Australia

China

Solomon Islands

Military & Security

Politics

Australia announced a four-year, $118 million commitment to expand the Solomon Islands' police force, Reuters reported on Dec. 20. 

Australia, Solomon Islands: Canberra Commits to New Police Deal in Solomon Islands

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi pressed ahead with a major overhaul of the country's military leadership, Radio France Internationale reported on Dec. 19. 

Congo: President Tshisekedi Overhauls Military Leadership

United States

Syria

A delegation of three U.S. diplomats arrived in Syria early Dec. 20 to meet with militia leaders, civil society members and activists for the first time since the collapse of the Assad regime on Dec. 8, the New York Times reported the same day. 

U.S., Syria: First U.S. Diplomatic Delegation Arrives in Syria

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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

Malaysia

Malaysian National Security Council Director-General Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin announced plans to modernize his country's navy and air force to safeguard its maritime domain, including in the South China Sea, while still emphasizing dialogue and diplomacy with other claimants, namely China, The Straits Times reported on Dec. 19. 

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur To Strengthen Territorial Defense in South China Sea

Myanmar

Myanmar's Foreign Minister Gen. Than Shwe told a regional conference in Bangkok, Thailand, that his country is "on track" to hold an election in 2025 that will end Myanmar's civil war, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 19.

Myanmar: Foreign Minister Says War-Ending Election on Track for 2025

Pakistan

The United States announced new sanctions on Dec. 18 targeting Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program, including the state-owned National Development Complex that oversees the program, AP reported on Dec. 19.

Pakistan: U.S. Sanctions Pakistan's Missile Program Amid Weapons Proliferation Concerns

Japan

Philippines

Taiwan

An annual Pentagon report on China's military detailed on Dec. 18 the faster-than-expected expansion of China's nuclear arsenal to 600 warheads in 2024. 

China, U.S.: Pentagon Report Highlights Escalating Missile Arms Race

U.S.-China Relations

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

Assessments

Mozambique

France

Anti-riot police officers with dogs walk past burning barricades made by protesters in Maputo, Mozambique, on Nov. 7, 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: A New French Government, a Ruling on Mozambique's Disputed Election

Media

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Saudi Arabia

Turkey

Podcasts

What can Trump's nominees for positions in Middle Eastern diplomacy tell us about his approach to the region?

Essential Geopolitics: U.S.-Middle East Relations Under a Second Trump Term

What is the future trajectory of the peace process?

Essential Geopolitics: Implications of Cancelled Peace Talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda

Iran

Israeli tanks and armored vehicles line up the area outside the Druze village of Majdal Shams on the fence with the buffer zone that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from the rest of Syria on Dec. 9, 2024.

Israel's efforts to mitigate threats from war-torn Syria will risk triggering domestic and international blowback, and opening the door to a proxy conflict with Turkey.

Israel Expands Its Presence in Post-Assad Syria 

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

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.-Iran Relations

Bangladesh

When can we expect elections in Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina's resignation?

Essential Geopolitics: The Future of Bangladeshi Politics

A man carries a Turkish national flag as Turkey-backed Syrian fighters gather along the frontlines opposite Kurdish forces near the town of Dadat in Syria's northern Aleppo province, on July 5, 2022. 

Turkey will seek to exert its influence over Syria's new leaders to prevent Kurdish autonomy, promote Turkish business interests and facilitate the return of refugees.

Turkey Is Poised to Reap the Benefits of a New Order in Syria

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. 

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

Ethiopia

Somalia

An illustration of the Ethiopian and Somali flags.

The countries’ commitment to negotiate maritime access reduces immediate conflict risks and could enable Ethiopia to secure leasing rights at Somali ports, but tensions will likely resurge if the two sides fail to finalize a deal.

Ethiopia and Somalia Crack Open the Door To Compromise on Maritime Access

Columns

On Geopolitics

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

Iraq

Yemen

An anti-regime fighter tears off a poster depicting Syrian President Bashar al Assad (left) and his brother Maher at the airport in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Dec. 2, 2024. 

With its proxy network weakened, developing nuclear weapons will become a more attractive option for Iran as it tries to rebuild deterrence against the U.S. and Israel.

Assad's Fall in Syria Deals Another Blow to Iran's Axis of Resistance

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

Australia, Solomon Islands: Canberra Commits to New Police Deal in Solomon Islands

Congo: President Tshisekedi Overhauls Military Leadership

U.S., Syria: First U.S. Diplomatic Delegation Arrives in Syria

Ukraine, Russia: Putin Claims Readiness for Negotiations and Compromises

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur To Strengthen Territorial Defense in South China Sea

Myanmar: Foreign Minister Says War-Ending Election on Track for 2025

Pakistan: U.S. Sanctions Pakistan's Missile Program Amid Weapons Proliferation Concerns

China, U.S.: Pentagon Report Highlights Escalating Missile Arms Race

Forecasts

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