A year into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it’s clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a strategic blunder. But any deal to end the conflict must uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, says USIP’s Ambassador William Taylor: “The Russian military needs to leave. That’s got to be the key part of any peace proposal.”

U.S. Institute of Peace experts discuss the latest foreign policy issues from around the world in On Peace, a brief weekly collaboration with SiriusXM's POTUS Channel 124.

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The Latest @ USIP: NATO’s Strategic Adaptation to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

The Latest @ USIP: NATO’s Strategic Adaptation to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

By: Kurt Volker

When Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, NATO was already in the early stages of drafting its 2022 Strategic Concept. The war quickly overshadowed other issues, and NATO quickly adapted its strategic vision to refocus on the alliance’s primary mission of deterrence and collective defense. Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, discusses how solidarity with Ukraine has united NATO in a way that hasn’t been seen in a long time and examines the threat Russia’s expansionist mindset poses to NATO member states.

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What China's 'Peace Plan' Reveals about its Stance on Russia's War on Ukraine

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Thursday, March 2, 2023

By: Carla Freeman, Ph.D.;  Mary Glantz, Ph.D.;  Andrew Scobell, Ph.D.

Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — which marks a clear violation of international law — Moscow has enjoyed support from a number of countries. Foremost among these is China. Over the last year, Beijing has not supported Russia in U.N. votes, has refrained from providing Russia with weapons, and has publicly proclaimed neutrality. But China has also refused to condemn the invasion, often repeated the Kremlin’s talking points about the war, opposed sanctions against Russia and helped prop up its economy. On the anniversary of the invasion, China released what it had previewed as a peace plan, which really amounted to a statement of principles reflecting Beijing’s longstanding talking points about the war.

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Ukraine: A Real Peace Will Require Change from Russia

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Thursday, January 26, 2023

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The United States and its allies are seeking ways to promote a sustainable peace in Europe — one that ends Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine and strengthens a global prohibition on such wars of aggrandizement. Tragically but realistically, Russia, like most historic imperial powers, will need to be defeated militarily before it abandons war as a means to dominate its neighbors. Any negotiated peace before such a defeat will simply let Russia rebuild its forces and renew its assault. Yet even as the West should maintain full support for Ukraine’s defense, such as the tanks much discussed this month, it should encourage negotiation toward specific goals.

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Mona Yacoubian on Russia’s Diminishing Role in Syria

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Wednesday, January 18, 2023

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Amid military struggles in Ukraine, Russia’s presence in Syria is slowly receding, setting off a series of regional shifts from Turkey, Iran and Israel that could have major ripple effects on U.S. national security interests, says USIP’s Mona Yacoubian: “There are too many actors there for it be a simple math equation.”

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