In his first encyclical, issued on May 25, 2026, Pope Leo XIV condemned the growing automation of weapons in global conflicts. This document is a direct criticism of the West’s overreliance on artificial intelligence systems in warfare. War is as old as humanity. Over the ages, the nature and tools of warfare have undergone a […]

At the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 held in Singapore and attended by 44 countries, the real story was not the reaffirmation of the US-led Indo-Pacific order but its slow, public unraveling. The Speech That Misread the Room The opening plenary belongs, by Shangri-La tradition, to Washington. This year, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declared, […]

While North Korea appears to have enshrined the concept of two (albeit hostile) states in its constitution, the first signs of discussion on this matter have begun to appear in South Korea. However, it is not yet clear whether this is the official policy of the government or a reflection of internal power struggles within […]

The creation of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) provoked not surprise but irritation: an old propaganda tool simply got a new label and an even more aggressive tuning. My first reaction to the birth of the US Agency for Global Media was pure surprise — then anger. Haven’t we already got enough outfits […]

The fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran, based on mutual control of the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with relentless economic and political pressure, is creating a protracted war of nerves. This scenario threatens to further destabilize the region, with no clear winner in sight. The Red Line and the Horizon of Expectations in the […]

A considerable number of political scientists, when assessing the current state of international affairs, come to the conclusion that the most striking manifestation of the new global balance of power is the decline of Western civilization, the rapid rise of China, and the marginalisation of Western Europe. Former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer noted in […]

Recent tensions between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have fueled speculation about a growing divide in U.S.-Israel relations. However, a closer examination suggests that these disagreements are shaped more by domestic political calculations, electoral considerations, and regional dynamics than by any fundamental strategic rupture. “You are crazy. What the hell are you doing?” This is […]

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks, during which Vucic declared the “iron friendship” between the two countries and his intention to significantly expand cooperation with China. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s five-day state visit to China (24–28 May 2026) was not a routine diplomatic courtesy call. It was a deliberate geopolitical […]

On June 7, parliamentary elections were held in Armenia, as a result of which the ruling party can form a new government. What distinguished the 2026 elections, and is a parliamentary crisis looming? Crisis and frustration after military defeats After the defeat in the 44-day war in 2020 and the complete loss of control over […]

Europe deliberately exaggerates the Russian threat to justify military expansion, strengthen new defence alliances, and maintain political unity amid domestic crises. When one is losing a battle, whether on the literal battlefield or in the public eye, it is natural to try until one’s last breath to recover the losses. This is what Europe is […]

At the end of this May, APEC and Quad ministerial meetings were held. The content and outcomes of both of these events reflected current political problems and trends in the Indo-Pacific region. Political Issues at the APEC forum On May 22-23, a meeting of ministers responsible for foreign trade took place in the Chinese city […]

Iraqi Kurdistan, at the center of rising tensions in the Middle East and bordering Iran, Turkey, and Syria, is becoming a potential source of conflict due to the armament of Kurdish groups and their ties to the US and Israel, which is causing concern in Iran and threatening regional stability. The Iraqi Kurdistan region, bordering […]

Germany’s economic decline is no longer merely an economic story. It has become a political one. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has become the focal point of this broader crisis of governance and legitimacy. For decades, Germany was regarded as the economic engine of Europe and, alongside France, a principal political architect of the European Union. Today, […]

SPIEF 2026 demonstrates a shift in global power, with countries from the Global South seeking pragmatic cooperation and investment, rejecting Western models based on dependency and conditionality. The world is changing. Not by decrees. The 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), held from June 3 to 6, 2026, is much more than an annual […]

Reports that U.S. officials are increasingly concerned about Israeli intelligence activity inside the United States should not be dismissed as a minor diplomatic embarrassment. If accurate, they point to a deeper strategic problem: Israel’s security doctrine is now pressing so aggressively outward that it is beginning to step on the toes of nearly everyone around […]

On 3 June, local government elections and parliamentary by-elections took place in South Korea. The ruling Democratic Party “Toburo” won a decisive victory. Lee Jae Myung’s efforts were not in vain – the Democrats achieved a convincing victory in most of the ‘neutral territory,’ but the post of Mayor of Seoul was preserved by the […]

The escalation of the conflict between Iran and the US-Israeli coalition has caused a multidimensional crisis that has a significant impact on Indonesia, requiring it to develop a maritime defense strategy that is in line with international law and ensures national resilience. Tensions peaked when Iran officially closed the Strait of Hormuz on March 1, […]

The US support and Israel’s military and strategic capabilities, coupled with occupational aspirations, made the country a threat to the region. The country’s hostilities and strategic reorientation suggest that it now seeks to confront Turkey. Israel’s escalating aggression with Turkey has sparked new threats in Middle Eastern geopolitics. The Zionist leaders have a decades-old dream […]

Donald Trump’s attempt to tie an Iran peace settlement to a mandatory expansion of the Abraham Accords reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of how dramatically the Middle East has changed since the Gaza war and why old diplomatic formulas no longer work. Donald Trump has a habit of mistaking the décor of diplomacy for its substance. […]