Putin’s Middle Eastern house of cards
The Kremlin’s involvement in Syria’s civil war was always, first and foremost, about posing as a great multi-regional power rather…
The deepening unpopularity of Zelensky
Perhaps all political careers must end, inevitably, in failure. But few politicians have had careers as meteoric, as surprising, as…
Biden’s missiles will do Ukraine no favours
With just over 60 days left in office, Joe Biden’s White House has significantly escalated the Ukraine war it had…
The appalling truth about London’s ambulance service
‘An old lady’s fallen down – quick! She’s bleeding. Come help.’ An elderly woman lay on the entrance steps of…
Donald Trump’s win marks the beginning of the end of the Ukraine war
Donald Trump’s election victory heralds the beginning of the end of the Ukraine war – and is likely to leave…
Meet the western conservatives moving to Russia
Tofurious Maximus Crane was sitting in a barber’s chair in Moscow when he received the greatest news of his life.…
Ukraine’s Nato fantasy
Ukraine’s President Zelensky was in Downing Street last week – as well as Paris, Rome, Berlin and Dubrovnik – asking…
Few rulers can have rejoiced in a less appropriate sobriquet than Augustus the Strong
The 17th-century Elector of Saxony was notoriously vain and incompetent, and his reckless bid for the Polish crown was disastrous for all concerned
What does ‘victory’ for Ukraine look like?
This week in New York Volodymyr Zelensky will present Joe Biden with a ‘Victory Plan’ for Ukraine. But how to…
How Wagner mercenaries abused HSBC and JP Morgan
Whatever happened to the Wagner Group, Evgeny Prigozhin’s shadowy army of prisoners and mercenaries? In the wake of Wagner’s abortive…
What China wants from Russia
On the face of it, the ‘no limits’ partnership between Russia and China declared weeks before Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine…
The arrest of Pavel Durov raises awkward questions
Pavel Durov, Russian-born founder of the Telegram messaging and social media app, has been arrested in France for failing to…
Why is Lukashenko pushing for an end to the Ukraine war?
Could Belarus’s Aleksandr Lukashenko be the key to ending the Ukraine conflict? In a surprising intervention over the weekend, the…
Zelensky’s new offensive could push Putin to the brink
A Russian friend speaking from Kursk tells me the latest war joke. Vladimir Putin summons Stalin’s ghost. ‘Comrade Stalin!’ asks…
Do we now have proof Ukraine blew up the Nord Stream pipelines?
When three of the four Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia to Germany were destroyed by unknown saboteurs in September…
Could the Russia prisoner swap help bring peace to Ukraine?
I can well understand that joy and relief experienced by the supporters and families of the hostages released yesterday by…
Zelensky’s peace summit flop
Ukraine’s allies are running out of patience
Distrust and resentment have plagued Anglo-Russian relations for centuries
On a visit to England in 1556, Ivan the Terrible’s envoy alienated Londoners with his extreme suspicions – and lurid insults have been exchanged ever since
Putin’s purge of his top generals
In the past month, Vladimir Putin has had five top generals arrested on corruption charges. More are likely to follow…
The US war aid might be too little, too late for Ukraine
At the last possible moment, after months of prevarication and with Russian troops on the brink of a major breakthrough…
Will Biden support Ukraine’s attacks on Russia?
This time last year, Volodymyr Zelensky was touring western capitals, calling for weapons and money to launch a decisive summer…
The Moscow terror attack is Putin’s 9/11
The Crocus City Hall attack blindsided Putin’s vast security state. Employing nearly a million policemen, 340,000 national guards and over…
Pope Francis’s unhelpful Ukraine comments
Pope Francis has made a statement on the Ukraine war that has sparked fury among many of Kyiv’s supporters. Asked…
