Security & Defense

State of the Order: Assessing February 2023

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

No ‘free-riding’ here: European defense spending defies US critics

By Jason Davidson

Recently released evidence suggests that most of NATO’s members have increased their defense spending or plan to—even as the US has increased its own presence in Europe.

Why did China broker an Iran-Saudi detente?

By Atlantic Council

What does this move mean for one of the Middle East’s defining rivalries? How should the United States view China’s role in the breakthrough? Our experts dig beyond the diplomat-speak.

Experts react: Iran and Saudi Arabia just agreed to restore relations, with help from China. Here’s what that means for the Middle East and the world.

By Atlantic Council experts

Long-standing regional adversaries just made a big announcement: They will reestablish diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by China. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on the announcement.

Russian War Report: Russian army advances toward Bakhmut, but its offensive capabilities remain unclear

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

The Russian army advances toward Bakhmut while a large-scale russian air attack targets civilian infrastructure.