Politics & Diplomacy

Upcoming Venezuela negotiations are an opportunity for the US to lock in a victory

By Jason Marczak, Geoff Ramsey

As Venezuela’s interim government and opposition representatives prepare for talks, the Trump administration can help to steer the course.

Ukraine is winning. Here’s what it needs to finish the job.

By Leslie Shedd

A recent trip to Kyiv, Dnipro, and Pavlohrad reveals that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is reaching a turning point.

Civilian control over the armed forces is crucial for Ukraine’s future

By Olena Tregub

A political crisis erupted in wartime Ukraine last week over the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov following a power struggle with Ukrainian army Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, writes Olena Tregub.

Washington is pushing Brazil toward China

The current trajectory raises the odds that over time more Brazilian firms will prefer partnering with Chinese suppliers and financiers.

Messi’s last dance—and America’s arrival

By Frederick Kempe

The Argentine football legend’s likely final World Cup appearance comes as the sport is taking off in the United States.

Ukraine’s tech-savvy defense minister ousted in clash with army old guard

By Peter Dickinson

President Zelenskyy's decision to side with the army old guard and oust Ukraine's tech-savvy Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has sparked a political crisis and raised questions over the country's future direction, writes Peter Dickinson.

Ukraine’s national recovery must go far beyond rebuilding what was lost

By Vitalii Kim

As international efforts to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine continue, it is also vital to look beyond the battlefield and address the issue of Ukraine’s recovery in order to create the conditions for a genuine national renewal, writes Vitalii Kim.

The defining issues Lindsey Graham leaves behind

By Frederick Kempe

The late senator spent his final days pushing hard for Ukrainian sovereignty and Saudi-Israeli diplomatic normalization.

2026 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes: The legal foundations that enable prosperity are rapidly eroding

By Ignacio Campomanes, Nina Dannaoui-Johnson, Annie (Yu-Lin) Lee, James Mazzarella

Adherence to the rule of law has declined sharply since 2020. Drawing on thirty years of data across 171 countries, the 2026 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes show why that matters: without strong legal foundations, economic reforms stall, democracies erode, and prosperity stays out of reach for millions.