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Opinion

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opinion editorial

4 minute read

Opinion

Russia has become so economically isolated that China could order the end of its war in Ukraine

As Russia's list of allies dwindles to just North Korea and Iran, both of which are themselves subject to heavy economic sanctions, the country's increasing isolation on the global stage has left it with few options but to rely on China's continued support, potentially giving Beijing the leverage to dictate the terms of its war in Ukraine.

byRenaud Foucart

russians search 18 north korean deserters near ukraine's border ukrainian intel says russian ruler vladimir putin's official meeting kim jong-un chairman state affairs korea 19 june 2024 kremlinru putin jong

4 minute read

Opinion

The Putin-Kim pact is an opportunity for the West

The Russia-North Korea defense pact leaves no doubt about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s determination to overthrow the existing international order. But the agreement could also strain the Kremlin’s relations with China, potentially disrupting Sino-Russian efforts to undermine Western unity

byAna Palacio

4 minute read

Opinion

“Collective Chamberlain” of scholars calls to appease Russia ahead of NATO summit

A group of European and American academics has sparked controversy by urging NATO to reject Ukraine's membership bid, drawing comparisons to Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of Nazi Germany.

byYuriy Lukanov

NATO summit washington DC Stoltenberg Austin result

5 minute read

Opinion

To keep Ukraine’s NATO prospect alive, its neighbors must confront Washington

With talk of Ukraine's NATO aspirations fading in Washington, the country's staunchest advocates in Eastern Europe must convince US leaders that abandoning Ukraine's membership path would be a dangerous mistake.

byLesia Dubenko

7 minute read

Opinion

Trump’s “peace plan” is a blueprint for Russian victory over Ukraine and West

Security analysts warn that Trump's proposed 24-hour negotiation strategy could lead to Ukraine ceding up to 22.5% of its territory, including crucial access to the Black Sea, while abandoning its NATO aspirations.

byHans Petter Midttun

4 minute read

Opinion

Lessons from Aceh: how Ukraine can avoid reconstruction pitfalls

The Ukrainian government and civil society are already developing information systems to monitor rebuilding efforts. But when it comes to implementing them, it is instructive to consider recent large-scale reconstruction programs, which hold important lessons for how to use digital tools effectively and efficiently.

byWolfgang FenglerandbyVladyslav Rashkovan

6 minute read

Opinion

What it will take for Ukraine to win

Two years since Russia's invasion, people are tired. Maintaining resilience is key, and there are two battles being fought

byLiubov Tsybulska

zelenskyy global peace summit Ukraine switzerland

6 minute read

Opinion

Three reasons why Ukraine’s Global Peace Summit was a success

Despite setbacks with Global South attendance and support for the communique, Ukraine's first Global Peace Summit reached its goals, a working group member says and details what happens next

byHennadiy Maksak

4 minute read

Opinion

No other option: Russian wealth must fund Ukraine’s fight

Unless all frozen Russian assets are confiscated and given to Ukraine, Ukraine will lose the war, and the cost for the West will be much higher.

byTimothy Ash

13 minute read

Opinion

Nine reasons NATO cannot afford to say “no” to Ukraine

Allies plan to leave Ukraine yet again in limbo at the Washington summit. They are but victims of reflexive control: denying Ukraine membership will escalate Russia's war, not the other way around

byHans Petter Midttun

4 minute read

Opinion

NATO should deploy non-combat troops to Ukraine

Russia is not going anywhere, so a NATO coalition of the willing might as well help confront it on Ukrainian soil, with the Ukrainian army taking the brunt of the fighting

byAnna HusarskaandbyMykola Viknianskiy

5 minute read

Opinion

Old and new lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine

The enduring conflict in Ukraine has shed light on the intricate dynamics of 21st-century warfare, where nuclear deterrence is shaped by relative stakes rather than capabilities, information warfare plays a crucial role in shaping narratives, and the power of sanctions remains uncertain in the short term.

byJoseph S. Nye

Russian black Sea fleet Ukraine marine drone Sergei Kotov

4 minute read

Opinion

Ukraine war erodes Russia’s grip on Black Sea, Mediterranean

The ongoing war in Ukraine has damaged one-third of Russia's Black Sea warships and cut off its ability to rotate naval assets through Turkish straits, weakening the Kremlin's power projection in the Mediterranean region it once dominated.

byGalip Dalay

6 minute read

Opinion

Big Oil finances Putin’s war crimes and Trump’s political ambitions

Recent findings suggest that Big Oil has been channeling funds into Putin's regime and Trump's political coffers, supporting Russian aggression in Ukraine and efforts to secure favors for the fossil fuel industry.

bySvitlana RomankoandbyOleh Savytskyi

4 minute read

Opinion

The global implications of Georgia’s political crisis

As Georgia's government cracks down on dissent and aligns itself with the Kremlin, the country's role as a crucial link in the Middle Corridor connecting Europe to Asia is under threat, potentially disrupting global trade flows and energy supply chains.

bySalome Samadashvili

5 minute read

Opinion

National revival is Belarus’ best defense against Putin and Lukashenka

After a century of Russification leaving just 1 in 10 Belarusians speaking their native tongue, revitalizing national identity is the only recourse against the Putin-Lukashenka axis of repression.

byFranak Viačorka

6 minute read

Opinion

The myth must die; there can be no security in Europe with Russia

Two years into Russia's war, the ghost of the German Ostpolitik philosophy lingers over the country's foreign policy

byWinfried Schneider-Deters

Oleksandra Matviychuk Lviv Media Forum speech

8 minute read

Opinion

Calls for Ukraine to stop defending itself are immoral, Nobel laureate Matviichuk says

The world order, based on the UN Charter and international law, is collapsing before our eyes, Ukrainian human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviychuk says.

byOleksandra Matviichuk

Georgia foreign agents law protests Tbilisi

10 minute read

Georgia’s Foreign Agents law: Russia’s new frontline in its war against freedom in the world

The protests engulfing in Tbilisi are not only about Georgian democracy, but about countering an ever-expanding zone of global Russian influence

byMarika Mikiashvili

4 minute read

Opinion

Kremlin intensifies sabotage and propaganda in the West ahead of EU elections

As Europeans prepare to head to the polls for the EU elections, security officials warn that the Kremlin is intensifying its efforts to destabilize the continent through a multi-pronged campaign of sabotage, propaganda, and political interference.

bySerhii Kuzan