Executive Summary: Celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War were used to reinforce Russian President Vladimir Putin’s personal authority and militaristic agenda, recasting Russia’s war against Ukraine as a continuation of heroism from World War II. Ukraine rejected Putin’s three-day ceasefire initiative... MORE

Executive Summary: Russia’s shadow war against Poland combines low-level sabotage, insider espionage, informational warfare, and cyber‑attacks. Between 2010 and 2025, Polish authorities closed 30 subterfuge cases, leading to the arrests of 61 individuals—19 cases and 49 arrests since 2021—accounting for roughly 35 percent of Europe’s Russian-linked... MORE

Executive summary: Georgia may soon lose its visa-free travel to the European Union due to the country’s democratic backsliding, triggering widespread domestic and diplomatic reactions. Georgian opposition leaders support maintaining visa-free travel for citizens while urging the European Union to impose direct sanctions on the... MORE

Executive Summary: The Kremlin has shifted May 9 Victory Day celebrations from honoring the sacrifices of Soviet troops in World War II to a tool for justifying Russia’s war against Ukraine. Moscow’s attempts to monopolize “victory” over the Nazis ring hollow in Ukraine, whose own... MORE

Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire from May 8 to 11 in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Putin called on the Ukrainian side to observe the ceasefire, but noted that the Russian army would retaliate in case of violation. Ukrainian officials report... MORE

We are publishing this piece because Mr. Irdi served within the Italian government for seventeen years in various capacities related to foreign affairs and security policy, including as a special advisor to Italy’s minister of foreign affairs. During his tenure at the Italian prime minister’s... MORE

Executive Summary: As Ukraine marks 39 years since the Chornobyl disaster, Russian forces continue to pose new nuclear threats as Moscow’s ongoing war against Ukraine continues. Russia continues to occupy Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant as officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency warn that... MORE

Executive Summary: Two framework plans on how to end Russia’s war against Ukraine have been submitted by the United States and collectively by France, Germany, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The quadripartite plan marks the first entry of Western European governments into these negotiations. While... MORE

Executive Summary: A shift in tone and public sentiment in Russia suggests Moscow may be preparing for negotiations rather than continuing outright obstruction, but Russia continues aggressive military actions, undercutting its own signals of interest in a ceasefire or de-escalation. The issue of Crimea and... MORE

Executive Summary: An overwhelming majority of Belarusians believe Minsk should first prioritize economic relations with Russia followed by relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), according to a national opinion poll on foreign policy priorities conducted in late 2024. Belarusian public opinion remains adaptable... MORE