Vladimir Putin

Previewing the Trump-Xi Summit 

Security Challenges in the Western Balkans

Briefing delivered to the Counter-Kleptocracy Caucus

Arming the U.S. military for the new cold war

More money necessary but not sufficient

Previewing the 2026 UN General Assembly

Post-9/11 Lessons — We Overlooked Festering Geostrategic Issues

As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, it is important to reflect on the historic significance of that atrocity and on the lessons we have drawn and should draw from it. The 20 years that followed...

Stalled in Ukraine, Putin may try to break NATO

Dwight Eisenhower is said to have counseled that if a problem can’t be solved, you should enlarge it.  Is Vladimir Putin now applying that maxim perversely? I’ll bet you a ruble the CIA...

Germany is stepping up on defense — and Washington should celebrate

The Pentagon’s review of U.S. force posture in Europe has many NATO allies asking questions about the future of America’s military footprint on the continent, even as CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled...

What is the Axis of Aggressors doing in Europe and the Middle East?

Putin is testing NATO because he thinks the West will flinch

CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow this week comes as U.S. intelligence warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be prepared to escalate against...

Putin’s Knee-Jerk Nuclear Saber-Rattling

This week the Kremlin is signaling that further escalation remains on the table, with some Russian officials reportedly discussing nuclear weapons as a last resort, Bloomberg reports. The...

How Putin’s Black Sea food fight puts the world — and your grocery bill — at risk

The oil war in the Black Sea between Russia and Ukraine is turning into a food fight — with potentially disastrous implications. Moscow, fuming at strikes on its “shadow fleet” of sanctions-evading...

Vučić Welcomes Zelensky in Serbia: Turning Point or Tactical Gambit?

On Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky made his first official visit to Serbia, a country long seen as one of Russia’s closest European partners. For some in the West, it was proof that Serbian President Aleksandar...

Treasury Penalizes Anti-Money Laundering Failure After Weak Enforcement

The U.S. Treasury Department is raising the cost of turning a blind eye to suspicious financial activity. On August 3, Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) imposed a $125 million...

Axis of Aggressors Military Cooperation Is Worse Than You Think

The United States now confronts one of the most dangerous geostrategic environments since 1945, in no small part because of the emergence of a new Axis of Aggressors consisting of China, Russia, Iran,...

Melania Trump got it right: Russia must return Ukraine’s stolen children

President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 28 at the White House, where they discussed how to resuscitate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine....

The Axis of Aggressors vs. America

During the Cold War, the U.S. had only one major enemy – now we have four

Why the OSCE Shouldn’t Meet in Serbia

The OSCE’s recent decision to hold its 2027 meeting in Belgrade will reward Serbia for its democratic backsliding and pro-authoritarian foreign policy.

Russia’s Cyber War Against the West

Russian weapons do not always need to explode. They may simply arrive in your inbox. As Moscow refines its cyber arsenal, digital espionage is increasingly the Kremlin’s weapon of choice for advancing...

Amid war and persecution, Iranians remain hungry for change

What is unmistakable is the depth of loathing for the Islamic Republic among its long-suffering citizens: At 71%, “dissatisfaction with the Islamic Republic” was the top reason for joining protests, according to a survey.

Securing the Arctic

The U.S. And Its NATO Allies Should Work Together – Not Against Each Other – To Secure the Arctic