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 watches the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin watches the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

China Can’t Carry the Russian Economy

Putin’s courting of Beijing has paid more diplomatic than economic dividends.

Analysis
Eugene Chausovsky
Prague residents surround Soviet tanks in Prague on Aug. 21, 1968 as the Soviet-led invasion by the Warsaw Pact armies crushed the so called Prague Spring reform in former Czechoslovakia.
Prague residents surround Soviet tanks in Prague on Aug. 21, 1968 as the Soviet-led invasion by the Warsaw Pact armies crushed the so called Prague Spring reform in former Czechoslovakia.

False-Flag Invasions Are a Russian Specialty

Ukraine wouldn’t be the first place that Russia’s military started a war by faking an attack.

Analysis
Calder Walton
Biden and Putin at U.S.-Russian summit
Biden and Putin at U.S.-Russian summit

With Putin, Biden Should Channel His Inner Realist

A contest of ideas is hobbling U.S. policy in the standoff over Ukraine.

Argument
Stephen Wertheim
LNG tanker
LNG tanker

Biden’s LNG Plans Can’t Save Europe This Winter

Europe is too dependent on Russian gas for emergency shipments to help.

Analysis
Nicholas Kumleben
Ukrainian servicemen taking part in the armed conflict with Russia-backed separatists in the country's Donetsk region march in Kiev on November 15, 2018 prior to the handover ceremony of military heavy weapons and equipment.
Ukrainian servicemen taking part in the armed conflict with Russia-backed separatists in the country's Donetsk region march in Kiev on November 15, 2018 prior to the handover ceremony of military heavy weapons and equipment.

Russia Couldn’t Occupy Ukraine if It Wanted to

The Russian military has too much experience to think a full-scale invasion is a good idea.

Analysis
Alexander Clarkson
A map shows the course of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany on the exterior of an informational booth close to the receiving station for Nord Stream 2 on Feb. 2 near Lubmin, Germany.
A map shows the course of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany on the exterior of an informational booth close to the receiving station for Nord Stream 2 on Feb. 2 near Lubmin, Germany.

Will Germany Hobble Western Sanctions Against Russia?

Attempts to punish Putin won’t succeed without hitting the energy sector—but sanctioning Russian oil and gas is unthinkable for many in Europe.

Analysis
Emma Ashford, Rachel Rizzo
A Ukrainian serviceman walks past a U.S. flag.
A Ukrainian serviceman walks past a U.S. flag.

Lithuanian Lawmakers Call for Permanent U.S. Troop Presence

The country’s request has taken on renewed urgency amid Russia’s troop buildup.

Report
Amy Mackinnon
Tanks are shown on a snowy, barren field.
Tanks are shown on a snowy, barren field.

NATO Is Dangerously Exposed in the Baltic

Don’t listen to Russia. NATO needs to bolster, not downsize, its flimsy defenses.

Analysis
Edward Lucas
A live broadcast of Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual phone-in is seen at the TASS news agency in Moscow on June 30, 2021.
A live broadcast of Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual phone-in is seen at the TASS news agency in Moscow on June 30, 2021.

Russian State Media Aren’t Preparing for War

TV and public opinion offer crucial hints in the guessing game over Putin’s plans.

Analysis
Alexey Kovalev
A Ukrainian soldier stands in front of tanks in the snow.
A Ukrainian soldier stands in front of tanks in the snow.

Poll: Will Russia Invade Ukraine?

IR scholars think Moscow is likely to use military force, but they suggest Washington should exercise restraint.

Analysis
Irene Entringer García Blanes, Ryan Powers, Susan Peterson, Michael J. Tierney
Ukrainian service members work on their tank.
Ukrainian service members work on their tank.

A Little Mud Won’t Stop Putin

Frozen ground may aid a Russian invasion of Ukraine, but it’s not a decisive factor.

Report
Amy Mackinnon
Russian President-Vladimir Putin shakes hands with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as outgoing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev stands nearby during a ceremony inaugurating Vladimir Putin as the new Russian President at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 7, 2018.
Russian President-Vladimir Putin shakes hands with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as outgoing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev stands nearby during a ceremony inaugurating Vladimir Putin as the new Russian President at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 7, 2018.

Europe Must Shed Its Illusions About Russia

Only if Britain, France, and Germany abandon their post-Cold War fantasies will the West stand a chance of stopping Putin.

Argument
Garvan Walshe
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives a press conference with NATO Secretary General after their bilateral meeting at the European Union headquarters in Brussels on December 16, 2021.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives a press conference with NATO Secretary General after their bilateral meeting at the European Union headquarters in Brussels on December 16, 2021.

Ukraine Urges the West To Chill Out

With one eye on the economy, and the other on Russia’s troop buildup, Ukrainian officials call for cooler heads. This article has an audio recording

Report
Amy Mackinnon, Mary Yang
People look at the French multi-mission frigate Auvergne D654 as it sails into the port of the Ukrainian port of Odessa on Dec. 24, 2021.
People look at the French multi-mission frigate Auvergne D654 as it sails into the port of the Ukrainian port of Odessa on Dec. 24, 2021.

Russia Can Win in Ukraine Without Firing a Shot

If the Kremlin can make Ukrainian businesses uninsurable, it will destroy the economy.

Argument
Elisabeth Braw
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet.

China’s ‘Wolf Warriors’ Are Having a Field Day With the Russia-Ukraine Crisis

Beijing’s social media pugilists are taking the opportunity to troll the U.S. and Europe.

Analysis
Jessica Brandt
Russian President Vladimir Putin votes online.
Russian President Vladimir Putin votes online.

The Next Russian-Western Battleground Is Online

Russia is hardening the borders of its own internet.

Argument
Eugene Chausovsky
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