United States

Jordan

Syria

Turkey

China

Military & Security

Politics

The U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said the United States had begun reducing its troop presence in Syria "from eight bases, to five, to three. We'll eventually go to one," the Financial Times reported on June 3. 

Syria, U.S.: U.S. Begins Troop Drawdown in Syria

United Kingdom

Economics

British Defense Secretary John Healey presented the strategic defense review in the House of Commons, the BBC reported on June 2.

U.K.: British Government Unveils Strategic Defense Review

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul, Turkey, for their second face-to-face encounter since May 19, Reuters reported on June 2. 

Russia, Ukraine: Delegations Hold Second Meeting in Istanbul

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Palestinian militant group Hamas said the current U.S.-led proposal to pause the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza "fails to meet any of the just and legitimate demands of our people" but added that the group would continue to "study" the proposal without rejecting it, Reuters reported on May 30.

Israel, Gaza: Hamas Rejects U.S. Ceasefire Proposal But Does Not Abandon Talks

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Former President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kabila made his first public appearance in the country since 2023 in the city of Goma, held by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, Jeune Afrique reported on May 30.

Congo: Former President Kabila Makes Public Appearance in Goma  

Australia

Japan

New Zealand

Philippines

New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins announced an expanded regional military role, committing to more frequent and longer-reaching deployments and closer cooperation with allies so Wellington can "pull its weight," Reuters reported on May 30. 

New Zealand: Wellington To 'Pull Its Weight' in South China Sea, Indian Ocean

Indonesia

France

Energy

French President Emmanuel Macron and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto signed 27 cooperation agreements during the former's state visit to Indonesia, deepening collaboration in defense and energy, among other areas, the Indonesia Business Post reported on May 29.

France, Indonesia: Paris, Jakarta Deepen Defense, Energy Ties

South Korea

A senior U.S. defense official, part of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's delegation to Singapore, gave a press briefing in which he cited a desire to recalibrate U.S. Forces Korea to "reflect the realities of the regional security environment" in deterring China, Yonhap News Agency reported on May 29.

U.S., South Korea: Pentagon Confirms Aim To Reorient USFK Toward China

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

Cyber

The Ukraine Conflict

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The Battle for Mosul

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

The Jihadist Wars

Echoes of the Cold War

Instability in Central Asia

South Asian Militancy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Snapshots

Poland

Right-wing opposition candidate Karol Nawrocki waves to supporters in Warsaw, Poland, following the presidential runoff election on June 1, 2025.

The incoming conservative president will likely veto many of the centrist government's domestic reforms, while his euroskeptic views will sustain foreign policy incoherence, potentially undermining Poland's economic outlook and its credibility as a regional leader.

Poland Braces for More Political Gridlock Following Nawrocki's Presidential Victory

Global Elections

Assessments

Service members of Ukraine's 13th Khartia Brigade load a Vampire drone with food and ammunition supplies to be delivered to the infantry at the frontline on March 7, 2025, in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. 

Ukraine's recent string of asymmetric attacks on Russian soil could make Moscow more flexible in negotiations, but it also risks diplomatic blowback that at least temporarily scuttles peace talks.

The Implications of Ukraine's Audacious Attacks on Russia

Mexico

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

M23 fighters are seen at the main border crossing between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda in Goma on March 1, 2025.

Mediation efforts from the Trump administration will likely see the two African countries ink a peace deal in the coming months, but implementation will prove challenging, sustaining the risk of a new military escalation in eastern Congo.

U.S. Mediation Brings Congo and Rwanda Closer to a Peace Deal

Members of the National Association of Magistrates and District Judges hold a massive Mexican flag during a protest in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sept. 11, 2024, after Mexico's Senate approved controversial judicial reforms. 

The likely strong performance of candidates aligned with the ruling Morena party will undermine checks and balances and create regulatory uncertainty for businesses over the long term.

What's at Stake in Mexico's First-Ever Judicial Elections

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto speaks during an economic event in Jakarta on April 8, 2025.

The president's efforts to consolidate power via welfare populism and security-minded governance could face challenges if economic headwinds strengthen, especially amid looming U.S. tariff threats.

How Subianto Is Making His Mark on Indonesian Politics

Supporters of Kim Moon Soo, the opposition candidate running in South Korea's June 3 presidential election, react during a campaign event in Seoul on May 19, 2025.

A ruling party victory would portend a continuation of Yoon's pro-business, pro-U.S. policies, while an opposition victory would see Seoul focus more on improving domestic economic equity and increasing engagement with North Korea and China.

South Korea's Presidential Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Nigeria

A worker inspects an oil drilling platform located roughly 35 kilometers away from Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta. 

The recent drop in global oil prices risks exacerbating Nigeria's already high inflation, which would ripen socioeconomic conditions for protests and threaten to fuel recruitment by jihadist and bandit groups.

Can Nigeria Navigate Lower Oil Prices? 

Iran

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan hold the movement's flag during a demonstration in the capital, Amman, on Nov. 28, 2014.

Militant factions of the Muslim Brotherhood will likely go underground in Jordan following the government's ban on the organization, but Iranian influence and persistent socioeconomic grievances will sustain risks of violence.

In Jordan, a Ban Pushes the Muslim Brotherhood Underground

A digital illustration of the U.K. and EU flags.

The agreements will institutionalize defense cooperation and ease trade frictions, though lingering political constraints will limit deeper integration in the near term.

The U.K.-EU Deal Signals a Strategic Recalibration of Post-Brexit Trade and Defense Relations

Media

Podcasts

How does Turkey's political uncertainty affect its economic outlook?

Essential Geopolitics: Turkey's Current Political Environment

Vietnam

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Kazakhstan

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam (L) address journalists following their talks in Moscow, Russia, on May 10, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. 

Vietnam is strengthening its relationships with Eurasian countries, especially Russia, as it looks to further diversify economic and energy ties away from great powers amid an unstable geopolitical landscape.

Russia-Vietnam Ties Are Set To Grow Following Lam's Eurasia Tour

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

Syria, U.S.: U.S. Begins Troop Drawdown in Syria

U.K.: British Government Unveils Strategic Defense Review

Russia, Ukraine: Delegations Hold Second Meeting in Istanbul

Israel, Gaza: Hamas Rejects U.S. Ceasefire Proposal But Does Not Abandon Talks

Congo: Former President Kabila Makes Public Appearance in Goma

New Zealand: Wellington To 'Pull Its Weight' in South China Sea, Indian Ocean

France, Indonesia: Paris, Jakarta Deepen Defense, Energy Ties

U.S., South Korea: Pentagon Confirms Aim To Reorient USFK Toward China

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