South Ukraine holds the key to Putin’s dreams of a new Russian Empire

MENASource Mar 19, 2025

Inside Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s diplomatic offensive with Syria’s Christians and Ismailis

By Gregory Waters

HTS’s diplomatic offensive demonstrates the leadership’s political approach, which evolved over years of engaging with the Christian and Druze communities in Idlib.
Democratic Transitions Freedom and Prosperity
South Ukraine holds the key to Putin’s dreams of a new Russian Empire

UkraineAlert Mar 6, 2025

US peace initiative can help bring Ukraine’s abducted children home

By Kristina Hook, Iuliia Hoban

Securing the return of the thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia since 2022 must play a part in the peace efforts recently initiated by US President Donald Trump, write Kristina Hook and Iuliia Hoban.
Civil Society Conflict
South Ukraine holds the key to Putin’s dreams of a new Russian Empire

New Atlanticist Feb 28, 2025

Egyptian senator: The mass displacement of Gazans will only fuel Hamas’s extremist ideology

By Mohamed Farid

Displacing Palestinians from Gaza would perpetuate cycles of violence, deepen regional instability, and undermine Israel’s security.
Conflict Human Rights

Content

UkraineAlert

May 27, 2022

South Ukraine holds the key to Putin’s dreams of a new Russian Empire

By Taras Kuzio

The biggest European battles since WWII are currently raging in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region but the ultimate outcome of the Russo-Ukrainian War is likely to be decided hundreds of miles to the south.

Civil Society Conflict

In the News

May 25, 2022

Asat in Lawfare: When do we call Russian atrocities a genocide?

By Atlantic Council

Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy

UkraineAlert

May 24, 2022

Putin’s Mariupol Massacre is one of the 21st century’s worst war crimes

By Paul Niland

The Russian destruction of Mariupol ranks among the gravest crimes against humanity of the twenty-first century and sends a clear message to the international community that can be no compromise peace with Putin.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

May 24, 2022

The Putin puzzle: Why is the Russian dictator so obsessed with Ukraine?

By Bohdan Vitvitsky

Vladimir Putin has sought to justify his invasion of Ukraine by claiming the country has no right to exist but in reality modern Ukraine enjoys a level of democratic legitimacy that far exceeds his own authoritarian regime.

Civil Society Conflict

In the News

May 24, 2022

Asat quoted in Al Jazeera on the UN human rights chief’s response to the treatment of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang

By Atlantic Council

China Human Rights

IranSource

May 24, 2022

The Biden administration needs to do more on Iran. Here’s why.

By Holly Dagres

Having a consistent, actionable approach to Iran is what the Biden administration needs to stay on course with its human rights agenda. Now is a good place to start.

Human Rights Iran

UkraineAlert

May 22, 2022

Centuries of Russian oppression have forged Ukraine’s remarkable resilience

By Pete Shmigel

Centuries of traumatic experience with the horrors of Russian imperialism have shaped today’s Ukraine in ways that may actually contribute to Putin's defeat and help Ukrainians to build a better future for their country.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

May 21, 2022

Appeasement is the worst possible policy for both Ukraine and Russia

By Dennis Soltys

Western advocates of appeasement in Ukraine such as French President Emmanuel Macron fail to appreciate the deep-rooted imperial ambitions underpinning Vladimir Putin's campign to extinguish Ukrainian independence.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

BelarusAlert

May 19, 2022

Belarus dictator targets anti-war saboteurs with death penalty

By Alesia Rudnik

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has introduced amendments to the country's capital punishment legislation that will make it possible to impose death sentences on anti-war saboteurs.

Belarus Civil Society

In the News

May 17, 2022

Iran Initiative event on the Taliban was mentioned in Politico’s National Security Daily newsletter

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Extremism
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Experts

Staff

Emilia Pierce

Deputy Director, Operations and Finance

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society Conflict

Fellow

Khosro Sayeh Isfahani

Former Researcher

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arms Control Civil Society

Fellow

Alexandra Lily Kather

Legal Advisor

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Human Rights International Norms

Fellow

Tasha Manoranjan

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

English Human Rights

Staff

Ginger Matchett

Program Assistant

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

Africa Climate Change & Climate Action

Fellow

Nasredeen Abdulbari

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa Arabic
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Events

Online Event Fri, May 16, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Lucian Kim on “Putin’s Revenge” and Russia’s war on Ukraine
Europe & Eurasia Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy Ukraine