East Asia

As Russian losses mount in Ukraine, Putin seeks more foreign fighters

By Marc Goedemans, Katherine Spencer

With no end in sight to the invasion of Ukraine, Putin is looking to recruit more foreign fighters to counter heavy Russian losses while avoiding a politically risky mobilization, write Marc Goedemans and Katherine Spencer.

Energy Sanctions Dashboard: October 2025

The October 2025 edition of the Energy Sanctions Dashboard analyzed China’s central role in the market for sanctioned oil and the techniques Russia, Iran, and Venezuela use to evade sanctions on oil.

The global push for local-currency cross-border payments is intensifying

By Hung Tran

More than one hundred countries now operate instant payment systems, and growing efforts to link them are reshaping how cross-border transactions get settled in local currencies.

The impacts of the Iranian crisis on Japan’s energy strategy

By Tatsuya Terazawa

Strategic planning has enabled Japan to manage the Hormuz energy crisis relatively well. But the shock also exposed policy weaknesses that needs to be addressed to improve the country's energy resilience.

The US needs a comprehensive batteries strategy to ensure its battlefield edge

By Joseph Webster and Kyle Chan

Batteries are becoming increasingly important in defense technologies. To keep an operational edge, the US needs to focus on new supply chains and developing technological advantages.

How Gulf investments are responding to the US-China critical minerals competition

By Chenjie Song and Jonathan Fulton

Gulf sovereign wealth funds are seeking to maximize return on investment while maintaining strategic optionality.