Watch the Videos – Russia’s Future: A Challenge for U.S. Policy
Announcing – Promethean Liberation: Russia’s Emerging National and Regional Movements
OUT NOW – Pivotal Poland: Europe’s Rising Power
Evolving Blue Economy Propels PRC Maritime Ambitions
Executive Summary: Beijing’s maritime strategy hinges on expanding what it calls the “blue economy,” which is increasingly integrated with broader strategic ambitions under the rubric of becoming a “strong sea power.” Central government policies and... MORE
Russia Future Watch – III. Buryats Rediscover Their National Identity
Buryats Rediscover Their National Identity by Marina Khankhalain and members of Tusgaar Buryad, the movement for Buryatia’s independence, is the third article in a series of analyses as part of “Promethean Liberation: Russia’s Emerging National... MORE
Ukraine’s Economic Struggles Signal Barriers to Post-War Recovery
Executive Summary: Ukraine’s soaring fiscal deficit, trade imbalances, and stalled reforms undermine post-war reconstruction planning. Foreign investments critical for recovery are also deterred by judicial inefficiencies, incomplete energy sector reforms, and entrenched corruption. Uncertain financial... MORE
Moscow Opens Door to Widespread Digital Surveillance
Executive Summary: New laws upping the penalties for Russians who access “extremist” content through unauthorized means reflect Moscow’s growing paranoia with an increasingly frustrated population. Russian officials have justified widespread Internet outages as necessary to... MORE
Moscow and Tehran Working to Block U.S. Involvement in Zangezur Corridor
Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and Armenia are considering an agreement featuring U.S. management of transit through Armenia via the Zangezur Corridor to link Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave. Russia and Iran are staunchly opposed to the... MORE
Romania Attempts to Modernize Naval Forces
Executive Summary: Romania’s new government, sworn in on June 23, appears committed to modernizing the Romanian Naval Forces, but its naval forces remain severely underfunded and outdated. Bucharest has made some questionable decisions in its... MORE
Belarus Looking to Normalize Relations with the United States
Executive Summary: Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka welcomed U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, to Minsk on June 21 in the highest-level meeting between U.S. and Belarusian officials since February 2020. The talks resulted... MORE
Putin Tries to Build Himself a Position of Strength
Executive Summary: The July 23 Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul yielded no diplomatic progress, as both sides remain entrenched in incompatible positions. Both sides, however, found it important to demonstrate readiness for further communication and to... MORE
Terminal Authority: Assessing the CCP’s Emerging Crisis of Political Succession
Executive Summary: Xi Jinping continues to dominate the Chinese Party-state system, based on an assessment of evidence from spring and summer 2025. Despite high-level purges, unusual military reshuffles, and persistent rumors of elite dissatisfaction, there... MORE