Comments implying that President Vladimir Putin’s ultimatums and threats against the US, other NATO states and Ukraine are counterproductive have appeared in Russia’s hitherto unimpeachably loyal media. Even muffled dissent in an increasingly authoritarian state …
There is a saying in Vladimir Putin’s Russia that is profoundly insightful: ‘The less you know, the better you sleep.’ This observation could apply at various times in Russian history, particularly during the period of …
After a year in which people longed to get back to ‘normal’, it’s now clear that Covid-19 will not make this possible. The pandemic, now in its third year, has profoundly affected individuals, communities, countries …
As 2021 dragged to an exhausting end, the international strategic outlook remained bleak. Authoritarian regimes are threatening conflict in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The key democracies look distracted, internally riven and unwilling to …
When global leaders gather virtually on 9 and 10 December for US President Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy, they ought to be asking themselves a simple question: What can we do to help democracy’s bravest …