FSI scholars offer expert analysis and commentary on contemporary global issues.
FEATURED NEWS
FSI Experts Weigh in on the Munich Security Conference
Michael McFaul and Steven Pifer share analysis of where international security seems to be headed, and what it might mean for the U.S., Ukraine, and their partners.
Summit in Paris Looks at AI and the Future of Democracy
The Stanford Cyber Policy Center and the Paris Bar Association hosted a round table discussion on "AI and the Future of Democracy: Challenges and Opportunities" at the Maison du Barreau in Paris.
In New Book, Didi Kuo Examines Evolution of Political Parties
Kuo, a center fellow at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, says the evolution of parties lays the groundwork for serious imbalances in who democracy serves.
The “sole purpose” of U.S. nuclear weapons should be to deter and—if necessary, retaliate against—a nuclear attack. This would mark a significant change in U.S. nuclear policy, eliminating ambiguity that preserves the option to use nuclear weapons first in response to a conventional attack.
For months, President Trump has put the brightest possible spin on COVID-19. He insists the virus is under control. He praises his administration’s “incredible” job. He suggests a vaccine will be available by November. Unfortunately, the real world looks very different.
As protests continue in Belarus over the disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, Steve Pifer explains how the government’s response to COVID-19 and a blatantly stolen election prompted the wide-spread demonstrations.
Since regaining its independence in the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s collapse nearly 30 years ago, Ukraine has sought to build links with the West. This includes ties with institutions such as NATO, with which Ukraine has established a distinctive partnership.
Steven Pifer, William J. Perry fellow at CISAC, former Foreign Service officer and Ukraine's Ambassador from 1998 to 2000, talks to Fordham's "Vital Interests" about Ukraine.
From 2001 to 2004, I was the senior American official to visit Belarus. The United States and European Union were thoroughly dissatisfied with President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s authoritarianism, and US policy mandated that no official higher than a deputy assistant secretary travel to Minsk. EU officials and EU member states observed comparable restrictions.
Russia seemed a country on the rise globally, with President Vladimir Putin well on his way to lengthening his time in power. But he faces serious headwinds with COVID 19, the virus’s economic impact in Russia, and the collapse of oil prices that are driving the Russian economy into recession. Steven Pifer discusses Putin’s future and the prospects for US-Russian relations.
Volodymyr Zelensky swept to victory in Ukraine’s spring 2019 presidential election because he promised renewed reform and a real fight against corruption.
President Donald Trump’s chief arms control envoy last week acknowledged the possibility that the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) could be extended, but he added, “only under select circumstances.” He then put down conditions that, if adhered to, will ensure the Trump administration does not extend the treaty.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government in Ukraine face two fundamental challenges: ending the conflict with Russia and implementing domestic reform. Overcoming these challenges appeared hard enough at the start of 2020. COVID-19 is only making that more difficult.
There were high hopes for Ukraine’s prospects to develop into a successful, democratic and economically prosperous state when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Unfortunately, the country has experienced a series of false starts and missed opportunities over the past three decades.
