World
Could Le Pen snatch victory from Macron?
When the attacks commence it’s clear that Marine Le Pen’s enemies are unnerved. For months – actually make that five…
Even Putin's Praetorian Guard is turning against him
You’d think a ruthless autocrat who believes he faces a West that wants to unseat him with people power would…
Germany's progressives have a Putin problem
Eighty-nine years ago this week, the German Social Democrats in the Reichstag cast the only votes opposing Adolf Hitler’s dictatorial…
Could Biden gaffe us into world war three?
‘I want your point of view, Joe,’ Barack Obama once told his vice-president Joe Biden. ‘I just want it in…
The true story about Russian lying
We were having a few drinks in a rented flat in the centre of Grozny in late 1994. A bunch…
How gender studies took over the world
Why are so many people in such a muddle over the word ‘woman’? Sadly, a share of the blame falls on…
White House backtracks on Biden's claim that Putin can’t stay in power
In his speech in Warsaw today, Joe Biden said of Vladimir Putin: ‘For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in…
How Kissinger became an asset of China
It started with Henry Kissinger. Before Intel apologised to China for attempting to remove forced labor from the company’s supply…
Why Russian tactics won't win the war
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its second month, the war has settled into a largely attritional struggle –…
It’s no surprise that traffickers are targeting Ukraine
Over the past weeks, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I have witnessed individuals expressing shock and disbelief at the…
Why Russians like me aren't rising up against Putin
I was born, grew up and have lived in Russia all of my 45 years. This means that I belong…
Putin's roubles-for-gas scheme could split Europe
Russia’s latest gambit in the Ukraine conflict is to open a currency war with the West. Vladimir Putin’s declaration that…
What Madeleine Albright got right – and wrong – on Kosovo
Unsurprisingly, it’s Kosovo where Madeleine Albright, former US Secretary of State, is remembered with particular gratitude: today there’s an official…
A letter won't educate Afghan girls
Well, that’ll show ‘em. Liz Truss has released a joint statement with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declaring themselves…
Beware the risks of tyrannical tech
“Just think about it. Our whole world is sitting there on a computer. It’s in the computer, everything: your, your…
Is Putin's war spreading?
Yerevan, Armenia ‘This is our land,’ Anna says, looking out over her roadside flower shop. ‘Lenin promised it to us.’…
Was Biden's chemical weapons threat a gaffe?
Did Joe Biden mean to threaten Russia with a chemical weapons attack? That seemed to be what he implied at…
Don't prosecute Soldier F
Sometimes old grievances are best laid to rest. That was certainly the view of Tony Blair when his government issued…
What Ukraine can teach Britain about patriotism
I live near the small Sussex seaside town of Selsey. It’s the sort of place that gets right up the…
Is the West deceiving itself about Russia's 'defeat' in Ukraine?
Following his fateful decision to invade Ukraine, Russia’s dictator Vladimir Putin has been customarily described as a high-stakes gambler. Yet…
How Hillary Clinton colluded with US intelligence
Part I of this article demonstrated that a conspiracy to smear Donald Trump with false allegations of collusion with Russia…
Joe Biden is winning
By the middle of January, I’d read some version of the headline “Biden Can Still Rescue His Presidency” so many…
How bad could a Russian cyberattack be?
When I have designed wargames around a NATO-Russia conflict, I often left out cyberattacks for a simple reason: it was…
Can we trust economic models?
Rishi Sunak shared a delightful moment of honesty on the Today programme on Thursday. Mishal Husain asked him how households…
At least Boris Johnson knows the difference between men and women
As a paid-up member of the Labour party, it’s rare that I agree wholeheartedly with a Conservative politician. But Boris…