<p>Eurasia is the world&rsquo;s most expansive region. It connects the East to the West, forming a land bridge that borders Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and South Asia. Forming the borders of this massive tract of land are the Northern European Plain, the Carpathian Mountains, the Southern Caucasus Mountains, the Tien Shan Mountains and Siberia. At the heart of Eurasia is Russia, a country that throughout history has tried, to varying degrees of success, to extend its influence to Eurasia&rsquo;s farthest reaches &mdash; a strategy meant to insulate it from outside powers. But this strategy necessarily creates conflict throughout Russia&rsquo;s borderlands, putting Eurasia a near constant state of instability.</p>

Eurasia connects the East to the West, forming a land bridge that borders Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and South Asia. 

Eurasia

Armenia

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

Uzbekistan

Azerbaijan

Georgia

Belarus

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Russia

Moldova

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Cyber

The Ukraine Conflict

The Politics of Pipelines

The New Silk Road

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

A Crude Recovery

The Second Space Race

Echoes of the Cold War

Russia's Internal Struggle

The Fight for Russia’s Borderlands

Moscow Looks to the East

Instability in Central Asia

Assessments

United States

Iran

Israel

Lebanon

Japan

Philippines

India

A cargo ship anchored May 16 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran. Major gaps in negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program persist, and the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will remain fragile over the next week.

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

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

The Weekly Rundown: Rubio Visits India, a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

U.S.-Iran Relations

A view taken on Dec. 13, 2023, shows pumping units at the grounds of a fuel tank farm of Russia's oil pipeline giant Transneft.

Energy

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The intensifying drone strikes are unlikely to trigger an oil sector crisis or alter Moscow's war calculus, but they will financially drain Russian oil companies, even as high prices buoy the Kremlin's revenues.

Assessing the Impact of Ukrainian Strikes on Russia's Oil Sector

Europe

EU and Ukrainian flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters on Feb. 23, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium.

While a European mediator may unblock frozen peace talks, a durable peace settlement remains unlikely until both Russia and Ukraine conclude that continued war is more costly than compromise.

The Limited Promise of EU Mediation in Ukraine Peace Talks

Mexico

China

South Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sept. 3, 2025, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

The Weekly Rundown: Elevated Tensions in the Middle East, Putin Heads to Beijing

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Afghan protesters burn a Pakistani flag during a demonstration in Helmand Province in 2016.

Gains from the Afghan Taliban's growing regional ties will be hindered by enduring disputes, logistical constraints, infrastructure security risks, and Pakistan's possible absence from future multilateral engagements.

How the Afghan-Pakistani Conflict Is Redrawing Regional Relations

Snapshots

Russian officers patrol central Moscow on May 5, 2026, in front of the Kremlin, a few days ahead of the Victory Day military parade, to be held at Red Square on May 9. 

While Ukraine is unlikely to attack Moscow during the May 9 parade, its expanding long-range strike capabilities will steadily increase the war's political, economic and psychological toll on Russia ahead of the September elections.

Ukrainian Strikes Put Russia on Edge Ahead of Victory Day Parade

An aerial view shows the Kazakh village of Ulken (foreground), where the country's first nuclear power plant is set to be built, on Sept. 22, 2024.

Kazakhstan will seek to balance its reliance on Russia to build its first nuclear plant by partnering with China on subsequent projects and by leveraging new mining laws to extract downstream technology from foreign partners.

Kazakhstan's Strategy to Control Its Nuclear Future Amid Russian Leverage

Vietnam

Employees walk at the construction site of a gas metering station, part of the pipeline link between Bulgaria and Greece near the village of Malko Kadievo, on March 18, 2022. 

The Weekly Rundown: No U.S.-Iran Breakthrough, EU Ban on Spot Market Russian LNG

Russian President Vladimir Putin (center) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (left) hold talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on April 1, 2026.

Russia is actively calibrating pressure on Armenia to derail its pro-EU course, as the Iran war temporarily impedes Yerevan's push to reduce its reliance on Russia-linked trade corridors.

Armenia's Push for Autonomy Meets Russian Resistance

Hungary

Peter Magyar, lead candidate of the Tisza party, speaks to reporters in Budapest on April 13, 2026, after his party's sweeping victory in Hungary's parliamentary elections.

With a two-thirds supermajority, the new government will be able to dismantle Orban's entrenched institutional and economic influence, as well as reset EU relations. But a swift and drastic reversal in Hungary-Ukraine relations remains unlikely.

Hungary's Pro-EU Opposition Wins Big, Ending the Orban Era

The board of Russia's Gazprom approved two Kazakhstan-related arrangements tied to long-term processing of gas from Kazakhstan's Karachaganak field at Russia's Orenburg gas processing plant, Interfax reported May 22.

Russia, Kazakhstan: Gazprom Approves Karachaganak Gas Processing Deal

The U.S. State Department approved a possible $108.1 million Foreign Military Sale to Ukraine for HAWK Missile System Sustainment and related equipment, Reuters reported May 21.

Ukraine, U.S.: Trump Administration Approves HAWK Air Defense Support Package

In a May 21 post on Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Ukrainian Security Service's Alpha special forces unit struck a Russian Federal Security Service's (FSB) facility and destroyed a Pantsir-S1 air defense system on occupied Ukrainian territory, killing and wounding about 100 Russian personnel.

Ukraine, Russia: Kyiv Reports Strike on Russian FSB Headquarters in Occupied Territory

A court in Kazakhstan has recognized and allowed enforcement of an arbitration award in favor of Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz against Russia's Gazprom, Reuters reported May 21.

Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine: Court Ruling Opens Naftogaz's Hunt for Gazprom Assets in Kazakhstan

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 19-20 in Beijing, Ria Novosti reported.

Russia, China: Putin Visit Shows Deepening Alignment With China, but No Gas Breakthrough Occurs

China's armed forces covertly trained approximately 200 Russian military personnel in drone warfare and combat tactics in late 2025, and some of those soldiers have since returned to fight in Ukraine, Reuters reported on May 19, citing three European intelligence agencies.

China, Russia: Beijing Reportedly Provided Covert Military Training to Russian Troops

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China on May 19-20 to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, including on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, Ria Novosti reported on May 18, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.

Russia, China: Putin To Discuss Power of Siberia 2 During China Visit

Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Moscow since March 2025 on May 17, killing at least three people in the Moscow region, Reuters reported the same day. 

Russia, Ukraine: Ukraine's Drone Barrage Pierces Moscow's Shield

Eurasia

SITUATION REPORTS

Russia, Kazakhstan: Gazprom Approves Karachaganak Gas Processing Deal

Ukraine, U.S.: Trump Administration Approves HAWK Air Defense Support Package

Ukraine, Russia: Kyiv Reports Strike on Russian FSB Headquarters in Occupied Territory

Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine: Court Ruling Opens Naftogaz's Hunt for Gazprom Assets in Kazakhstan

Russia, China: Putin Visit Shows Deepening Alignment With China, but No Gas Breakthrough Occurs

China, Russia: Beijing Reportedly Provided Covert Military Training to Russian Troops

Russia, China: Putin To Discuss Power of Siberia 2 During China Visit

Russia, Ukraine: Ukraine's Drone Barrage Pierces Moscow's Shield

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