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

Ukrainians seeking asylum in the United States in Tijuana, Mexico, on April 6, 2022.
Ukrainians seeking asylum in the United States in Tijuana, Mexico, on April 6, 2022.

Deporting Ukrainian Refugees Weakens America

Canceling legal status would be a moral and strategic mistake that weakens America’s global standing.

Argument
Tetiana Kotelnykova
In the foreground is the blurry figure of Vladimir Putin. In the background is a mirror that shows him clearly.
In the foreground is the blurry figure of Vladimir Putin. In the background is a mirror that shows him clearly.

How to Negotiate With Putin

Britain’s former ambassador to Russia on how Trump can avoid falling into the Kremlin’s trap.

Argument
Laurie Bristow
A man in army clothing walks past a poster of a man in a military uniform.
A man in army clothing walks past a poster of a man in a military uniform.

Europe’s Best Bet for Protecting Postwar Ukraine

With U.S. commitment in question, armed neutrality is the most feasible option.

Argument
Rajan Menon
German soldiers unload the U.S.-made MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system in Jasionka, Poland.
German soldiers unload the U.S.-made MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system in Jasionka, Poland.

The Latest Russian Missile Is Bad News for NATO

Oreshnik is a different beast from its predecessors.

Analysis
Decker Eveleth
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Feb. 28.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Feb. 28.

Trump’s Rhetoric Gets Results

The U.S.-Ukraine cease-fire plan reflects the president’s overriding foreign-policy objective: to end the war.

Argument
Matthew Kroenig
U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with energy company CEOs at the White House in Washington on April 3, 2020.
U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with energy company CEOs at the White House in Washington on April 3, 2020.

Comrade Trump

Regardless of why, he’s acting exactly like a Russian asset would.

Argument
Edward Lucas
A woman walks past an advertisement for the Russian army at a bus stop.
A woman walks past an advertisement for the Russian army at a bus stop.

Russia Is Only Winning Inside Trump’s Head

As Russians will tell you, the reality on the ground looks very, very different.

Analysis
Alexey Kovalev
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.

Argument
Ivo H. Daalder
Three men stand on a roof with the flags of Russia and Crimea.
Three men stand on a roof with the flags of Russia and Crimea.

Why Washington’s Stance Will Pave the Way for Russian Expansionism

Trump’s approach of seeking a deal at any cost imperils the security of Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region.

Argument
Natia Seskuria
A collage stile illustration shows a soldier waving a NATO flag. Behind are soldiers walking in front of a blue descending bar chart and graph lines.
A collage stile illustration shows a soldier waving a NATO flag. Behind are soldiers walking in front of a blue descending bar chart and graph lines.

Can Trump’s 5 Percent Defense Spending Threshold Save NATO?

Experts suggest that shifting how the alliance spends its money could be more effective against a Russian security threat.

Explainer
Alexandra Sharp
An employee handles 155 mm caliber shells manufactured at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania on April 16, 2024.
An employee handles 155 mm caliber shells manufactured at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania on April 16, 2024.

Europe Should Make a $200 Billion Deal With Trump

Cash to buy U.S. weapons for Ukraine would also help balance trade.

Argument
Bart M. J. Szewczyk
French President Emmanuel Macron (right) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attend commemorations marking the 106th anniversary of the Nov. 11, 1918, armistice ending World War I, in Paris.
French President Emmanuel Macron (right) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attend commemorations marking the 106th anniversary of the Nov. 11, 1918, armistice ending World War I, in Paris.

Europe Gets Serious About Defense Thanks to Trump’s Retreat

The U.S. president has unified Europe like few since Charlemagne. Now comes the hard part.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
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.

Analysis
Agathe Demarais
A fleet of cameras and reporters surround Lindsey Graham outside the White House.
A fleet of cameras and reporters surround Lindsey Graham outside the White House.

Trump’s Angry Meeting With Zelensky Prompts Reactions Worldwide

The responses were indicative of the shocking nature of the meeting.

Report
John Haltiwanger
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Feb. 28.
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Feb. 28.

The Perils of a Reality TV Presidency

The Trump-Zelensky shouting match is a reminder that international diplomacy was never meant to be carried out in front of billions of eyes.

Argument
Ravi Agrawal
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Trump and Zelensky Have an Oval Office Smackdown

Trump has been trying to strong-arm Ukraine for years, but it’s not getting any prettier.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
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