Ukraine
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat
Middle-class Russians are angry that the EU’s new visa restrictions punish them for a war they have no power to stop. But the inconveniences they face pale in comparison to Ukrainian suffering, which the new entry policy makes it more difficult for them to ignore.
The Song of the Autocrat
The opera “Boris Godunov” — first performed in St. Petersburg in 1874 — has, in recent years, become a lightning rod for clashing interpretations of Putin’s regime and, by extension, the question of Russians’ complicity in the bloodshed in Ukraine.
Putin’s Illegal Conquests Wouldn’t Be the First the White House Has Endorsed
The U.S. denounces Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian land, yet both Republican and Democratic administrations have tolerated illegal conquests by allies, such as Morocco’s annexation of Western Sahara and Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights and occupation of the West Bank. This double standard undermines the case against territorial concessions.
The Farther East One Goes in Europe, the More ‘West’ One Winds Up
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has led to many unintended consequences, but none so quick and profound as the consolidation of the Nordic and Baltic regions under the NATO umbrella following Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to the alliance in the past two years.
Cutting US Aid Jeopardizes the Lives of Ukrainian Civilians
Dodging Russian bombs is nothing new for Ukraine’s evacuators, teams of volunteers that crisscross the country to help civilians escape the approaching front line. But the financial bombshell dropped by Elon Musk’s chainsawing of USAID was impossible to avoid.
Trump’s Incredible Shrinking Peace Plan
Trump once claimed he could end the war in Ukraine in a day, but is now growing weary of negotiations. Given the underlying resilience of U.S. ties to Europe, that may be a good thing for Ukraine.
Russia’s New Weapon: Child ‘Suicide Bombers’
Using the popular communication channel Telegram, Russia is duping Ukrainian children and vulnerable adults into carrying out horrific attacks across the country, many of them also killing the unsuspecting perpetrators. Similar tactics are being wielded by Putin across Europe to undercut support for Ukraine and its backers.