Clear geopolitical analysis
How the battle for the ocean floor is reshaping global power The Geography of Power Has Changed Geopolitical power has always been inseparable from the ability to control the principal arteries through which wealth, information, and military capabilities circulate. In different historical periods these arteries assumed different forms. During the age of empires, strategic advantage … Read more
The phrase “Taiwan is a rebel province” has become so deeply embedded in discussions of the Taiwan Strait that its historical assumptions are rarely examined. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) maintains that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, temporarily separated from the mainland by the unfinished consequences of the Chinese Civil War. From … Read more
Donald Trump’s criticism of NATO rests on a simple and politically effective argument: the United States has spent enormous amounts of money defending Europe, while wealthy European countries neglected their own militaries and relied on American protection. There is considerable truth in this accusation. But it is only part of the story. What Trump rarely … Read more
History offers many examples of military victories that failed to deliver lasting political gains. One of the most famous comes from the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748), when France won important battles and occupied significant territories, only to return most of its conquests in the peace settlement. Many contemporaries felt that French military achievements had been squandered by diplomacy, giving rise to the expression “bête comme la paix” (“stupid as the peace”). While France had often prevailed on the battlefield, it was Prussia that emerged as the conflict’s principal beneficiary by retaining the rich province of Silesia. Nearly three centuries later, a similar question is being asked about the confrontation between the United States and Iran: did Washington achieve a military victory only to discover that winning the peace may prove far more difficult than winning the war?
Few countries face a geopolitical challenge as unique as Mongolia’s. Situated between two of the world’s most powerful states—Russia to the north and China to the south—Mongolia occupies a strategic position at the heart of Eurasia. With no access to the sea and a population of just over three million people, the country might appear vulnerable to external influence. Yet, since the end of the Cold War, Mongolia has developed an innovative foreign policy doctrine designed to preserve its sovereignty and strategic autonomy: the Third Neighbor Strategy.
The Russian drone strike that hit a residential apartment building in Galați, Romania, marks one of the most serious incidents involving NATO territory since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Romanian authorities confirmed that the armed drone entered Romanian airspace during a large-scale Russian attack against southern Ukraine before crashing into a civilian building and injuring residents. The explosion caused panic, fires, and renewed fears across Eastern Europe regarding the spillover of the conflict beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Kaliningrad is one of the most strategically important and politically sensitive territories in Europe. Located on the Baltic Sea between Poland and Lithuania, the Russian exclave is geographically separated from mainland Russia, yet it plays a central role in European security, NATO planning, and Russian military strategy. Despite its relatively small size, Kaliningrad has become a focal point in discussions about deterrence, military balance in the Baltic region, and the future of East-West relations.