Conflict

Putin admits Ukraine invasion is an imperial war to “return” Russian land

By Peter Dickinson

By abandoning all pretense and comparing himself to Peter the Great, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has confirmed that he is waging an old-fashioned imperial war of conquest with the goal of annexing Ukrainian land.

Proxy war or not, Ukraine shows why moral hazards matter

By C. Anthony Pfaff

Whether NATO and Ukraine are proxy partners matters less than whether they can manage the risks associated with their relationship.

Russia Crisis Military Assessment: The impact of multiple rocket launcher transfers to Ukraine

By Atlantic Council military fellows

To help Ukraine expel Russian forces from its territory, the United States must begin its full transition to US-made equipment now, write our military fellows. Here's what that means.

Belarus bluff? Putin’s only ally sparks fears of possible new Kyiv offensive

By Peter Dickinson

Intensifying military activity in southern Belarus is fueling speculation over a possible renewed Russian assault on Kyiv but the true objective may be to tie down Ukrainian troops and prevent redeployment to eastern Ukraine.

Lukashenka plays chief enabler as Putin threatens to expand Ukraine war

By Brian Whitmore

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has publicly sought to distance himself from the Russian invasion of Ukraine but the Belarusian dictator is now once again becoming deeply involved as Vladimir Putin threatens to escalate the war.

With Lavrov in Turkey, a different war may dominate talks

By Rich Outzen

The Russian and Turkish foreign ministers could discuss Ankara's intent to carry out a new operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

AC Selects: China’s top-level decision making & the US Army’s role in conflict

Events from week of June 3, 2022 This week, the Global China hub hosted experts with deep knowledge of China’s political landscape to dispel misconceptions and provide evidence-based analysis of likely trajectories for Xi JinPing’s political control and policy agenda. Meanwhile, the Scowcroft Center hosted a conversation with Secretary Christine Wormuth to discuss the US […]

Only total defeat in Ukraine can cure Russia of its imperialism

By Dennis Soltys

Despite collapsing in 1917 and 1991, today's Russia remains an unapologetically imperialistic power. Unless Putin's invasion of Ukraine ends in unambiguous defeat, we will soon witness a new round on imperial aggression.