Geopolitics
War, diplomacy and great-power competition
Top stories
State capture is a growing threat. Reversing it is hard
The 15-70-15 rule and other ways to prise powerful fingers from the public coffers
Ending Central Asia’s endless squabbles over eccentric borders
Leaders are finally fixing the mess they inherited from the Soviet Union
Talks over the Chagos Islands show the rising clout of Mauritius
And the influence of India, which is building facilities on another Mauritian island
Europe cannot fathom what Trumpian America wants from it
From tariffs to Ukraine, Europeans are stuck in the Fog of Peace
Israel’s expansionism is a danger to others—and itself
It risks turning hubris into disaster
Donald Trump is affecting politics everywhere
The effects are often unexpected
War in Ukraine
Russia plays for time in Ukraine ceasefire talks
A Black Sea deal starts sinking as soon as America announces it
Putin woos Trump with a partial ceasefire and big geopolitical deal
Russia wants to talk to America over the heads of Ukraine and other European countries
Ukraine’s army escapes from Kursk by the skin of its teeth
Ukraine will have less Russian land than it hoped to trade for peace
Is Putin ready to accept a truce with Ukraine?
Probably not. But by agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire, Ukraine has won back crucial American weapons and intelligence
War in the Middle East
Israel’s strikes may be only the start of a new offensive in Gaza
Politics mean Binyamin Netanyahu wants to keep open the possibility of a return to full-scale war
Binyamin Netanyahu likens himself to Donald Trump
Israel’s prime minister is again under pressure from lawyers and security men
Israel’s army adopts a high-stakes new strategy: more terrain
It remains present inside Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank
Israel and Hamas have something in common
They both want to avoid a ceasefire collapse, for a few more weeks
The Telegram
China debates whether Trump is a revolutionary, or just rude
Its experts cannot decide whether the second Trump presidency is a threat or an opportunity
Europe will have to zip its lip over China’s abuses
In a fracturing world, trade and co-operation will come first
The right way to fight nativists
A revealing new history of the cold-war crisis that inspired modern refugee law
Trump’s whims are overriding the national interest
Foreign-policy realists will struggle to explain America’s sharp turn
Latest coverage
Leaders
President Trump’s mindless tariffs will cause economic havoc
But the rest of the world can limit the damage
International
Trump is a problem for Europe’s most important hard-right leaders
His antics are causing headaches for Giorgia Meloni and Marine Le Pen
International
The right way to fight nativists
A revealing new history of the cold-war crisis that inspired modern refugee law
Asia
China’s cynicism offensive in Asia
Chinese diplomats won’t—or can’t—take full advantage of America’s mistakes
China
China is developing some startling new kit in its quest to seize Taiwan
It could land troops there more speedily than ever
China
Why China hates the Panama Canal deal, but still may not block it
Xi Jinping might need to lose some to win some
Europe
Europe needs to spend more on defence, not just pretend to
There’s no such thing as a free tank
Europe
Putin woos Trump with a partial ceasefire and big geopolitical deal
Russia wants to talk to America over the heads of Ukraine and other European countries
International
Donald Trump v the spies of Five Eyes
Will America’s president damage the world’s most powerful intelligence pact?