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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

February 15, 2022

Turkmenistan Set for Dynastic Succession: Early Election March 12, President’s Son Running

By Catherine Putz

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov did not explicitly state he would step down, but the implication seemed clear when he called for early elections and said it was time to open the way for "young leaders."

February 12, 2022

Elusive Balances: Shaping US Southeast Asia Strategy

By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz

How has U.S. commitment to Southeast Asia changed over time? What do Southeast Asian states want from the United States?

February 11, 2022

Kyrgyz Opposition Leader in Hot Water Over a 2009 Border Deal

By Catherine Putz

A document signed in 2009 is now at the center of a scandal that has the Kyrgyz government crying treason.

February 11, 2022

Russian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Says US-NATO Steppe Eagle Exercise Will ‘No Longer Fly’

By Catherine Putz

Without directly commenting, CENTOM told The Diplomat that “plans for shared military environments involving our partners in Kazakhstan are currently underway.”

February 09, 2022

Conflict Over Afghanistan’s UN Seat Widens

By Catherine Putz

The wrangling over Afghanistan's U.N. seat is microcosm of the larger political battlefield in Afghanistan.

February 08, 2022

New Strikes and Protests in Kazakhstan

By Catherine Putz

Though smaller in scale, ongoing protests highlight the economic inequality that lies at the center of Kazakh discontent.

February 08, 2022

Why Did Central Asia’s Leaders Go to Beijing?

By Catherine Putz

The visits by all five Central Asian presidents to China for the opening of the Beijing Games illustrate the importance of the relationship for both sides.

February 05, 2022

How to Deliver Aid to Afghanistan, Responsibly

By Catherine Putz

In its latest quarterly report, SIGAR suggests 10 best practices for donors and agencies seeking to aid Afghans in a desperate time.

February 04, 2022

Killings and Arbitrary Arrests: Sorting Through Kazakhstan’s January Violence

By Catherine Putz

Officially, 227 people were killed in “Bloody January” and nearly 1,000 remain in detention. But what really happened?

January 29, 2022

North Korea Picks Up the Pace on Missile Tests

By Ankit Panda, Catherine Putz, and Ankit Panda

Why is North Korea testing so many missiles in January 2022?

January 28, 2022

Tokayev Urges Balancing of Nazarbayev’s Shortcomings and Merits

By Catherine Putz

“Let us pay tribute to the historical merits of the first president… and leave possible miscalculations as a warning to the future leaders of our country," Tokayev said.

January 27, 2022

2 Very Different Uzbek Bloggers Both Punished for Their Speech

By Catherine Putz

That the two are quite ideologically different illustrates the state’s unease with what it perceives as extremes, whether progressive or conservative.