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Catherine Putz

Catherine Putz is managing editor of The Diplomat.

Catherine (Katie) Putz is managing editor of The Diplomat.

She manages the monthly magazine as well as writing on Central Asia and Afghanistan. She writes on politics, security and culture in former Soviet spaces, particularly where they link to greater Asia. Katie also co-hosts The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics Podcast.

Katie is a graduate of the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky, where she studied international security and Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in history with a focus on U.S. diplomatic and conflict history. Previously, Katie worked in several positions at the Atlantic Council and as a communications consultant at the World Bank. She is a member of the Military Writers Guild and the National Press Club.

Get in touch with Katie on LinkedIn, or email.

Posts by Catherine Putz

August 08, 2023

After Spectacles in Karakalpak Civilian Trials, Uzbek Authorities Sentence 3 Law Enforcement Officers With Little Fanfare

By Catherine Putz

When civilians were put on trial in relation to the Karakalpakstan unrest, their names were known, their faces splattered across the media. We only have initials for the three law enforcement officers tried.

August 04, 2023

A Very Quiet Meeting in Doha: US Officials Meet With Taliban Representatives

By Catherine Putz

With little fanfare, U.S. and Taliban delegations met this week in Doha. Their agendas are telling in their differences.

August 03, 2023

Kyrgyzstan Declares an Energy Emergency and Looks to China for Support

By Catherine Putz

As Bishkek announces a three-year energy emergency, newly announced Chinese energy projects provide some hope – but when, and at what cost?

August 02, 2023

Hassan Abbas on the Return of the Taliban

By Catherine Putz

"Getting into another warlike situation with the Taliban is unlikely to improve the plight of ordinary Afghans or the nature of Afghanistan’s reality today."

August 02, 2023

What Fate Awaits Russians Detained in Central Asia, Awaiting Extradition?

By Catherine Putz

In one case, both the U.S. and Russia want a Russian citizen extradited, putting the states of Central Asia once again in the middle of a geopolitical mess.

July 29, 2023

What’s Driving US-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Cooperation in 2023?

By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz

Amid shifting regional geopolitics, the US and its two regional treaty allies grow closer.

August 01, 2023

Daniel Immerwahr on the US Colonial Legacy in Asia

By Catherine Putz

“Territorial empire has mattered for the United States, even if most people on the U.S. mainland are only vaguely aware of its colonial history.”

July 22, 2023

Central Asia Update: US Sanctions on Kyrgyz Firms, and the Wagner Rebellion

By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz

The U.S. sanctioned Kyrgyz firms for bypassing sanctions on Russia. What are the implications?

July 20, 2023

As Focus on Sanctions Evasion in Kyrgyzstan Intensifies, Government Promises Action

By Catherine Putz

As consequences loom, Kyrgyz officials have moved quickly to acknowledge, rather than deny, allegations of sanctions evasion and promise action.

July 12, 2023

Kyrgyz Court Cancels Case Against RFE/RL’s Radio Azattyk

By Catherine Putz

A settlement agreement was reportedly reached between the broadcaster and the Ministry of Culture, paving the way for Azattyk’s unblocking.

July 12, 2023

Madumarov’s Party Accused of Coup Plot in Kyrgyzstan

By Catherine Putz

Where some see the normal activities of an opposition party, the Kyrgyz government sees the seeds of a nefarious coup plot.

July 12, 2023

From Central Asia to Europe: What Is the Most Sustainable Transport Corridor?

By Catherine Putz

A recent European study highlighted the Central Trans-Caspian Network as the best option to connect Central Asia with Europe.