The Americas stretch from the Arctic Circle in Canada to the southern tip of Chile. This geographically, culturally and politically diverse region is home to the United States, a nation whose geography helped it become the foremost economic and military power in the world &mdash; an ascendance aided in part by bringing Mexico and Canada into its sphere of influence. Farther south, the nations of South America are like islands, separated by vast spaces of impenetrable mountains, rivers and jungles. Try though these countries may to integrate more closely, deeper ties such as those that characterize North America will prove elusive.

This geographically, culturally and politically diverse region is home to the United States, a nation whose geography helped it become the foremost economic and military power in the world

Americas

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Barbados

Belize

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Grenada

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Suriname

Bahamas

Trinidad and Tobago

United States

Uruguay

Venezuela

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Greenland

Jamaica

Venezuela's Unraveling

Colombian Peace Process

Security Challenges in Latin America

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The Importance of Mexico

North America Unrivaled

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

Crossing Borders

Assessments

Iran

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump (center), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (left) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (right) hold up an agreement signed during a ceremony at the White House on Aug. 8, 2025.

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

The deal sidelines Russia and Iran while establishing a U.S. commercial presence in the South Caucasus, but it will remain fragile due to unresolved security guarantees and implementation challenges.

What To Make of the U.S.-Brokered Peace Deal Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Snapshots

China

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the "Winning the AI Race" summit hosted by All‑In Podcast and Hill & Valley Forum at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on July 23, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Environment, Science & Technology

Relaxed U.S. export controls on key semiconductors will enable Chinese companies to accelerate their advancement of AI-focused chips.

How U.S. Export Concessions Could Boost China's AI Ambitions

U.S.-China Relations

Media

Podcasts

How will these recent developments influence the 2026 general election?

Essential Geopolitics: Brazil's Evolving Political Climate Amid Bolsonaro's House Arrest and Trump's Tariffs

Columns

On Geopolitics

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters near Air Force One at the airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 3, 2025. Trump answered questions about his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other topics. 

While the Trump administration's outreach to Russia may yield limited cooperation, a comprehensive ''reset'' is unlikely for the foreseeable future due to Moscow and Washington's diverging strategic interests.

Can Trump Reset U.S.-Russia Relations?

Israel

Syria

Israeli military vehicles drive along the border fence into Israel, near the town of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on July 17, 2025.

While the two countries may engage in limited security cooperation, Israel's continued military interventions in Syria and the lack of U.S. economic pressure on Damascus will make full normalization nearly impossible.

Despite Recent Talks, Syria-Israel Normalization Remains Highly Unlikely

Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose ahead of a meeting in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

As Putin and Trump prepare to meet in Alaska, the main risk for Ukraine is a U.S.-Russia deal that cements major territorial losses while offering weak security guarantees, leaving it vulnerable to future Russian aggression.

Putin-Trump Summit: The Risks for Ukraine

Palestinian Territories

India

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) looks at Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Nov. 30, 2018, during the G20 Leaders' Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet in the coming days.

Energy

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: A Trump-Putin Summit, the Deadline for a U.S.-China Tariff Pause

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive at a press conference after their summit on July 16, 2018, in Helsinki, Finland.

The meeting risks sidelining Ukraine and enabling Russia to delay sanctions, consolidate battlefield gains, and advance its strategic interests through a U.S.-Russia peace framework.

What To Expect From the Upcoming Trump-Putin Summit

On Security

DEA New York special agent in charge speaks to the press in New York City on Feb. 28, 2025, after the former leader of a brutal Mexican cartel, Rafael Caro Quintero, described by the White House as the world's ''most evil'' drug boss, pleaded not guilty to narcotics charges in New York.

Despite the political and diplomatic risks, Trump is more likely than not to launch some direct operations against Mexican cartels before he leaves office, potentially ranging from light and sporadic U.S. drone strikes to more extensive ground operations.

The Outlook for Trump's 'War' on Mexican Cartels

An oil tanker train passes near a refinery in Guwahati, India, on March 30, 2023. 

Global Trade

For now, India will likely keep importing cheap Russian oil in the hopes it can soon secure tariff relief, either directly via a U.S. trade deal or indirectly via a breakthrough in U.S.-Russia talks on Ukraine.

Will Trump's Tariffs Deter India From Buying Russian Oil?

Europe

European leaders, meeting virtually with U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, agreed on five principles for the Aug. 15 summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, The New York Times reported on Aug. 13.

Ukraine, Russia: Allies Secure Ceasefire-First Pledge From Trump Ahead of Alaska Summit

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa led a march attended by thousands of people in the capital, Quito, to criticize the country's Constitutional Court after it suspended articles from three security laws, Infobae reported on Aug. 12. 

Ecuador: President Criticizes Constitutional Court Over Suspension of Security Laws

Cyber

U.S. federal officials believe Russian threat actors are "at least partly responsible" for a recently uncovered breach affecting the internal computer systems that manage sensitive federal court data, The New York Times reported on Aug. 12.

U.S.: Russian Threat Actors Suspected of Federal Court System Hack

Australia

Nauru

Papua New Guinea

Vanuatu

The United States pledged $60 million to the Pacific island region under its 2022 U.S.-Pacific Partnership, and China secured a $651 million development deal with Nauru, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported on Aug. 13. 

Pacific Islands: Influence Competition Heats Up Ahead of Summits

Pakistan

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. Department of State formally designated the Balochistan Liberation Army, or BLA, and its specialized Majeed Brigade unit as a foreign terrorist organization, in a press statement released on Aug. 11. 

Pakistan, U.S.: State Department Designates Balochistan Liberation Army as Foreign Terrorist Organization

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order extending a 90-day period of reduced U.S. and Chinese tariffs by another 90 days to roughly Nov. 12, according to market newswire service Redbox Global on Aug. 11. 

U.S., China: Washington Extends Tariff Truce

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he will deploy 800 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and place the capital's police department under federal control to combat what he characterized as "out of control" crime despite statistics indicating otherwise, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 11.

U.S.: Trump Announces National Guard Deployment, Federalization of D.C. Police

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australia will formally recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in September, joining the United Kingdom, Canada and France, The Australian Financial Review reported on Aug. 11.

Australia, Palestinian Territories: Canberra Offers Qualified Recognition of Palestine

Americas

SITUATION REPORTS

Ukraine, Russia: Allies Secure Ceasefire-First Pledge From Trump Ahead of Alaska Summit

Ecuador: President Criticizes Constitutional Court Over Suspension of Security Laws

U.S.: Russian Threat Actors Suspected of Federal Court System Hack

Pacific Islands: Influence Competition Heats Up Ahead of Summits

Pakistan, U.S.: State Department Designates Balochistan Liberation Army as Foreign Terrorist Organization

U.S., China: Washington Extends Tariff Truce

U.S.: Trump Announces National Guard Deployment, Federalization of D.C. Police

Australia, Palestinian Territories: Canberra Offers Qualified Recognition of Palestine

Forecasts

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