<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

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Middle East and North Africa

Asia-Pacific

Europe

South Asia

Cargo containers painted with Chinese and U.S. flags. Trade disruptions, shifting military conflicts and domestic political turbulence will shape global affairs in 2025.

Economics

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Military & Security

Politics

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Social Issues

Trade disruptions, shifting military conflicts and domestic political turbulence will shape global affairs in 2025.

2025 Annual Forecast: A Global Overview

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

South Korea

Germany

A sign reading ''leader of insurgents'' on a photo of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's face is held up during a protest calling for Yoon's ouster in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 8, 2024. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: Putin's Annual Press Conference, Another Impeachment Vote in South Korea

Columns

On Geopolitics

United States

Iran

Israel

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Rebel fighters celebrate in the streets of Homs, Syria, in the early hours of Dec. 8, 2024, after seizing control of the city.

Syria, the geopolitical proving ground for virtually every major regional power, may be hobbled and damaged after 13 years of civil war. But it still gets a vote in its destiny. 

Syria Sets Out Toward a New and Uncertain Future

Russian troops gather around their military vehicles in northeast Syria on Nov. 1, 2019. 

The collapse of Assad's government in Syria is a blow to the Kremlin's influence in the Middle East and its credibility as a security partner, which will further drive Russia to secure a resounding victory in Ukraine.

What Assad's Fall Means for Russia

Chart of stock market investment trading on blue background.

Economic coercion is becoming more prevalent in international politics, with certain countries leveraging their economic power to pursue political goals. 

Economic Power in International Politics

Snapshots

Lebanon

A military vehicle burns after it was hit by Syrian regime forces Dec. 7 in Syria's Hama governorate. After the regime's fall, competing rebel factions will vie to create a provisional government, a slow process prone to violence as foreign actors try to shape the postwar balance of power.

After the regime's fall, competing rebel factions will vie to create a provisional government, a slow process prone to violence as foreign actors try to shape the postwar balance of power.

Syrian Rebels Pushing to Damascus, Regime Facing Imminent Collapse

Ghana

France

Protesters call for the ouster of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol outside the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 6, 2024.

The Weekly Rundown: An Impeachment Vote in South Korea, Syria's Government Wavers

Rebels patrol the streets of Hama after they captured the central Syrian city on Dec. 6, 2024. 

If and when al Assad's regime collapses, war-torn Syria will fragment into factional territories under a weakened rebel leadership.

What To Watch For as Syria's Government Barrels Toward Collapse

Namibia

Tanzania

Uruguay

The NATO symbol and flags of some member countries Oct. 18 in Brussels. The NATO-Ukraine Council will meet Nov. 26 to discuss Russia's first use of an experimental ballistic missile on Ukrainian territory, which on Nov. 21 Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed involved a new medium-range, hypersonic ballistic missile known as "Oreshnik."

The Weekly Rundown: A NATO-Ukraine Summit, Putin's State Visit to Kazakhstan

People walk by destroyed houses in Pokrovsk, Ukraine, on Nov. 16, 2024.

Trump's victory has accelerated the timeline for an end to the war, though it also appears likely a cease-fire will happen on Russia's terms and may not lead to sustainable peace.

The Growing Prospect of a Cease-Fire in Ukraine

Slovakia

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Dec. 22, in a visit that had not been announced in advance, the Financial Times reported the same day.

Slovakia, Russia: Slovak PM Meets with Putin in Surprise Visit to Moscow

The European Council's secretary general announced that the Georgian Dream government promised to create a working group to amend the controversial "foreign agents" law that has stymied European integration, Civil Georgia reported Dec. 20. 

Georgia: Government Allegedly Pledged To Amend 'Foreign Agents' Law

Russia's central bank unexpectedly left its key interest rate at 21%, despite high inflation of 9.5%, The Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 20.

Russia: Central Bank Unexpectedly Leaves Key Rate at 21%

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia was ready for negotiations and unspecified "compromises" regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, the BBC reported on Dec. 19. 

Ukraine, Russia: Putin Claims Readiness for Negotiations and Compromises

In an interview with Russian state media, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev dismissed as "political speculation" reports of the establishment of a permanent Turkish military base in Azerbaijan, TASS reported on Dec. 18.

Azerbaijan, Russia: Aliyev Says No Need for Turkish Military Base in Azerbaijan

The head of the Russian military's nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, was killed in an apparent assassination when an improvised explosive device attached to an electric scooter exploded outside his apartment, AP reported on Dec. 17.

Ukraine, Russia: High-Ranking Russian General Killed in Assassination

Russia conducted a mass airstrike on Ukraine's energy infrastructure using 93 missiles and over 200 drones, the Financial Times reported on Dec. 13.

Russia, Ukraine: Russia Conducts Mass Air Attack on Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure

Moldova's Parliament voted to impose a state of emergency in the energy sector over fears that Russian gas supplies to the country could end on Jan. 1, 2025, when Ukraine's transit agreement with Russia's Gazprom expires, Reuters reported on Dec. 13.

Moldova: Government To Impose State of Emergency in Energy Sector Amid Threat to Russian Gas Supplies

Eurasia

SITUATION REPORTS

Slovakia, Russia: Slovak PM Meets with Putin in Surprise Visit to Moscow

Georgia: Government Allegedly Pledged To Amend 'Foreign Agents' Law

Russia: Central Bank Unexpectedly Leaves Key Rate at 21%

Ukraine, Russia: Putin Claims Readiness for Negotiations and Compromises

Azerbaijan, Russia: Aliyev Says No Need for Turkish Military Base in Azerbaijan

Ukraine, Russia: High-Ranking Russian General Killed in Assassination

Russia, Ukraine: Russia Conducts Mass Air Attack on Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure

Moldova: Government To Impose State of Emergency in Energy Sector Amid Threat to Russian Gas Supplies

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