Content

UkraineAlert

Apr 23, 2026

Shakhtar Donetsk gives Ukraine’s war-weary football fans reason to cheer

By Mark Temnycky

Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk will face English team Crystal Palace next week in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semifinal knowing that a win could provide a much-needed morale boost to millions of fans watching at home in war-torn Ukraine, writes Mark Temnycky.

Conflict Freedom and Prosperity

UkraineAlert

Apr 18, 2026

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 long before the full-scale war of 2022

By Paul Niland

International efforts to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine must reflect the fact that the Kremlin's attack on Ukraine began in 2014 and not with the full-scale war of 2022, writes Paul Niland.

Conflict Disinformation

Dispatches

Apr 16, 2026

Dispatch from Geneva: Uyghur communities need cross-border protection from China’s ongoing atrocities

By Rayhan Asat

Beijing’s long arm of transnational repression extends to Chinese dissidents, pro-democracy activists, and Uyghur diaspora communities around the world.

Central Asia China

UkraineAlert

Apr 16, 2026

Could Bulgaria replace Hungary as Putin’s proxy inside the EU?

By Jan Surotchak

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán's recent election defeat was widely seen as a major setback for Russia, but victory for the pro-Kremlin candidate in this week's Bulgarian parliamentary elections could provide Putin with a new proxy inside the EU, writes Jan Surotchak.

Conflict Defense Policy

Dispatches

Apr 15, 2026

The Islamic Republic of Iran should be held accountable for aiding Russia’s crimes against Ukraine

By Haydee Dijkstal, Britt Gronemeyer

To deter the proliferation of Iranian drones, global courts and governments should pursue accountability for violating international law in supporting Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Human Rights International Norms

UkraineAlert

Apr 13, 2026

Orbán’s Hungarian election defeat: Good for Ukraine, bad for Russia

By Peter Dickinson

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's historic election defeat has removed a major obstacle to Ukraine's EU integration while robbing Putin of his most important European ally, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Elections

UkraineAlert

Apr 9, 2026

Recognizing the role of propaganda in Russia’s infrastructure of aggression

By Anna Vyshniakova, Jais Adam-Troian, Kristina Hook 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrates that propaganda plays a more important part than ever in modern war. Recognizing propaganda as part of Russia’s infrastructure of military aggression is an essential step toward countering it effectively, write Anna Vyshniakova, Jais Adam-Troian, and Kristina Hook. 

Conflict Defense Policy

Dispatches

Apr 8, 2026

Don’t overlook how ordinary Iranians view the war

By Kelly J. Shannon

The current blind spot of how ordinary Iranians are faring carries both humanitarian and policy implications.

Civil Society Conflict

In the News

Apr 8, 2026

Matchett for MIT Technology Review on weaponizing water in future warfare

By Ginger Matchett

On April 7, GeoStrategy Initiative assistant director Ginger Matchett was quoted in “Desalination plants in the Middle East are increasingly vulnerable” for MIT Technology Review on how lessons learned from the Iran war mean water can be weaponized more strategically than previously imagined.

Critical Infrastructure Policy Energy & Environment

UkraineAlert

Apr 7, 2026

Hungarian election could have implications for EU, US, Russia, and Ukraine

By Marc Goedemans

The Hungarian parliamentary elections on April 12 are being billed as the most important in the country’s modern history. With Hungary a key focus in the escalating confrontation between Russia and the West, this weekend’s vote could also have geopolitical implications that will be felt in Kyiv, Moscow, Brussels, and Washington. Current Hungarian Prime Minister […]

Civil Society Conflict

Experts

Events