Democratic Transitions

Stop asking what Putin wants and start asking what Ukrainians want

By Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Fears of a major European war have sparked endless speculation over what Putin may want and how the West should react, but Ukraine itself has been largely reduced to the status of bystander in its own national drama.

Pakistan’s ‘Praetorian’ state is a troubling model for a Taliban-led Afghanistan

By Ben Acheson

If the Taliban emulates Pakistan’s Praetorian model, it will further erode all work done to grow a healthy Afghan civil society and develop civilian institutions.

The Putin Doctrine: Russia defends autocrats from Belarus to Kazakhstan

By Victor Tregubov

The deployment of a Russia-led military mission to Kazakhstan in early January proved to be a short-lived affair. Nevertheless, it underlined Putin’s growing role as the world’s leading defender of authoritarianism.

Kyiv Diary: Ukrainians await Putin’s invasion and Poroshenko’s arrest

By Vladislav Davidzon

The threat of a full-scale Russian invasion and the prospect of a major political scandal sparked by the arrest of former president Petro Poroshenko have failed to induce panic among the hardy crisis veterans of Kyiv.

Belarus dictator prepares to extend reign via farcical referendum

By Hanna Liubakova

A Belarusian referendum on constitutional changes in early 2022 looks set to prolong the country's deep political crisis and strengthen Kremlin-backed dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s grip on power.

The US risks losing its influence in the Horn of Africa. Here’s how to get it back.

By Gabriel Negatu

Evolving crises in Ethiopia and Sudan have exposed Washington’s lack of a clear and coherent policy for the region.

AC Selects: US allies, Ukraine’s endgame, and Venezuela’s path forward

Week of January 9, 2021 This week, Scowcroft Center experts discussed how the United States will meet future defense challenges in cooperation with allies and partners. The Eurasia Center convened its experts to contemplate Russia’s endgame in Ukraine, and what might the Kremlin hope to achieve by escalating its invasion? Finally, the Latin America Center […]

From Kazakhstan to Belarus, aftershocks of Soviet collapse continue

By Alesia Rudnik

The crisis is Kazakhstan is a reminder that more than thirty years since the USSR ceased to exist, the aftershocks of authoritarian empire continue to shape the geopolitical landscape from Minsk to Almaty.

How Kazakhstan could shift Putin’s calculus on Ukraine

By John E. Herbst

The unrest poses a question for Putin: Should he continue his intimidation campaign on his western flank or address the dangers to his south? 

Infographic: What’s ahead for Venezuela after January 5, 2022

Three years since the interim government came to be, Venezuela’s political crisis remains unresolved. Opposition forces continue to face deep challenges – both internal and external – to restore democratic institutions. The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council created an infographic that looks back at the interim government’s trajectory since 2019 and […]