Category: Blogs

State of the Order: Assessing March 2023

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Russian War Report: Russian army presses on in Bakhmut despite losses

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Bakhmut remains a major conflict zone with dozens of attacks on Ukrainian forces there, despite Russian forces sustaining heavy losses.

Why is the West self-deterring in Ukraine?

By Andrew A. Michta

Thus far, the West has communicated that the best that it can muster when it comes to vertical escalation is to second-guess and self-deter.

Putin cancels Victory Day parades as Ukraine invasion continues to unravel

By Peter Dickinson

The cancellation of Victory Day parades in multiple Russian regional capitals is a blow to Putin's personal prestige that exposes the grim reality behind Moscow's upbeat propaganda portrayals of the faltering Ukraine invasion, writes Peter Dickinson.

NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

By Franklin D. Kramer

Considering today’s geopolitics and NATO’s values, offering a membership action plan is the most effective and appropriate response to the challenge Russia presents.

Hezbollah and its allies are more emboldened than they’ve been in nearly two decades

By Nicholas Blanford

The bottom line of this latest flare-up of violence along the Lebanon-Israel border is that Hezbollah, in coordination with Hamas, launched the largest barrage of rockets into Israel in nearly seventeen years without facing any repercussions.

Poland and Ukraine: The emerging alliance that could reshape Europe

By Taras Kuzio

Poland's leading role in the European response to Russia's Ukraine invasion is fueling talk of a eastward shift in Europe's geopolitical center of gravity with the Polish-Ukrainian alliance set to become increasingly influential.

Impact investing can help rebuild an inclusive, resilient Turkey after the earthquakes

By Selen Ucak

In the wake of Turkey's devastating earthquakes, investing in sustainable solutions for the displaced is crucial.

As Sudan’s transition to democracy accelerates, reforming the security forces must be a top priority

By Benjamin Mossberg

The Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces must be governed by the rule of law and work to protect democracy and human rights in Sudan.

The geopolitics of the energy trilemma in South Asia

By Robert F. Ichord, Jr.

South Asian countries are being subjected to the consequences of China and Russia’s efforts to expand their influence in the region. In this complex geopolitical context, expanded US and G7 clean energy efforts are needed.