Seven ways to reboot G7 sanctions on Russia

At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin was defiant about the Russian economy. “Despite all the obstacles we are facing and the illegitimate sanctions imposed against us,” he declared, “Russia remains one of the key participants in global trade and is rapidly expanding the new logistics and geography

Allies stand with Ukraine as Russian threat looms over D-Day anniversary

World leaders gathered in Normandy on June 6 to mark the eightieth anniversary of the Allied landings in France during World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin was not invited to attend, but the war he unleashed more than two years ago in Ukraine cast a long shadow over commemorations. In his official address, French

Algeria’s Morocco obsession has killed reconciliation prospects

For nearly five decades, Algeria has used the dispute over Western Sahara as a front for its antagonization of Morocco. But behind Algeria’s support for the Sahrawi cause lies a much more complex case of the Algerian establishment’s determination to simultaneously avenge historical grievances and prevent Morocco from reclaiming a territory that would increase its

Russia is winning the energy war and plunging Ukraine into darkness

Electricity blackouts are the new normal in Ukraine as the country struggles to cope with the consequences of a devastating Russian air offensive that has destroyed around half of Ukraine’s wartime power-generating capacity since the start of 2024. Millions of Ukrainians are now adapting to the reality of regular power cuts, with electricity in many

Economic recovery in opposition-held Syria is challenging but still possible

The prolonged nature of the Syrian conflict has prompted a paradigm shift by the international community and Syrians, involving early recovery and reconstruction alongside ongoing emergency responses, bypassing a political resolution. This approach addresses the urgent need for local communities to recover from the civil war’s impacts and reestablish livelihoods, while also combating donor fatigue.