Russia’s War in Ukraine

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

Putin sits at a table with his hands flat on the surface, leaning forward slightly. He wears a dark suit and tie; a Russian flag hangs in the background.
Putin sits at a table with his hands flat on the surface, leaning forward slightly. He wears a dark suit and tie; a Russian flag hangs in the background.

Russia and Ukraine Are as Far Apart as Ever

Despite Trump’s efforts, negotiation will only come when both parties believe their interests are better served by talking than fighting. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Ivo H. Daalder
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?

Explainer
Keith Johnson
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

Insider
Ravi Agrawal
(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

Analysis
Keith Johnson
A soldier in a helmet and residents in T-shirts look toward a smoking house on the horizon.
A soldier in a helmet and residents in T-shirts look toward a smoking house on the horizon.

Why the Donbas Matters to Putin So Much

The region is at the heart of the Ukraine war.

Explainer
John Haltiwanger
Zelensky (left) gestures and laughs as he sits next to Trump who laughs as he holds a sheet of paper as they talk in front of the gilded backdrop of the Oval Office.
Zelensky (left) gestures and laughs as he sits next to Trump who laughs as he holds a sheet of paper as they talk in front of the gilded backdrop of the Oval Office.

Key Takeaways From Trump’s Meeting With Zelensky

Less fireworks in the White House, but no definitive outcomes just yet. This article has an audio recording

Report
Rishi Iyengar

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.

Analysis
Amelie Tolvin
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
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?

Analysis
Fabrice Deprez
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

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.

Analysis
Luke McGee
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
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
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
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 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

Analysis
Paul Hockenos

Latest Stories

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 12, 2023.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 12, 2023.

Biden’s ‘Escalation Management’ in Ukraine Makes the West Less Safe

Washington should abandon a failed approach to Moscow that does not learn or self-adjust.

Argument
Edward Hunter Christie
Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets of the Polish Air Force take part in a NATO shielding exercise at Lask Air Base, Poland, on Oct. 12, 2022.
Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets of the Polish Air Force take part in a NATO shielding exercise at Lask Air Base, Poland, on Oct. 12, 2022.

NATO Frontline States Need an Air Defense Shield Now

Russia is probing NATO with attack drones and missiles. Ignoring them is a dangerous option.

Argument
Fredrik Wesslau
Russian President Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, visits the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius in Sergiyev Posad near Moscow on June 26.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, visits the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius in Sergiyev Posad near Moscow on June 26.

Russia Is No Conservative Haven

The Western populist right has fallen for Vladimir Putin’s latest propaganda ploy.

Analysis
Adrian Karatnycky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sits in the Oval Office during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, on Sept. 21, 2023.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sits in the Oval Office during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, on Sept. 21, 2023.

Ukraine Needs a New Storyline

The Kursk offensive suggests a new strategy for victory—but it will require the West to change some policies.

Analysis
Raphael S. Cohen
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba during a high-level U.N. Security Council meeting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba during a high-level U.N. Security Council meeting.

Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet as War Reaches Critical Juncture

The shake-up comes ahead of Zelensky’s key visit to the United States.

Report
Amy Mackinnon, Jack Detsch
A depiction of The Battle of Crecy during the Hundred Years War.
A depiction of The Battle of Crecy during the Hundred Years War.

How the Hundred Years’ War Explains Ukraine’s Invasion of Russia

Three battles in medieval and early modern Europe offer instructive parallels to Ukraine’s Kursk offensive.

Analysis
Lucian Staiano-Daniels
A cyclist passes the Freedom Monument during at a photo exhibition showing historical pictures of the Baltic Way human chain.
A cyclist passes the Freedom Monument during at a photo exhibition showing historical pictures of the Baltic Way human chain.

History Shows Giving Land to Russia Won’t Bring Peace

The long record of Russian and Soviet occupations does not bode well for negotiations.

Analysis
Kristi Raik
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C), with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden (R), attends a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council during the NATO 75th anniversary summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C), with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden (R), attends a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council during the NATO 75th anniversary summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Biden’s Ukraine Strategy Is Missing in Action

Lawmakers are frustrated at the lack of a coherent plan as Biden prepares to leave office.

Report
Jack Detsch, Amy Mackinnon
Two Russian Orthodox priests are seen from behind, wearing ankle-length black robes, as they watch black smoke filling the sky above a dry field. A few fire trucks and other vehicles are lined up next to the priests.
Two Russian Orthodox priests are seen from behind, wearing ankle-length black robes, as they watch black smoke filling the sky above a dry field. A few fire trucks and other vehicles are lined up next to the priests.

Kyiv Keeps Russian Oil in the Crosshairs

The pinprick attacks boost morale, but they don’t much dent Moscow’s energy earnings.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to watch the Victory Day military parade at Red Square in Moscow on May 9, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to watch the Victory Day military parade at Red Square in Moscow on May 9, 2022.

In Russia, Ukraine’s Invasion Pops Putin’s Bubbles

After years of propaganda about the existential threat from Ukraine, Russians respond with a collective shrug.

Analysis
Alexey Kovalev
A road sign reads Kursk in English and Cyrillic, with the number 108 next to it. Green grass and trees surround the sign.
A road sign reads Kursk in English and Cyrillic, with the number 108 next to it. Green grass and trees surround the sign.

What Does Zelensky Want in Kursk?

Ukraine’s strategic objectives remain murky—and the operation creates many risks—but it could alter the course of the war.

Analysis
John R. Deni
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks alongside U.S. President Joe Biden during a Ukraine Compact initiative on the sidelines of the NATO Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on July 11.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks alongside U.S. President Joe Biden during a Ukraine Compact initiative on the sidelines of the NATO Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on July 11.

Washington Is Out of Sync With Its Wartime Allies

The White House has been kept out of the loop on several major wartime decisions by Israel and Ukraine.

Situation Report
Jack Detsch, Amy Mackinnon
A Ukrainian military vehicle drives past a destroyed border checkpoint amid Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia, in the Sumy region, Ukraine, on Aug. 14.
A Ukrainian military vehicle drives past a destroyed border checkpoint amid Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia, in the Sumy region, Ukraine, on Aug. 14.

The Geopolitical Opportunity of Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive

The incursion shows Washington the way to a smarter pivot to Asia.

Shadow Government
A. Wess Mitchell
A Ukrainian military vehicle drives past the remains of another in the Sumy region, Ukraine, amid the Ukrainian incursion into neighboring Kursk, Russia, on Aug. 13.
A Ukrainian military vehicle drives past the remains of another in the Sumy region, Ukraine, amid the Ukrainian incursion into neighboring Kursk, Russia, on Aug. 13.

Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive Is a Turning Point in the War

The biggest impact is the destruction of Vladimir Putin’s narrative for victory.

Argument
Carl Bildt
Ukrainian servicemen in camouflage uniform ride an armored vehicle down a paved road beneath a cloudy sky. Directly next to the road is forest, pressing up against the soldiers in a wall of lush greenery.
Ukrainian servicemen in camouflage uniform ride an armored vehicle down a paved road beneath a cloudy sky. Directly next to the road is forest, pressing up against the soldiers in a wall of lush greenery.

What Is Ukraine’s Goal in Kursk?

Ukraine is making gains on Russian soil. But is Kyiv losing troops it can’t replace?

Report
Amy Mackinnon, Jack Detsch
U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov looks on during a ceremony to receive credentials from newly appointed foreign ambassadors at the Kremlin in Moscow.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov looks on during a ceremony to receive credentials from newly appointed foreign ambassadors at the Kremlin in Moscow.

Inside Putin’s Kremlin

John Sullivan, Washington’s former ambassador to Moscow, on how power works in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Insider
Robbie Gramer
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