Given the growing doubts about American security guarantees, Ukraine is now the first and by far most effective line of defense for Europe. It should therefore be recognized as a key element of Europe’s defense perimeter, with access to European funding, technology, networks, and intelligence.
As Russia’s full-scale invasion concludes its third year, Ukraine is facing ever-greater threats. It was recently reported that North Korea is sending over 10,000 soldiers to train in Russia, with 3,000 deploying, marking the first time that any foreign country directly joins the war.
While Western countries have been generous in supporting Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, their financial assistance can be used only for non-military purposes. Instead of deploying aid this way, which creates distortions that undermine Ukraine’s war effort, foreign donors should directly fund defense spending.
Mass protests have again shaken Iran, and the regime looks more vulnerable—economically, militarily, and politically—in 2026 than it has been in decades. A key but often overlooked reason for this vulnerability is that Russia no longer has the capacity to meaningfully support its most important Middle Eastern partner.
The world’s most dangerous lesson has been reinforced over the past few months: if you want to wage war without consequence, make sure you have
CEPR Discussion Paper Using a short- and long-term macroeconomic forecasts, we estimate the cost of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine for countries in Eastern
As the world holds its breath to see if Israel and Iran can maintain a ceasefire, it’s worth analyzing some troubling global patterns. Authoritarian powers are growing bolder and alliances
Chapter 31 of the CEPR eBook The Economic Consequences of The Second Trump Administration: A Preliminary Assessment. The barbaric Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has