News Analysis

• May 07, 2026

  Vladimir Putin And Victory Day: A Scaled-Down Parade, A Diminished President?

  For years, President Vladimir Putin has used Russia’s Victory Day parade to show off its weapons, accentuate his dominance, and deliver narratives on World War II and the present. This year is different, with Russia's struggles in Ukraine in focus amid signs his authority at home is "in decline."

• May 06, 2026

  Iran Is Using Alternative Routes To Bypass US Naval Blockade

  In response to the US naval blockade on Iran’s ports and vessels, Tehran is using alternative routes to transit goods, including through Pakistan, Turkey, and the Caspian Sea.

• May 04, 2026

  Washington Steps Into Europe’s Energy Gap In The Balkans

  Since US President Donald Trump took office last year, Washington and Brussels have clashed over trade, support for Ukraine, and military spending. Now there's a new battleground: the Western Balkans.

• May 02, 2026

  Mark Katz: With Iran, Russia's Balancing Act Is Wobbling 

  Mark Katz, professor emeritus at George Mason University and a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, tells RFE/RL in an interview that Moscow is walking a narrowing tightrope -- one that could reshape its influence both in Tehran and far beyond.

• May 02, 2026

  EU To Sanction More Russians Over Deportation Of Ukrainian Children

  The EU is preparing more sanctions on people and entities in Russia and Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine that the bloc deems responsible for the deportation and so-called “re-education efforts” of Ukrainian children taken illegally from the country.

• May 01, 2026

  EU Quietly Takes Big Step Toward Montenegro's Accession

  EU ambassadors gave a green light to both a 90 billion-euro loan to Ukraine and the latest round of sanctions on Russia, but another decision went largely unnoticed: the creation of a working group to draft Montenegro’s EU accession treaty.

• April 29, 2026

  'Endgame' For Iran's Oil Sector? How US Blockade May Impact Tehran's Calculus

  Weeks of US and Israeli air strikes, sanctions, and restrictions have hit Iran hard, but it could be geology that eventually pushes it into making concessions in its ongoing standoff with the United States.

• April 23, 2026

  Analysis: Is The US Naval Blockade On Iran Working?

  The United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13. Is it working?

• April 23, 2026

  End Of Iran Sanctions Waiver Sharpens Focus On Financial Pressure

  The expiration of a US sanctions waiver on Iranian oil last weekend has brought renewed attention to Washington’s economic strategy, as policymakers seek to limit Tehran’s access to revenue while navigating global energy market pressures.

• April 22, 2026

  US Lawmakers, Experts Sound Alarm On Deadly Iran-Russia Axis

  In a political climate where bipartisan unity is increasingly unique, a consensus is forming among US lawmakers and foreign policy heavyweights: the relationship between Moscow and Tehran has moved far beyond diplomatic convenience.

• April 14, 2026

  Why Hezbollah Is 'Central' To Iran's Leverage In War And Peace Talks

  Iran has made an end to Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah a key demand in any peace deal with the United States. Why is the Lebanese militant group so important to Tehran?

• April 13, 2026

  Europe Looks For Reset With Hungary After Magyar's Big Win

  Just hours after election results showed opposition leader Peter Magyar scored a landslide victory to end the rule of Viktor Orban, the man slated to become Hungary's next leader said there's "no time to waste" in forming a new government. For Brussels, his words couldn't have come fast enough.

Load more