Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) frames people-to-people exchange programs as benign cultural and educational efforts, but in reality, they serve to advance the Chinese Communist Party’s agendas—such as the “community of common destiny for mankind”—and bolster the PRC’s geopolitical aims. While the... MORE

Executive Summary: Consultations among the United States, Russia, and Ukraine are dealing piecemeal with narrow aspects of a putative ceasefire. Moscow stonewalls the quick, comprehensive ceasefire that the Trump administration pursues. A maritime ceasefire (moratorium on firing at sea) could result in banning Ukrainian naval... MORE

Executive Summary:  Armenia and Azerbaijan have finalized the text of a long-awaited “Agreement on Peace and Establishment of Interstate Relations.” The announcement came unexpectedly from Baku and was confirmed soon after by Yerevan. Yerevan seeks to sign the agreement quickly, while Baku says that Armenia... MORE

Executive Summary: Beijing’s diplomatic rhetoric advocates upholding international rules and norms, but this diverges sharply from both its words to party officials at home and its actions abroad that undermine and violate international laws and institutions. Beijing benefits from an international order in which other... MORE

Executive Summary: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan reached a historic agreement on border delimitation on February 21, marking the end of decades-long disputes and military conflicts. The agreement also covers transport and water resource division, reinforcing regional stability. Officials in Bishkek and Dushanbe highlight the mutual concessions... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Cook Islands signed two agreements in February that extend Beijing’s engagement in the South Pacific to include deep-sea exploration and dual-use maritime infrastructure. Beijing seeks to overcome U.S.-imposed containment in the Pacific. The Cook Islands... MORE

Executive Summary: Beijing believes that the multipolar world it has spent decades calling for is within reach, judging by recent high-level speeches in Europe, Russia, and elsewhere. Beijing’s conception of multipolarity diverges in important ways from that of the West. Moscow has been central to Beijing’s approach... MORE

Editor's Note: This article reflects an Armenia analysis of the peace process with Azerbaijan. A similar article reflecting an Azerbaijan analysis of this issue is available here. Executive Summary: Amid the ongoing peace process, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan published an op-ed on Armenia’s perspective... MORE

Editor's Note: This article reflects an Azerbaijan analysis of the peace process with Armenia. A similar article reflecting an Armenia analysis of this issue is available here. Executive Summary: Armenia and Azerbaijan remain at an impasse in their ongoing peace process, facing the conditions of... MORE

Executive Summary: Moscow is altering its narratives on the confrontation with the West and its propaganda campaign on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in response to recent U.S.-initiated diplomatic activity. Russian state media has been instructed to avoid criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and... MORE