When former U.S. President Donald Trump indicated earlier this year that he “would encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to countries that are “delinquent,” presumably in terms of defense spending, allies expressed alarm. This trans-Atlantic burden-sharing kerfuffle is only unusual for the crassness of the language. U.S. concerns about...

In 2021, John Mueller wrote “War is on the Rocks” for War on the Rocks, in which he argued that interstate war was on the decline and was an institution no longer needed by international society. In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and growing potential for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, we asked him to look back on the article. Read more below....

Tactics are a science, but applying tactics in combat is an art. A military force wins by seeing how general principles apply to a specific situation and being creative with combat solutions. For two years, Ukrainians have been defending their country with creative combinations of tactics and technology. Ukraine was thrown into a conflict full of juxtaposed...

A lot happens every day. Alliances shift, leaders change, and conflicts erupt. With In Brief, we’ll help you make sense of it all. Each week, experts will dig deep on a single issue happening in the world to help you better understand it. *** Speaking at the European Economic Congress last week, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on Europe to...

On the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, most of the world could not imagine President Volodymyr Zelensky emerging as a potent symbol of Ukrainian resistance. When he was elected in 2019, Zelensky came to office with no prior political experience. Despite initial enthusiasm, the former television star’s popularity was in decline, with many voters...

Editor’s Note: This is part of a short series examining maritime geography and strategic challenges in specific bodies of water, ranging from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Guinea and the South China Sea. On Jan. 1, 2024, Nigerian pirates attacked the Hana 1, a small chemical tanker sailing through the waters of Equatorial Guinea, and kidnapped nine...