Politics & Diplomacy

Russian War Report: Russian hacker wanted by the FBI reportedly wins Wagner hackathon prize 

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

In December 2022, Wagner Group organized a hackathon that was won by a man wanted by the FBI for his connection to computer malware.

US sanctions on Syria aren’t working. It’s time for a new sanctions approach that minimizes humanitarian suffering and increases leverage.

By Karam Shaar and Said Dimashqi

Before making concessions, the United States can increase its leverage in Syria by dedicating resources to make use of the smart sanctions that US policymakers have already developed.

State of the Order: Assessing December 2022

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Post-war Ukraine needs a smart digital transformation strategy

By Anatoly Motkin

The war with Russia is far from over but it is important to begin looking ahead and setting the stage for Ukraine's post-war digital transformation, writes StrategEast Center president Anatoly Motkin.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are cooperating with the Taliban. But their approaches to Afghanistan are different. 

By Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco and Kristian P. Alexander

All Gulf Cooperation Council states have come to terms with the reality of Taliban rule in Afghanistan since August 2021 and must pragmatically deal with the situation on the ground.

Soccer players versus the IRGC. Who do the people of Iran choose?

By Arash Azizi

Iranians know who their national heroes are.

Putin’s faltering Ukraine invasion exposes limits of Russian propaganda

By Victor Tregubov

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was supposed to be a short and victorious war. Instead, it has transformed him into a pariah and shattered Russia’s reputation as a military superpower. How could he have got it so wrong?

How Brazil can respond to its democracy stress test

By Atlantic Council

Now that authorities have cleared the protests and launched an investigation into security failures, our experts break down what’s to come.

Experts react: Brazil has suffered its own attack against democracy. Here’s what the government and its allies can do next.

By Atlantic Council experts

As the tear gas clears, substantial questions remain about the state of Brazil’s democracy and institutions—and what the United States can do in response to the riot.