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 (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.

What Ukraine Can Tell Us About China

Russia’s invasion might inadvertently reveal much about Beijing’s future plans.

Argument
Zachary Shore
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) speaks with Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) speaks with Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly

Canada Bulks Up Diplomatic Footprint in Europe in Wake of Ukraine War

Leaning forward—from the foreign ministry.

Report
Amy Mackinnon, Robbie Gramer
Russian soldiers wear chemical protection suits as they stand next to model of Russian Topol intercontinental ballistic missile during a training session at the Serpukhov's military missile forces research institute some 100km outside Moscow on April 6, 2010.
Russian soldiers wear chemical protection suits as they stand next to model of Russian Topol intercontinental ballistic missile during a training session at the Serpukhov's military missile forces research institute some 100km outside Moscow on April 6, 2010.

Ukraine Wants NATO’s Help Against Russia’s WMDs

Ukraine is calling out Russia’s “state nuclear terrorism.”

Report
Jack Detsch
United Nations troops fight in the streets of Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 20, 1950.
United Nations troops fight in the streets of Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 20, 1950.

Ukraine Is the Korean War Redux

Russia’s invasion heralds the transition to a new global order—but it will be less stable than the Cold War. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Jo Inge Bekkevold
Members of the Indigenous Sámi community march during a Fridays for Future protest in Jokkmokk, northern Sweden, on Feb. 7, 2020, the Sámi National Day.
Members of the Indigenous Sámi community march during a Fridays for Future protest in Jokkmokk, northern Sweden, on Feb. 7, 2020, the Sámi National Day.

The Ukraine War Is Dividing Europe’s Arctic Indigenous People

It has driven a wedge between Sámi in Russia and those in Nordic countries.

Report
John Last
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos arrives for a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the U.K. diplomatic residence in New York City on Sept. 20, 2021.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos arrives for a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the U.K. diplomatic residence in New York City on Sept. 20, 2021.

Billionaires Can Arm Ukraine

The ultra-rich should dip into their deep pockets—for their own sake.

Argument
Elisabeth Braw
Ukrainian soldiers fire a French CAESAR self-propelled howitzer at Russian positions near the front line in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine on June 15.
Ukrainian soldiers fire a French CAESAR self-propelled howitzer at Russian positions near the front line in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine on June 15.

Biden’s Endgame Shouldn’t Be Victory for Ukraine

There is no realistic scenario for Ukraine to win. Washington should push for a settlement.

Argument
Tulsi Gabbard, Daniel L. Davis
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the press in Bucha, Ukraine, on April 4.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the press in Bucha, Ukraine, on April 4.

Does Kyiv Need a Marshall Plan?

Top policymakers discuss how to rebuild Ukraine.

Comments
Tal Alroy
A portrait of Alexander Pushkin.
A portrait of Alexander Pushkin.

From Pushkin to Putin: Russian Literature’s Imperial Ideology

Russian classical literature, chock full of dehumanizing nationalism, reads disturbingly familiar today. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Volodymyr Yermolenko
Ukrainian citizens and supporters attend a silent protest in Poland.
Ukrainian citizens and supporters attend a silent protest in Poland.

Congress Seeks to Declare Putin’s War Genocide

A bipartisan resolution will underscore that Russian war crimes in Ukraine have constituted a genocide.

Report
Amy Mackinnon
Anti-tank obstacles are shown on a wheat field in southern Ukraine's Mykolaiv region on June 11.
Anti-tank obstacles are shown on a wheat field in southern Ukraine's Mykolaiv region on June 11.

Here’s How to Help Ukraine Handle Putin’s Food Blockade

Creative storage and transport of the new harvest can undercut Russia’s weaponization of global hunger.

Argument
Daniel B. Baer, Oleksandra Betliy
The United Nations Security Council gathers.
The United Nations Security Council gathers.

Take Realist Arguments Over Russia in Good Faith

As Thucydides’s history shows, wielding power needs open debate.

Argument
David Polansky
Then-Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gives a press conference.
Then-Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gives a press conference.

The Fall and Fall of Dmitry Medvedev

How the former Russian president went from geeky technocrat to deranged war hawk.

Report
Amy Mackinnon
Russians in Poland protest
Russians in Poland protest

Poland Has Had It With Russia

The ratings are out: And Biden falls alongside Putin.

Report
Mary Yang, Anusha Rathi
MQ-9 Reaper drone
MQ-9 Reaper drone

‘It’s Not Afghanistan’: Ukrainian Pilots Push Back on U.S.-Provided Drones

Both the Biden administration and Ukraine are worried that American strike drones would get shot down quickly.

Report
Jack Detsch
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi pose for a G-7 leaders’ photo in Brussels on March 24.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi pose for a G-7 leaders’ photo in Brussels on March 24.

The G-7 Agrees: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Is a ‘Zeitenwende’

New survey data shows majorities across the group of major industrial countries see Putin’s aggression as a fundamental turning point for the world.

Analysis
Tobias Bunde, Sophie Eisentraut
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