Nikolas Gvosdev

The time between now and the November election will be critical to the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine War. 

Whatever the outcome of the Ukraine War, the result will put an end to the expansion of Europe as a geopolitical entity. 

The challenge facing the U.S. policy establishment is how to prevent its new partnerships from being derailed.

From Afghanistan to Hungary, there is confusion about what alliance means and what steps the United States is prepared to take on behalf of those it considers allies. These matters need resolution because the United States cannot allow any doubt about what commitments it is prepared to enforce, especially with great power competitors more prepared to test any ambiguity in America’s stance.

If we have truly entered a new era of great-power competition, then every Russian has been given a clear rationale for why he fights—and it will provide the Russian state with the justification for why it asks its people to bear new burdens.