Executive Summary: Moscow’s war against Ukraine has seen no meaningful progress toward peace in the past month as hostilities have escalated with Russia preparing a list of conditions for a ceasefire that would be agreeable to Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to capitalize on... MORE

Executive Summary: Brazil, a strategic partner to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), is taking a co-leading role in shaping a regional economic order decoupled from U.S.-centric trade and financial norms. The most consequential outcome of President Lula’s recent visit to Beijing was the signing... MORE

Executive Summary: The united front operates abroad as a political machine, helping to get people elected by fielding candidates, mobilizing votes, and building power bases. Asian-Americans are growing in numbers yet remain key swing voters. Beijing’s role in shaping the political leanings of this demographic... MORE

Executive Summary: Tashkent is positioning itself as a mediator between Taliban-led Afghanistan and the international community, advocating for integration rather than isolation since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021. Uzbekistan aims to turn Afghanistan into a strategic trade hub, offering access to... MORE

Executive Summary: On May 7, Azerbaijan announced that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev would not attend Moscow’s May 9 Victory Day parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. Azerbaijani media attributed the visit cancellation to a series of negative developments... MORE

Executive Summary: The Georgian parliament is discussing a migration reform package, drafted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, aimed at curbing illegal migration and perceived foreign political interference. It introduces strict penalties, including lifetime bans for foreigners deemed disruptive. The reforms follow increasing foreign participation... MORE

Executive Summary: Talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine on May 16 occurred under low expectations, resulting in high diplomatic posturing despite the discussions resulting in minimal progress Western leaders have pushed for a ceasefire, prompting renewed engagement from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is... MORE

Executive Summary: On May 16, in Istanbul, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met for the first time in more than three years of war to discuss a ceasefire. The Kremlin rejected this Western-backed initiative, countered with an old set of ceasefire preconditions, and introduced more insurmountable... MORE

Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) signed a series of new agreements on renewable energy cooperation, including solar and wind, reinforcing mutual goals of carbon reduction and green energy development. The PRC’s low-cost renewable technologies can help Azerbaijan affordably expand its... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia advanced operational bloc-building at their May 2025 summit, issuing dense agreements and three joint statements that laid out a shared strategic vision across defense, technology, law, and multilateral governance. The summit marked a shift from... MORE