Weekly Reading Lists

Top 5 – Must Read

Keeping Canada Relevant Through Specialization – War on the Rocks

Kursk operation: What Ukraine achieved so far and potential future gains – Kyiv Independent

Will Telegram’s uncompromising privacy policy survive founder Pavel Durov’s arrest? – Novaya Gazeta

How Deep Are China-Russia Military Ties? – CSIS

Looking Out Over the Next Four Years – FPRI

War in Ukraine

Russian POWs on their capture in Kursk Oblast: ‘Commanders just disappeared' – Kyiv Independent

Ukraine strikes Russian airfields with homemade weapons in hopes of preventing devastating attacks at home – Kyiv Independent

Ukrainian F-16s Get Latest US Air Force Electronic Warfare and Jamming Software – Kyiv Post

Putin hopes Belarus border bluff can disrupt Ukraine’s invasion of Russia – Atlantic Council

Inside Russia

Punishment as a crime. Why Russia's penitentiary system is to blame for recent inmate riots – The Insider

On thin ice: Russia's unfolding climate catastrophe and the road ahead – The Insider

Putin’s Most-Punished Minority – CEPA

How Russia’s Diamond Republic Finds Manpower for Putin’s Army – The Moscow Times

Russia and Neighbours

The second of two reports from Nepal, where the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are being felt by many – Novaya Gazeta

The first of two reports from Nepal, where impoverished locals are being duped into fighting in Ukraine – Novaya Gazeta

TON of problems: Why a billion users couldn’t help Pavel Durov's Telegram turn a profit and how his arrest could threaten his business – The Insider

Importing hate. The Russian roots of Georgia's homophobia – The Insider

Multilateral

Europe’s new defense commissioner: Game-changer or procurement manager? – Atlantic Council

Tightening the Screw? — EU’s New Sanctions on Russia – CEPA

Reinforcing resilience: NATO’s role in enhanced security for critical undersea infrastructure – NATO Review

Ukraine ratifies Rome Statute but must address concerns over ICC jurisdiction – Atlantic Council

Security and Defense

The Consequences of Expanding the Pentagon Budget – Inkstick

When It Comes to Weaponry, Lethality Is Not Enough – War on the Rocks

How America Lost Its Global Connectivity Lead and Why the Future Depends on Getting It Back – War on the Rocks

How to Boil a Frog: The Dangers of Downsizing in the U.S. Military – War on the Rocks

Top 5 – Must Read

How Ukraine's military has changed since it last paraded through the streets of Kyiv – Kyiv Independent

Ukraine’s EU accession hinges on stronger defense and consolidated reforms – Atlantic Council

Invasion? What invasion? Putin is downplaying Ukraine’s Kursk offensive – Atlantic Council

The U.S.-Ukraine Security Agreement Is What the Parties Will Make of It – Lawfare

Russia continues to import U.S. microchips needed for missile navigation and Internet censorship despite sanctions – The Insider

Kursk Offensive

Stranded Russian troops in Kursk Oblast could top-up Ukraine's POW fund, experts say – Kyiv Independent

In Battlefield Kursk Region, Civilians Feel Forgotten by Their Own Country - The Moscow Times

Testimonies from war-torn Kursk Oblast, where locals have been left to their own devices – The Insider

The Haunting: Prigozhin’s Ghost Roams Kursk – CEPA

Who is Colonel-General Alexander Lapin, the man being blamed for Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region? – Novaya Gazeta

Inside Ukraine, Inside Russia

Ukraine Has its Foot on Gazprom’s Throat – CEPA

Ukraine Bans Russia’s Orthodox Church – CEPA

Putin in Azerbaijan: Depleted by Ukraine, Russia plays a weaker hand in the South Caucasus – Kyiv Independent

The purge of Russia’s Defence Ministry has reached Patriot Park, Moscow’s military Disneyland – Novaya Gazeta

US Elections

Harris closes convention in support of Ukraine after nearly sidelining foreign policy – Kyiv Independent

What Would a Kamala Harris Presidency Mean for Transatlantic Relations? – Inkstick

J.D. Vance and the Model of the Modern Vice Presidency – Lawfare

Election 2024: Kamala Harris Makes Her Case to the Nation – CFR

MATO, Security and Defense

Rethinking the Role of a Systems Integrator for Artificial Intelligence – War on the Rocks

The Long Shadow of Soviet Sabotage Doctrine? – War on the Rocks

How a ‘Free North’ strategy can ensure Arctic and Baltic security – Atlantic Council

NATO wants to be a leader on climate security. Here are the next steps to get there. – Atlantic Council

Top 5 – Must Read

NATO: More Effort Needed to Shield Subsea Links – CEPA

A new Kursk of action: Why Ukraine launched its operation on Russian soil – The Insider

Ukraine is still pumping Russian gas and financing the war against itself. Will this continue in 2025? – Ukrainska Pravda

Russia’s Becoming More Digitally Isolated—and Dependent on China – CFR

The Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation has never looked so moribund – Novaya Gazeta

Kursk Offensive

As Ukraine's Kursk incursion wins US support, will fears of Russian escalation fade? – Kyiv Independent

Ukraine’s invasion of Russia is erasing Vladimir Putin’s last red lines – Atlantic Council

Ukraine and the Problem of Restoring Maneuver in Contemporary War – ISW

How the Ukrainian offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast is progressing and what to expect next – Ukrainska Pravda

The Battle of Kursk 2024 – Kyiv Post

How Ukraine's Kursk incursion threw Russia's top propagandists into crisis – Kyiv Independent

War in Ukraine

Thousands flee as Russian troops take one Donetsk Oblast village after another – Kyiv Independent

Interview with Zelenskyy's top aide: Andrii Yermak on peace talks, Putin, China and Trump – European Pravda

The Russian government has just banned the use of smartphones by its forces in Ukraine – Novaya Gazeta

Disarming Belarus: Lukashenko Attempts to Keep Power by Weapons Transfers to Russia – Kyiv Post

Russia and Co

How Iranian Azerbaijan narrowly avoided becoming the USSR's “new territory”: Excerpt from “Iran's Kremlin Agents” by Mikhail Krutikhin – The Insider

The Kremlin’s war on streaming: How Russia is moving to block YouTube and why its efforts may bring down the entire Runet – The Insider

Belarus’s political prisoners must not be forgotten – Atlantic Council

Russia’s Post-war Military Recruiting Strategy Emerges – War on the Rocks

Russia’s Military Graft Purge Is Destined to Fail – CEPA

NATO, Security and Defense

How the U.S. Can Counter Disinformation From Russia and China – CFR

Without Talent Agility, America May Lose – War on the Rocks

Three Visions for NATO Air and Missile Defense – War on the Rocks

How the EU extradites refugees to Emomali Rahmon's dictatorship over false accusations of links to ISIS – The Insider

Polish Tech: Grand Ambitions on a Shaky Foundation – CEPA

Top 5 – Must Read

What Will the End of the U.S. Foreign Policy Consensus Mean for the World? – Lawfare

A Ukrainian military expert on the ongoing AFU incursion into Russia’s Kursk region – Novaya Gazeta

Why the terrorist underground revival in the Caucasus caught the Kremlin unawares – The Insider

How Young People In Canada And The USA View National Security – NAOC

The Narrow Bottleneck of Ukraine-Russia Reconciliation – CEPA

War in Ukraine

What's really happening in Bilohorivka, which hardly ever makes the news – Ukrainska Pravda

Thick Fog of War in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod Regions as Ukrainian Raiders Strike – Kyiv Post

How Ukraine’s incursion into Russia could change the war – Atlantic Council

Ukraine continues to expand drone bombing campaign inside Russia – Atlantic Council

Ukrainian companies desperately need workers. There just aren't enough – Kyiv Independent

The Ally in the East: Japan’s Present and Future Role in Ukraine – Geopolitical Monitor

Russia in the World

‘Why Did Our State Allow This?’: Russians in Border Region Slam Officials’ Inaction as Ukrainian Forces Attack – Moscow Times

Russia has responded to Armenia’s attempted pivot to the West by targeting the country’s export of fruit and vegetables – Novaya Gazeta

Hostage Diplomacy: The Downside – CEPA

Russian Disinformation And The West – NAOC

A Russia without Russians? Putin’s disastrous demographics – Atlantic Council

Security and Defense

Preparing for the Possibility of a Draft Without Panic – War on the Rocks

How to Make Military AI Governance More Robust – War on the Rocks

NATO Missed a Chance to Transform Itself – War on the Rocks

Backgrounder: The NATO Pivot toward Asia – Geopolitical Monitor

U.S. Elections

Pro-Ukraine lobbying efforts bet on Trump pivot to look tough on Putin – Kyiv Independent

Harris VP pick Governor Tim Walz good news for Ukraine – Kyiv Independent

Issue Guide: Tim Walz on Foreign Policy – CFR

How Europe can counter Putin's apocalyptic threats even if Donald Trump takes back the White House – The Insider

Top 5 – Must Read

Russia’s Weaponization of Ukrainian Prisoner Exchanges – Lawfare

Eastern Europe Has a Role to Play in US-China Economic Competition – Geopolitical Monitor

Why a Feminist Foreign Policy – CFR

Can citizens’ assemblies help counter a rising populist tide in the West? – Atlantic Council

The Death of Nationalism? Think Again – Inkstick

War in Ukraine

Ukraine’s new F-16 jets won’t defeat Russia but will enhance air defenses – Atlantic Council

New blood: How the Kremlin's aggressive ambitions are bringing Ukraine more allies worldwide – The Insider

Ukraine and the Frontlines of the War on Disinformation – FPRI

Ukrainians See Corruption as a Key Issue Even during the War – Wilson Center

Ukraine businesses furious over government-proposed tax hikes to fund fight against Russia – Kyiv Independent

Russia in the World

Libya is the crucial hub for Moscow’s activities in Africa – Atlantic Council

Who was released from Russian prisons in historic swap? – Kyiv Independent

The children of Russia’s pro-war elites are rarely to be found on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine – Novaya Gazeta

Trading Spies for Political Prisoners – Wilson Center

The West’s Loss of the Sahel: Not (only) Russia’s Doing – FPRI

NATO and and Defence

Keeping the “Best and Brightest” Junior Officers in the U.S. Military – War on the Rocks

The Calm Before the Swarm: Drone Warfare at Sea in the Age of the Missile – War on the Rocks

The role Turkey can play in NATO’s post-Washington summit aims – Atlantic Council

To deter Russia, NATO must adapt its nuclear sharing program – Atlantic Council

NATO After Next: From Interoperability to Fungibility – War on the Rocks

Trade and Sanctions

Making U.S. Trade Policy Relevant Again – CFR

No Carrots, Just Sticks: US Bullying Allies on China Chips – CEPA

No turning around: Why secondary sanctions on Russia do work – The Insider

Investments in Ukraine recover as M&A deals continue upward trend – Kyiv Independent

Wafer rush: Taiwanese silicon is a key component for Russian military microchip production – The Insider

Top 5 – Must Read

‘You have power, or you don’t:’ Ukraine’s energy crisis drives power decentralization – Kyiv Independent

All hands on deck: How Ukraine’s labor market is coping with a shortage of men – The Insider

Lukashenka’s rhetoric toward Ukraine and the West has softened. His repression of Belarusians has not. – Atlantic Council

The U.S. Department of Deterrence – War on the Rocks

Is Europe Ready for a New Transatlantic Era? – Carnegie

War in Ukraine

Biden could cement his legacy by boosting Ukraine support, experts say – Kyiv Independent

How the full-scale war has changed Ukrainians and what Ukraine's "new normal" is like – Ukrainska Pravda

Russian troops are continuing to make costly advances in Ukraine in the hopes of freezing the conflict with optimal gains – Novaya Gazeta

Shoot the archer, not the arrow: Ukraine’s missile defense dilemma – The Insider

“The CO picked a bunch of nationalists and set up a punishment squad”: The Russian army’s gulag-style methods of abuse – The Insider

Inside Russia

The European University at St. Petersburg has closed its Faculty of Political Sciences following years of official pressure – Novaya Gazeta

The Russian authorities are further restricting the rights of migrants in the wake of the Moscow concert hall attack – Novaya Gazeta

Disaster medicine: How war and government actions block Russia's access to advanced medical technologies – The Insider

Putin is convinced he can outlast the West and win in Ukraine – Atlantic Council

Putin’s Revolution and War at a “Historical Crossroads” – GMF

Trade and Economics

Why Ukraine's decision on Russia's Lukoil is a problem but not a catastrophe – European Pravda

What French economic policy may look like after the Olympics – Atlantic Council

The changing dynamics of the Western Balkans on the road to European Union membership: an update – Bruegel

European energy security requires stronger power grids – Atlantic Council

Dragged over the сoals: Russia's forced subsidization of a dying industry – The Insider

Multilateral

The West should articulate the possibility of a European future for Belarus now – Atlantic Council

Ukraine and NATO are restoring Europe’s security architecture – Atlantic Council

The Women, Peace, and Security agenda made important strides at NATO’s Washington summit – Atlantic Council

Poland could be Europe’s rising star on defence and security – Chatham House

Joint public procurement as a tool for European Union industrial policy – Bruegel

Elections

How President Harris Would Handle US Foreign Policy in Europe and Asia – Kyiv Post

Project 2025 Will Cripple US Anti-Money Laundering Capabilities – Inkstick

France's political deadlock: Left-centrist tug-of-war may lead to prolonged parliamentary void – The Insider

What to Expect from Russia as the US Presidential Election Draws Near – Wilson Center

Winds of Change: Ukrainian Politics Reacts to the US Electoral Drama – Wilson Center

Security and Defence

US Troops Are Losing a War with Their Deadliest Enemy – Inkstick

A Cyber Force Is Not the Only Solution – War on the Rocks

A Guide to Counterintelligence – Grey Dynamics

The Wagner Group Lives on in Africa – Lawfare

What Makes a Pirate? Updating U.S. Piracy Law to Address an Age-Old Scourge – Lawfare

The UK needs to move faster on nuclear energy cybersecurity – Chatham House

Top 5 – Must Read

How Russian propagandists spun the Trump assassination attempt – DFRLab

Russia is increasingly using underhand methods to lure migrants and foreigners into fighting in Ukraine – Novaya Gazeta

How America’s Aid to Ukraine Actually Works – Lawfare

Adapt to a harsher world: Memo to the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy – Bruegel

Deep Strikes Into Russia: A Partner’s Decision for Ukraine’s Strategic Success – War on the Rocks

Ukraine’s Defence

With Krynky lost, what did the perilous operation accomplish? – Kyiv Independent

Russia's T-90M tank losses in Ukraine hit 100 – and it only had 67 to begin with – Kyiv Independent

On the Kharkiv Front, Ukrainian Soldiers Are Galvanized by Thwarted Russian Offensive, Western Arms – The Moscow Times

Hard work underway to reopen Kyiv children’s hospital hit by Russian missile – Kyiv Independent

‘The Language of War’ searches for ways to talk meaningfully about Russian invasion – Kyiv Independent

The War and the West

Russia’s retreat from Crimea makes a mockery of the West’s escalation fears – Atlantic Council

Dutch Defense Minister Says Long-Awaited Fighters Arriving ‘in the Near Future’ – Kyiv Post

What if Trump wins: how NATO’s Washington Summit prepared Ukraine for a new US administration – European Pravda

The downing of MH17, and Russia’s responsibility – Kyiv Independent

Inside Russia

Researchers have found that Russians are increasingly uncertain of their future as the war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending – Novaya Gazeta

Is the child-free movement really a threat to Russia’s demographics? – Novaya Gazeta

Russia: A Confused and Embittered Nation – CEPA

Russia’s ‘Global Majority’? Struggling to Find the Numbers – CEPA

“Even rainbow-colored children’s toys are an offense!” How Russian regions battle ‘gay propaganda’ — and all bright things, just in case – The Insider

Multilateral

What to expect from Ursula von der Leyen’s second term – Atlantic Council

This might be NATO’s greatest struggle yet—and it’s global – Atlantic Council

Not coming to the rescue. Five insiders explain NATO’s reluctance to help Ukraine win – The Insider

Re-elected Von der Leyen Pledges Ukraine Aid, Improved European Security – CEPA

The European Central Bank’s operational framework and what it is missing – Bruegel

Security and Defense

Sustainable Sustainment: Supplying War in the Age of Strategic Competition – War on the Rocks 

Something Borrowed, Something Blue: Integrating Maritime Statecraft and Strategy – War on the Rocks

Modernizing space-based nuclear command, control, and communications – Atlantic Council

National Security or Legal Niceties? Norway Picks a Path – CEPA

What Role Does the Book Play in War? – Inkstick

Top 5 – Must Read

The First Cyberpunk War: Ukraine conflict combines cutting-edge and ancient weaponry – The Insider

War, Peace and Politics: Reflections on Writing – War on the Rocks

Europe’s lasting dictator – Novaya Gazeta

NATO is inevitable: What the Washington summit's decision means for Ukraine's membership – European Pravda

From blueprints to battlefields: How to ensure NATO’s future readiness – Atlantic Council

Russia’s War

This is how Ukraine can – and can’t – use its F-16s – Kyiv Independent

Russia’s advance toward key eastern highway threatens Ukraine’s grip of Donetsk Oblast – Kyiv Independent

More Russians Favor Peace Talks With Ukraine Than Ever – But It’s Complicated – Moscow Times

Assessing Russian plans for military regeneration – Chatham House

Ukraine Can’t Destroy Russia’s Air Force on the Ground – CEPA

NATO

Our experts read between the lines of NATO’s Washington summit communiqué – Atlantic Council

Turkey’s emerging and disruptive technologies capacity and NATO: Defense policy, prospects, and limitations – Atlantic Council

NATO needs a strategy to address Russia’s Arctic expansion – Atlantic Council

NATO’s 2% Spending Minimum. Will Canada Ever Make It? – NAOC

Investing in the army will make Britain a stronger NATO ally – Chatham House

Elections

Ukraine and its soldiers weigh in on whether Biden should step aside – Kyiv Independent

French voters beat back the far right in an election surprise. What’s next for France and Macron? – Atlantic Council

Does the French Vote Weaken Europe? – Carnegie

Global Threats Loom if Biden Drops Out – CFR

What Do France’s Surprise Election Results Mean for the Far Right? – CFR

The Republican National Convention Begins on Monday – CFR 

Economics

Russia’s wasted decade – Novaya Gazeta

Wounded Veterans, Wounded Economy: The Personnel Costs of Russia’s War – War on the Rocks

Why decrees alone cannot halt falling birth rates — in Russia or anywhere else – The Insider

Countries are still slow to follow European Union policy recommendations – Bruegel

Europe’s Russia Sanction Regime Cracks – CEPA

Europe’s Nuclear Renaissance Could Strengthen Transatlantic Bonds – CEPA

Security and Defense

Russian Anti-Drone Conference Offers Solutions from Sublime to Ridiculous – Kyiv Post

Chinese Military Delegation Negotiates Logistics Cooperation with Belarus – Kyiv Post

Europe’s Conscription Challenge: Lessons From Nordic and Baltic States – Carnegie

As NATO leaders gather, Putin has been making peace proposals – why? – Chatham House

Why We Fight Over Canadian Defense Spending – Wilson Center

Influence and Diplomacy

Russia's shadow over Georgia and Kyrgyzstan's foreign agent laws – Kyiv Independent

Poland and Ukraine - Divided in Past, United in Present – Kyiv Post

Friends Reunited? The Renaissance in Russia-Cuba Strategic Ties – Geopolitical Monitor

Modi operandi: How India curries favor with the Kremlin to secure oil discounts – The Insider

The Nuclear Taboo Is a Myth - Lawfare

Top 5 – Must Read

Russian Strategic Culture and the War in Ukraine – FPRI

What do Biden, Macron, and Sunak have in common? They brought it on themselves. – Atlantic Council

Leaks reveal how Russia's foreign intelligence agency runs disinformation campaigns in the West – The Insider

The Money War: NATO and Economic Security – CEPA

The Kremlin’s Flawed Cold War Mindset in Today’s World – Wilson Center

Russia

Russia struggles to control finances as Ukraine invasion spending soars – Kyiv Independent

Russian troops in occupied Ukraine are killing each other at an alarming rate – Novaya Gazeta

Moscow and Beijing are no closer to agreeing terms for the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline – Novaya Gazeta

Central Asia: The Once and Future Heart of Eurasia – Geopolitical Monitor

US prepares to sever space ties with Russia, threatening Roscosmos's future – The Insider

What Next After Russia’s Failed Kharkiv Offensive? – CEPA

NATO

NATO Should Think Big About the Indo-Pacific – War on the Rocks

NATO must find ways to accelerate the decline of Russia’s military industry – Chatham House

What Will Happen at NATO’s Washington Summit? – CSIS

An External Agenda for the NATO Summit – FPRI

Why NATOizing Military Assistance to Ukraine Won’t Solve the Alliance’s Ukraine Dilemma - FPRI

Ukraine

Who needs warships when you’ve got drones? Russia loses control over Black Sea – Kyiv Independent

Ukrainian journalists report continued pressure, censorship attempts as previous cases remain unsolved – Kyiv Independent

Ukrainian optimism about war clashes with European skepticism in new poll – Kyiv Independent

US$12 billion for war: when will the Ukrainian authorities raise taxes and what are the alternatives? – Ukrainska Pravda

Bombing Europe’s breadbasket: Russia targets Ukrainian farmers – Atlantic Council

US signals long-term support for Ukraine with new security pact – Atlantic Council

Europe

Europe's far right is mimicking the fight for stability and justice — and it's working – The Insider

Future European Union gas imports: balancing different objectives – Bruegel

Caspian contributions to energy security in Europe – Atlantic Council

What role do imports play in European defence? – Bruegel

Elections

How US History Offers Key Lessons on Election Security – Inkstick

Labour is back. Here’s what to expect from the new UK government. – Atlantic Council

Can Labour improve Britain’s place in the world? – Chatham House

Britain’s Postelection Foreign Policy – CFR

Top 5 – Must Read

A Methodology for Degrading the Arms of the Russian Federation – RUSI

How will Trump and Biden differ on top foreign policy issues? A post-debate primer on what we learned. – Atlantic Council

Consumed by Search for Imagined Enemies the Kremlin Misses Real Ones – Wilson Center

Putin Makes Overtures to North Korea, Vietnam in Bid to Intimidate Ukraine’s Allies – Moscow Times

How to end Russia’s war on Ukraine – Chatham House

Inside Ukraine

Inside Ukraine’s prison recruitment efforts to bolster front-line troops – Kyiv Independent

War of attrition: Russia-Ukraine conflict enters a new phase – The Insider

Why Can’t the West Force Russia to Make Peace in Ukraine? – CSIS

Does Ukraine have political opposition? – Kyiv Independent

How Andrii Yermak became Zelenskyy's right-hand man – Ukrainska Pravda

Russia's Diplomacy

The Risks of Armenian-Azerbaijani Negotiations – Inkstick

Russian “PiS”. Why Poland's former ruling party is accused of ties to the Kremlin – The Insider

Iran’s election may change the direction of its relations with Russia – Chatham House

Terror’s return: Coordinated attack in Dagestan - Novaya Gazeta

Russia’s Olympics: Foreign Policy by Other Means – CEPA

War in Ukraine

Bracing for the Hardest Winter: Protecting Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure – RUSI

How effective has NATO been in Ukraine? – EPC

Ukraine’s innovative drone industry helps counter Putin’s war machine – Atlantic Council

Changes in Ukraine's military top brass: who was fired and why, and what we can expect from their successors – Ukrainska Pravda

Multilateral

A bridge instead of an invitation: What Ukraine can expect at the NATO Summit in Washington – European Pravda

Orban's 11 demands: How Hungary crossed red lines again in blackmailing Ukraine on its path to the EU – European Pravda

Will Enlargement Spur EU Reform? – Carnegie

Eight structural innovations for the EU’s next politico-institutional cycle – EPC

Türkiye and the Russian military threat to NATO – Atlantic Council

Security and Defense

Unlimited National Security Spending Doesn’t Make Us Safer – Inkstick

No Quick Solutions: A Different Approach to Hypersonic Arms Control – War on the Rocks

Debt financing European air defence – Bruegel

NATO’s Fast Approaching “Moment of Truth” on Ukraine – FPRI

Small, smart, many and cheaper: Competitive adaptation in modern warfare – Atlantic Council

Top 5 – Must Read

Rogue Allies: A Partnership Of Desperation, Russia And North Korea – NAOC

Ukraine’s Peace Summit is over — what were its highs and lows? – The Kyiv Independent

Europe Needs More Conventional Forces, Not Its Own Nukes – CSIS

Where there's a will there's a way: How Russia’s red lines are (not) limiting the course of the war in Ukraine – The Insider

 Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will be NATO’s next secretary general. How will he lead the Alliance? – Atlantic Council

Ukraine War

Why Ukrainians Are Buying Up War Bonds Like Hot Cakes – Kyiv Post

The Last Few Months Show Ukraine Can Win the War – But Don’t Show That It Will – Kyiv Post

In War-Rattled Kharkiv, Ukrainians Persevere Amid Russian Attacks – War on the Rocks

Crossing Thresholds: Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation – CSIS

Understanding the G7’s New Plan for Funding Ukraine – Lawfare

Russia and the World

As Power of Siberia 2 Pipeline Stagnates, So Do Russia's Hopes for Pivoting Gas Exports Eastward – Moscow Times

Obscurantism as a diagnosis: Russia's homophobia leads to rejection of new disease classification – The Insider

Foreign-Owned Businesses in Russia Face Shifting Legal Sands – Wilson Center

Why Putin Remains Uninterested in Meaningful Negotiations with Ukraine – ISW

Putin Bets on Geoeconomic Fragmentation – Wilson Center

Multilateral and Elections

How Mark Rutte became NATO Secretary General and what it means for Ukraine – The Kyiv Independent

How the far right could shape the future of the European Parliament – Atlantic Council

Rethinking the NATO burden-sharing debate – Atlantic Council

"Trump doesn't want Ukraine to become Afghanistan. It will be a catastrophe for him." An interview with Kurt Volker – European Pravda

Vibecession: The myth of a weak U.S. economy is harming Biden's chances for reelection – The Insider

Trade and Economics

The United States Should Press the European Union to Act on Eurobonds for Ukraine – CSIS

The EU’s continued dependency on Russian gas could jeopardize its foreign policy goals – Chatham House

Trade Isn’t Great Retail Politics for Either Party – CFR

The implications of the European Union’s new fiscal rules – Bruegel

Across the Pond for Profits: European Startups Head to the US – CEPA

Security and Defense

Without Women at the Table, Peace Negotiations Will Flounder – War on the Rocks

How Deep Does Substack’s Far-Right Problem Run, Really? – War on the Rocks

FPV drones in Ukraine are changing modern warfare – Atlantic Council

Canada’s Need For A Comprehensive Arctic Strategy Amid Russian And Chinese Threats – NAOC

The British-Baltic Defense Model – CEPA

Top 5 – Must Read

NATO at 75: What’s Its Future? – Inkstick

What to know about the upcoming Swiss Summit on Peace in Ukraine – Atlantic Council

Russia's move on Kharkiv has bogged down. But was it a failure? – Kyiv Independent

Life after deaths: How nations reconcile following bloody conflicts – The Insider

Is NATO Ready for War? – CSIS

Aid and sanctions

US issues new 'sweeping' sanctions against Russia — will they make a difference this time? – The Kyiv Independent

Experts react: Ukraine gets $50 billion from Russian assets and a US security deal at the G7 summit – Atlantic Council

Seven ways to reboot G7 sanctions on Russia – Atlantic Council

Russia Can Be Forced to Pay for Its Crimes: A Proposal – CEPA 

The war rages on but Ukraine’s recovery cannot wait – Chatham House

War in Ukraine

War of guided aerial bombs. Reasons why Ukraine is talking about its own production of guided bombs – Ukrainska Pravda 

Saving Ukraine’s Power Supply – CEPA 

Some Thoughts on the Weak U.S.-Ukraine Security Agreement – Lawfare

Facing Stalemate, Putin Talks Up Nuclear Weapons Use and Supporting Foes of the West – Wilson Center

Reverberations From Ukraine: The Rising Risk of Conflict in Europe and Eurasia – CFR 

Inside Russia

Russia Reckons With Loss of Regional Influence as Armenia Eyes Exit from Moscow-Led Military Bloc – The Moscow Times

Russia's Epic Floods Expose Lack of Preparedness for Climate Crisis – The Moscow Times

The Minister of Truth: Russia’s New War Manager – CEPA

Russia and Friends Spill Blood in the Grayzone – CEPA 

Security and Defense

‘We set a precedent.’ Ukraine officially presents Unmanned Systems Forces – Kyiv Independent

Russia's Su-57 – hype vs. reality – Kyiv Independent

Faith as Small as a Titan: Relying on ICBMs in a Post-Cold War World – Inkstick

Friend-sourcing military procurement: Technology acquisition as security cooperation – Atlantic Council

Fairy Tales of War Times – Wilson Center

European Union and Elections

The Front-Runners: Five Western Leaders in Waiting – Geopolitical Monitor

Experts react: How the European Parliament’s right turn is playing out across the continent – Atlantic Council

How will gains by the far right affect the European Parliament and EU? – Chatham House

The European Central Bank must adapt to an environment of inflation volatility – Bruegel 

Geopolitics and diplomacy

Coming to Terms With the Loss of Turkey – War on the Rocks

Mare Nostrum Revisited: Maritime Competition in the Mediterranean – War on the Rocks

Geopolitics of the Central Caucasus – Geopolitical Monitor

Wake Up NATO: It’s Sabotage – CEPA 

France and America—Old Allies Confront New Threats – Wilson Center

Top 5 – Must Read

NATO at 75: What’s Its Future? – Inkstick

What to know about the upcoming Swiss Summit on Peace in Ukraine – Atlantic Council

Russia's move on Kharkiv has bogged down. But was it a failure? – Kyiv Independent

Life after deaths: How nations reconcile following bloody conflicts – The Insider

Is NATO Ready for War? – CSIS

Aid and sanctions

US issues new 'sweeping' sanctions against Russia — will they make a difference this time? – The Kyiv Independent

Experts react: Ukraine gets $50 billion from Russian assets and a US security deal at the G7 summit – Atlantic Council

Seven ways to reboot G7 sanctions on Russia – Atlantic Council

Russia Can Be Forced to Pay for Its Crimes: A Proposal – CEPA 

The war rages on but Ukraine’s recovery cannot wait – Chatham House

War in Ukraine

War of guided aerial bombs. Reasons why Ukraine is talking about its own production of guided bombs – Ukrainska Pravda 

Saving Ukraine’s Power Supply – CEPA 

Some Thoughts on the Weak U.S.-Ukraine Security Agreement – Lawfare

Facing Stalemate, Putin Talks Up Nuclear Weapons Use and Supporting Foes of the West – Wilson Center

Reverberations From Ukraine: The Rising Risk of Conflict in Europe and Eurasia – CFR 

Inside Russia

Russia Reckons With Loss of Regional Influence as Armenia Eyes Exit from Moscow-Led Military Bloc – The Moscow Times

Russia's Epic Floods Expose Lack of Preparedness for Climate Crisis – The Moscow Times

The Minister of Truth: Russia’s New War Manager – CEPA

Russia and Friends Spill Blood in the Grayzone – CEPA 

Security and Defense

‘We set a precedent.’ Ukraine officially presents Unmanned Systems Forces – Kyiv Independent

Russia's Su-57 – hype vs. reality – Kyiv Independent

Faith as Small as a Titan: Relying on ICBMs in a Post-Cold War World – Inkstick

Friend-sourcing military procurement: Technology acquisition as security cooperation – Atlantic Council

Fairy Tales of War Times – Wilson Center

European Union and Elections

The Front-Runners: Five Western Leaders in Waiting – Geopolitical Monitor

Experts react: How the European Parliament’s right turn is playing out across the continent – Atlantic Council

How will gains by the far right affect the European Parliament and EU? – Chatham House

The European Central Bank must adapt to an environment of inflation volatility – Bruegel 

Geopolitics and diplomacy

Coming to Terms With the Loss of Turkey – War on the Rocks

Mare Nostrum Revisited: Maritime Competition in the Mediterranean – War on the Rocks

Geopolitics of the Central Caucasus – Geopolitical Monitor

Wake Up NATO: It’s Sabotage – CEPA 

France and America—Old Allies Confront New Threats – Wilson Center

Top 5 – Must Read

With all eyes on Kharkiv, Russian troops take one Donbas village after another – Kyiv Independent

What’s at Stake with the 2024 European Parliament Elections – CSIS

Much ado about Kharkiv: Why the propaganda-fueled Russian offensive failed – The Insider

The Battle Behind The Production, Russia’s Defence Industry And The Paradigm Of Its Strategic Advantage In The Land Domain – NAOC

The G7 Should Act with Urgency to Support an International Claims Mechanism to Seize and Transfer Frozen Russian Sovereign Assets to Ukraine – CSIS

Ukraine War

10 authors shaping contemporary Ukrainian literature – Kyiv Independent

Should Ukraine be Allowed to Use Western Weapons on Russian Territory? – Kyiv Post

The Russian volunteer troops fighting alongside Ukrainian forces still play an important role in the war for Kyiv – Novaya Gazeta

Russia is winning the energy war and plunging Ukraine into darkness – Atlantic Council

Ukrainian lawmakers are debating banning Telegram. Here’s what to know. – Atlantic Council

"Baba Yaga" is on fire! How Ukraine invented a new type of weapon – Ukrainska Pravda

Defense and Geopolitics

Power and Tension: The Cyber Security Problems of Military Electrification – War on the Rocks

Understanding Opportunistic Aggression in the Twenty-First Century – CSIS

National resilience is a crucial part of defense. Here are the countries doing it right. – Atlantic Council

Russian’s Mercenary-Industrial Complex in Africa – War on the Rocks

Russian Attacks on Europe Double in Lead up to Elections, Olympics – Lawfare

Trade and Industry

Twenty years of European east-west household income convergence – Bruegel

The EU cannot drag its feet on Chinese subsidies any longer – Bruegel

Frozen pipelines: Russia, not Europe, risks to lose most if natural gas transit through Ukraine stops – The Insider

Reconstructing Ukraine at war: The journey to prosperity starts now – Atlantic Council

The war rages on but Ukraine’s recovery cannot wait – Chatham House

A Human Rights–Centered Approach to Reconstruction in Ukraine – CSIS

Domestic Politics and Elections

A Century-Old Election Helps Explain the Danger of Germany’s Modern Far-Right – Inkstick

The Front-Runners: Five Western Leaders in Waiting – Geopolitical Monitor

Where Polarization Leads: The Fico Assassination Attempt in Slovakia – Geopolitical Monitor

Your primer on Belgium’s elections – Atlantic Council

A high-level official’s conviction opens the door for progress on women’s rights in Kazakhstan – Atlantic Council

Inside Russia

Russia’s Forever War — Tax Reform to Aid the Gunmakers – CEPA

Prison rules, “meat grinder” assaults, and golf carts instead of tanks: The state of the Russian army after two years of war – The Insider

Their Ancestral Traditions Under Threat, a Village in Russia’s Far East Stands Up to Gold-Mining Giant – The Moscow Times

Seeing Russia — Rose-Colored or Very Dark Glasses? – CEPA

Top 5 – Must Read

Understanding Russian Disinformation and How the Joint Force Can Address It – US Army War College

“A life in prison is better than death in the trenches”: How Russian soldiers desert – The Insider

Only enhanced air defenses can save Ukraine from winter energy collapse – Atlantic Council

The Russian Art of Mudslinging and Conspiracy-mongering – Kyiv Post

The Ukrainian Prisoners of War Hidden by Russia – CEPA

Russia and its Influence

As treason cases at the highest level of Russian science pile up, is Kremlin-sanctioned spy mania out of control? – Novaya Gazeta

Systemic barriers and prejudice are increasingly depriving trans people in Russia of healthcare – Novaya Gazeta

Its ‘foreign agent’ bill caused an uproar. Now Georgian Dream has fast-tracked another concerning law – Atlantic Council

Kremlin Wary of Discontent as it Shovels Riches to Elites – CEPA

Ukraine War

Ukraine stabilizes Kharkiv front after brutal Russian offensive – Kyiv Independent

Ukrainian Military Engineers and the Art of Preparing Field Defenses – Kyiv Post

Why the US is giving Ukraine the green light to attack inside Russia – Atlantic Council

Historical Significance of Zelensky’s Presidency So Far – Wilson Center

Security and Geopolitics

Is There a Human in the Machine? AI and Future Warfare – War on the Rocks

An axis of dictatorships is supporting the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine – The Insider

The Looming Danger of Transatlantic Disunity – Georgetown Journal of International Affairs

China and Russia Issue Nuclear Warnings – CEPA

NATO Air Defense Systems to Secure Baltic Skies – CEPA

Domestic Politics

What a second Trump presidency could mean for Ukraine – Kyiv Independent

Joe Biden Seems Headed for Defeat: Ukraine Could Change That Outcome – Kyiv Post

Will UK’s General Election Impact London’s Support for Ukraine? – Kyiv Post

A pro-Russian biker group’s presence causes tensions at Berlin’s Victory Day celebrations – Novaya Gazeta

Economics

Developing an Economic Security Agenda for NATO – War on the Rocks

Western Investors in Russia Tremble in the Storm’s Eye – CEPA

Navigating the treacherous political economy of structural reform – Bruegel

European Union debt to boost European air defence – Bruegel

Top 5 – Must Read

Ukraine’s drone companies face ‘death, migration, or global acquisition’ amid defense spending squeeze – Kyiv Independent

The Russian Economy Two Years into the Ukraine War – Geopolitical Monitor

Russia’s Military Shaken as Top-Level Purge Unfolds – CEPA

Russia is using the Soviet playbook in the Global South to challenge the West – and it is working – Chatham House

Stoltenberg joins growing calls to lift restrictions on Ukraine's ability to use Western weapons to strike Russia – Kyiv Independent

Russo-Ukrainian War

President Zelenskyy’s term is over but he’s still a legitimate wartime leader – Atlantic Council

NATO must accelerate support and secure membership for Ukraine at its Washington summit, transatlantic leaders urge – Atlantic Council

Ukraine’s Western allies should fear Russian victory not Russian defeat – Atlantic Council

How concerned should the world be by Russia’s plan to practise using its tactical nuclear weapons? – Novaya Gazeta

European Politics

On a knife-edge: Slovak PM shooting widens societal rift, feeds disinformation – Kyiv Independent

Will UK’s General Election Impact London’s Support for Ukraine? – Kyiv Post

Why the latest attempt at a Greece-Turkey reset, while positive, falls short – Atlantic Council

Bridging the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic seas would serve both European and NATO interests – Atlantic Council

Russia and its Influence

Putin continues to issue his ‘May decrees’ despite the fact that almost none have ever been successfully carried out – Novaya Gazeta

The Kremlin continues to use Soviet crimes against non-ethnic Russians to serve its own political agenda  - Novaya Gazeta

A Tatar gift: On the 80th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars – The Insider

Georgia’s Foreign Agents Law and Resulting Protests – FPRI

Wagner Infiltration of State Security Apparatuses in Africa: Implications for Human Rights and the Rule of Law – Wilson Center

Security and Defense

The Case for a Prospective U.S. Cyber Force – War on the Rocks

Charting the Challenges in the Baltic Sea – War on the Rocks

The First Year of Conscription in Latvia – FPRI

New Cold Wars? Looks Like It – CEPA

Rogue Russia Menaces Humanity’s Future in Outer Space – CEPA

Longer Reports

New and Better Sanctions against Russia – Hoover Institution

Oil, gas, and war: The effect of sanctions on the Russian energy industry – Atlantic Council

Collaboration for a Price: Russian Military-Technical Cooperation with China, Iran, and North Korea – CSIS

Attempts by European centre parties to outflank the right on migration could be misguided – Chatham House

Instruments of economic security - Bruegel

Top 5 – Must Read

How will Andrey Belousov’s appointment as Russia’s new defence minister affect the country’s combat capabilities? – Novaya Gazeta

Xi in Europe: Business, Cognac and Ukraine – Kyiv Post

Explainer: What's behind ongoing protests in Georgia? – Kyiv Independent

Five questions (and expert answers) about the shooting of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico – Atlantic Council

Negotiations or capitulation? How the view of Ukraine peace talks needs to change – European Pravda

Russia and its Near Abroad

Russia’s Economy: Closer to the Edge Than it Looks – CEPA

New Defense Minister Belousov to put Russia's economy on war footing – Kyiv Independent

Reshuffling deck chairs: Putin’s wave of new appointments offers an implicit admission of military failure – The Insider

The Kremlin Is Redistributing Property in the Loyalists’ Interest – Wilson Center

Why Georgia’s ruling party is pushing for the foreign agent law—and how the West should respond – Atlantic Council

On the Frontline

Glide bombs help Russia gain land in Ukraine. What makes them so effective? – Kyiv Independent

Russia's seemingly endless stockpiles. How many long-range missiles does Russia have left, and how have its tactics for large-scale strikes changed? – Ukrainska Pravda

Sanctioned for targets 1000 km away. Story of Liutyi (Fierce) Ukrainian long-range drone which burns Russian refineries – Ukrainska Pravda

Ukraine’s Energy System Under Attack This Spring—Again – Wilson Center

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has navigated the collapse of empires, but will it survive the war in Ukraine? – Novaya Gazeta

 
Ukrainian Resistance

Techcraft on Display in Ukraine – War on the Rocks

Ukraine’s Wartime Democrats Battle Conscription Crisis – CEPA

Pereiaslav, the treaty that started modern Russo-Ukrainian history – Kyiv Independent

Unraveling the Zero-Sum in West-Russia Relations: The Case of Ukraine – Geopolitical Monitor

Preparations for reparations: How Russia can compensate Ukraine for economic damage from the war – The Insider

Security and Defense

The Time for Europe to Step up Is Now – War on the Rocks

Dispatch from Estonia and Romania: How NATO burden sharing works on the ground – Atlantic Council

Information Warfare and Its Casualties – Lawfare

Wagner’s Presence in Africa – NATO

State of the Order: Global conflict is continuing to reshape the global order—and so is climate change – Atlantic Council

Inevitable Fractures: The Ukraine War and the Global System – Carnegie

Tariffs, Aid and Sanctions

Russia’s Lethal Electronics Are Impossible Without the West – Kyiv Post

The US is banning the import of Russian nuclear fuel. Here’s why that matters – Atlantic Council

The New U.S. Clean Tech Tariffs Will Have Global Impacts – Carnegie

Rippling out: Biden’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and their impact on Europe – Bruegel

Three risks that must be addressed for new European Union fiscal rules to succeed – Bruegel

Top 5 – Must Read

The U.S. Right-Wing Media Embrace Russia’s Far-Right Ideologue – Wilson Center

Assault on the Future – Wilson Center

Malignant growth: Rumors of a Russian economic recovery have been greatly exaggerated – The Insider

Ukraine’s second city is struggling to survive amid relentless Russian bombing – Atlantic Council

Small Ocean, Big Hype: Arctic Myths and Realities – War on the Rocks

Inside Russia

Russia’s highly-militarized Victory Day celebration has nothing to do with WWII – Kyiv Independent

Is Chechnya preparing for Kadyrov's demise — and what could come next? – Kyiv Independent

To curry favour with the Kremlin, Kadyrov’s likely successor is preaching Russian and Chechen unity under one God – Novaya Gazeta

Russia has seen a rise in cases prosecuting people for displaying ‘extremist’ queer symbols – Novaya Gazeta

Why was Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov so confident he wouldn't face consequences? – The Insider

Inside Ukraine

Zelensky’s term would have expired this month, but he’s staying. Russia wants to use it – Kyiv Independent

Ukraine lays down two principles for future "tribunal for Putin" – European Pravda

Amid competing pressures, will Ukraine quit its transit of Russian gas? – Atlantic Council

Has Ukraine Become Too Dependent on Telegram? – CEPA

Putin cannot be allowed to use chemical weapons in Ukraine with impunity – Atlantic Council

Geopolitics

Give France Credit for its Strategic Change – War on the Rocks

No Georgian dream. Is Tbilisi on the verge of a new revolution? – The Insider

EU in Tug-of-War for Georgia and Moldova – CEPA

The UK should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine – despite Putin’s nuclear threats – Chatham House

The Kremlin’s latest bait in the Baltics: Immanuel Kant – The Insider

Multilateral

Trump Says Europe Is Freeloading on Ukraine, But the Actual Numbers Are Bigly Different – Kyiv Post

The European Parliament is still learning its lesson from corruption scandals – Atlantic Council

The Enrico Letta Report and the state of the EU’s Capital Market Union – Atlantic Council

Dispatch from Vilnius: Allies still waiting for the ‘Long Telegram’ from Washington – Atlantic Council

Security and Defense

Fighting Russia's Glide Bombs – Kyiv Post

Is Ukraine Turning Magura V5 USV Into its Equivalent of a ‘Swiss Army Knife?’ – Kyiv Post

The Next Generation of Arms Controllers Needs Our Help – Inkstick

A Plan to Revitalize the Arsenal of Democracy – War on the Rocks

 The drones are small—the arms race may not be. Here’s how the US can win. – Atlantic Council

Aid and Sanctions

How Much U.S. Aid Is Going to Ukraine? – CFR

What Should the Biden Administration Do With REPO? – Lawfare

Europe’s Bankers Push Ukraine Toward the Abyss – CEPA

‘Creative solutions’ with Russia’s immobilized assets must rise to the challenge Ukraine now faces – Atlantic Council

Top 5 – Must Read

Using the financial system to enforce export controls – Bruegel

UK gives Ukraine green light to use British weapons inside Russia – Atlantic Council

Confiscation of immobilized Russian state assets is moral and vital – Chatham House

Understanding the plan to create a $50 billion Ukraine bond from Russia’s blocked assets – Atlantic Council

Putin’s one-way ticket to The Hague: international law experts, judges, and diplomats on a hypothetical trial of the Russian dictator – The Insider

War in Ukraine

Surviving through the darkness: How Kharkiv endures new wave of brutal Russian attacks – Kyiv Independent

Battle of Chasiv Yar begins: On the ground with Ukrainian forces defending city key to Russia’s plans – Kyiv Independent

Battle of Attrition: Renewed “meat-grinder” assaults fail to turn the tide for Russian military in Ukraine – The Insider

Ukraine’s new mobilization law leaves demobilization issue unresolved – Atlantic Council

Setting the Record Straight on Ukraine’s Grain Exports – CSIS

Inside Russia

Wartime Boom: Which Regions and Industries Are Profiting From Russia’s War? – Carnegie Politika

How Might the Kremlin Respond to Aid Package for Ukraine? – Carnegie Politika

Dead Certs: Putin and Kadyrov – CEPA

Tucker Carlson and ‘Putin’s Rasputin’ Enter the US Living Room – CEPA

Russia’s Shadow Fleet Goes Rogue – CEPA

Security and Defense

Skynex: The German drone destroyer reinforcing Ukraine's air defense – Kyiv Independent

Bringing a Method to the Strategy Madness – War on the Rocks

Canada’s Intelligence Community: An Overview – Grey Dynamics

As a New Arctic Ally, Finland Contributes to Arctic Security and Defence – Wilson Center

Why the U.S. Intelligence Community Needs an OSINT Agency – Lawfare

The U.S. Needs a Strategy for the Second Quantum Revolution – Lawfare

Aid and Sanctions

Not-so-quick fix. U.S.-approved $60 billion can plug the hole in the Ukrainian budget for now, but Russia still has more money for the war – The Insider

War hasn't stopped them. How much are multinationals earning in Russia? – Ukrainska Pravda

NATO chief urges long-term Ukraine aid as Russian army advances – Atlantic Council

Expect a new ‘bridge’ to NATO membership for Ukraine at the Washington summit, says Julianne Smith – Atlantic Council

Geopolitics

Georgian government holds massive anti-West rally as it aims to pass 'Russian-style' law – Kyiv Independent

Waiting for Putin: How the West’s desire to protect minorities has created a grey area in the Balkans – European Pravda

The EU in the Middle East: Challenges and Opportunities – Geopolitical Monitor

A Message from Ukraine: Do not Provoke Putin – with Weakness – Wilson Center

Georgia and The Kremlin Matrix – Wilson Center

Swelling ‘Russia Law’ Protests Threaten Georgian Government – CEPA

NATO and EU

Why the European Elections Will Test Democracy – Journal of Democracy

Making European Defense an Imperative – Carnegie Politika

Polarization Threatens to Derail Bosnia’s EU Ambitions – Carnegie Politika

Russian disruption in Europe points to patterns of future aggression – Chatham House

The push-pull between geopolitics and domestic resistance: lessons from the 2004 enlargement of the EU – Bruegel

The Visegrád Four: From Troubled to Broken – FPRI

Slovak-Czech Backlash Against Illiberal Rulers – CEPA

Longer Reports

Climate Change and Military Power: Hunting for Submarines in the Warming Ocean – Texas National Security Review

From Panic to Policy: The Limits of Foreign Propaganda and the Foundations of an Effective Response – Texas National Security Review

Women at War Exhibition at the University of Manitoba – Ukrainian Quarterly

Empire and Survival in Ukraine – Kennan Institute

Understanding Russia – Wilson Center

Top 5 – Must Read

Explaining Washington’s REPO Act that could kick-start the confiscation of frozen Russian assets – Kyiv Independent

The US aid package to Ukraine will help. But a better strategy is urgently needed – Chatham

Weapons of War: The Race Between Russia and Ukraine – CFR

Engineers, instructors, officers: Here’s how the West could expand its support for Ukraine — without putting “boots on the ground” – The Insider

The war in Ukraine could reach a decision point by the NATO Summit. Policymakers need to prepare now. – Atlantic Council

Aid for Ukraine

What challenges to backing Ukraine are not addressed by aid bill adopted by Congress? – European Pravda

House Passes Ukraine Aid: How it Happened, What it Signifies – Kyiv Post

The Ukrainian Military Assistance Act Will Change the Situation on the Ground in Ukraine for the Better – Wilson Center

The Controversial REPO Act Is Now Law – Lawfare

What Ukraine lost while waiting for the US aid bill to pass – Kyiv Independent

Ukrainian Struggle

Why Ukraine is losing to Russia in the technology race – Ukrainska Pravda

10 Years Later, Russian Volunteer Fighters Recall Fueling the War in Donbas – Moscow Times

A decentralized power grid can help Ukraine survive Russian bombardment – Atlantic Council

38 years after Chornobyl, Ukraine relies on nuclear for more than half its energy production – Kyiv Independent

"Recovery is not a luxury": a report from the Rebuilding Ukraine conference – Ukrainska Pravda

Zooming on the Frontline

Russia throws thousands of troops to capture Chasiv Yar. Why is it so important? – Kyiv Independent

Sumy Oblast fortifies amid looming threat of Kharkiv attack – Kyiv Independent

Russian Troops Claim to Grab Ground in Surprise Assault, Threaten Breakthrough in Battleground Avdiivka – Kyiv Post

Kyiv Missile Takes Out Another Kremlin Warship – This One the Oldest in Russia’s Whole Fleet – Kyiv Post

How Delayed U.S. Aid Expanded the War in Ukraine’s Skies – Moscow Times

Russia and Geopolitics

Olympic Substitution: How Russian athletes cope with sanctions and international isolation – The Insider

The Arrest of Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Has Broken a Taboo – Carnegie

The Geopolitics of the Central Caucasus – Geopolitical Monitor

Russia’s hybrid war against the West – NATO Review

Security and Defense

A Prussian Strategy for War of Attrition – War on the Rocks

Will Fearless and Tireless Robots Lead to More Terrifying Wars ? – War on the Rock

Combined Air Operations Centers (CAOC): The Key to NATO’s Air Warfare – Grey Dynamics

Who’s Keeping Count? How Militaries Estimate Death Tolls – Grey Dynamics

EU and NATO

Securitization and European Democracy Policy – Carnegie

The Baltic Sea is far from a ‘NATO lake’ – -  the alliance must strengthen its defences - Chatham

Balancing Act: Charting the Course for EU Enlargement and Reform – Wilson Center

Longer Reports

Back in Stock? The State of Russia's Defense Industry after Two Years of the War - CSIS

Natural gas and the energy transition: Security, equity, and achieving net zero – Atlantic Council

Enhancing the security of civilians in conflict – Chatham

Preventing U.S. Election Violence in 2024 – CFR

Reimagining the OSCE for a New Generation – Wilson Center

Top 5 – Must Read

What Happened to ‘Stalemate’ in Ukraine? – CFR

Five Big Things to Know About H.R. 8035 – the US Congress Bill on Ukraine – Kyiv Post

Putin’s New Social Justice – Carnegie

Did Peace Between Russia and Ukraine Slip Through Their Fingers in April 2022? – Kyiv Post

Is the Kremlin Overconfident About Russia’s Economic Stability? – Carnegie

Ukraine War

Iran's cheap, effective Shahed drones and how Russia uses them in Ukraine – Kyiv Independent

‘Double-tap’ attack. Understanding one of Russia’s cruelest tactics in Ukraine – Kyiv Independent

Ukrainian Long-Range Missile Strike Hammers Russian Airfield in Crimea, Maybe ATACMS – Kyiv Post

Ukraine Uses More Kamikaze Drones of its Own Make – Kyiv Post

Freed Ukrainian soldiers speak out about their time in Russian captivity – The Insider

Inside Ukraine

No room for "plan B" or old protocols. Seven principles of Ukraine's wartime diplomacy – European Pravda

How Russia’s Attacks Affect Ukraine’s Energy Investments – Kyiv Post

After the Supplemental, Ukraine’s Path Forward – CSIS

Ukraine’s Advances in the Battle Against Corruption – CEPA

Darkness Closes in on Ukraine – CEPA

Inside Russia

Wagner Group Post-Prigozhin: New Name, Business as Usual – Geopolitical Monitor

Russia’s native ethnic minorities facing xenophobia after March terrorist attack – The Insider

Personnel Stagnation to Splinter Putin Elite With Battle of Lost Generations – Carnegie

Oceans of Blood and a Lust for Power: Putin and Lady Macbeth – CEPA

Putin’s War and the Generation of Losers – CEPA

Aid for Ukraine and Sanctions for Russia

Speaker Johnson advances aid bills, but time running out as Ukraine’s supplies dry up – Kyiv Independent

Macron won’t call: French president becomes chief hawk on war in Ukraine – The Insider

Failure to support Ukraine now would be ‘geopolitical malpractice’ – Atlantic Council

Use the financial system to enforce export controls on Russia – Bruegel

Industry and Defence

Pax Americana vs. autonomy: How the US and EU defense industrial strategies diverge – Atlantic Council

How Supporting Ukraine Is Revitalizing the U.S. Defense Industrial Base – CSIS

In De-Risking, the Transatlantic Partners Enjoy An Edge. But Can They Capitalize? – CEPA

Great power competition is back. What does that mean for US special operations forces? – Atlantic Council

Multilateral Affairs

Your primer on the European Parliament elections and how they will shape the EU – Atlantic Council

Charting the Radical Right’s Influence on EU Foreign Policy – Carnegie

Seasick: The Three Seas Initiative – CEPA

Europe’s Decade of Failure in Ukraine – CEPA

Top 5 – Must Read

Russian Strikes More Effective as Ukraine Exhausts Defenses – ISW

Don’t Count on Us : Canada’s Military Unreadiness – War on the Rocks

EU lost in court to Russian oligarchs. What does it mean for the future of sanctions? – European Pravda

Ethnic tensions on the rise in Russia, as government attempts to divert attention from war – Kyiv Independent

Western weakness in Ukraine could provoke a far bigger war with Russia – Atlantic Council

War in Ukraine

Russia continues to destroy the Ukrainian energy infrastructure. What should Ukraine expect without thermal power plants? – Ukrainska Pravda

Where Could Ukraine Get More Patriot Missile Systems From? – Kyiv Post

Ukrainian Air Defenses Fail, Russian Ballistic, ‘Hypersonic’ Weapons Get Through – Kyiv Post

Skolkovo DIY: How Russia manufactures FPV drones to kill Ukrainians – The Insider

Resilience, Reconstruction, Recovery: The Path Ahead for Ukraine – CEPA

Defence and Security

Does Europe Need to Worry About War? – Ink Stick

Great Power Competition Will Drive Irregular Conflicts – War on the Rocks

Keep your terrorists close: Why Russia treats some Islamic fundamentalists as friends and others as enemies – The Insider

Should artificial intelligence be banned from nuclear weapons systems? – NATO Review

Trade, Economics and Sanctions

Ukraine Business Roundup: Deal-making history – Kyiv Independent

Developments in Ukraine’s parliament on economic reforms, international obligations – Kyiv Independent

Operationalizing a Doctrine for U.S. Economic Statecraft – War on the Rocks

Strategic Rulemaking for Economic Security and Statecraft – Lawfare

Ukraine is fighting for its economic survival, too – Atlantic Council

Multilateral Affairs and International Relations

Ahead of Hosting COP29, Azerbaijan Is Ramping Up Human Rights and Environmental Abuses – Ink Stick

Central Europe’s Sour New Illiberal International – CEPA

Georgia Goads West With New Foreign Agent Law – CEPA

Beyond the numbers of EU national energy and climate plans – Bruegel

Top 5 – Must Read

Redefining the battlefield: Drone warfare tactics in Ukraine – Project Ploughsares

The Russian Orthodox Church Declares “Holy War” Against Ukraine and Articulates Tenets of Russia’s Emerging Official Nationalist Ideology – ISW

NATO at 75: The Alliance’s future lies in Ukraine’s victory against Russia – Atlantic Council

Ukraine’s Artillery Shell Shortfall – Lawfare

Fight for Russia? We’ll Stay at Home, Thanks – CEPA

War in Ukraine

Faith under fire: Russia's war on religion in Ukraine's occupied territories – Kyiv Independent

Ukraine hits Russia's Engels air base. Can it change how Russia attacks? – Kyiv Independent

How the Register of Damage Caused by Russia's Aggression will work – European Pravda

How Serious Are Ukrainian Drone Attacks for Russia? – Carnegie

Putin and the Superiority Myth – CEPA

Trade and Technology

Evaluating Chip Overcapacity and the Transatlantic Trade Tool Kit – CSIS

Friendshoring the Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain – CSIS

A DMA Compliance Saga: Europe and Progressive Web Apps – CEPA

The IC’s New OSINT Strategy Gets the Basics Right – CSIS

Great Power Competition

Shor-ing up support: Russia fights with West for influence over Moldova – The Insider

Accelerating transatlantic defense innovation in an era of strategic competition – Atlantic Council

Niger’s Pivot to Moscow: What’s Next for US Engagement in Africa ? – FPRI

Putin-Xi: A ‘Brave New World’ for Eurasia? – CEPA

Domestic politics

Nobody Cared About Turkey’s Elections — Until Results Came In – InkStick

Lukashenko tightens grip on power as regime prepares for new elections – Kyiv Independent

Belarus Cyber Partisans Prepare For Uprising – CEPA

Is Zelensky’s Legitimacy Really At Risk? – Carnegie

War, Defence and Security

STEMming the Crisis: Immigration and the U.S. National Security Talent Base – War on the Rocks

Russian Threat Perception and the Nuclear Strategy in its Plans for War with China – War on the Rocks

Innovation Adoption for All: Scaling Across the Department of Defense – War on the Rocks

Viper Size Matters, Uncle Sam and Data Links, Compromising the Tech – Kyiv Post

Top 5 – Must Read

Moscow’s Lies in a Crisis Don’t Just Mask Failure. They Reinforce It. – Carnegie

Is the US Congress finally poised to pass Ukraine aid? – Atlantic Council

Denying Russia’s Only Strategy for Success – ISW

Can new security agreements forge Ukraine's path to victory? – The Kyiv Independent

Dissecting Russia’s Most Recent Massed Missile and Drone Strike on Ukraine – Kyiv Post

Moscow Attacks

More Questions than Answers – What We Know About Moscow’s Concert Hall Attack – Kyiv Post

Children’s magazines and fighting “soullessness”: Here’s what Russia’s National Antiterrorism Committee was up to instead of fighting ISIS – The Insider

Moscow Terror Attack Spotlights Russia-Tajikistan Ties – Carnegie

In Putin’s Russia, state violence is on full display – The Kyiv Independent

Moscow Terror Attack: A Lie Too Good to Waste – CEPA

Warfare, Defense and Security

America Needs a Dead Hand More Than Ever – War on the Rocks

Can South Korean 105-Millimeter Ammunition Rescue Ukraine? – CSIS

From Panic to Policy: The Limits of Foreign Propaganda and the Foundations of an Effective Response – Texas National Security Review

Organizing to Deter or Prevail in Space Warfare – War on the Rocks

Give Me Your Poor — Russia’s Mercenary Foot Soldiers – CEPA

Economics and Trade

Rogun Hydropower Plant Nears Completion in Tajikistan – Geopolitical Monitor

The world can end Russia's aggression by depriving it of oil revenues – European Pravda

Understanding the debate over IMF quota reform – Atlantic Council

In this year of elections, the US-EU Trade and Technology Council should get strategic – Atlantic Council

Energy

Nature of war. How Russia sacrificed its environment for a military economy – The Insider

Russia aims to knock out Ukraine's power grid in new wave of attacks – The Kyiv Independent

Nuclear boom: The world's enthusiasm for nuclear energy faces economic uncertainty – The Insider

Naftogaz CEO: Ukraine 'has to become an energy-independent state' – The Kyiv Independent

European Union

Experts react: What did the European Council just say about Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina? – Atlantic Council

Germany Must Tackle the Crisis of Trust in Europe – Carnegie

Judy Asks: Are Farmers Fighting a Losing Battle? – Carnegie

The rocky road to EU accession for Western Balkan countries: obstacles and lessons from the Eastern Partnership – Bruegel

The G7 needs a permanent secretariat. The 2024 elections cycle demonstrates why. – Atlantic Council

Top 5 – Must Read

War on the horizon. Europe finds itself ill-prepared for a direct armed conflict with Russia – The Insider

Destroy, in Whole or in Part | Is Russia committing genocide in Ukraine? – Kyiv Independent

The European defence industrial strategy: important, but raising many questions – Bruegel

“A meat grinder worse than Bakhmut”: Russia paid a shocking price for the ruins of Avdiivka – The Insider

Moscow concert hall attack: what we know so far – The Guardian

On the Frontline

Putin fires navy chief as Ukrainians cheer success in Battle of Black Sea – Atlantic Council

Ukraine’s ‘angels’ who look after, evacuate civilians left in front-line Donbas – Kyiv Independent

Anti-Kremlin militias hold press conference in Kyiv, say incursions into Russia thwart Kremlin's ability to launch new attacks – Kyiv Independent

"The burning shall continue": What lies behind Ukraine's attacks on Russia's oil refineries, and how have they impacted the Kremlin? – Ukrainska Pravda

Putin’s Regime

Putin ‘wins’ rigged Russian election; Ukrainians in occupied territories vote at gunpoint – Kyiv Independent

Western leaders denounce Putin's election 'victory,' fall short of refusing to recognize results – Kyiv Independent

Russia’s war effort may not be as formidable as it looks – Kyiv Independent

Self-prosecution as a national sport. How Stalinism forged ‘self-criticism,’ self-denunciation, and other forms of public apology – The Insider

European Union

Experts react: What did the European Council just say about Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina? – Atlantic Council

Even as war continues, NATO should open the door to defense integration with Ukraine – Atlantic Council

The EU and the Global Battle of Narratives – Carnegie Politika

Kyiv will take the Albanian path to EU membership: details of Ukraine's negotiating framework emerge – European Pravda

Trade and Diplomacy

Peacemaking through curbing Russian oil and gas exports – Atlantic Council

Emerging countries have replaced most of Russia’s lost trade with advanced economies – Bruegel

Tony Pfaff: The ethics of proxy relationships applies to everyone – Atlantic Council

No-obligations diplomacy: Western nations step up dialogue with Armenia without offering security assurances – The Insider

Support for Ukraine

We should not draw any red lines. Dutch Defence Minister Ollongren on cooperation in armament production and F-16s in Ukrainian sky – Ukrainska Pravda

Ukraine’s partners should link wartime aid to continued reform progress – Atlantic Council

The UK should help coordinate support for Ukraine by backing EU defence initiatives – Chatham House

New Spike in NATO Spy Planes Operating Over Black Sea: French, British Fighters Provide Escort – Kyiv Post

Top 5 – Must Read

All the autocrat’s men: The court politics of Putin’s inner circle – Atlantic Council

Will Foreign Policy Matter in the 2024 Presidential Election? – Ink Stick

The burning of Osokorky: Why Kyiv residents are fighting for a patch of wilderness on the outskirts of the capital – Ukrainska Pravda

Frozen Russian Assets to Finance Ukraine: Collateralization Instead of Confiscation – Lawfare

What do we know about the ‘Siberian Battalion’ that reportedly crossed into Russia? – Kyiv Independent

On the Frontline

Fearing Their Officers More Than the Enemy : Summary Executions from George Washington to Ukraine – War on the Rocks

'Abandon all hope:' Ukraine’s wounded warriors compare military medical system to the Inferno – Kyiv Independent

The Invisible War: Inside the electronic warfare arms race that could shape course of war in Ukraine – Kyiv Independent

After 10 years of war, Krasnohorivka in new danger as Russia advances in the east – Kyiv Independent

Destroy me quickly. How Ukrainian fake HIMARS, guns and tanks fight with Russian Kalibr and Iskander missiles – Ukrainska Pravda

Supporting Ukraine

Why Washington’s approach to Black Sea security may be about to change—for the better – Atlantic Council

The Defensive Turn in European Democracy Support – Carnegie

How Much Grain Did Poland Import from Russia and Ukraine? An In-Depth Look – Kyiv Post

Reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy imports: Key strategies under five scenarios – Atlantic Council

Every War Is a Space War Now – Geopolitical Monitor

Kremlin and Fake Elections

Armenia's breakup with Russia: Yerevan stands alone – The Insider

Sowing discord: How Russia engages in African revolts to cement its influence – The Insider

“We were handed envelopes with 'incentives' for delivering favorable results”: A Russian election official's confession – The Insider

Why Haven’t Russians Rebelled Against the War? Psychology Has Answers – The Moscow Times

Soldiers’ Mothers Have Long Been a Thorn in the Kremlin’s Side – The Moscow Times

Putin’s Iron-Rule May Be Weaker Than It Appears – Kyiv Post

Top 5 – Must Read

Investing in women accelerates prosperity and peace – Atlantic Council

Russian Air Force Report Card: Dismal, Could Do Better – CEPA

NATO enlargement at twenty-five: How we got there and what it achieved – Atlantic Council

The Ukraine War: Europe’s Declaration of Geopolitical Independence? – Geopolitical Monitor

How the Putin Regime’s War on Culture Differs From Soviet Times – Carnegie

Culture, History and Identity

Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian poet and national hero – Kyiv Independent

Loss, defiance, and the fight for justice: the stories of three women from Ukraine – NATO Review

The Anti-War Faction in the Russian Orthodox Church Has Yet to Find Its Voice – Carnegie

Vladimir Putin is losing Russia’s long war against Ukrainian identity – Atlantic Council

Historian Jade McGlynn: Putin 100% believes Russia’s distorted history – Kyiv Independent

Battle on Land and Sea

From "Moskva" to "Caesar Kunikov," How Many Ships Has Russia Lost in the Black Sea? – Molfar

Target and eliminate: How Ukraine's Magura drones devastate Russian ships – Ukrainska Pravda

Sea Drone Swarms – Can NATO’s Navies Avoid Russia’s Fate? – CEPA

Ukraine’s Muslim Military Chaplains Fight for Recognition – Ink Stick

What we do and don't know about the number of Ukrainian troops killed – Kyiv Independent

European Union and NATO

Ukraine’s path to European Union membership and its long-term implications – Bruegel

A geopolitical European Commission is a must for 2025 and beyond – Atlantic Council

The Ukraine-Turkey defense partnership with the potential to transform Black Sea and Euro-Atlantic security – Atlantic Council

Sweden and Finland Add Both Muscle and Risk to NATO – Carnegie

How geopolitical competition in the Black Sea is redefining regional order – Chatham House

Technology and Rearmament

From Gaza to Ukraine, AI is Transforming War – Ink Stick

The European Union AI Act: premature or precocious regulation? – Bruegel

Charting the Geopolitics and European Governance of Artificial Intelligence – Carnegie

Understanding the EU’s New Defense Industrial Strategy – Carnegie

The European Union Charts Its Own Path for European Rearmament – CSIS

Russian Threat

Containing Global Russia – War on the Rocks

Russia’s Tough Talk on Arctic Sovereignty Must Be Taken Seriously – Geopolitical Monitor

Russia’s Swelling Missile Arsenal Threatens to Tip the Scales of War – CEPA

Coercion and Control: Life Under Russian Occupation – CEPA

Top 5 – Must Read

Will AI Weapons of War Start Communicating with Each Other? – Ink Stick

Ukraine destroyed 13 Russian military aircraft in 2 weeks. How? – Kyiv Independent

Deputy Minister Klimenkov takes charge of defense procurement. Can he fix what's broken? – Kyiv Independent

Time to Send EU Forces to Ukraine - CEPA

How Poland continues to import Russian agricultural products – Ukrainska Pravda

With Friends Like These

It’s Time for the US to Realign Ukraine Policy – Ink Stick

Judy Asks: Is Poland Back? – Carnegie Europe

France and Central Europe Are Converging on Security – Carnegie

Western leaders threaten to undermine Navalny’s legacy in Russia – The Conversation

On the Frontline

All’s fair in art and war: Russia’s plunder of Ukrainian museums – The Insider

Fat, Dumb and Happy: Brutal Recent Russian Jet Losses Possibly Linked to Compromised Avionics – Kyiv Post

Kyiv’s Military Shakeup. Who has joined the revamped leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces – The Insider – Kyiv Post

Marking Two Years of Russian Violations of Humanitarian Law in Ukraine – Kyiv Post

Ukraine’s Economy

How Ukraine Overcame Russia’s Grain Blockade – CFR

Strategic Industries Minister: Ukraine's Ammo Needs Beyond Single Country's Capacity – Kyiv Post

The economic toll of 10 years of Russia's war against Ukraine in charts – Kyiv Independent

Russia, Ukraine, and Global Food Security: A Two-Year Assessment – CSIS

Longer Reports

Food as the “Silent Weapon”: Russia’s Gains and Ukraine’s Losses – CSIS

Supporting Ukraine's Private Sector during Wartime – CSIS

Anti-tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) – The Modern Insurgent

Top 5 – Must Read

The square of no return. How the Revolution of Dignity changed Ukraine and Russia – The Insider

The West tried to crush Russia’s economy. Why hasn’t it worked? – POLITICO

Worrywurst at the Munich Security Conference – War on the Rocks

Chinese exports have replaced the EU as the lifeline of Russia’s economy – Atlantic Council

Behind the Debate over U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine – Crisis Group

Russia's War

Two Years Later: LAC and Russia’s War in Ukraine – CSIS

China Uses Crises to Build Central Asia Influence – CEPA

Wagner Group is now Africa Corps. What this means for Russia’s operations on the continent – The Conversation

The toll on Russia from its war in Ukraine, by the numbers – Atlantic Council

Strategic Significance of Russian Aircraft Losses – Kyiv Post

Multilateral

Previewing the Italian G7 Presidency – CSIS

Munich diaries: Fear and uncertainty at the ‘Lose-Lose’ conference – Kyiv Independent

The Quantum Man and the Sea of Risks – CSIS

The Trump Whisperer : Can Mark Rutte save NATO ? – POLITICO

Supporting Ukraine

How Much Aid Has the U.S. Sent Ukraine? Here Are Six Charts – CFR

Weathering the Storm: Western Security Assistance on the Defensive in Ukraine – RUSI

Two Years of War in Ukraine: Are Sanctions Against Russia Making a Difference? – CFR

Why the West is losing Ukraine – POLITICO

Longer Papers

COCOM 2.0: Could a New Multilateral Regime Help Control High-Technology Exports ? – Carnegie Politika

The Threat from Russia’s Unconventional Warfare Beyond Ukraine, 2022–24 – RUSI

The Long Shadow: Russian Nuclear Calibration in the War in Ukraine – CSIS

Top 5 – Must Read

Russian Elections Have a Purpose, But Not Evicting the Regime – CEPA

Will Zelenskyy’s new commander-in-chief change Ukraine’s fortunes on the battlefield? – Chatham House

Judy Asks: Is Defense a Priority Across Europe? – Carnegie Politika

Black Gold Ablaze: Ukrainian drones zero in on Russian refineries, threatening fuel flow to frontline – The Insider

EU Takes a Step Closer to Using Frozen Russian Assets Profits for Ukraine – Kyiv Post

Inside Russia

Leadership Change in Russia: Contingency Planning Memorandum – CFR

The Sudden Death of Alexey Navalny – CEPA

Why Members of Russia’s Anti-War Opposition Aren’t Punished Equally – Moscow Times

Over a Barrel: Russia has made it through a year of oil sanctions largely unscathed, but the West has more tricks up its sleeve – The Insider

Ukraine

How Ukraine Uses AI To Fight Russian Information Operations – GGI

Ukraine Struggles to Find Troops for the Frontline – CEPA

Ukraine pins hopes on home-made drones to counter Russia – Kyiv Independent

"The €50 billion from the EU might be revised upwards, but Ukraine has to restart its economy to repay debts." Ukraine's ambassador to the EU – European Pravda

Europe

The Final Countdown: Will Russia and Ukraine Renew Gas Transit Deal? – Carnegie Politika

 Moving Past the Troubles: The Future of Northern Ireland Peace – CFR

Unity in power, power in unity: why the EU needs more integrated electricity markets – Bruegel

Europe’s Trumpdämmerung (Trump Anxiety) – CEPA

Ukraine's victory "whatever it takes," dialogue with opposition, and Kyiv's two battles. Speech by EU's top diplomat – European Pravda

Transatlantic

A Message to NATO: Be More Baltic – CEPA

Needed Now: A Crash Program for US Defense Production – CEPA

Transatlantic Digital Trade Protections: From TTIP to ‘Policy Suicide’? – Lawfare

Disinformation: A Back Pocket Guide – Lawfare

Longer Papers

Troubling Waters : Understanding Global Water Security – CSIS

Ukraine’s Rapid Digitalization: Human Rights Risks and Opportunities in a Postwar Environment – CSIS

European Democracy Support Annual Review 2023 – Carnegie Politika

A tale of two treatises: the Werner and Delors Reports and the birth of the euro – Bruegel

Leadership in Action: Six Priorities for the Transatlantic Alliance in 2024 – CEPA

Top 5 – Must Read

How Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is falling apart and world is ignoring danger – Ukrainska Pravda

Behind the Lines: Inside the Resistance Sabotaging Putin’s Plans for Ukraine – CEPA

Battlefield Woes Mounting, Ukraine Gets A New Top General. Who Is He? – Radio Free Europe

Why Armenia and Azerbaijan Still Can’t Reach a Peace Deal – Ink Stick

History has no lessons for you: A warning for policy makers – War on the Rocks

Inside Russia

Short-lived rise of Boris Nadezhdin, Putin's 'anti-war' opponent – Kyiv Independent

We watched Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin so you don’t have to – Novaya Gazeta

As Russia Targets Activists Helping Ukrainian Refugees, Future Aid Grows Uncertain – The Moscow Times

How the FSB tried to buy an Italian political party – The Insider

Europe, Trade and Sanctions

Charles Michel’s U-turn has not solved the thorny question of who the next European Council president will be – Atlantic Council

The Fifth Ministerial of the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council – CSIS

Russian Gas, Chinese Tech — Europe Responds – CEPA

Russia’s Frozen Assets Present a Policy Dilemma – Carnegie Politika

Warfare and Dissuasion

Why Cognitive Superiority is an Imperative – NATO Review

Reinforcing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime – Lawfare

Public Preferences for Different European Defence Cooperation Designs – Bruegel

You’re Right: The World Is Getting More Violent – Ink Stick

On the Frontline

Ukraine’s Ammunition Hunger Becomes a Famine – CEPA

Ukraine is about to get new US long-range bombs. How will it use them? – Kyiv Independent

What The Looming Fall Of Avdiyivka Says About Ukraine's Battlefield Mood – Radio Free Europe

Why Ukraine failed in The Hague, and what it needs to change to win cases against Russia – European Pravda

Reports

Energy Security is Global Security – Atlantic Council

Global Terrorism Threat Assessment 2024 – CSIS

European Democracy Support Annual Review 2023 – Carnegie Politika

Five scenarios for Russia’s future – Atlantic Council

“However, while questions of future developments in Ukraine continue to dominate discourse in places like Washington and Brussels, far less attention has been paid to what comes next in Moscow, and across the Russian Federation. Indeed, the discussion of developments within—and policy surrounding—Russia’s potential future has been largely muted across the West.”

This report offers prospectives on the fragile and violent Russian politics. While Putin staying in power stays the most likely future, the author explores the possibilities of a nationalistic, a technocratic and a liberal overthrow, or even the dislocation of the Russian federation.

Europe’s farmer protests are spreading. Here’s where and why – POLITICO

“The war in Ukraine has only made [farmers’ situation] worse [and] upended trade flows, causing a supply glut. Polish farmers were the first to take to the streets and block border crossings, as far back as spring last year. But demonstrations have spread to countries like Germany and France.”

The current social upheaval in Europe is at the intersection of economic crisis and far-right populism, driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This article offers several infographics covering the details of the protests and the situation of farmers in Europe.

Mobilize this: How Russia and Ukraine are addressing personnel shortages at the front – The Insider

“Interestingly, as Ukraine's mobilization evolved into a more permanent state of affairs (although one may argue it also features waves), the Russian government found the nationwide draft so traumatic an experience that it decided to postpone further mobilization efforts for as long as it could, amping up the recruitment of contract servicemen, mercenaries, and inmates instead.”

This article addresses the difficulties of mobilization in the current war. Both countries need to recruit, train, equip and organize volunteers and mobilized alike, while also managing the subsequent impacts on their economies.

Ukraine is Losing the Drone War – Foreign Affairs

“After Russian troops first marched on Kyiv, Ukrainian forces were praised for the technological ingenuity that helped them thwart their more powerful invader. Now, Russia has caught up in the innovation contest and Ukraine is struggling to maintain the flow of military assistance from its external partners.”

This comprehensive article describes the evolution of drone warfare during the last 2 years of war in Ukraine. The author details the newfound lethality of drones, especially “highly maneuverable FPVs”, and the importance for Ukraine to keep a competitive edge in this field.

Taiwan has become the Russian arms industry’s main source for high precision machine tools – The Insider

“According to Russian customs records from NBD, between March and September 2023, Russia imported at least 193 Taiwanese-made machining centers worth a total value of nearly $29 million. Close to 80% of the Taiwanese comprehensive processing machines flowing into Russia are transshipped through third countries, with Turkey and China being the top culprits.”

This joint investigation with the Taiwanese “The Reporter” reveals the continued efforts by the Russian Defense industry to keep acquiring the necessary tools to feed the Kremlin’s war machine. Experts insist on the need to track and sanction those intermediaries who help circumventing sanctions.

Under Sea, Under Stone : How the U.S. Claimed Vast New Arctic Territory – Radio Free Europe

“As competition for resources in the Arctic Ocean intensifies, nations are staking claims to swaths of undersea territory where oil, gas, and other minerals could someday be found and mined. The United States has just staked its own claim -- and it did so in a way that’s raising lots of questions.”

This interactive report offers a visualization of competition and claims in the Arctic. It also covers the reactions of other arctic countries and experts. As climate change reveals new trade routes and resources, risk and instability in this region are likely to grow.

Ukraine’s War of Narratives – War on the Rocks

“Throughout 22 months of conflict, the ironclad conventional wisdom regarding the war’s present state and near future has repeatedly been shattered. […] Both Ukraine and Russia have regularly been seen as the conflict’s inevitable victor — only to fall back down to earth when the expectations created failed to live up to reality.”

In this article, the author warns us about the difficulties of foresight and analysis on the “21st century’s largest interstate conflict”. The mediatization and the narrative cycle around this war might hide less exciting but more important factors such as logistics and manpower.

Martial Law Dad – NGL Media

“One of the men who fictitiously divorced and won the right to child support in court told NGL Media that he really intended to avoid mobilization and travel abroad if necessary. To support his position in court, he had to collect written testimonies […] that his wife had not been living with the children for a long time, although this was obviously not true.”

The investigations by NGL Media uncovering draft dodging schemes in Ukraine, whether it be parental duties or higher education, highlight creeping war fatigue and corruption in the country. The “illegal scheme” described in the article illustrate both the moral difficulties inherent to war and preexisting institutional problems.

Challenges of Export Controls Enforcement – Yermak-McFaul Working Group on Russian Sanctions

This new report demonstrates several gaps in current western sanction regimes and the way they are used by the Kremlin to continue to acquire critical equipment for its defense industry. Corporate responsibility, legal harmonization, third-country circumvention are all cited as areas of improvement. It also shows a world that is still very interconnected, including between rivals, and the dependency of the Russian regime on globalization.

The Plakhov Group’s Weekly Reading List – December 16

Top 5 – Must Read

The “no human” factor: How Russia’s workforce shortage rolls back its industrial development – The Insider

Putin’s End-of-Year Event Was a (Doomed) Invitation to Dialogue – Carnegie Politika

Experts react to the EU starting Ukraine membership talks while failing to agree on aid – Atlantic Council

European Elections: A Game-changer in 2024? – Geopolitical Monitor

Are Zelensky and his top general really in discord? – The Kyiv Independent

European Union and Ukraine

Tusk's return brings stability to relations with Ukraine, but economic challenges persist – The Kyiv Independent

Orbán's Defeat or Victory for Ukraine. Why Is EU Summit Historic? – European Pravda

Bringing the reform of European Union fiscal rules to a successful close – Bruegel

“Information Chaos” Plagues Serbia Elections – CEPA

War and Security

Safe and Free: National-Security Surveillance and Safeguards Across Rule-of-Law States - Lawfare

Too little but not too late. Cluster munitions can help Ukraine turn the tide if the United States ramps up supplies – The Insider

Ukraine finally moves to fortify front line, but could it be too little too late? – The Kyiv Independent

Russia and the Near Abroad

Bureaucracy as the Pillar of Stability: Are There Any Real Institutions Inside the Russian Political Regime? – Carnegie Politika

Closure of Russia-Finland Border Heralds End of Pragmatic Cooperation – Carnegie Politika

In From the Cold: The Struggle for Russia’s Exiles – CEPA

Armenia’s existential moment – Engelsberg Ideas

Longer Papers

How the Kremlin is using Wagner to launder billions in African gold – Blood Gold Report

Getting back on track: Unlocking Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic and development perspective – Atlantic Council

From the Ground Up: Demining Farmland and Improving Access to Fertilizer to Restore Ukraine’s Agricultural Production – CSIS

Russian cyber and information warfare in practice – Chatham House

The Plakhov Group’s Weekly Reading List – December 9

Top 5 – Must Read

30 Years of EU's Diplomatic Presence in Ukraine: Reflection of the Past and a Look Ahead – European Pravda

‘War, Prison or Disability’: Russian Military Desertions Surge – Moscow Times

Gas Dwarf. How war and corruption transformed Gazprom into a third-tier company – The Insider

Belarus Is Reluctant to Share Fleeing Western Firms’ Assets With Russia – Carnegie

Cloud Darken on Ukraine's EU Accession –  CEPA

Security and Defense

Donbas standoff: The war in Ukraine so far – The Insider

Women, Peace, Security : Thinking creatively to pursue national security through gender equality – War on the Rocks

Ukraine holds back Russian assault on Avdiivka as long winter battle looms – The Kyiv Independent

Putin faces growing threat from the wives and mothers of mobilized soldiers – Chatham House

Governance and Democracy

Ukraine’s fight to heal millions of children scarred by Russia’s war – The Kyiv Independent

Succession : Is the 16-year-old son of Chechnya’s brutal autocrat Ramzan Kadyrov being readied for power? – Novaya Gazeta

The shocking Dutch election is done. The political maneuvering is just beginning. – Atlantic Council

Russian Discontent Bubbles Beneath the Surface – CEPA

Diplomacy and European Union

Ukraine in the EU would be a game-changer for Europe’s decarbonization drive – Atlantic Council

There Are No Quick Fixes for EU Enlargement – Carnegie Europe

Ukraine Trying to Stop Russian Stranglehold of OSCE – Kyiv Post

The Global Leaders and Countries Gaining and Losing Ukrainians' Trust: Change over a Year – European Pravda

(Dis)information and Technology

Blood and Iron: How Nationalist Imperialism Became Russia’s State Ideology – Carnegie

New Digital Dilemmas: Resisting Autocrats, Navigating Geopolitics, Confronting Platforms – Carnegie

The Expiration Date on Privacy Protections for Americans Abroad – Lawfare

Encryption: It’s Not About Good and Bad Guys, It’s About All of Us – CEPA

The Plakhov Group’s Weekly Reading List – December 2

Top 5 – Must Read

The Kremlin’s Pied Pipers Lure Children to War – CEPA

Why the European Union may soak up the populist-right wave – Chatham House

Sanctions targeting Russian oil are falling apart. What will the West do? – Ukrainska Pravda

Why reports on the growth of the Russian GDP should be taken seriously – The Insider

Alleged assassination plots in the U.S. and Canada signal a more assertive Indian foreign policy – The Conversation

Trade and Sanctions

Ukraine's audit agency says state-owned energy company Centrenergo in 'state of crisis' – The Kyiv Independent

European Investment Bank head Hoyer calls for swift reconstruction of Ukraine – The Kyiv Independent

Russia receives Ukraine-made aviation spare parts despite war – The Kyiv Independent

Poland: hope for rule-of-law correction, but serious economic challenges ahead – Bruegel

Democracy and Governance

Ukraine’s Traitor-Hunt – CEPA

Limiting access to abortion in Russia is not a demographic solution but another problem – The Insider

Serbia Elections and the Community of Serb Municipalities – Geopolitical Monitor

Why we must pay attention to Russia’s election – Chatham House

Defense and Security

Don’t stop now. US aid to Ukraine continues to be a wise investment. – Atlantic Council

Climate change threatens NATO’s readiness and resilience at sea – NATO Review

Moscow’s search for foreign recruits reveals its growing desperation – War on the Rocks

The Kremlin's Invisible Battalions: The Growing Influence of Private Military Companies – The Modern Insurgent

Foreign Policy

Justine Greening: ‘Foreign policy isn’t just defence, it’s development’ – Chatham House

Grey Zone: Migration – CEPA

Frost, mice and artillery duels. How winter affects combat operations – Ukrainska Pravda

Upholding Internet Freedom as Part of the EU’s Iran Policy – Carnegie Politika

The Plakhov Group’s Weekly Reading List – November 25

Top 5 – Must Read

Russia’s Predetermined Elections Are Still Enough to Rattle the Elites – Carnegie Politika

From energy superpower to resource colony: Russia’s critical dependence on China and Turkey – The Insider

NATO’s new strategy and the Canadian defence industry – Hill Times

Tensions rise over future of the world’s largest security body – POLITICO

The Drooping of Kremlin Soft Power – CEPA

Trade and Sanctions

Czech parts make their way to Russian military helicopters despite sanctions – The Kyiv Independent

Ukraine removes 3 Greek companies from 'international sponsors of war' list – The Kyiv Independent

Russian and Chinese Business Leaders Discuss Undersea Crimea Tunnel – The Moscow Times

Trucker protests: Unraveling the standoff between Polish and Ukrainian haulers – The Kyiv Independent

Defence, War and Security

Ukraine Claims Successes in ‘Heavy Fighting’ on Russian-Held Side of Dnipro – The Moscow Times

Betting on zero. Ukraine braces for Putin's new attempt to plunge it into darkness, but this time it's prepared – The Insider

Hours Before Declaring Mutiny, Prigozhin Secretly Planned Duma Speech to Win Back Putin’s Favor – The Moscow Times

Russia’s plan B is working. The West must not give up on Ukraine now – Chatham House

(Dis)Information and Technology

Troubles with disinformation? Ukrainians know what to do – Hill Times

Ukraine’s Secret Weapon – Artificial Intelligence – CEPA

The turmoil at OpenAI reveals underlying structural tensions in the AI industry – Bruegel

Russia’s Influence in the Balkans – CFR

International Relations and Governance

Hesitant Steps Towards a South Caucasus Peace Deal – CEPA

What a far-right surge in the Netherlands means for Europe – Chatham House

Top Job: Running NATO – CEPA

Kosovo in Crisis: Serbia Elections and the Community of Serb Municipalities – Geopolitical Monitor

The Plakhov Group’s Weekly Reading List – November 18

Top 5 – Must Read

Russia, West fight for Kazakhstan as Astana plays both sides – The Kyiv Independent

Ukraine says its forces are now on east bank of Dnipro river – Euronews

Europe can’t keep its promise to Ukraine, defense chief admits – POLITICO

Forbes: Canada lifts sanctions on Russian billionaire following lawsuit – The Kyiv Independent

NATO Needs a Maritime Strategy for a Darker Age – CEPA

War and Sanctions

‘Rivers of Russian Cash’ Flood Italy – CEPA

Russian Wunderwaffen that never made it to the Ukrainian front – The Insider

Bulgaria's Soviet stockpiles and large defense industry may be key to Ukraine's success – The Kyiv Independent

Wagner Now Part of Russian National Guard, Likely Headed by Prigozhin’s Son – The Kyiv Post

Struggle for Democracy

Democracy in Ukraine – Chatham House

Belarus Gears Up for Elections and Powerful New People’s Assembly – Carnegie Politika

Parliament still closed to journalists, raising transparency concerns – The Kyiv Independent

Russia Tracks Academics With Foreign Ties – The Moscow Times

International Relations

War in the Middle East Is Boosting Russia-Turkey Ties – Carnegie Politika

Azerbaijan continues to snub peace talks as U.S. moves to boost support to Armenia – Eurasianet

Georgia’s EU Candidate Status Will Test Its Relations With Russia – Carnegie Politika

Ukraine warns Russian ‘ally’ Hungary to stop blocking EU sanctions - POLITICO

Longer Papers

The Arctic: The struggle for resources and influence in the region

Weaponization of refugees: Why now?

Preparing for War: wargaming the NATO-Russia confrontation in the Baltics

The Plakhov Group’s Weekly Reading List – November 11

Top 5 – Must Read

Setting a global precedent in response to aggression – National Magazine

Expelled GRU spies bemoan lack of decent jobs and kindergarten slots in Russia – The Insider

Will the EU get new members soon? Here’s what you need to know – Atlantic Council

How Russia is recruiting Wagner fighters to continue war in Ukraine – The Guardian

Russia Throws Men, Firepower at Ukraine’s Avdiivka to Little Avail - The Moscow Times

Trade and Sanctions

Authorities yet to seize assets of Putin’s ex-right-hand man – The Kyiv Independent

Putin rakes in extra €1B for his war chest via Bulgaria sanctions loophole - POLITICO

The massive value of European Union cross-border electricity transmission – Bruegel

Why Can’t the West Stop Supplying Technology for Russian Weapons? – Foreign Policy

International Relations and History

The History of Khrushchev’s Thaw Is a Mirror for Modern Russia – Carnegie Politika

The war in Gaza is aligning Russia against Israel – Chatham House

Armenia Needs Help to Escape Regional Isolation - CEPA

Uzbekistan in Focus as France Pivots toward Central Asia – Geopolitical Monitor

Defence and Intelligence

Turning standard ammunition into sharable ammunition – NATO Review

How the FSB's surveillance unit monitors journalists and foreigners – The Insider

Russia’s Bankers Become Secret Policemen – CEPA

Videos Show Ukrainian Special Forces ‘Cleaning Up’ Wagner Fighters in Sudan – Kyiv Post

Longer papers

The Dragon and the Bear in Africa: Stress-Testing Chinese-Russia Relations - FPRI

War Is from Mars, AI Is from Venus: Rediscovering the Institutional Context of Military Automation – TNSR

Book of the Week

The Routledge Handbook of the Political Economy of Sanctions edited by Ksenia Kirkham

The Plakhov Group’s Weekly Reading List – November 4

Top 5 – Must Read

Fueling war: Russia's aggression persists amidst high oil prices and ineffective sanctions – The Insider

Behind the Lines: The Race to Rescue Ukraine’s Stolen Children – CEPA

As Politics Returns to Ukraine, the Fight for Russian-Speakers’ Votes Begins – Carnegie Politika

Ukraine and Russia claim to be prepared for extremes of winter warfare – here’s what they face – The Conversation

Armenia says outline of a peace deal agreed with Azerbaijan – Eurasianet

Trade and Sanctions

Gender is the missing frontier at the UK’s AI Safety Summit – Chatham House

‘Home-grown’ innovation has costs as well as benefits – Bruegel

Where does transatlantic AI cooperation stand? – Atlantic Council

‘Russia Making More Weapons Than Before Full-Scale Invasion’ – The Kyiv Post

Security and War

Debacle: Getting Russia Wrong – CEPA

Russia ramps up military production, prepares for long war – The Kyiv Independent

Chinese Strategists Evaluate the Use of ‘Kamikaze’ Drones in the Russia-Ukraine War – The Diplomat

Belarus threatens Lithuania with military action; Lukashenko invites Orban to Minsk – The Kyiv Independent

Domestic Politics

The arrest of Navalny’s lawyers is part of a purge before Russia’s 2024 election – Chatham House

Putin Prepares for Reelection Amid Potemkin Villages and a Virtual Russia – Carnegie Politika

The devil and the advocate: Rationale behind Kremlin's crackdown on attorneys and new game rules – The Insider

Red Flags: Soviet Symbols Return To Russia's Military – Radio Free Europe

Longer papers

Establishing a New Multilateral Export Control Regime - CSIS

Alliance Commitment in an Era of Partisan Polarization: A Survey Experiment of U.S. Voters – TNSR

Book of the Week

Ukraine : What Everyone Needs to Know by Serhy Yekelchyk

The Plakhov Group’s Weekly Reading List – October 28

Top 5 – Must Read

Ukraine’s aim to become Europe’s arsenal – POLITICO – 24/10/2023

Getting Sporty in Russia’s Arctic – War on the Rocks – 24/10/2023

Canada’s Arctic Sovereignty: A People-First Perspective – CGIA – 24/10/2023

Europe keeps supplying equipment and components to Russian missile manufacturers – The Insider – 25/10/2023

As Bakhmut counteroffensive lags, soldiers burnt out from horrors of war – The Kyiv Independent – 26/10/2023

Europe and NATO

Is Poland back on track? – Chatham House – 23/10/2023

Protecting our critical satellite infrastructure: the importance of space-based infrastructure to humanity and its status within NATO – NATO Review – 24/10/2023

Turkey, the United States, and the Israel-Hamas War – CFR – 25/10/2023

The European Union’s remarkable growth performance relative to the United States – Bruegel – 26/10/2023

Russia’s Near Abroad

Russia’s Withdrawal From the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Is an Own Goal – Carnegie Politika – 24/10/2023

Why Russia and Hamas Are Growing Closer – Carnegie Politika – 25/10/2023

Georgia Bangs the Anti-Western Drum – CEPA – 26/10/2023

Can There Be Lasting Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan? – Carnegie Politika – 27/10/2023

Ukraine’s fight

Ukraine’s Accession Poses a Unique Conundrum for the EU – Carnegie Politika – 24/10/2023

Zelensky vows full Ukrainian fire control over Crimea – The Kyiv Independent – 24/10/2023

Russia abducts Ukrainian children with disabilities – The Kyiv Independent – 24/10/2023

Egoists Make Merry With Kyiv’s Building Rules – CEPA – 27/10/2023

Book of the Week

The New Russia by Mikhail Gorbachev 

Top 5 – Must Read

Poland’s elections alter the balance of power in the EU – Chatham House – 17/10/2023

Russian diamonds flow West despite sanctions, directly finance war – The Kyiv Independent – 17/10/2023

The US-EU Summit: Time to focus on geopolitics – Atlantic Council – 18/10/2023

Use of Force: How the Karabakh conflict might impact Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine – The Insider – 18/10/2023

Biden all in on aid to Ukraine, yet House remains an issue – The Kyiv Independent – 21/10/2023

The U.S. and the World

The High Geopolitical Costs of U.S. Economic Policies – CFR – 16/10/2023

The Need to Train Data-Literate U.S. Army Commanders – War on the Rocks – 17/10/2023

How the US Can Open Doors in Central Asia – CEPA – 18/10/2023

Ukrainian Resistance

Ukrainian archivists collect Russian graffiti as evidence of war crimes – The Kyiv Independent – 19/10/2023

Behind the Lines: Russia’s Brainwashing of Teenagers in Occupied Ukraine – CEPA – 19/10/2023

Ukraine’s Telecom Conundrum: Cheap China or Expensive Western Kit? – CEPA – 20/10/2023

Inside Russia

Forgotten Front: Why Syria Is Becoming a Headache for Russia – Carnegie Politika – 17/10/2023

How Russia’s liberal tech companies became the foundation of Putin’s war effort – The Kiyv Independent – 17/10/2023

Russia’s Sarmat Missile Saga Reflects an Industry in Crisis – Carnegie Politika – 18/10/2023

Russia’s Capital Controls Are Designed to Aid Putin’s 2024 Re-Election – Carnegie Politika – 19/10/2023

Russia’s Other War: The Administrators Versus the Revisionists – Carnegie Politika – 20/10/2023

Russia’s Near Abroad

Revolution or Realignment? Chechnya After Kadyrov – CEPA – 17/10/2023

Inside an Infamous Russian Spy Unit’s First Bombing in NATO – The Insider – 20/10/2023

Putin Is Not “Protecting” Ethnic Russians in Ukraine or Elsewhere – Geopolitical Monitor – 17/10/2023

European Union

“Steely Stuff” Dominates Upcoming EU-US Summit – CEPA – 18/10/2023

Europe’s antitrust rules are political, says ousted economist – POLITICO – 18/10/2023

Why Slovakia’s Fico hates Ukraine – POLITICO – 19/10/2023

Generative AI Poses Challenges for Europe – Carnegie Europe – 19/10/2023

Book of the Week

Backfire : How Sanctions Reshape the World U.S. Interests by Agathe Desmarais

Top 5 – Must Read

Searching for peace: What Russian web queries tell us about the nation’s attitude to war – The Insider – 09/10/2023

Zelensky, partners meet in Brussels to boost military support for Ukraine ahead of winter – The Kyiv Independent – 11/10/2023

Russia’s 2024 Budget Shows It’s Planning for a Long War in Ukraine – Carnegie Politika – 11/10/2023

Can the United States Equip Israel while Simultaneously Equipping Ukraine and Taiwan? – CSIS – 12/10/2023

Rebuilding Ukraine’s Economy Starts Now – War on the Rocks – 12/10/2023

Ukraine and the Frontline

‘I want to go home’: Inside a Russian prisoner of war camp in Ukraine – The Kyiv Independent – 09/10/2023

The Russians Fighting for Ukraine – Crisis Group – 12/10/2023

Seizing the Initiative in Ukraine: Waging War in a Defense Dominant World – CSIS – 12/10/2023

Russia’s Ukraine invasion highlights the need for fundamental UN reform – Atlantic Council – 12/10/2023

Russia and Sanctions

Russia’s Fuel Export Ban Reveals Systemic Problems, Wartime Stresses – Carnegie Politika – 10/10/2023

Russia’s New Black Sea Base Angers Georgia – CEPA – 11/10/2023

Spoils of war failures: FSB general who botched Russia's war preparations owns millions of dollars worth of real estate – The Insider – 12/10/2023

That diamond ring? It may have helped pay for Russia’s war – The Kyiv Independent – 12/10/2023

Long-Standing Ties Between Armenia and Russia Are Fraying Fast – Carnegie Politika –  13/10/2023

NATO and Europe

The European Union is ready for the 2023-24 winter gas season – Bruegel – 10/10/2023

Your primer on the elections in Poland – Atlantic Council – 11/10/2023

Ukraine remains top of NATO’s growing list of priorities – Chatham House – 11/10/2023

Italy’s Mediterranean Jigsaw: Geopolitics of a Sidelined Former Power – Geopolitical Monitor – 12/10/2023

Mideast Violence Tests Europe’s New Digital Content Law – CEPA – 13/10/2023

Book of the Week

Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath by Bill Browder

Top 5 – Must Read

Putin’s fleet retreats: Ukraine is winning the Battle of the Black Sea – Atlantic Council – 04/10/2023

Ethnic Cleansing Is Happening in Nagorno-Karabakh. How Can the World Respond? – CFR – 04/10/2023

The Granada Summit of the European Political Community: Ambition or Oblivion? – CSIS – 04/10/2023

Defending Poland’s Democracy: Voices From Civil Society – Carnegie Europe – 05/10/2023

With Congress in chaos, Europe can show the world how to unite and deliver for Ukraine – Atlantic Council – 05/10/2023

Russia and the Regime

Glorious Basterds: Russian propaganda mass-producing tales of battlefield heroism – The Insider – 04/10/2023

Putin is using de-privatization to create a new generation of loyal oligarchs – Chatham House – 04/10/2023

Behind the Lines: Russia’s ‘Adoption’ Campaign in Occupied Ukraine – CEPA – 05/10/2023

Jobs in Occupied Ukraine Are a Poisoned Chalice for Russian Officials – Carnegie Politika – 05/10/2023

“Everyone tries to enlist God on their side”: Orthodox priests reflect on ROC split over war in Ukraine – The Insider – 05/10/2023

Ukraine’s Fight and the West

Fakesperts: Who spreads pro-Kremlin disinfo in the West (Interactive map) – The Insider – 02/10/2023

The Polish-Ukrainian Bond Is Here to Stay – Carnegie Europe – 03/10/2023

Ukraine’s Counteroffensive : Lessons From 1940 – CEPA – 04/10/2023

Baltic-registered crypto firms service payments for Russian private army, allow sanctions evasion – Kyiv Independent – 04/10/2023

We Can Force Russia to Fund Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom – CEPA – 06/10/2023

Europe and NATO

Fair Share or Extortion? Europe’s Telecommunications Debate – CEPA – 02/10/2023

Conventional-Nuclear Integration to Strengthen Deterrence – CSIS – 04/10/2023

Building Momentum in EU-Türkiye Relations – Crisis Group – 04/10/2023

Alliance Assignments : Defense Priorities for Key NATO States – War on the Rocks – 04/10/2023

Women This Week: Indigenous Women Seek Damages for Involuntary Birth Control – CFR – 06/10/2023

Caucasus

How Türkiye Could Broker Peace in the South Caucasus – Carnegie Politika – 04/10/2023

Central Asia and the South Caucasus Draw Closer Together – Carnegie Politika – 06/10/2023

The EU’s Dilemma With Azerbaijan : Natural Gas or Moral Purity – CEPA – 04/10/2023

Book of the Week

Multilateral Sanctions Revisited : Lessons Learned from Margaret Doxey

Top 5 – Must Read

Poland seeks extradition of Ukrainian SS veteran who was applauded in Canada – POLITICO – 27/09/2023

U.S. Urges Serbia To Pull Back Large Military Deployment Along Border With Kosovo – Radio Free Europe – 30/09/2023

Russia puts international court’s top leadership on wanted list – POLITICO – 25/09/2023

As Ethnic Armenian Exodus Tops 100,000, UN Readies For Nagorno-Karabakh Visit – Radio Free Europe – 30/09/2023

Russia is covering Ukraine with landmines. Clearing them will be extremely difficult – The Kyiv Independent – 29/09/2023

Russia

Ukraine War a Financial Boon for Small-Town Russia, But Can It Last? – Carnegie Politika – 27/09/2023

Success Eludes the Kremlin’s Chosen Children – CEPA – 27/09/2023

Russia’s Wagner troops are back on the battlefield, Ukraine says – POLITICO – 27/09/2023

Aid to Ukraine

Jets and rockets are important, but Ukraine also needs faster munitions deliveries – Atlantic Council – 29/09/2023

The Past, Present, and Future of U.S. Assistance to Ukraine: A Deep Dive into the Date – CSIS – 26/09/2023

Consensus builds for EU bank to finance shells and tanks – POLITICO – 30/09/2023

On the Frontline

Ukraine’s War of Drones Runs Into an Obstacle: China – The New York Times – 30/09/2023

The Fate of Justice in Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks – Council on Foreign Relations – 27/09/2023

Overcoming setbacks, NATO-trained brigade breaches Surovikin line Zaporizhzhia – The Kyiv Independent – 26/09/2023

Nagorno-Karabakh

Russia concedes Karabakh for stake in new regional order – Chatham House – 29/09/2023

Responding to the Humanitarian Catastrophe in Nagorno-Karabakh – Crisis Group – 29/09/2023

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Ends, But Will Another Begin ? – CEPA – 28/09/2023

Transatlantic Cooperation

The urgent imperative to maintain NATO’s nuclear deterrence – The NATO Review – 29/09/2023

AI Safety Summit: Can Britain write the AI rulebook? – Chatham House – 29/09/2023

Transatlantic Data Deal or Data Waterloo? – CEPA – 25/09/2023

Europe

Poland Becomes a Defense Colossus – CEPA – 28/09/2023

Latvia’s New Government Should Rewrite Security Strategy – CEPA – 29/09/2023

Western Balkans ‘nearshoring’ can turn the region into a strategic asset for the EU – Atlantic Council – 28/09/2023

Lomger papers

The Ideology of Putinism: Is It Sustainable? – CSIS – 27/09/2023

In the Shadow of Ukraine : Russian Concepts of Future War and Force Design – CSIS – 29/09/2023

An Urgent Matter of Drones – CEPA – 27/09/2023

Top 5 – Must Read

Canada Pledges More Military Aid As Kyiv Confirms Hitting Russian Black Sea Fleet HQ – Radio Free Europe – 22/09/2023

How Much Aid Has the U.S Sent Ukraine? Here Are Six Charts. – Council on Foreign Relations – 21/09/2023

Boosting protection. How Russian military enlists mystical forces to its cause – The Insider – 19/09/2023

Post-Prigozhin Russia in Africa: Regaining or Losing Control? – CSIS – 20/09/2023

Why Russia Keeps Holding Elections – Carnegie Politika – 22/09/2023

On the Frontline

Uncertain Triumph: Ukraine picks apart Russia’s best air defense in Crimea – The Kyiv Independent – 20/09/2023

Estonia’s Outgoing Military Spymaster on Russia’s War – The Insider – 15/09/2023

Russia’s ‘peacekeeper’ act crumbles as Azerbaijan overwhelms Nagorno-Karabakh – The Kyiv Independent – 22/09/2023

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict explained – POLITICO – 19/09/2023

Russia’s Relations

Russia’s Growing Ties With Afghanistan Are More Symbolism Than Substance – Carnegie Politika – 19/09/2023

Moscow’s Influence Wanes in Southeast Asia – Council on Foreign Relations – 21/09/2023

Signs of Hope in Kazakhstan’s New Economic Program – CEPA – 19/09/2023

The Middle Corridor: A Geopolitical Game-Changer in Eurasian Trade – Geopolitical Monitor – 20/09/2023

Ukraine and aid

What would it take to hold elections in Ukraine – Atlantic Council – 19/09/2023

Is the United States Running out of Weapons to Send to Ukraine – CSIS – 16/09/2023

Zelenskyy basks in Canada love-in as cracks emerge in alliance – POLITICO – 22/09/2023

Poland threatens further import bans, summons Ukrainian ambassador over grain dispute – The Kyiv Independent – 20/09/2023

Lomger papers

The US, EU, and UK need a shared approach to economic statecraft. Here’s where to start – Atlantic Council – 20/09/2023

Tracking Transatlantic Drug Flows: Cocaine’s Path from South America across the Caribbean to Europe – CSIS – 19/09/2023

Seller’s Remorse : The Challenges Facing Russia’s Arms Exports – CSIS – 18/09/2023

Top 5 – Must Read

Russia holds sham ‘elections’ in occupied Ukrainian territory – The Kyiv Independent – 09/09/2023

Summit between Kim Jong-Un and Vladimir Putin – CSIS – 13/09/2023

Deal or No Deal, the Calm on the Grain Exports Is Deceptive – Carnegie Politika – 15/09/2023

U.S. Diplomacy After The Russo-Ukrainian War – War on The Rocks – 11/09/2023

EU to cease sanctions against three Russian businessmen this week, sources say – Reuters – 12/09/2023

Elections in Occupied Ukraine

Russia seeks to legitimize occupation of Ukraine with sham elections – Atlantic Council – 12/09/2023

Russia’s Home Port in Occupied Crimea Is Under Fire – Foreign Policy – 13/09/2023

A Philosophy Professor And Karadzic’s Lawyer: The Serbian Observers Who Praised Russia’s ‘Sham’ Elections In Occupied Ukraine – RadioFreeEurope – 15/09/2023

Russia and ‘friends’

Putin is Betting On a New Class of Asset Owners to Shore Up His Regime – Carnegie Politika – 14/09/2023

A New Mobilization? It’s The Last Thing The Kremlin Wants Ahead Of Next Year’s Presidential Election – RadioFreeEurope – 15/09/2023

Armenia Kicks Off Joint Military Exercises With U.S. Despite Russian Opposition – RadioFreeEurope – 11/09/2023

Kazakhstan Aims to Protect the Blue while Going Green – Geopolitical Monitor – 14/09/2023

In Europe

The necessary next step to enable Serb reintegration in Kosovo’s north – Atlantic Council 13/09/2023

Reading between the lines of Ursula von der Leyen’s ambitious vision for the EU – Atlantic Council - 14/09/2023

The EU won the first round against Russia’s energy extortion. But can it keep up the fight ? – Atlantic Council – 08/09/2023

Longer papers

Arctic Geopolitics: The Svalbard Archipelago – CSIS – 14/09/2023

The consequences of Russia’s war on Ukraine for climate action, food supply and energy security – Chatham House – 13/09/2023

Sanctions, Peacemaking and Reform: Recommendations for U.S. Policymakers – Crisis Group – 28/08/2023

Top 5 – Must Read

Wagner to be declared a terrorist organisation by UK – BBC – 06/09/2023

Putin’s self-isolation: Lavrov attends the G20 – DW – 08/09/2023

Armenians alarmed by reports of Azerbaijani military buildup – Eurasianet – 08/09/2023

European Gas Storage Is Nearly Full. Now What? – CSIS – 05/09/2023

Jewish president picks Muslim defense minister: Ukraine’s diverse leadership debunks Russia’s ‘Nazi’ slurs – Atlantic Council – 04/09/2023

Ukraine and allies

Kolomoyskiy Arrest Seen As a ‘Key Test’ Of Zelenskiy’s Anti-Corruption Campaign – Radio Free Europe – 08/09/2023

Beyond the Battlefield: The Impact of Ukraine’s New Defence Minister – Geopolitical Monitor – 07/09/2023

EU plans to arms Ukraine bearing fruit, but more is needed, Estonia says – Defense One – 06/09/2023

Zelenskiy Says Slower Arms Shipments Are Hurting Counteroffensive – Radio Free Europe – 08/09/2023

Inside Russia

Russia’s Shifting Public Opinion on the War in Ukraine – VOA News – 05/09/2023

Russia Sees Resilient Economy Despite War on Ukraine, Sanctions – BNN Bloomberg – 08/09/2023

What the West Still Gets Wrong About Russia’s Military – Foreign Affairs – 08/09/2023

Russia’s International Relations

A Renewed Axis: Growing Military Cooperation Between North Korea and Russia – CSIS – 06/09/2023

The BRICS is Not a Strategic Threat to the United States – Geopolitical Monitor – 07/09/2023

Russian War Report: A new recruitment push for fighters from Russia to Hungary – Atlantic Council – 07/09/2023

Tensions rise between Armenia, Russia – Eurasianet – 08/09/2023

Longer Papers

Transatlantic Defense during Wartime – CSIS – 05/09/2023

UK trade and the war in Ukraine – Chatham House – 01/09/2023

The economic basis of democracy in Europe – Chatham House – 08/09/2023

Alone together: How the war in Ukraine shapes the Russian-Iranian relationship – European Council on Foreign Relations – 06/09/2023

Top 5 – Must Read

EU imports of Russian liquified gas leap by 40% since Ukraine invasion – The Guardian – 30/08/2023

The Dutch are leading the way on military aid to Ukraine. Here’s why. – Atlantic Council – 29/08/2023

Russia is losing in Ukraine but winning in Georgia – Atlantic Council – 31/08/2023

Ukraine’s months-long counteroffensive at the crossroads – Al Jazeera – 31/08/2023

PMC Redut: The Wagner Group’s Potential Replacement – Geopolitical Monitor – 30/08/2023

The Wagner Group

Prigozhin’s Death Shows Ultra Patriots Are No Threat ot the Kremlin – Carnegie Politika – 31/08/2023

Russia’s Wagner ‘Decapitated’ Since Mutiny, But ‘That’s Not the Same As Being Disbanded Altogether’ – Radio Free Europe – 30/08/2023

NATO and cie

Logical but unexpected: Witnessing Finland’s path to NATO from a close distance – NATO Review – 30/08/2023

Arctic nations: High stakes in the High North – DW – 28/08/2023

Pushing Ukraine to negotiate now would be disastrous – Chatham House – 30/08/2023

Russian Influence

Russia is ramping up its CBDC. Will Putin’s ‘robot ruble’ work? – Atlantic Council – 29/08/2023

‘A success for Kremlin propaganda’: how pro-Putin views permeate Italian media – The Guardian – 31/08/2023

Russia plundering Ukraine’s natural resources – DW – 28/08/2023

On the frontline

Inside Ukraine’s drone war against Putin – The Economist – 27/08/2023

Ukraine’s remarkable resilience may prove decisive in long war with Russia – Atlantic Council –  29/08/2023

Ukraine gains on southern front could open way to Crimea, say Kyiv – BBC – 31/08/2023

Top 5 – Must Read

‘They want us to die in the streets’: inside the Nagorno-Karabakh blockade – The Guardian – 22/08/2023

A Wolf in Ship’s Clothing: Russia’s Militarization of Civilian Vessels in the Black Sea – CSIS – 24/08/2023

What the Prigozhin plane crash reveals about Putin, the Wagner Group’s future, and the war in Ukraine – Atlantic Council – 23/08/2023

BRICS is doubling its membership. Is the bloc a new rival for the G7? – Atlantic Council – 24/08/2023

Open-Source Technology and Public-Private Innovation are the Key to Ukraine’s Strategic Resilience – War on the Rocks – 25/08/2023

Caucasus

Why Washington Is Reluctant to Help Armenia – Geopolitical Monitor – 23/08/2023

Nagorno-Karabakh: Azerbaijan chides Joly for ‘unacceptable’ comments to Armenians – Toronto Star – 24/08/2023

Canada deepens engagement with Armenia as it ponders lifting embargo on Turkey

Russia’s International relations

How to end Russia’s war on Ukraine – Chatham House – 25/08/2023

Brazil looks to gain from Russia’s war in Ukraine – DW – 22/08/2023

Africa-Russia: A tricky relationship – DW – 20/08/2023

The Wagner Group

Why Yevgeny Prigozhin Had to Die – Carnegie Politika – 25/08/2023

Kremlin calls accusations it killed Wagner boss Prigozhin an ‘absolute lie’ – Reuters – 25/08/2023

Lukashenka Says ‘Core’ of Wagner Fighters Will Remain in Belarus – Radio Free Europe – 25/08/2023

Ukrainian Resilience

What do we know about drone attacks in Russia – BBC – 23/08/2023

War, identity, irony: how Russian aggression put central Europe back on the map – The Guardian – 25/08/2023

Ukraine claims Crimea landing for ‘special operation’ on Independence Day – BBC – 25/08/2023