Outside the Beltway

Notwithstanding the temptation to do something, both the United States and NATO need to resist the temptation to get involved in the latest conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

A confrontation at sea between Russia and Ukraine is increasing tensions in a long-simmering conflict.

President Trump recently blamed former President Obama for “losing” Crimea. It was never ours to lose.

Over the weekend, it was confirmed that the man once referred to as Vladimir Putin’s favorite Congressman was defeated in last week’s midterms.

The Ukrainian branch of the Russian Orthodox Church is pushing for independence. Church leaders in Moscow are not too happy about this.

A Soyuz mission sending two men to the International Space Station was forced to abort shortly after launch. Fortunately, the American and Russian on board returned safely to Earth.

Last week, the Polish President floated the idea of a permanent U.S. military base in Poland. It’s a bad idea no matter how you look at it.

British authorities have charged two members of Russian military intelligence in connection with a poisoning attack on British attack.

Senator Corker provided a pretty damning run-down last week.

Jon Huntsman, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, is rejecting calls that he should resign in the wake of what everyone seems to agree was a disastrous summit meeting with Vladimir Putin.

We still don’t know what President Trump and Vladimir Putin talked about or agreed to during their two-hour meeting on Monday.

Three new polls show that Republicans basically agree with the leader of their party when it comes to the issue of Russian interference in American elections.

Even if all he gets out of the Helsinki Summit is a handshake and a photograph, Vladimir Putin has already won.

In a new interview, former Trump attorney and ‘fixer’ Michael Cohen gives the strongest signal yet that he’s ready to cooperate with investigators.

President Trump reportedly trashed the NATO alliance in conversations at the G-7 Summit, something that should make Russian President Vladimir Putin quite happy.

The Presidents of the United States and Russia will meet next month and there’s reason to worry about what Trump might give away.

Trump’s suggestion to include Russia again in a new G-8 makes me wonder about a couple of things.

As he headed to the G-7 Summit, President Trump threw our ostensible allies another curve.

The actions of the Trump administration are helping Russian-EU relations (to the detriment of the US).

The arguments in favor of a permanent U.S./NATO base in Poland are not very convincing.

Poland makes the U.S. and NATO an offer they might want to consider refusing.

Not surprisingly, the North Koreans are pushing back against American efforts to force them into a corner on denuclearization.

Seven years after deactivation, the U.S. Second Fleet will be patrolling the North Atlantic again.

The United States is apparently looking to Libya as a guide for upcoming talks with North Korea. The DPRK most likely sees the fate of that nation and its leader as a warning.

Not surprisingly, Mike Pompeo was confirmed as America’s 70th Secretary of State today. Now, the hard work begins.

As expected, Russia has retaliated for the retaliation against it in connection with the attempted murder of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the United Kingdom.

A contest with no serious challenger will make him the longest-serving Russian leader since Stalin.

The Treasury Department has designated five entities and 19 individuals tied to the Russian government for cyber espionage.

The British prime minister and outgoing US Secretary of State declared a red line crossed. There’s no reason to think this White House will follow through.

Donald Trump Jr. is claiming that some conversations between him and his father are covered by the attorney-client privilege. Based on what we know about those conversations, there’s a good possibility that he’s right.

The first shoes drop in the Mueller investigation.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has a Trump family member in the cross hairs.

Most Americans believe that President Trump has been actively trying to block the F.B.I.’s Russia investigation

The President’s Son-In-Law has reportedly become a ‘focus’ of the ongoing F.B.I. investigation. That puts the President in a very awkward position.

More trouble for Lt. General Michael Flynn.

More evidence of ties between the Trump campaign and Russian interests.

The President throws the US under the bus to defend Putin.

In a closer than normal vote for the position, Rex Tillerson has been confirmed as Secretary of State.

Ambassador Karlov is mostly likely not a modern day Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

The head of the biggest energy company in the world is reportedly Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of State.

A new report concludes that Malaysia Air Flight 17 was brought down by a missile brought into Ukraine from Russia.

Donald Trump’s strange relationship with reality continues to come to light,

President Obama’s ISIS policy has been far from perfect, but to call him a “Founder” of ISIS is to ignore both history and reality.

A treasure trove of documents from a law firm in Panama could prove problematic for a large group of international leaders.

Donald Trump loves the fact that he’s being praised by an autocratic dictator.

NATO is extending full membership to the tiny nation of Montenegro, and there doesn’t seem to be a good reason why they’re doing it.

France’s President has spent the week trying to forge and agreement on an anti-ISIS policy, but the two nations that matter the most also disagree the most.