
Xiao Bin, Deputy Secretary-general, Center for Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, Chinese Association of Social Sciences
Jul 17, 2026
The focus of the Russia-Ukraine war is shifting from front-line engagements to deep-strike operations, while the central arena of competition is increasingly defined by each side’s capacity to sustain the war effort. In this evolving landscape, drones have emerged as a pivotal force.

Zhu Zhaoyi, Executive Director of the Institute of Middle East Studies, Peking University HSBC Business School.
Jul 06, 2026
The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding is only a political commitment and carries no legally binding force. What truly matters is whether the two sides can conclude a formal peace agreement within the 60-day negotiating period. Three formidable hurdles stand in the way.

Zhu Zhaoyi, Executive Director of the Institute of Middle East Studies, Peking University HSBC Business School.
May 19, 2026
Israel is using its wealth—accumulated through technology—to prop up a new vision of territory. But there’s a price to pay. Ultimately, land obsession is harder to remove than politicians expect. It resides not on maps, but in the deepest fissures of national memory.

Sajjad Ashraf, Former Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore
May 15, 2026
Repeated U.S. military interventions and alignment with Israeli strategic priorities have eroded American credibility in the Middle East and weakened global confidence in U.S. leadership. The United States can restore its strategic influence only through diplomatic consistency, restraint, and a more independent regional policy.

Nicu Popescu, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Moldova, Co-Director of the European Security Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations
Fredrik Wesslau, Acting Director of the European Policy Institute in Kyiv, Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs
May 04, 2026
By Nicu Popescu and Fredrik Wesslau PARIS—For decades, much of Europe viewed military engagement through the lens of NATO or the European Union, since t

Pedro Abramovay, Vice President of Programs at the Open Society Foundations, Former Brazilian Secretary of Justice
Apr 20, 2026
Even as Israeli bombs rained down on Lebanon, most of the world breathed a cautious sigh of relief when news broke that Pakistan had mediated a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, with the goal of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Dan Steinbock, Founder, Difference Group
Apr 04, 2026
After one month of hostilities and no exit plans, the lethal costs of the U.S.-Israel joint war against Iran are global. How will the crisis reverberate against the backdrop of elevated U.S.-China relations?

Jin Liangxiang, Senior Research Fellow, Shanghai Institute of Int'l Studies
Mar 29, 2026
The pretext for Trump’s aggression against Iran, in partnership with Israel, is flimsy. As the saying goes, even a gentle rabbit may bite when cornered. The current war is, in some respects, an extreme manifestation of hegemony. And the whole world is paying the price.

Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, President of Philippine Association for Chinese Studies, and Research Fellow at Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation
Mar 27, 2026
The U.S.-Israel war with Iran is exposing widening reluctance among American allies to support the conflict, signaling potential erosion in U.S. global influence. At the same time, moves to bypass the U.S. dollar in oil trade, amid growing Chinese involvement, could challenge the petrodollar and reshape the global energy order.

Zhang Zhixin, Research Professor of Institute of American Studies, CICIR
Mar 26, 2026
Four interconnected risks threaten Republican control of the U.S. Congress in November’s midterm elections. The vote will determine not only control of Congress but will also profoundly influence the future trajectory of American politics.
