Despite Chancellor Scholz’ Zeiten­wende, Germany’s actions since the Russian invasion of Ukraine have been dominated by hesitancy. The government often acts only when the situation on the battle­field is dramatic – or waits for decisions from Washington. Berlin seemingly hopes for an eventual ceasefire. But this only raises the threat of an “eternal provi­sional arrangement”, similar to the Cold War-era division of Germany, writes Nico Lange.

France’s position towards Russia has been ambivalent for decades, based in part on myths, projec­tions and unreal­istic ambitions. Emmanuel Macron’s policies vis-à-vis Moscow seem to embody this. At the beginning...

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its attempt to destroy Europe’s post-Cold War security order have triggered a series of crises that constitute the conti­nent’s most severe upheavals in more...

Ukraine is fighting for its national survival and for its future as part of a united Europe, the transat­lantic alliance and the Free World. Europe and the United States must help...

The war in Ukraine is putting the future of Russia more and more in our hands. A decisive victory of Ukraine makes an end to the Putin regime more likely. The West needs to prepare for this moment because it may offer a short oppor­tunity to encourage the country to embark on a more democ­ratic and law-abinding path, writes Maria Domanska.

Putin has turned Russia into a dicta­torship, but the country is by no means destined to be a dark imperi­al­istic power. The Free World needs to support Russia’s next attempt for democ­ratic change instead of snubbing it, writes Vladimir Milov.

French policy towards Russia was based on self-serving delusions that led to dangerous failures and exacer­bated Putin’s paranoia. The West needs to overhaul its policies and build a strong security system in Europe and beyond.

Poland’s complex relationship with Russia is deeply inter­twined with Germany and Ukraine, Janusz Reiter writes.

Germany’s decades-long policy of political partnership with Russia is in tatters — instead of a friendly democ­ratic country it got an aggressive dicta­torship. To avoid future failures, we need strength and resilience, writes Ulrich Speck.

The US tried to integrate Russia with the liberal inter­na­tional order, but Putin destroyed the basis for cooper­ation by disman­teling democracy and seeking domination of his neighbors, writes Dan Fried.