Who ate all the Minsk pies?

Donald Trump and the NATO summit, a BRICS day out in Rio, and Russia's falling out with Azerbaijan.

A round up of a week I missed: Operation Spider's Web, the UK Strategic Defence Review, and US meddling in European affairs.

The erosion of America's soft power under President Donald Trump.

Ukraine agreed to plans for a 30-day ceasefire. Vladimir Putin demurred. How can we understand Putin's position?

Will Trump's personal ambitions clash with the architects of US strategy? Is that strategy founded on good premises?

Donald Trump's war of words with Volodomyr Zelenskyy. Is the US about to cut a deal about Ukraine's future without consulting Ukrainians?

Trump and Putin spoke on the phone. The US president may be carrying on different negotiations from the ones reported. A contrarian's view.

In the past Donald Trump's praise for Putin was often interpreted as fealty. His current rhetoric suggests a different interpretation.

On the legitimacy of assassinations. Plus a few thoughts on prisoner exchanges amid concerns foreign citizens are seen as targets for arrest

The fall of Assad has ramifications for Russia's power projection in the Middle East.

Anne Applebaum's latest book offers a breezy tour of Dictatorland. And it's a chilling read.

Moldova's voting threw up some surprises: what can we expect in the presidential run off? Meanwhile, Georgians go to the polls this weekend.

Moldova has a presidential election and a referendum this weekend. Russia and the EU are each eager to see a different result.

A postscript to my previous post. Plus a comment on a submission to the International Criminal Court about Belarus and Georgia's election.

Four reasons why the Iran-Russia relationship is the partnership western states should fear the most at present.

Behind the rhetoric, what does the US really want to see happen to end the war between Russia and Ukraine?

Ahead of tonight's debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, a quick assessment of the Biden administration's foreign policy record.

The arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has prompted accusations of a curb on free speech. To my mind, the debate should be about privacy.

A pacy read from Mikhail Zygar.

Viktor Orban continues to complicate EU policymaking on Ukraine and Russia. What is to be done?