Latest Articles about Diplomacy

Long-range Capabilities Continue to be Key Deterrent for Ukraine
Executive Summary: Ukraine has significantly increased the frequency, range, and scale of its long-range strikes deep into Russian territory, targeting critical military and economic infrastructure. This has led to disruptions in Russian operations and forced Moscow to implement costly countermeasures. Ukraine is advancing its own... MORE

Kremlin to Remove Taliban From List of Terrorist Organizations
Executive Summary: Moscow announced that it plans to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations to normalize relations with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government to combat terrorism in the region. Russia sees the Taliban as its best partner to counter the threat from the Islamic... MORE

Perplexed Vladimir Putin Reckons With Outcome of US Elections
Executive Summary: The Kremlin is hopeful that the new US President-elect Donald Trump may disrupt Western unity and potentially ease pressure on Russia, especially concerning sanctions and the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin frames Russia’s confrontation with the West as a global mission,... MORE

Iran and Russia Seek to Reshape Global Hegemony with New Bilateral Agreement
Executive Summary: Cooperation between Iran and Russia has improved incrementally since 2022, especially in the military sphere. The two countries are expected to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement toward the end of this year. Moscow and Tehran have faced challenges due to Western sanctions and... MORE

Belarus Aims to Become a BRICS Member
Executive Summary: Belarus seeks closer ties with BRICS and aims to become a full member, seeing the organization as a means to support a multipolar world and reduce its dependency on Moscow. While BRICS is not currently expanding its membership, it has introduced a new... MORE

Poland to Build Fortifications on Eastern Border by 2028
Executive Summary: Poland announced plans to build fortifications on its border with Russia’s Kaliningrad oblast and Belarus, with construction of the “Eastern Shield” defensive line to be completed by 2028. Poland is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) top military spender by percent of its... MORE

Belarus Rediscovering Commonwealth of Independent States
Executive Summary: Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka attended the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit in Moscow, highlighting the continued significance of the organization for Belarusian foreign policy. For Minsk, the CIS is increasingly attractive, as the logistical semi-blockade on Belarus’s western border has prevented it... MORE

Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics: PRC Consulate Gray Zone ‘Pop-up’ Events in New York and Beyond
Executive Summary The Consulates General of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago have been conducting gray zone “pop-up” consular service events across the United States under the initiative “Bringing Consular Services into the Community,” often at non-diplomatic facilities.... MORE

Ukraine’s Victory Plan: Last Chance for West to Reverse Trajectory of Defeat
Executive Summary: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has unveiled his Victory Plan to stave off incremental defeat under Russian assault. The plan calls for offsetting the war’s imbalance with a surge of Western military assistance. Some major parts of the plan are in classified annexes to... MORE

Western Actors and Georgian Opposition Demand Sanctions Against Informal Leader Ivanishvili
Executive Summary: The European Parliament adopted a resolution requesting sanctions on Georgia and its informal leader, Bidzina Ivanishvili, following the parliamentary elections on October 26 if they are not free and fair. Ivanishvili and his team claim that the West has already informally sanctioned the... MORE