When U.S. President Joe Biden flies to the Middle East this month, he will meet the new Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. The former actor is a deft communicator, says Natan Sachs, but can he win against the master of Israeli politics, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the November elections?
What are the possible scenarios for a cease-fire and agreement to stop Russia's war in Ukraine? As the fighting grinds into the summer, Michael E. O'Hanlon sketches what an end to the military conflict might look like.
The Russia-Ukraine war has reinvigorated the trans-Atlantic alliance, but it has also deepened Europe's dependence on the United States, write Hans Binnendjik, Daniel S. Hamilton, and Alexander Vershbow. By fixing the imbalance, European nations can have more autonomy, and the U.S. will gain bandwidth for the Indo-Pacific.
“As the war has continued on, the American public may still be supportive of Ukraine. But the question is, are they willing to make an overt sacrifice that's being reflected in higher prices at the pump? I think that's an open question."
French President Emmanuel Macron's party lost its majority in recent parliamentary elections. In a conversation with David Dollar, Célia Belin discusses whether the results will undermine Macron's leadership.
Joining forces.Javier Solana says that Europe "must spend better, together, and as Europeans" to strengthen the continent's security.
Turkish dynamics. Writing before the NATO summit, Kemal Kirişci unpacks the dynamics behind Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s objection to membership for Sweden and Finland.
International affairs
Biden's Yemen opportunity. Saudi Arabia has belatedly realized that the war in Yemen is an expensive quagmire, writes Bruce Riedel. When Biden visits Jeddah, he will have an opportunity to help them get out of the mess.
Energy alliance. As oil and gas prices soar, Daniel S. Hamilton argues in The Hill that the U.S. and Europe must form a trans-Atlantic alliance based on clean technologies.
Talking about their generation. In China-US Focus,Cheng Li explains how a cohort of Chinese politicians born after 1960 make up the bulk of the forthcoming 20th Party Congress.