Ukraine

Can the US avoid both appeasement and war? This week’s Russia talks will be revealing.

By Frederick Kempe

By this week’s end, the United States and its allies likely will know whether Vladimir Putin is willing to negotiate or whether he’s determined to escalate.

How to make a Russian invasion of Ukraine prohibitively expensive

By Andriy Zagorodnyuk

Bolstering Ukraine's ability to wage an effective asymmetric campaign on home soil may be the most effective way to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Can diplomacy deter Vladimir Putin and avert a major war in Ukraine?

By Peter Dickinson

Senior Russian and Western officials will hold a series of meetings next week in a bid to defuse mounting tensions and avert the possibility of a major escalation in Vladimir Putin’s eight-year war against Ukraine.

Appeasing Putin in Ukraine would be disastrous for European security

By Stephen Blank

Any attempt to appease Moscow and Beijing over Ukraine and Taiwan would be a dangerous betrayal of Western values that would invite bolder acts of aggression against a much more enfeebled West.

Putin’s pick for Belarus ambassador reveals Russia’s imperial agenda

By Brian Whitmore

This year marks the centenary of the USSR. The appointment of heavyweight figure Gryzlov as Moscow's envoy to Belarus suggests Putin intends to mark this anniversary by putting the old empire back together again.

State of the Order: Looking Back on 2021

This special edition of State of the Order breaks down the most important events that shaped the democratic world order last year.