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Opinion

US President Donald Trump in the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 11, 2025.

Europe can no longer view Trump’s foreign policy through a binary lens

by Zaki Laïdi

Like people in other regions, Europeans face the challenge of discerning what motives underlie U.S. President Donald Trump’s verbal provocations. After all, what Trump really wants is often unclear, which makes it difficult to devise a strategically effective response. Traditionally, Europeans have interpreted American foreign policy through a

Various unmanned systems already in service with the army are displayed at an event in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 11, 2024.

What to expect from Ukraine’s defense innovation in 2025

by Natalia Kushnerska

Despite the uncertainty surrounding a potential resolution to the war, Ukrainians know one thing for sure: we must ramp up our defense capabilities to effectively defend against current and future Russian aggression. This requires the rapid development of asymmetrical solutions to counter Russia's advantages in personnel, material, and financial resources.

 U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office in Washington, DC, on Jan. 20, 2025.

Trump must call Putin’s bluff on Ukraine talks

by Daniel Kochis

Russian President Vladimir Putin is starting 2025 with a bang. In a nod to U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire for a settlement in Ukraine, the Kremlin has announced its readiness for negotiations “without preconditions.” However, the devil is in the details. For Russia, “without preconditions” translates to cutting

 President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference in the White House, Washington, DC, on Jan. 21, 2025.

Trump’s Russia sanctions might be what finally works

by Tom Keatinge

Just one week into his presidency, U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at his approach to U.S. sanctions on Russia. On Truth Social last week, he called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “settle now and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE,” adding,

"Nutcracker" Ballet at Ankara State Opera and Ballet in Ankara, Turkiye, on Nov. 29, 2024

To ban Tchaikovsky or not, that is the question

by Ian Buruma

In 2022, Lithuania’s then-Culture Minister Simonas Kairys decided that performing Russian composer Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet "The Nutcracker" was no longer an appropriate way to celebrate the Christmas season. Lithuania is a staunch supporter of Ukraine, and Kairys, believing that Russian culture could not be separated from

Ukraine is failing the mobilization test

Ukraine is failing the mobilization test

by Illia Krotenko

Ukrainian society largely does not want to mobilize. Nearly 6 million Ukrainian men have not updated their information in military enlistment centers, and most of them likely don't have grounds for a deferment or exemption. Forced mobilization of these men is categorically opposed by society. Rosy-cheeked aunts gather and shout

The oil tanker Eagle S is seen anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, on the Gulf of Finland, on Jan. 13, 2025.

Russia’s Baltic Sea sabotage is no accident, it’s strategy

by Mika Aaltola

Intelligence officials in the U.S. and Europe have suggested that recent incidents damaging critical cables in the Baltic Sea were accidental, according to a Washington Post report. Western geostrategic self-deception has overly emphasized fears of escalation and cornering Russia. It would be naïve to assume that the repeated cutting

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attends a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 19, 2024.

Europe needs plans A, B, and C for Trump and Russia

by Timothy Ash

Listening to the confirmation hearings of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's various appointees in Congress this week, it's becoming clear there is no meaningful grand plan from Trump to end the war in Ukraine quickly. In fact, Trump, along with figures like Keith Kellogg, the incoming Ukraine envoy, has backtracked

The flaws in Ukraine's new brigades and foreign training programs

The flaws in Ukraine's new brigades and foreign training programs

by Serhii Filimonov

Newly formed brigades within the Ukrainian military face critical challenges on the front lines. Poor management, lack of experience, and inadequate training have resulted in territorial losses, damaged equipment, and tragic casualties. NATO’s training methods often fail to align with the realities of modern warfare. Despite receiving advanced equipment

The question isn't if China will turn on Russia, but when

The question isn't if China will turn on Russia, but when

by Sarah C. Paine

Like Czar Nicholas II, Russian President Vladimir Putin has misidentified his primary foe. Fighting a war of choice, he allows the real menace to his country to gather strength. China, not Ukraine, constitutes Russia’s existential threat. In the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), Nicholas fought Japan over Manchuria for concessions that

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5:40 PM

NATO member turning pro-Russia? Inside Slovakia’s political turmoil.

Slovakia, a landlocked country on Ukraine’s western border, is undergoing a dramatic political shift under Prime Minister Robert Fico. As Fico meets with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and cracks down on opposition voices at home, protests are erupting across the country. Tens of thousands of Slovaks have taken to the streets, fearing that their democracy is at risk.
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