Novichok agent

January 10, 2025 | Andrea Stricker |

Trump should get tough again on chemical weapons states

The media has largely ignored a disturbing trend: Russia is openly using chemical weapons against Ukraine. Ukraine’s army support services say Russia has carried out 4,800 chemical...

July 12, 2024 | Andrea Stricker, Anthony Ruggiero

OPCW Visits Ukraine After Accusations of Russian Chemical Weapons Use

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) visited Ukraine last week to deliver critical chemical weapons detection equipment and training. The visit — following accusations by Kyiv...

May 10, 2024 | Andrea Stricker, Anthony Ruggiero

Washington Accuses Russia of Chemical Weapons Attacks in Ukraine

The United States last week accused Russia of using chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops and sanctioned 12 Russian entities and individuals associated with Vladimir Putin’s ongoing chemical weapons...

February 21, 2024 | Clifford D. May |

Murder in the Gulag

Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s only serious rival, has been eliminated

December 1, 2023 | Andrea Stricker, Anthony Ruggiero

Ukraine Defeats Russia in Historic OPCW Election

Ukraine was elected this week to the 41-member Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), defeating Russia and unseating Moscow for the first time in the OPCW’s...

July 10, 2023 | Andrea Stricker, Anthony Ruggiero

OPCW Meeting Sets Up Critical Opportunity to Sideline Russia 

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will convene this week for a thrice-yearly meeting of its Executive Council (EC). The 41-nation policy-making body has a chance to hold Russia...

May 25, 2023 | Andrea Stricker |

Russia and Partners Block Condemnation of Chemical Weapons Treaty Violations

The Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) held its fifth review conference last week to assess implementation of the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and set priorities...

May 12, 2023 | Anthony Ruggiero, Andrea Stricker

It’s time to hold Russia accountable for its use of chemical weapons

The film “Navalny” won the Academy Award in March for best documentary feature. The picture details the Kremlin’s 2020 apparent attempt to assassinate Alexei Navalny using a chemical nerve agent...

September 29, 2022 | Andrea Stricker, Anthony Ruggiero

U.S. Must Show Russia There Is No Impunity for Chemical Weapons Use

A meeting next week of the Executive Council (EC) of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) presents an opportunity for the United States and its allies to demand Russian compliance...

March 24, 2022 | Anthony Ruggiero, Andrea Stricker

Deter Russia’s Use of Chemical Weapons in Ukraine

How Biden handles threats will dissuade Moscow and other adversaries from using these weapons—or encourage it.

November 2, 2021 | Anthony Ruggiero, Andrea Stricker

Putting chemical weapons questions to Russia backfired

Excerpt Russia poisoned Alexei Navalny with a nerve agent more than a year ago. The United States and its allies responded at a recent meeting of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons...

June 15, 2021 | David Adesnik |

Suspend Syria and Russia from the WHO

Earlier this year, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, another member of the UN family, made history by voting to strip the Bashar al-Assad regime of its voting rights and other privileges.

April 22, 2021 | Anthony Ruggiero, Andrea Stricker

OPCW Member States Hold Syria Accountable for Chemical Weapons Use

Eighty-seven member states of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) voted yesterday to suspend Syria’s voting rights in the organization. This was an appropriate, albeit overdue,...

April 8, 2021 | Anthony Ruggiero, Andrea Stricker

A Chance to Stop Syria and Russia From Using Chemical Weapons

Moscow and Damascus have evaded all accountability, but Biden can build a coalition to change that.

April 7, 2021 | Clifford D. May |

The flagging fight for freedom

The brave few on the front line deserve our support

March 5, 2021 | Anthony Ruggiero, John Hardie

Biden Must Do More to Deter Russian Aggression and Uphold Global Norms

The United States on Tuesday joined its European allies in imposing sanctions in response to Moscow’s August 2020 chemical weapons (CW) attack against, and subsequent imprisonment of, Russian opposition...

February 2, 2021 | Matthew Zweig, Andrea Stricker

It’s Time to Sanction Russia for Poisoning Alexei Navalny

In an essay in Foreign Affairs last year, Joe Biden, at the time a presidential candidate, did not mince words when it came to Russia. “We must impose real costs on Russia for its violations of...

December 18, 2020 | John Hardie, Andrea Stricker

White House Refusing to Hold Russia Accountable for Navalny Poisoning

Investigative reports released on Monday eliminated any doubt regarding Moscow’s responsibility for the attempted assassination in August 2020 of leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny using a banned...

December 11, 2020 | David Adesnik, Patrick Spangenberg

Forty-Plus Nations Call for Suspension of Syria From Chemical Weapons Monitoring Body

Forty-six countries have co-sponsored a French call to suspend Syria’s rights and privileges as a member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the international chemical...

November 20, 2020 | Gregory D. Koblentz, Andrea Stricker

Trump Should Act Against Russia’s Use of Chemical Weapons

Existing sanctions aren’t deterring Moscow. Fortunately, there’s bipartisan agreement on the need for new ones.