BrookingsArticle
DwayneThu, 15 Oct 2026
Funding Ukraine remains a priority for European leaders. As Russia’s war of aggression heads into another winter, two feasible options to mobilize support for Kyiv should be fast-tracked.
Russian strikes are weakening the economy sustaining Ukraine’s war effort. Closing the growing funding gap will require more European support and politically contentious reforms in Kyiv.
Invoking a shadowy 'Global War Party' helps Georgian Dream attack the West while promising a Western future. The post Global War Party: The Boogeyman of Georgian Politics appeared first on Geopolitical Monitor .
Putin wants to make politicians out of Ukraine war veterans. After the recent election, 60 now sit in the Duma. But voters seem less keen than the official vote share suggests, and that could become a problem for the Kremlin
Europe, Brazil and beyond: Is the populist wave gathering momentum? Audio sseth.drupal@c… 9 October 2026 In this week’s episode of Independent Thinking, our experts discuss the expected shift to the right in Spain, France, Germany and Brazil’s upcoming elections. The rightward movement in democracies in Europe and beyond shows little sign of slowing. Germany has elected its first far-right regional government in Saxony-Anhalt. In France, voter anger with Emmanuel Macron puts the Rassemblement National’s Marine Le Pen in pole position for the presidency. In Spain, Pedro Sánchez called a snap election in an attempt to mobilise the beleaguered left around Spain’s housing crisis. And Flávio Bolsonaro’s success in the first round of Brazil’s presidential elections suggests a second round of anti-woke, pro-Trump bolsonarismo is on the cards. What is driving politics to the populist right? And what does it mean for global security, stability and efforts to preserve what’s left of the rules-based order? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Grégoire Roos, director of our Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes; Nic Lawley, special adviser to the director of Chatham House; and Dr Christopher Sabatini, director of our Latin America Programme. About Independent Thinking Independent Thinking is a weekly international affairs podcast hosted by our director Bronwen Maddox, in conversation with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts providing insight on the latest international issues. More ways to listen: Apple Podcasts and Spotify . Explore our other Chatham House podcasts .
A specter looms over the US Army: the threat of positional warfare. For four years, we have watched with growing concern as the Ukraine conflict—our clearest lens into future interstate […]
France is facing its largest student-led protest movement in decades, in which over 500 schools have been closed, with demonstrations beginning in late-September over insufficient school conditions, increasingly challenging the federal government. As of October 6, an estimated 71,500–266,000 protestors — including —14,500-56,000 in Paris — are protesting France’s lycées, or high schools, according to […] The post France’s Student Protests Test a Fragile Government appeared first on The Soufan Center .
Presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet with Ukrainian negotiators and European officials in Miami on Friday to present "new ideas and proposals" to break the stalemate in the Russia -Ukraine war, U.S. and Ukrainian officials say. Why it matters: The Trump administration is hoping to reach a diplomatic breakthrough ahead of the midterm elections and before brutal winter weather grips Ukraine. One of the ideas is a partial ceasefire that halts attacks on energy infrastructure and grain shipments. While Ukraine has said it's willing to take that step, Russia has shown little willingness. "They are all nervous about the winter. It will be a tough winter if the war does not stop. So the U.S. is trying to mediate with the sides, with the goal of creating a unified proposal," a U.S. source said. Driving the news: Witkoff and Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv in early September. Since then, they've been working with the Russians and Ukrainians on an updated peace initiative. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a press conference in Lisbon Thursday that the war is at a "stalemate." He stressed that the U.S. wants to prevent further escalation of fighting in the coming month and find a way to end the war. Behind the scenes: Witkoff and Kushner met with President Trump Thursday to present the latest U.S. proposal and receive his input ahead of the talks in Miami, which are expected to last two days, a U.S. official said. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and deputy national security adviser Mike Needham also attended the meeting. Zoom in: President Volodymyr Zel
