As Negotiations Over Ukraine Drag On, What Can Putin Stand to Lose?
EXPERT PERSPECTIVE – “How Many Divisions has the Pope Got?” Josef Stalin’s sarcastic, contemptuous dismissal of an appeal by Pope Pius XI to a higher […] More
Ukraine
What Comes After Istanbul Will Define Ukraine
Never give in—never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. […] More
Vladimir Putin Has Reasons to be Nervous
OPINION – On the surface, Russian President Vladimir Putin projects calm and strength, as was evident as he hosted a Victory Day parade in Moscow’s […] More
Assessing Putin and the ‘Axis of Authoritarians’ – and How to Counter Them
CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING – On Friday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed more than a dozen world leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping, for a Victory […] More
The Latest
Who’s Winning the Intelligence War in Ukraine?
CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING – It’s often lost in all the news from the battlefield in Ukraine, and the various negotiations underway in pursuit of a […] More
Message for President Trump: You Have More in Common with Zelensky Than Putin
OPINION – What a powerful picture it was. On the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky sitting and talking. One on […] More
Why Crimea Matters – for War and Peace in Ukraine
EXPERT INTERVIEWS – Mention “the war“ to Ukrainians and they will likely date the conflict not to Russia’s February 2022 invasion of their country, but […] More
What if the U.S. Walks Away from Ukraine?
OPINION – The Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, said recently that unless Ukraine’s government agrees to the U.S. proposal that allows Russia […] More
Who is Putin’s Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev?
EXPERT INTERVIEW – The visit of Kirill Dmitriev to Washington last week marked the first time in more than three years that a envoy from […] More
Resetting Ukraine Negotiations Could Prevent a Shift in Great Power Competition
EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — The change in U.S. posture toward Ukraine, the expanding fracture between the U.S. and NATO, and what appears, at least for now, […] More
The World According to Trump and Putin
OPINION — “Concerning U.S. President’s proposal to declare a 30-day ceasefire, the Russian side [President Vladimir Putin] outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire […] More
The Ukraine War Just Got Uglier and Even More Personal
EXPERT INTERVIEW — After one of the most emotional, anger-filled days ever captured on public record in the Oval Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left […] More
Trump is Handing Europe its Turn to Lead
OPINION / EXPERT PERSPECTIVE (LONDON) – U.S. President Donald Trump has only been back in the White House for 6 weeks, but the reaction in […] More
The Art of Negotiating with Vladimir Putin
OPINION / EXPERT PERSPECTIVE – As talks move forward between the U.S. and Russia with the intention of an agreement to end Moscow’s war in […] More
The U.S., Europe and a Ukraine-Russia peace deal
EXPERT INTERVIEWS – As global leaders gather at the Munich Security conference this weekend, they confront profound questions about Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Trump […] More
A Tale of Competing Agendas on Ukraine: Will history judge Trump as a Churchill or a Chamberlain?
OPINION / EXPERT PERPSECTIVE — In coming weeks, President Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and after that meeting, with Russian President Vladimir […] More
Welcome to the Gray Zone and the Future of Great Power Competition
This is part one of a 3-part series by Cipher Brief Expert and former Assistant Director of CIA for South and Central Asia Dave Pitts, who also […] More
How can Europe win the battle for President Trump’s Ukraine policy
OPINION — Let us hope that the nadir of European delusion was reached on 7th December when a TV commentator at the reopening of Notre Dame […] More
The Biden Administration’s Race to Help Ukraine – and Putin’s Response
DEEP DIVE — The war in Ukraine has veered into volatile new territory, ignited by a final push — in Washington and Kyiv – to alter […] More