Germany

Ukraine

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

At a press conference in Berlin with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that his government would help Ukraine build long-range missiles without range restrictions, though he declined to provide specifics, Bloomberg reported on May 28.

Germany, Ukraine: Berlin Pledges New Military Support, Joint Missile Development With Kyiv

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin told a televised meeting of government officials that the government has "approved the creation of a necessary security buffer zone along our borders" and that soldiers "are actively working to accomplish this task," Russian state-run outlet TASS reported May 22.

Russia, Ukraine: Putin Says Work Underway for 'Security Buffer Zone' Along Border

On May 21, Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that work on a memorandum for a potential peace agreement with Ukraine was making progress, but that the Kremlin will keep the content secret for now, The Moscow Times has reported.

Russia, Ukraine: Moscow 'Making Progress' on Its Peace Offer, but Insists on Maximalist Demands

United States

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, AP reported on May 19.

U.S., Russia: Putin Promises To Work With Ukraine on Peace During Call With Trump

Europe

Energy

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union was working on a new package of sanctions against Russia that would target the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, more vessels linked to Russia's shadow oil tanker fleet, and the country's financial sector, as well as further reduce the oil price cap, Reuters reported on May 16.

EU, Russia: Von der Leyen Floats New EU Sanctions on Russia, Including on Nord Stream Pipelines

The first direct meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations since March 2022 took place in Istanbul, Turkey, Reuters reported on May 16.

Russia, Ukraine: Bilateral Meeting Ends With No Immediate Announcements

France

United Kingdom

Poland

EU ambassadors approved a new package of sanctions on Russia, the 17th since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with measures including visa bans and asset freezes on senior Russian officials, export bans on dual-use chemicals and restrictions targeting dozens of companies accused of sanctions evasion, Politico reported May 14. 

EU, Russia: EU Ambassadors Approve 17th Package of Sanctions Against Russia

Belgium

Hungary

The European Commission is exploring legal and financial measures to bypass potential Hungarian vetoes on key decisions related to Ukraine's EU accession and sanctions against Russia, according to reports by Bloomberg and the Financial Times on May 13. 


EU, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine: Brussels Weighs Measures to Bypass Hungary's Vetoes on Russia Sanctions 

Assessments

Mexico

South Korea

Ukrainian, U.S. and Russian delegates meet for peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 16, 2025. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: Ukraine-Russia Talks, Mexico's First-Ever Judicial Elections

This combination of pictures shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) during a press conference in Berlin on June 11, 2024, and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Moscow on March 18, 2025.

While direct talks mark a notable development in the peace process, Moscow will not make meaningful concessions unless it faces bolder action from the West (particularly the U.S.), like asset seizures and increased military aid to Ukraine.

Russia Agrees To Hold Talks With Ukraine Amid U.S. Pressure, but Peace Will Remain Elusive

Columns

On Geopolitics

The allure of implementing a sphere of influence model is more likely to disappoint those who may argue that it would create more stability and security.

The Temptations of a Sphere-of-Influence Model of International Relations

Drag-line excavator mines rare earth materials on Ukrainian soil on Feb. 25, 2025, in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. 

A new U.S.-Ukraine economic deal offers Washington a long-term stake in Ukraine's critical resources -- and a potential lever in ceasefire diplomacy.

New Strategic Pact Gives U.S. Stake in Ukraine's Economic Future

Canada

Iran

Italy

India

Pakistan

Indian soldiers stand guard atop their vehicle in Srinagar, India, on April 23, 2025, following a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.

U.S.-Iran Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Escalating Pakistan-India Tensions, Canadian Elections and Pope Francis' Funeral

Snapshots

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (2 L) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C) attend a meeting with European and Ukrainian officials on April 17 at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris.

Ukraine will be forced to choose between compromising on its supposed red lines to de-escalate its war with Russia, or risk losing U.S. support and its battlefield position. 

Growing U.S. Pressure for a Peace Deal Puts Ukraine in a Difficult Position

Workers at a quarry Feb. 26, 2025 in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine.

Cyber

The Weekly Rundown: Von der Leyen Meets Starmer, a U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal

South Africa

Israel

China

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

Global Trade

U.S.-China Relations

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

Media

Australia

Philippines

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

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

Japan

Vietnam

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

<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

Germany, Ukraine: Berlin Pledges New Military Support, Joint Missile Development With Kyiv

Russia, Ukraine: Putin Says Work Underway for 'Security Buffer Zone' Along Border

Russia, Ukraine: Moscow 'Making Progress' on Its Peace Offer, but Insists on Maximalist Demands

U.S., Russia: Putin Promises To Work With Ukraine on Peace During Call With Trump

EU, Russia: Von der Leyen Floats New EU Sanctions on Russia, Including on Nord Stream Pipelines

Russia, Ukraine: Bilateral Meeting Ends With No Immediate Announcements

EU, Russia: EU Ambassadors Approve 17th Package of Sanctions Against Russia

EU, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine: Brussels Weighs Measures to Bypass Hungary's Vetoes on Russia Sanctions

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