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Russia-Ukraine Conflict

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc will provide Ukraine with roughly 5 billion euros ($5.7 billion) to help Kyiv acquire two-thirds of the two million artillery rounds it requested in March, Bloomberg reported on April 14.

Ukraine: EU To Help Ukraine Acquire Artillery, Germany Offers Taurus Missiles to Kyiv 

United States

Politics

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for four-and-a-half hours during a visit to St. Petersburg, during which the two discussed the Russia-Ukraine war, Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti reported on April 11.

Russia, U.S.: U.S. Envoy Meets With Putin as Trump Urges Russian Progress Toward Ceasefire

Defense ministers from some 30 European countries met in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss ways to secure Ukraine following a possible ceasefire with Russia, AP reported on April 10.

Europe: Ukraine's Allies Discuss Security Guarantees That Would Follow Ceasefire

On April 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed for the first time that Ukrainian forces were operating in Russia's Belgorod region, the Moscow Times reported April 8.

Ukraine, Russia: Zelensky Confirms Incursion Into Russia's Belgorod Region

The Russian government ordered the conscription of 160,000 men by July 15, the highest target in 14 years, The Moscow Times reported on March 31.

Russia: Moscow Orders Highest Conscription Since 2011

In a new draft critical minerals deal with Ukraine, the U.S. Trump administration is including the "right of first offer" on investment in all infrastructure and natural resource projects, Bloomberg reported on March 27. 

Ukraine: Draft Minerals Deal Would Give U.S. Control Over Natural Resource, Infrastructure Investment in Ukraine

At the end of a summit of European leaders in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron said during a press conference that participants had unanimously agreed to maintain sanctions on Russia and increase military aid to Ukraine, with France pledging an additional 2 billion euros ($2 billion), Le Monde reported on March 27.

Europe, Ukraine: Europe To Maintain Sanctions on Russia, Pursue Reassurance Force in Ukraine

The Kremlin announced that a 30-day moratorium on strikes targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure took effect on March 18, according to newly published details,  AP reported March 26. 

Russia, Ukraine: Energy Ceasefire In Effect Despite Violations

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A list of countries facing reciprocal tariffs on display April 2 at the White House.

Global Trade

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

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

The Weekly Rundown: The Escalating Global Trade War, South Africa's Coalition Government on the Brink

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Forecast Webcast

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2025 Second-Quarter Forecast.

2025 Second-Quarter Forecast Webcast

Turkey

South Korea

People wave flags and chant slogans during a protest in front of the municipality headquarters in support of arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, 2025, in Istanbul, Turkey. 

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. To Announce Tariffs, Protests in Turkey Rage On

Brazil

Lebanon

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press conference Feb. 16 at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem. Senior Israeli officials from the security and intelligence ministries will visit the United States to discuss Iran's nuclear program and Israeli border demarcation talks with Lebanon.

The Weekly Rundown: The U.S. and Israel Coordinate on Iran, the U.K. Chancellor Seeks Fiscal Discipline

Spain

Spanish soldiers sit at tables at a makeshift military base in Valencia, eastern Spain, on Nov. 12, 2024, following deadly floods in the region.

Domestic political constraints will impede Madrid's ability to expand its defense budget, which will expose it to U.S. retaliation and limit Spanish participation in any European deployment to Ukraine.

Despite Recent Pledges, Spain Will Struggle To Boost Military Spending

Ethiopia

Reichstag in Berlin with flags.

The Weekly Rundown: U.S.-Russia Contacts on a Ukraine Ceasefire, a Vote on Reforming Germany’s Debt Brake

Snapshots

While a ceasefire appears increasingly likely, Russia will likely delay a deal to secure more concessions related to Western military support, a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine, and Kyiv's NATO aspirations.

How Will Russia Respond to the U.S.-Proposed Ceasefire in Ukraine?

A photo taken on Jan. 15, 2025, shows a muddy track running through a forest in Sumy, Ukraine, that Ukrainian soldiers use to transport American Stryker armored fighting vehicles during Ukraine's ongoing cross-border operation into Russia's Kursk region.

Intensified Russian attacks will likely soon force Ukrainian troops to exit Russia's Kursk border region, which could make Moscow more open to ceasefire talks by weakening Kyiv's negotiating leverage.

Ukraine's Withdrawal From Kursk Appears Imminent Amid Russian Advances

U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad al-Aiban, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Ukrainian Head of Presidential Office Andriy Yermak and Ukrainian Minister of Defense Rustem Umerovto attend a meeting between the US and Ukraine hosted by the Saudis on March 11, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire with Russia, but its success depends on Moscow's acceptance and broader unresolved issues.

Temporary Truce in Sight? U.S. and Ukraine Push for 30-Day Ceasefire with Russia

Saudi Arabia

India

Canadian flags are seen outside a building in Ottawa. 

The Weekly Rundown: Canada's Ruling Liberals Pick a New Leader, India and the EU Hold Trade Talks 

Columns

On Geopolitics

A digital map illustration of Russia.

The White House believes that restoring ties with Moscow will help it negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine and, more importantly, undermine Russia-China relations in the long run. But numerous potential pitfalls mean this approach is unlikely to pay off.

The Rationale and Risks of Trump's Push to Reengage With Russia

Ukrainian flags are flown alongside EU flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 24, 2025, for the third anniversary of Russia'’s large-scale invasion.

Amid the prospect of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, European leaders are mulling putting boots on the ground in Ukraine to help deter Russian aggression, which could take several forms, each varying in effectiveness and feasibility.

Weighing the Options for a European Deployment in Ukraine

<p>Ukraine is the quintessential borderland state. The country borders three former Soviet states (Russia, Belarus and Moldova) and four countries in the European Union (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania). Ukraine also has a coastline along the Black Sea to the south. Ukraine sits on the Northern European Plain, the area that has historically served as an invasion superhighway going east and west. Beyond its strategic location, Ukraine&#39;s geography has only facilitated such invasions. The country consists of flat and fertile plains, with the exception of the Carpathian Mountain range that arches into the far west of the country. But even these mountains can be penetrated and have not posed a significant barrier to invasion. Given such lack of barriers, Ukraine&#39;s wide-open geography is inextricably linked to that of Russia. Ukraine&#39;s agricultural and industrial belts have traditionally been integrated with Russia&#39;s, and Ukraine serves as the primary transit state for Russian energy exports to Europe. Due to its location and abundance of agricultural and mineral resources, Ukraine has been contested between regional powers for centuries. This competition is currently playing out in an extreme form today, with a Western-backed government confronting a Russian-backed uprising in eastern Ukraine. Further complicating the situation is the fact that Ukraine has several population and political cores, including Lviv in the west, Kiev in the center and the eastern cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. These different cores make administering Ukraine difficult. The current crisis in Ukraine is therefore merely the latest iteration of the country&#39;s internal divisions and the long-standing East-West conflict over the country. Maintaining sovereignty and unity in the face of this competition is Ukraine&#39;s primary geographic challenge.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Ukraine: EU To Help Ukraine Acquire Artillery, Germany Offers Taurus Missiles to Kyiv

Russia, U.S.: U.S. Envoy Meets With Putin as Trump Urges Russian Progress Toward Ceasefire

Europe: Ukraine's Allies Discuss Security Guarantees That Would Follow Ceasefire

Ukraine, Russia: Zelensky Confirms Incursion Into Russia's Belgorod Region

Russia: Moscow Orders Highest Conscription Since 2011

Ukraine: Draft Minerals Deal Would Give U.S. Control Over Natural Resource, Infrastructure Investment in Ukraine

Europe, Ukraine: Europe To Maintain Sanctions on Russia, Pursue Reassurance Force in Ukraine

Russia, Ukraine: Energy Ceasefire In Effect Despite Violations

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