Analysis

Hadi Elis “Who cares about the NATO agenda? I’m here to see my good friend—an authoritarian, sure, but a loyal friend to the US—President Erdogan. I stopped him from attacking Israel. And just in case anyone disagrees too much, I gave everyone a handgun to shoot each other …

Dr. Yashwant Singh Turkey’s contemporary foreign policy is better understood as a project of “middle-power revisionism,” in which imperial symbolism serves the pursuit of strategic indispensability rather than imperial restoration Empires do not die the way states die. A republic can be founded on a single date, a …

Sidharth Reddy U.S. President Donald Trump attends a working session during the NATO leaders summit at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst The NATO Ankara summit is a eulogy for one model of liberal internationalism. It should become the cradle of a …

When U.S. President Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange this week, it symbolized more than another presidential appearance on Wall Street. It reflected a defining feature of his second term: making the stock market one of the clearest measures of his administration’s …

Key Takeaways Kazakhstan Cracks Down on Gasoline Smuggling — Amid severe fuel shortages in Russia caused by Ukrainian drone attacks, Kazakhstan has set up police checkpoints on nearly 60 border roads and introduced daily crossing limits to stop “gasoline tourism” and illegal exports. Kazakhstan Extends Ban on Petroleum Exports — …

Key Takeaways Central Asia’s Heavy Dependence on Russia Exposed — Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries have caused severe fuel shortages across the region, particularly in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, highlighting decades of over-reliance on Russian petroleum products. Short-Term Policy Failures — Governments in Central Asia have prioritized short-term political stability …

Altaf Moti Key Takeaways Trump’s Intervention Turned a Sporting Decision into a Political Issue — The US President publicly confirmed calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of Folarin Balogun’s red card, leading to the suspension being overturned and sparking widespread debate about political influence in football. …

Key Takeaways Serbia’s Economic Rise is Multifaceted — The country’s strong growth over the past decade is the result of political stability, proactive development policies, strategic infrastructure investment, successful attraction of foreign direct investment, and fiscal discipline. Tangible Improvements in Living Standards — Average net salaries have nearly tripled (from …

 Rafael Loss with Katrine Westgaard Key Takeaways Russia is building up its arsenal of nuclear-capable long-range weapons and planning for victory in a confrontation with Europe. The Russian goal is to fracture NATO and disrupt the West’s deterrence strategy while extracting political concessions from Europe. Europe has not …