.
Anti-tank obstacles line a street in Odesa on March 13.

Russia Has Its Sights on Odesa

Moscow doesn’t just want to gobble up Ukraine’s east.

Report
Jack Detsch, Robbie Gramer
A young woman walks over a hole made by a rocket in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, on July 15. At least 23 people were killed in the attack, including three children, and more than 100 were wounded, according to Ukrainian officials.
A young woman walks over a hole made by a rocket in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, on July 15. At least 23 people were killed in the attack, including three children, and more than 100 were wounded, according to Ukrainian officials.

Is Russia a Terrorist State?

Kyiv thinks it knows the answer—while Washington debates.

Report
Robbie Gramer, Amy Mackinnon
Load More Stories
Loading graphics