Politics & Diplomacy

A bad Ukraine peace could ignite new wars in Russia’s former empire

By Joseph Epstein

If a settlement in Ukraine frees up Russian military resources without establishing credible deterrents against further Kremlin aggression, Moscow will have the means and the motive to reassert dominance elsewhere in its former empire, writes Joseph Epstein.

Dispatch from Munich: Europe is growing stronger, but will it be fast enough to save Ukraine?

By Frederick Kempe

The recent Munich Security Conference underscored the urgency with which European nations must act to address their vulnerabilities.

The promise and peril of Trump’s Board of Peace

By Eric Alter

The inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump’s initiative to manage the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza takes place on February 19.

What Rubio said in Munich, what Europe heard, and what comes next

By Atlantic Council

The US secretary of state delivered a notably positive message to allies at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

What Bangladesh’s first post-Hasina election means for the country’s future

By Rudabeh Shahid, Michael Kugelman

Our experts explain what to expect from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party after it won a parliamentary majority—and what these elections mean for the region.

Dispatch from Central Asia: Dynamism amid uncertainty in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

By Andrew D’Anieri

As Central Asia’s geopolitical importance grows, there are significant opportunities for greater US diplomatic and economic engagement with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Ukraine says lifting football ban would risk legitimizing Russia’s invasion

By Mark Temnycky

Ukraine’s Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi has slammed calls for Russia’s return to international football and warned that any attempt to reinstate the Russians would risk legitimizing the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, writes Mark Temnycky.

Dispatch from Mexico City: Trump’s latest consideration of USMCA withdrawal meets a measured reaction

Mexican officials and business leaders are not in a panic over news that the US president is considering exiting the trilateral trade pact.

A year into its post-Assad era, Syria needs a ‘rules-first’ reset

By Ibrahim Al-Assil

In Syria, relief coexists with unease about what comes next. How can Ahmed al-Sharaa restore a state devastated by a quarter century of authoritarianism, corruption, and civil war? Building a government and economy that work for all Syrians is the only way forward.