Foreign policy
Russia - USA

Chronicle of a Deal Missed

Anton Barbashin on what Trump wanted from the Kremlin, what Moscow offered in return—and why a year of the most intense Russia-U.S. talks in decades ended back at square one
Riddle Political News Week
The Lavrov Enigma
Andrey Pertsev sums up the political week (November 10−15)
Andrey Pertsev sums up the political week (November 10−15)
By Andrey Pertsev
Riddle Economic News Week
Russia’s Stagflation Trap
Nicholas Trickett with the economic summary of the week (November 10−14)
Nicholas Trickett with the economic summary of the week (November 10−14)
By Nick Trickett
Five Principles of Russia’s New Middle East Policy

Nikolai Kozhanov on Russia's Evolving Footprint in the Middle East and North Africa since 2022
The Visa-Free Litmus Test

Alexey Uvarov on the twists and turns of Russia's visa talks with the EU
Russia’s Securitized Boomerism

Julian G. Waller discusses the problem of generational sclerosis within Russia’s elite and new efforts at belated reform
US Nuclear Tests Will Seal the Demise of Arms Control

Maxim Starchak examines how Trump could ignite a nuclear arms race, drawing in Russia, China, and other nuclear powers whether they like it or not
The Middle East on the Ukrainian Front: From One-Off Actions to Systematic Recruitment

Nikita Smagin on how the Middle East is emerging as a promising manpower pool for Russia's armed forces
Top reads
  • LNG in the Crosshairs: Will the EU’s 19th Sanctions Package Prove a Turning Point?

    Vakhtang Partsvania on why the European Union's ban on Russian LNG imports marks a pivotal advance in its sanctions strategy

  • State of Unreadiness

    Andras Toth-Czifra on Russian Regional Budgets in 2025−26

  • Moscow and Damascus: A New Chapter

    Platon Nikiforov on how Putin and al-Sharaa are rebooting Russian-Syrian ties

  • Russia’s Securitized Boomerism

    Julian G. Waller discusses the problem of generational sclerosis within Russia’s elite and new efforts at belated reform

  • The Middle East on the Ukrainian Front: From One-Off Actions to Systematic Recruitment

    Nikita Smagin on how the Middle East is emerging as a promising manpower pool for Russia's armed forces

  • In His Own Image and Likeness

    Andrey Pertsev on how Sergei Kiriyenko is shaping his personnel strategy

  • Opposition Without Borders: The Limits of Political Emigration

    Alexey Uvarov on the opportunities and constraints facing political exiles in advocating for their interests

  • US Nuclear Tests Will Seal the Demise of Arms Control

    Maxim Starchak examines how Trump could ignite a nuclear arms race, drawing in Russia, China, and other nuclear powers whether they like it or not

Authors
  • Anton Barbashin

    Editorial director at Riddle, political analyst
  • Nikolay Kozhanov

    Research Associate Professor at the Gulf Studies Center (GSC) of Qatar University. Non-Resident Scholar at the Economics and Energy Program of the Middle East…
  • Alexey Uvarov

    Political Scientist
  • Julian Waller

    Research Analyst in the Russia Studies Program at the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA Corporation) and a Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University
  • Maxim Starchak

    Fellow of the Center for International and Defence Policy, Queen’s University (Canada), expert on Russian nuclear policy and nuclear industry
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