United States

Ukraine

Russia

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine's military says it used U.S.-supplied ATACMS ballistic missiles to strike targets inside Russia, marking the first such use since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, Reuters reported Nov. 19.

Ukraine: U.S.-Made ATACMS Missiles Fired Into Russia for First Time Under Trump Administration

U.S. and Russian officials have drafted a 28‑point peace framework that would require Ukraine to cede more Donbas territory and accept force cuts, long‑range weapons limits and a rollback of U.S. military aid in exchange for U.S.-backed security guarantees, Axios reported Nov. 18.

U.S., Russia: Draft Peace Plan Pressures Kyiv To Cede Territory and Arms for Security Guarantees

Venezuela

Politics

U.S. President Donald Trump authorized the CIA to carry out operations inside Venezuela while reopening communications with Caracas, The New York Times reported on Nov. 18.

U.S., Venezuela: Authorization for Further Covert Acts Indicate Increased Likelihood of Military Attacks

Saudi Arabia

Energy

During Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Saudi Arabia would be designated as a "major non-NATO ally," elevating defense relations, Politico reported Nov. 18.

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Trump Names Kingdom 'Major Non-NATO Ally,' Signs Nuclear Cooperation Deal

China

Netherlands

Environment, Science & Technology

U.S.-China Relations

Science & Technology

Dutch Economics Affairs Minister Vincent Karremans announced on X on Nov. 19 that he was suspending his Sept. 30 order to take temporary control of Chinese-owned semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia following consultations with Chinese officials.

Netherlands, China: Netherlands Suspends Takeover of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker Nexperia 

Mexico

Economics

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that Mexican airlines had agreed to transfer some flight slots at Mexico City International Airport to U.S. carriers, El Pais reported on Nov. 17.

Mexico, U.S.: Concession on Air Traffic Dispute Underscores Mexico's Willingness To Appease Washington

Cyber

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., pledged to invest $1 trillion in the United States and reportedly finalized a defense deal, while the United States plans to approve the sales of advanced artificial intelligence chips, The Guardian reported on Nov. 18.

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Saudi Crown Prince Meets With President Trump

Beginning in the early hours of Nov. 18, global online users began reporting outages linked to popular web-based services like chatbot tools ChatGPT and Claude, e-commerce giants Amazon and Shopify, and social media platform X, in addition to numerous media outlets, entertainment websites and gaming platforms, The New York Times reported the same day. 

Cyberspace: Cloudflare Outage Temporarily Disrupts Access to Popular Web-Based Services

Assessments

Canada

The clock tower outside of Canada's parliament building is seen in Ottawa, Ontario.

Global Trade

Canada's push to revive its economy and diversify its trade and security ties beyond the U.S. will likely see slow progress and could prompt U.S. retaliation, while the associated deficit spending will risk long-term fiscal strain.

The High Stakes of Canada's Attempt To Pivot Away From the U.S.

Chile

Israel

Cambodia

Thailand

India

Pakistan

People watch the USS Gravely, a Navy warship, departing the Port of Spain on Oct. 30, 2025. The U.S. warship arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Oct. 26, 2025, for joint exercises near the coast of Venezuela, as Washington ratcheted up pressure on drug traffickers and Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

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

The Weekly Rundown: U.S.-Saudi Meeting, Military Escalation in the Caribbean

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (C) after chairing a National Security Council on Nov. 11 in Bangkok. An armed clash on the Thai-Cambodian border raises the risk of escalations that unwind the two countries' recent peace accord, though a return to full-scale war is less likely due to U.S. economic and security leverage.

While the most likely scenario is recurring but contained flare-ups through early 2026, a more escalatory scenario remains plausible.

More Clashes, but Not Full-blown Conflict, Likely on the Cambodian-Thai Frontier

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

This map shows the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups.

U.S. Naval Update Map: Nov. 13, 2025

Media

Podcasts

Why are Venezuela's relationships with Russia, Iran and China so important to the United States?

Essential Geopolitics: The Primary Drivers and Constraints of U.S.-Venezuela Tensions

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

U.S. President Donald Trump (C), joined by lawmakers and members of his administration, delivers remarks during a dinner with leaders of Central Asian countries in the East Room of the White House on Nov. 6, 2025.

The recent C5+1 summit highlighted the U.S.'s desire to boost cooperation with Central Asian countries on trade and critical minerals, but the region's geography, governance and reliance on China and Russia will ultimately limit the impact of such efforts. 

The Promise and Limits of Increased U.S. Engagement in Central Asia

Brazil

Iraq

Syria

Campaign posters Nov. 6 ahead of Nov. 11 Iraqi parliamentary elections in central Baghdad.

The Weekly Rundown: Iraqi Elections, a U.S.-China Deal Enters Effect

South Sudan

Burundi

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ethiopia

Kenya

Malawi

Mozambique

Rwanda

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

Japan

Europe

The Geopolitics of Trade

Over the next decade, Kenya and Tanzania will compete for the title of East Africa's leading trade gateway, particularly as global demand for Central Africa's critical minerals grows. 

The Geopolitics of Trade: The Race to Unlock East Africa, Part 1 

U.S. Naval Update Map: Nov. 6, 2025

Nigeria

A Nigerian soldier stands guard at a checkpoint at the entrance to Monguno, Borno state, Nigeria, on July 4, 2025. 

Trump wants Nigeria to take action against the armed groups targeting Christians in the country, but Abuja will face challenges in sustaining such operations, which could lead to unilateral U.S. military action if there are fresh instances of intercommunal violence.

Will the United States Take Military Action in Nigeria?

Spain

Tanks on Sept. 23 in Caracas, Venezuela. The Trump administration has reportedly decided to attack military sites in Venezuela in strikes that could occur at any moment.

The Weekly Rundown: Potential U.S. Strikes in Venezuela, U.S. Outreach in Central Asia

Iran

A girl walks past posters and banners depicting political candidates from rival blocs competing for a seat in the Iraqi Council of Representatives in old Mosul, northern Iraq, on Oct. 28, 2025, days before the Nov. 11, 2025, parliamentary elections.

Global Elections

Backed by a coalition that reaches across ethnic and sectarian divides, Iraq's current prime minister will likely maintain his position after the country's upcoming parliamentary elections, portending relative foreign policy continuity.

Assessing Iraq's Political Landscape Ahead of Legislative Elections

The United States encompasses territory spanning from the Arctic Circle and Central Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic.    The Greater Mississippi Basin is the United States' core and serves as the underpinning of its role as a global superpower.    The basin hosts an extensive network of navigable rivers that overlay the world's largest contiguous piece of arable land. This naturally interconnected river system facilitated integration among settlers and allowed for cheap transport of goods, providing the United States with the ability to feed itself efficiently and rapidly build up industry and capital to expand west. The Midwestern core gave early America strategic depth, while an expanding U.S. coastline, naturally indented with deep harbors, provided its opening to the world.    After reaching the Pacific coast in the mid-19th century, the United States found itself insulated by two oceans. On the continent itself, geography again has worked in the country's favor: lakes to the north and deserts to the south insulate the United States' population centers, with both Canada and Mexico facing too many natural constraints of their own to seriously rival it.    This unparalleled level of wealth and protection gives the United States options that few to no countries can claim. For one, the United States has used its wealth and security to build up the world's largest navy. Control of the world's major sea-lanes gives the United States the power to facilitate or deny trade to allies or rivals of the day. The onus therefore is on the United States to carefully manage its engagements abroad and build up strategic allies to protect its overseas interests and preserve its strength at home. 

SITUATION REPORTS

Ukraine: U.S.-Made ATACMS Missiles Fired Into Russia for First Time Under Trump Administration

U.S., Russia: Draft Peace Plan Pressures Kyiv To Cede Territory and Arms for Security Guarantees

U.S., Venezuela: Authorization for Further Covert Acts Indicate Increased Likelihood of Military Attacks

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Trump Names Kingdom 'Major Non-NATO Ally,' Signs Nuclear Cooperation Deal

Netherlands, China: Netherlands Suspends Takeover of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker Nexperia

Mexico, U.S.: Concession on Air Traffic Dispute Underscores Mexico's Willingness To Appease Washington

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Saudi Crown Prince Meets With President Trump

Cyberspace: Cloudflare Outage Temporarily Disrupts Access to Popular Web-Based Services

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