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
Putin
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
Russia Risks Following in the Footsteps of Syria’s Dictatorship
OPINION — Is Vladimir Putin repeating the errors made by the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad? Many believe the answer may be yes. In November 2024, Assad’s […] More
Conservatives of America: Putin Is Not Your Ally
OPINION — American conservatives be advised: Vladimir Putin does not share your values and is not your friend. You may be tempted to regard the […] More
The Latest
With ‘Ball in Russia’s Court,’ What Will Putin Do?
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT — As the Trump Administration pressed over the past week to reach a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, two phrases captured […] More
Negotiating with Russia is Fraught with Peril
OPINION — Nearly 24 years ago, standing in the Bundestag in Berlin, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin delivered one of the most remarkable speeches of the post-Cold […] 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
The Case for Peace Through Strength – and Diplomacy
OPINION — In his inaugural address, President Donald Trump said: “Our success will be measured not only by the battles we win, but also by the […] More
Expert Q&A: Should Trump Meet Putin?
EXPERT INTERVIEW — Four days into what the Trump administration has said will be a 100-day push for peace in Ukraine, the president has made several […] More
The world can’t afford another ‘Mafia Don’ war when it comes to Russia
EXPERT PERSPECTIVE / OPINION – The upcoming peaceful inauguration of the next U.S. president should serve as a reminder to the world of the virtues […] More
How Trump Could End the Ukraine War
Expert View — President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday that his team is setting up a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the end […] More
In Ukraine, the Anxious Wait for Trump’s Plan to End the War
DEEP DIVE — President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of a quick end to Russia’s war on Ukraine is something that Ukrainians desperately want, as the full-scale invasion […] More
A High-level Briefing on Russia for the next U.S. President
EXPERT OPINION – Dear 47th President of the United States, congratulations on your victory and thank you for your willingness to serve as the leader […] More
Why our Presidential Candidates Must Choose Ukraine
OPINION — As the days wind down to what will arguably be the most consequential election in the first half of the 21st Century, there […] More
Are Putin’s ‘Red Lines’ Real Threats or Hollow Bluffs?
DEEP DIVE — Does Vladimir Putin have actual “red lines” for the West when it comes to the war in Ukraine? And if so, what will […] More
Putin is Offering the West a Choice between War and Dishonor
OPINION – Russian President Vladimir Putin has started the largest conflict on the European continent since World War II. He is the architect and driving […] More
This Administration’s Final Decisions on Ukraine could be its most important
An Open Letter to U.S. National Security Advisor, The Hon. Jake Sullivan Dear Sir: The world is still at a critical inflection point in history. […] More