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

Russian tank in Kursk
Russian tank in Kursk

Ukraine’s Invasion of Russia Could Bring a Quicker End to the War

One aim of the surprise breakthrough may be for Kyiv to gain leverage in negotiations.

Analysis
Andreas Umland
Black smoke feels the scene behind statues draped with the Ukrainina flag as a mob of protesters surrounds the statues.
Black smoke feels the scene behind statues draped with the Ukrainina flag as a mob of protesters surrounds the statues.

The Stubborn Legend of a Western ‘Coup’ in Ukraine

Ten years on, there is still confusion over what, exactly, transpired on the last days of the Maidan.

Excerpt
Adrian Karatnycky
A woman in a blue suit leans forward to look down the line of world leaders and dignitaries, many in suits.
A woman in a blue suit leans forward to look down the line of world leaders and dignitaries, many in suits.

Inside Ukraine’s Fight for Hearts and Minds

How Kyiv is working to win over the world beyond the West.

Argument
Nataliya Gumenyuk
A man in a T-shirt sits with his hands clasped for a portrait.
A man in a T-shirt sits with his hands clasped for a portrait.

Now Ukraine Is Also Recruiting Prisoners

Will a convict enlistment drive solve shortfalls on the frontline? This article has an audio recording

Report
Liz Cookman
An illustration shows the eyes of Vladimir Putin in a scope. Other details in the image show planes, stars and stripes, and surveillance cameras for a story about political assassinations.
An illustration shows the eyes of Vladimir Putin in a scope. Other details in the image show planes, stars and stripes, and surveillance cameras for a story about political assassinations.

Would the U.S. Consider Assassinating Putin?

When and why intelligence agencies target foreign leaders—and how it often backfires.

Analysis
Douglas London
Flags of NATO member countries flutter on poles arranged in a circle around an open plaza outside the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Flags of NATO member countries flutter on poles arranged in a circle around an open plaza outside the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

NATO Grapples With a New Long Game Against Putin

Western allies must find a way to deal with a Moscow likely to remain hostile for the foreseeable future.

Analysis
Jack Detsch
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen straight on as he attends an Orthodox Easter service. Putin wears a black suit and dark tie and a serious expression. Colorful drapes or curtains hang slightly out of focus behind him.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen straight on as he attends an Orthodox Easter service. Putin wears a black suit and dark tie and a serious expression. Colorful drapes or curtains hang slightly out of focus behind him.

Russian Oil Is Still Paying for Putin’s War

After initial success, Western energy sanctions are stalling out.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
People in tiered levels of a convention center work at computers near a large banner that reads "Make American Great Once Again."
People in tiered levels of a convention center work at computers near a large banner that reads "Make American Great Once Again."

‘Our Last-Ditch Pitch’: Nervous U.S. Allies Put Boots on Ground at RNC

Europe’s diplomatic heavyweights are flocking to Milwaukee to court Trump’s party.

Report
Robbie Gramer
Ukrainian servicemen wearing camouflage fatigues proceed up the aisle of a church as they carry the coffin of one of their fallen countrymen. The walls of the church are decorated with ornate portraits and detailing showing Orthodox Christian saints and other figures.
Ukrainian servicemen wearing camouflage fatigues proceed up the aisle of a church as they carry the coffin of one of their fallen countrymen. The walls of the church are decorated with ornate portraits and detailing showing Orthodox Christian saints and other figures.

Whose Terms Will Set a Peace Deal in Ukraine?

The war is unlikely to end in total victory for either Moscow or Kyiv.

Analysis
Eugene Chausovsky
A man dressed in military camouflage fatigues holds a controller as he stands in front of a large robotic vehicle on a dirt road.
A man dressed in military camouflage fatigues holds a controller as he stands in front of a large robotic vehicle on a dirt road.

Ukraine Goes All-In on Ground Robots

The goal is to save more human lives.

Report
Jack Detsch
A man looks down at his cell phone as he walks on a sidewalk beneath a looming billboard showing a photo of a military pilot, the letter Z, and text in Russian translated as "Everything will work out for us." A Moscow city street is seen beneath a blue sky in the background.
A man looks down at his cell phone as he walks on a sidewalk beneath a looming billboard showing a photo of a military pilot, the letter Z, and text in Russian translated as "Everything will work out for us." A Moscow city street is seen beneath a blue sky in the background.

Russians Expect Nothing From Putin’s War

Political apathy is a psychological survival mechanism—and a possible route to peace.

Argument
Kristaps Andrejsons
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on before the start of a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on before the start of a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

NATO Is Helping Ukraine to Fight—but Not to Win 

The Washington summit was heavy on promises but light on plans.

Analysis
Amy Mackinnon
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin walk in front of a large crowd.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin walk in front of a large crowd.

Can NATO Really Cut Off China?

It’s unlikely that the alliance can fully prevent Chinese companies from fueling Russia’s war machine.

Analysis
Lili Pike, Jack Detsch, Robbie Gramer
Orban and Putin walk near a podium.
Orban and Putin walk near a podium.

How Orban Became Putin’s Pawn

Among all of Russia’s useful idiots, few have sought to make themselves more useful than the Hungarian prime minister.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
Volodymyr Zelensky and Joe Biden walking side-by-side with the Ukrainian and U.S. flag in the background
Volodymyr Zelensky and Joe Biden walking side-by-side with the Ukrainian and U.S. flag in the background

How to Make the U.S.-Ukraine Security Pact Stick

The White House and Congress need to start talking.

Argument
Eric Ciaramella
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrive for a joint press conference in Kyiv on April 29.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrive for a joint press conference in Kyiv on April 29.

Ukraine’s Opportunity at the NATO Summit

To secure victory, the alliance must now capitalize on progress made by the G-7.

Argument
David J. Kramer, John E. Herbst, William Taylor
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