Latest Articles about North America

Belarus’s ‘Calmest Elections’ Hold Potential to Pave the Way for Rapprochement
Executive Summary: Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka was named the winner of Belarus’s seventh presidential election for his seventh consecutive term. This election starkly contrasted with the last election, as it was relatively calm without mass protests. The Western response to the election was overwhelmingly negative,... MORE

Conversations on Ending the War in Ukraine Grow Louder and Emptier
Executive Summary: The beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration highlights contrasting views of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The West views it as a non-sensical distortion that should be stopped, and Russian President Vladimir Putin views it as a confrontation with the West. The state... MORE

Informal Georgian Leader Bidzina Ivanishvili Faces U.S. Sanctions
Executive Summary: At the end of 2024, the United States imposed financial sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire and the informal leader of Georgia, for undermining democratic processes and enabling Russian influence. The sanctions included freezing select assets and restricting transactions. Opposition leaders welcomed the... MORE

Russian Commentators Take Advantage of Trump’s Greenland and Canada Rhetoric
Executive Summary: U.S. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on Greenland and Canada highlights the emerging strategic rivalry in the Arctic. Russian commentators present this as a new justification for its territorial expansionist ambitions in the Arctic and beyond. Russian experts see Trump’s focus on the Arctic... MORE

Putin’s Insurmountable Preconditions for Talks With Trump On Ukraine
Executive Summary: The Kremlin has addressed the incoming U.S. administration of Donald Trump in a series of public messages, reaffirming its entrenched preconditions for a dialogue regarding Ukraine. The Kremlin wants Trump’s team to bid proactively for negotiations over Ukraine on those conditions. Moscow has... MORE

Moscow Sticks to Peace Denials Despite War Exhaustion
Executive Summary: The Russian offensive in Donbas has stalled, creating a deadlock with heavy casualties. The Kremlin remains committed to Ukraine’s capitulation, ignoring the heavy casualties in its stalled Donbas offensive, dismissing ceasefire discussions, and disregarding public support for peace. Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks... MORE

‘Trusted Data Spaces’: Beijing’s Latest Step Toward Digital Dominance
Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) plans to create over 100 “trusted data spaces” by 2028 as part of a strategy to dominate data governance internationally. The plan aims to break through current barriers obstructing the streamlining of data sharing and utilization and... MORE

Keeping Ukraine Out of NATO Will Not Advance Peace With Russia
Executive Summary: Moscow believes that NATO will not accept Ukraine as a member as long as Russia wages war against it and wants the West to exclude Ukraine from NATO in exchange for “peace” with Russia. Some NATO states are tentatively considering “coalitions-of-the-willing” to provide... MORE

Russia Prioritizes Icebreakers in Scramble for Arctic (Part Two)
(Part One) Executive Summary Russia remains the dominant player in the Arctic icebreaker sector, but this advantage may face challenges in the coming decade due to the collaborative ICE Pact involving the United States, Canada, and Finland. For Russia, icebreakers are essential for accessing Arctic... MORE

There Should Not Be a Ceasefire Deal with Russia
Executive Summary: Russia remains committed to its long-term strategic goals as it continues its war in Ukraine, including undermining US global influence, fracturing Trans-Atlantic unity, and aligning with authoritarian regimes, such as Iran and North Korea. Russia’s reliance on outdated stockpiles and unconventional resupply shows... MORE