Allies and Adversaries

July 1, 2022

Despite No Longer Blocking Alliance Expansion, Turkey Proves Problematic for NATO Allies

For the last several weeks, Turkey blocked what NATO hoped would be a quick accession for Sweden and Finland – who applied for NATO membership for the first time despite their history of neutrality – much to the chagrin of its NATO allies. Turkey’s pause centers primarily on what Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sees […]
June 27, 2022

The European Union Grants Ukraine and Moldova Candidate Status

At long last, it finally happened. The European Union (EU), in a show of continued unity in aiding Ukraine in its fight against Russia, agreed to offer Ukraine candidacy into the bloc. In what the European Commission’s President touted as a “defining moment and a very good day for Europe,” the EU finally granted Ukraine […]
June 17, 2022

America’s Closest Ally in South America Faces Possible Change with Next President

On Sunday, Colombian voters again go to the polls to elect the country’s next president in a runoff election. The first round of the election – held on May 29 – led to the runoff as frontrunner Gustavo Petro won 40% of the votes while the runner up, Rodolfo Hernandez, came in with 28%. Since […]
June 7, 2022

Though Not Yet Covered by Article 5, the United States Should Confirm Defense Commitment to Finland and Sweden

In mid-May, Finland and Sweden – two historically non-aligned countries – formally handed in their applications to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, as the Finnish and Swedish Ambassadors to NATO simultaneously handed in the official letters of application at the military alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. Lauded as an “historical moment” by Secretary […]
June 7, 2022

The Summit of the Americas is Shaping Up to Be a Diplomatic Disaster for the United States

Monday marked the start of the ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. From June 6 through 10, leaders across the Western Hemisphere will discuss the issues that plague the region. While the agenda remained vague up until the day before, five major topics will be discussed: democratic governance, health and resilience to pandemics, […]
May 26, 2022

Did Biden Just Change America’s Taiwan Policy?

During his first stop on his first trip to Asia, U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in Japan. With nearly a dozen other countries involved in the new framework, Mr. Biden intends to counter China’s regional dominance through economic means. However, Taiwan, a key U.S. partner, was notably absent. Despite the democratic […]
April 22, 2022

Why Does Ukraine Matter to the United States?

Nearly two months after Russia invaded Ukraine, much of the news reports center on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s endgame. In an interview with Ian Bremmer on his podcast, the former Finnish Prime Minister, Alexander Stubb, succinctly summarized Putin’s objectives: “You have to remember that Mr. Putin has three aims at the moment. Number one – […]
April 22, 2022

Scandal Dominates the Politics of America’s Closest Ally

Scandal has erupted within the government of America’s closest ally. Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, became the first prime minister to be found to have broken the law while in office last week when the Metropolitan Police fined him, along with his wife and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, for attending his […]
April 22, 2022

The Solomon Islands Caught in Great Power Politics

It’s not very often that the Solomon Islands finds itself at the center of U.S. foreign policy. This week, however, the Solomon Islands – located in a strategic and politically volatile part of the world best known on for the first land battles between the United States and its allies and Imperial Japan in the […]
April 18, 2022

The United States Needs a Democratic India as a Partner

On April 11, U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit that kicked off the 2+2 Dialogue, during which Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hosted their Indian counterparts. Started in 2018 as part of an effort to deepen ties between the U.S. and India, […]