Recent Posts

The Rise of the Rest: How Russia Views the Future World Order

Geopolitical forecasting is an imperfect art. Throughout the Cold War, the Soviets confidently asserted to the end that the forces of socialism would prevail over the decadent and corrupt capitalist model. The “correlation of forces” (PDF) always seemed to be turning their way, until it wasn’t. For their part, American …

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RAND Experts React to Putin’s Latest Threatening Rhetoric

President Vladimir Putin of Russia appeared to double-down today on his country’s war effort in Ukraine, calling up hundreds of thousands of new troops, threatening Ukraine and the West, vowing to use “all the means at our disposal,” and pointing out that he is not bluffing. Putin’s remarks were met …

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Turkey braces for fresh influx of Russians after Putin announces mobilization

Prices of international flights from Russia to countries where Russians can visa-free travel skyrocketed within hours following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilization announcement. Prices of flights to Istanbul from Moscow and other major Russian cities jumped by more than 100% today due to high demand following Russian President Vladimir …

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Could Italy become Europe’s newest problem child?

On September 25, Italian voters will elect a slimmed-down parliament in what polls predict will be a triumph for the conservative coalition led by Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party, which could win 45 percent of the vote. If the polls prove right, Meloni would become Italy’s first female …

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Coups in the Kremlin

What the History of Russia’s Power Struggles Says About Putin’s Future Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost touch with reality. He has declared a partial mobilization to reverse his defeats in Ukraine and, signaling his desperation, ratcheted up Russia’s nuclear saber rattling. Each day the war drags on, his country …

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