Whichever candidate takes the White House in November, the Russian war on Ukraine will be a major challenge. To handle it successfully, leaders in the West must realize that Moscow is fighting not just for Ukraine but to shift the balance of power in Europe and, through it, in the world. As Russia has peaked in terms of its military production, finances, human resources, and information warfare, its limited successes can be reversed if the West commits to consistent policy to bring about Russian strategic defeat in Ukraine and in turn a reevaluation of the Kremlin’s domestic and international policy.

The latest report in the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series, Russia’s war on Ukraine: Moscow’s pressure points and US strategic opportunities, by author and Eurasia Center nonresident senior fellow Ariel Cohen, assesses Russia’s modern day domestic and international vulnerabilities.

Throughout the paper, Cohen explores the challenges posed by Russia for the next presidential administration, the lessons learned from Russia’s past wars, possible weaknesses that Ukraine and its Western allies can leverage, and policy recommendations for a coherent future strategy led by the United States towards Russia and its authoritarian allies.

What are the best methods to exploit Russian vulnerabilities to help achieve victory for Ukraine? How do other international actors in Russia’s “arsenal of autocracy” aid and abet Russian aggression in Ukraine and beyond? What are the main Russian weak spots, and how can Western actors capitalize on those weaknesses to force a shift in the Kremlin’s belligerent and revisionist strategy?