Russia’s War in Ukraine

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump participate in a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump participate in a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C.

7 Lingering Questions After the Trump Ukraine Summit

After a flurry of diplomacy, what was actually agreed to?

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, DC on August 18.
U.S. President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, DC on August 18.

Grading Trump’s Ukraine Diplomacy

Key takeaways from a spate of high-level meetings in Alaska and Washington. This article has an audio recording

(First row, from left) Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a family picture during a “coalition of the willing” summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris on March 27.
(First row, from left) Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a family picture during a “coalition of the willing” summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris on March 27.

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. This article has an audio recording

Battlefield Strategy

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.

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.

Volunteers and Ukrainian military personnel attend a presentation about radio electronic warfare and intelligence systems made by the Ukrainian company Kvertus in Ukraine’s Lviv region on May 28.
Volunteers and Ukrainian military personnel attend a presentation about radio electronic warfare and intelligence systems made by the Ukrainian company Kvertus in Ukraine’s Lviv region on May 28.

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 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.

Wartime Diplomacy

Trump sits on an upholstered chair in the Oval Office, leaning forward slightly as he rests his hands on his knees. Rutte sits in a matching chair next to him, his hand on his chin. Vice President J.D. Vance and others sit on a sofa to the right, microphones on poles hanging over their heads.
Trump sits on an upholstered chair in the Oval Office, leaning forward slightly as he rests his hands on his knees. Rutte sits in a matching chair next to him, his hand on his chin. Vice President J.D. Vance and others sit on a sofa to the right, microphones on poles hanging over their heads.

Do Trump’s Lines in the Sand Mean Anything?

Blustering threats to Putin over Ukraine are reminiscent of Obama’s Syria failure.

NATO military forces during a display to demonstrate NATO’s ability to rapidly deploy forces from Europe, in Smardan, Romania.
NATO military forces during a display to demonstrate NATO’s ability to rapidly deploy forces from Europe, in Smardan, Romania.

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.

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.

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

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

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 large ship in the ocean
A large ship in the ocean

What Europe Can Do If Trump Drops Russia Sanctions

Europe has much more economic leverage on the Kremlin than Washington.

A worker in a white fireproof smock and face guard is seen from across a room at a factory as they shovel smoldering coals into a massive metal furnace. The room is dim other than the bright light from the furnace and the scattered glow of coal spread across the floor.
A worker in a white fireproof smock and face guard is seen from across a room at a factory as they shovel smoldering coals into a massive metal furnace. The room is dim other than the bright light from the furnace and the scattered glow of coal spread across the floor.

Ukraine Has Become Europe’s Arsenal

The Ukrainian arms industry has kept its own country—and potentially the entire continent—competitive on the battlefield. This article has an audio recording

Latest Stories

A Ukrainian tank crew member of the 68th Jaeger Brigade stands on a Leopard 1A5 tank near Pokrovsk, the eastern Donetsk region, on Dec. 13.
A Ukrainian tank crew member of the 68th Jaeger Brigade stands on a Leopard 1A5 tank near Pokrovsk, the eastern Donetsk region, on Dec. 13.

How We Got Here in the Russia-Ukraine War

Our must-read articles on the state of the conflict, its impact on the global order, and the chance for peace.

French soldiers participate in a NATO military exercise at the Hohenfels training area in southern Germany, on Sept. 14, 2023.
French soldiers participate in a NATO military exercise at the Hohenfels training area in southern Germany, on Sept. 14, 2023.

Will European Troops Enforce a Cease-Fire in Ukraine?

France is drumming up support for a peacekeeping force. It may be Europe’s only option to prevent an even bloodier war.

Kaja Kallas stands and talks into several press microphones.
Kaja Kallas stands and talks into several press microphones.

Ukraine Backers Make Last-Ditch Effort to Seize Russian Assets

With Trump heading to the White House again, it’s now or never to finance Kyiv, advocates say.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at Élysée Palace in Paris on Dec. 7, 2024.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at Élysée Palace in Paris on Dec. 7, 2024.

Can Trump Really End the War in Ukraine?

A Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize winner weighs in on his prospects.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (center) speaks during a meeting with Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union, in Kyiv on Dec. 9.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (center) speaks during a meeting with Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union, in Kyiv on Dec. 9.

What a Victorious Ukraine Can Offer Europe

With trans-Atlantic cooperation under scrutiny, a battle-tested land power will be ready to step into the breach.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump meet during the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump meet during the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.

Trump Should Make Putin Wince Before They Sit Down to Talk

A maximum pressure campaign would raise the likelihood of a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Kim and Putin meet in North Korea
Kim and Putin meet in North Korea

China and North Korea Throw U.S. War Plans Out the Window

The intervention of Asian powers in Europe nullifies decades of U.S. strategic planning.

Olena Gerasymyuk, a Ukrainian poet and volunteer paramedic with the Hospitallers medical battalion, works in a medical evacuation bus in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, on Feb. 11, 2023.
Olena Gerasymyuk, a Ukrainian poet and volunteer paramedic with the Hospitallers medical battalion, works in a medical evacuation bus in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, on Feb. 11, 2023.

Ukraine’s Missing Medical Mobilization

Kyiv’s reluctance to fully mobilize means that frontline medical units are perpetually short on staff.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump walk together at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump walk together at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.

The Pitfalls for Europe of a Trump-Putin Deal on Ukraine

Russian interest in peace is no given, and Europe may not be on board.

A tattered blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag is seen along a snow-covered road beneath a pale cloudy sky. Bare trees line the road.
A tattered blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag is seen along a snow-covered road beneath a pale cloudy sky. Bare trees line the road.

The Price of a Bad Peace

The West is tired. Putin is not.

Russian conscripts in uniform holding their winter hat in their hands stand in attention in a line.
Russian conscripts in uniform holding their winter hat in their hands stand in attention in a line.

Putin Is Throwing Human Waves at Ukraine but Can’t Do It Forever

The Russian meat grinder strategy is terribly effective, terribly wasteful, and boundlessly cruel.

A group of young children all wearing the same red shirt and khaki pants take part in a ceremony.
A group of young children all wearing the same red shirt and khaki pants take part in a ceremony.

The Only Way to Achieve Lasting Peace in Ukraine

History shows that security arrangements alone will not be enough.

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Sept. 26.
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Sept. 26.

Biden’s Complicated Ukraine Legacy

A vital but halting supply of military aid has opened up the U.S. president to criticism from all sides.

A Ukrainian government expert examines remnants of shells and missiles used by the Russian army to attack the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.
A Ukrainian government expert examines remnants of shells and missiles used by the Russian army to attack the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

New Missiles Won’t Change Ukraine’s Broken War Math

The incoming Trump administration needs to learn from Biden’s mistakes.

A protester holds a banner at a demonstration in favor of increased German military aid to Ukraine outside the Chancellery in Berlin on Jan. 6.
A protester holds a banner at a demonstration in favor of increased German military aid to Ukraine outside the Chancellery in Berlin on Jan. 6.

The Russia-Ukraine War in 2030

Let’s imagine a future much like the past—with Moscow and Kyiv irreconcilable but agreeing to manage their war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un toast during an event at the Mongnangwan Reception House in Pyongyang on June 19.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un toast during an event at the Mongnangwan Reception House in Pyongyang on June 19.

Ukraine Is Now a Proxy War for Asian Powers

Growing East Asian involvement shows that Putin’s war has already gone global.

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