Outside the Beltway

The US government is fighting back, albeit subtly.

The Wagner chief is presumed dead after his plane was shot down.

Xi’s government is taking a drastically different approach to the slowdown.

Yet more leaked intelligence gives a gloomy forecast.

The first of a potential three rounds.

Russian war crimes have made a diplomatic settlement next to impossible.

President Biden has ended a months-long impasse.

The Eurozone is falling further behind the United States.

Turkey’s Erdogan has agreed to drop his objection.

Finally, a rationale that makes sense.

Membership is stalled by more support is coming.

A bad idea fueled by desperation.

The rioting never seems to stop.

And some cable “news” thoughts.

One question answered. Another raised.

Well, that de-escalated quickly.

A stupid move by a crackpot? Or a turning point?

The Biden Administration is pushing for a half measure.

What about Biden?

If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em?

Protests against the governing party signal tensions in advance of fall elections.

Ukraine is heavily censoring foreign media.

After giving a softball interview, he apparently expected one in return.

Sigh.

The US intelligence community and Silicon Valley are warning of a major threat.

The leveling of Bakhmut is the latest Russian atrocity.

A bad idea backed up by worse reasoning.

He’s turned Russia from a G-8 member to an international pariah.

Do we have to pick one?

Debt-trap diplomacy has finally come home to roost.

Normal diplomacy with an abnormal ally.

Leaked intelligence intercepts take us inside the Ukrainian war room.

Don’t get your hopes up.

Corruption charges against the former premier have sparked rioting.

The city once known as Koenigsberg is now Krolewiec, at least in Polish government documents.

The Pope is siding with evil.

The UK has a new figurehead.

The problem has intensified—and spread beyond Ukraine secrets.

Russia is circulating doctored versions of plans for a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

A refreshing instance of normal democratic politics amid interesting times.

Sanctions and a costly war are taking their toll.

The Netanyahu government is facing massive strikes and protests over its latest authoritarian moves.

The would-be President is floundering as he tries to position himself.

The Russian leader’s status as an international pariah is cemented.

As memory of the Cold War fades, so does support for American primacy.

A wrongheaded if longstanding position.

Alliance leaders have significantly different priorities regarding the conflict.

Many in the Global South see the war very differently than we in the West.

President Biden’s dangerous gambit seems to have succeeded.