Russia

Iran’s full membership in the Shanghai Corporation Organization has become a perceived necessity for Tehran’s foreign policy goals. But will it actually help?

Putin is warning of “militants under the guise of refugees” in an effort to dissuade Central Asian states from cooperating with U.S. evacuation efforts.

The answer is less clear now, in 2021, than it was in 1996. 

In the face of isolation from the West, Russia feels that it has no choice but buttress this strategic partnership with China.

Meanwhile, Russian diplomats continue to press support for a negotiated settlement between Kabul and the Taliban, with a side of shade thrown at the Americans.

The consensus is that negotiation is the only way out of the conflict for Afghanistan, but that only holds true if the international community is united. It’s not.

Growing geopolitical rivalries will continue to drive the development of hypersonic and other lethal weapons systems.

The Taliban’s recent lightning offensive in northern Afghanistan may be a litmus test for the relevance of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.

The new NSS has some notable differences from the 2015 version on Russia’s approach to the Asia-Pacific - and China in particular.

As the U.S. looks to station over-the-horizon capabilities to address issues in Afghanistan, Central Asia is an obvious locale.

The most recent Putin-Xi summit inadvertently showcased the lack of positive agenda items underpinning the two nations' relationship.

China, Russia and the United States are all pursuing hypersonic weapons technologies, setting the stage for an arms race.