Russia’s War in Ukraine

News, analysis, and background on military campaigns, battlefield technology, and global diplomacy, negotiations, and sanctions.

The city of Pokrovsk, Ukraine, shrouded in fog, where destroyed homes and buildings seem to be abandoned among the city's trees following intense fighting.
The city of Pokrovsk, Ukraine, shrouded in fog, where destroyed homes and buildings seem to be abandoned among the city's trees following intense fighting.

Trump’s New Ukraine Policy Is Old Hat

The White House may soon preside over the first negotiated defeat of a modern democracy.

Argument
Fareed Zakaria
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declares "peace for our time" at Heston Aerodrome in London on his return from negotiations with Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declares "peace for our time" at Heston Aerodrome in London on his return from negotiations with Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany.

Don’t Call This a ‘Peace Plan’

If the U.S.-Russia draft for Ukraine goes forward, Donald Trump will be remembered as the Neville Chamberlain of the 21st century.

Analysis
Christian Caryl
U.S. President Donald Trump walks from the Maine One presidential helicopter to Air Force One on Sept. 22.
U.S. President Donald Trump walks from the Maine One presidential helicopter to Air Force One on Sept. 22.

Trump’s Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan Is a Step Forward

For Europe, continued war is perhaps not entirely unwelcome.

Argument
Emma Ashford
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
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

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

A film still from "The Battle for Kyiv."
A film still from "The Battle for Kyiv."

‘The Battle for Kyiv’ Captures a Desperate Time

Oz Katerji’s film brings back the wild first weeks of war.

Review
Luke McGee
A building is surrounded by rubble.
A building is surrounded by rubble.

Another Bad Night in Kyiv

A sleepless public is enduring a wave of Putin’s attacks on civilians.

Report
Ani Chkhikvadze
The first batch of the Ukrainian-made Peklo drone missile is delivered to a Ukrainian Armed Forces facility in Kyiv on Dec. 6, 2024.
The first batch of the Ukrainian-made Peklo drone missile is delivered to a Ukrainian Armed Forces facility in Kyiv on Dec. 6, 2024.

The Ukrainians’ New Way of War

The audacious drone attack deep into Russia’s rear fits a larger pattern of wartime innovation.

Analysis
Christian Caryl
An image from a video released by a source in the Ukrainian Security Service shows a Ukrainian drone striking a Russian aircraft deep in Russian territory on June 1.
An image from a video released by a source in the Ukrainian Security Service shows a Ukrainian drone striking a Russian aircraft deep in Russian territory on June 1.

What Is the Impact of Ukraine’s Raid on Russia’s Air Force?

Operation Spider’s Web will enter military history as one of the more daring raids.

Analysis
Franz-Stefan Gady
An illustration depicts Vladimir Putin holding up a hand of playing cards
An illustration depicts Vladimir Putin holding up a hand of playing cards

Putin Is a Gambler, not a Grand Master

The Russian president has abandoned real strategy for a single goal. This article has an audio recording

Essay
Anastasia Edel
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with the Russian children’s rights commissioner at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 2.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with the Russian children’s rights commissioner at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 2.

How Russia Responds to Ukraine’s Drone Attack Depends on Trump

Trump needs to “defuse this situation,” said a former director of Russia analysis at the CIA.

Q&A
John Haltiwanger
Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a speech during the Victory Day military parade at Red Square in central Moscow on May 9.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a speech during the Victory Day military parade at Red Square in central Moscow on May 9.

Why Does Russia Propose Cease-Fires It Won’t Uphold?

Kremlin rhetoric aims to shape narratives at home and abroad.

Analysis
Tetiana Kotelnykova
People walk along a street past a mural dedicated to Oleksandr Khmil, a former hockey player and coach killed in battle against Russian troops, in Kyiv on May 15.
People walk along a street past a mural dedicated to Oleksandr Khmil, a former hockey player and coach killed in battle against Russian troops, in Kyiv on May 15.

A European Peacekeeping Force in Ukraine Won’t Work

Any plan needs NATO involvement to be credible. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Azeem Ibrahim
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Steve Witkoff, an envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, during a meeting in St. Petersburg on April 11.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Steve Witkoff, an envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, during a meeting in St. Petersburg on April 11.

Trump’s Russia Strategy Is All Carrots, No Stick

“The Russians are obviously not responding to the current approach,” one expert said.

Analysis
John Haltiwanger
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen in Red Square as he addresses a rally and a concert in central Moscow on Sept. 30, 2022.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen in Red Square as he addresses a rally and a concert in central Moscow on Sept. 30, 2022.

The U.S. Must Not Gift Crimea to Putin

Washington’s latest peace proposal would reward Russia for starting its war in Ukraine.

Argument
David J. Kramer
A woman emerges from the voting booth during Ukraine's presidential election in Kyiv on March 31, 2019.
A woman emerges from the voting booth during Ukraine's presidential election in Kyiv on March 31, 2019.

Why Elections in Ukraine Will Not End the War

Washington’s curious adoption of a key Kremlin demand is based on unrealistic expectations.

Analysis
Andreas Umland
Russian soldiers practice marching
Russian soldiers practice marching

Why Don’t Russian Soldiers Revolt?

Astonishing death rates and brutal abuse have not kept troops from following orders.

Analysis
Amelie Tolvin
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during the Forum of Future Technologies in Moscow on Feb.14, 2024.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during the Forum of Future Technologies in Moscow on Feb.14, 2024.

Why Putin Is Stalling Trump on Ukraine

The Russian leader cannot afford to end the war he started.

Analysis
Ian Garner
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexandrovsky Garden near the Kremlin wall in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexandrovsky Garden near the Kremlin wall in Moscow.

It’s Time for Trump to Get Tough With Putin

Only pressure on both sides will end the war in Ukraine.

Argument
Dennis Ross
A soldier with the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, on March 13.
A soldier with the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, on March 13.

What Washington Keeps Getting Wrong in War Planning

Misjudging an adversary’s will to fight has been a major contributor to military failures since World War II.

Analysis
Andrew L. Stigler, James Guimond
The building housing Euroclear, an international fund depository which manages some Russian assets, in Brussels, Belgium, on March 5.
The building housing Euroclear, an international fund depository which manages some Russian assets, in Brussels, Belgium, on March 5.

Seizing Russian Assets Isn’t as Easy as It Sounds

As the global order shifts, EU leaders need to tread carefully.

Argument
Charles Lichfield
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