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COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

The Power Vertical

The Power Vertical is a blog and podcast for Russia wonks and Kremlin watchers by Brian Whitmore. It covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today.

Host and Eurasia Center Senior Fellow Brian Whitmore invites guest experts to deliver their insights and analysis in this weekly podcast. The Atlantic Council and the Charles T. McDowell Center for Global Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington co-sponsor this production.

The Russia Tomorrow series

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The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia in the East.

Content

UkraineAlert

Mar 9, 2023

Will morale prove the decisive factor in the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

By Peter Dickinson

Putin is preparing for a long war in Ukraine and still believes he can outlast the West, but mounting signs of demoralization among mobilized Russian soldiers may pose a serious threat to the success of his invasion, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Mar 9, 2023

Calls to appease Putin in Ukraine ignore the lessons of history

By Arman Mahmoudian

While the desire for peace in Ukraine is perfectly understandable, mounting calls to appease Putin by handing him a partial victory ignore the lessons of history and would almost certainly lead to more war.

Belarus Central Asia

In the News

Mar 9, 2023

Former secretaries Mark Esper and Deborah Lee James publish op-ed in The Hill

By Atlantic Council

Former Secretaries Mark Esper and Deborah Lee James publish Op-Ed on accelerating DoD adoption of commercial tech.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Mar 8, 2023

Ukrainians will never surrender. How long can they count on the West?

By Serhiy Prytula

Ukraine's remarkable resistance during the first days of the Russian invasion convinced the democratic world to back the country but with Putin now preparing for a long war, continued Western resolve is vital writes Serhiy Prytula.

Civil Society Conflict

In the News

Mar 7, 2023

Kroenig in the Wall Street Journal discussing strategies against nuclear-armed rivals

On March 1, Scowcroft director Matthew Kroenig penned a Wall Street Journal op-ed discussing the compounded threat that nuclear-armed rivals Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China pose to the US. Kroenig highlights recent developments in each country’s nuclear programs and concludes with a call for the US to strengthen its own strategic forces to better […]

China Iran

New Atlanticist

Mar 6, 2023

Five takeaways from the Estonian elections, where security trumped inflation by a landslide

By Marie Jourdain

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas's victory showed how to build national cohesion, the future of electronic voting, and more.

Eastern Europe Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Mar 6, 2023

How Putin’s fear of democracy convinced him to invade Ukraine

By Michael John Williams

Putin's decision to launch the full-scale invasion of Ukraine was rooted in his longstanding fear that the emergence of a democratic Ukraine could serve as a catalyst for the collapse of his own autocratic regime.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Mar 5, 2023

It is time for the West to welcome Ukraine home

By Michael Druckman

Russia's full-scale invasion has strengthened Ukraine's commitment to a future as part of the Western world. Western leaders should now respond by intensifying Ukraine's further integration, writes Michael Druckman.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Mar 3, 2023

Premature peace with Putin would be disastrous for international security

By Peter Dickinson

Perhaps the best way to illustrate the perils of appeasing Putin with a premature peace deal is by imagining where the world would be today if Ukraine had indeed fallen one year ago, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Freedom and Prosperity

In the News

Mar 3, 2023

Lipsky quoted in CNBC about Russia’s missing reserves

Watch full clip here.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

Experts