TORTURE CULTURE: Investigating Russia’s use of torture throughout history

Watch documentary now

Author

Charles Hecker photo

Charles Hecker

Charles Hecker is the author of the book Zero Sum: The Arc of International Business in Russia and an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

Articles

Trump (R) and Putin (L) shake hands at the end of a U.S.-Russia in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. on Aug. 15, 2025.

Are dollars replacing diplomacy in US-Russia talks?

by Charles Hecker
Anyone hoping for a geopolitically robust and sustainable resolution to Russia's war on Ukraine should quickly re-examine their optimism or at least check their assumptions. Commercial interests, rather than military or political concerns, are driving the United States' talks with Russia. This mercantile approach carries two critical risks. First, Russia's aggression against Ukraine does not stem from an economic rivalry. Talking business with Russia misses the point entirely. Second, the sugg