Jul 17, 20264 min
Middle-Power Diplomacy in an Age of Great-Power Rivalry
The states caught between giants are not passive. Their hedging is a strategy in its own right — and it may shape the century as much as the giants do.
By Ali
Foreign Policy
Soft Power and the Limits of Persuasion
Attraction is real power, but it is not a substitute for the harder kind — and it cannot be manufactured on demand.
By Rafael OrtizJul 23, 20264 min read
On the desk
Latest Analysis
From the wires
Jul 14, 20264 min
NATO After Enlargement: A Larger Alliance Is Not a Stronger One
Adding members is the easy part. The next decade will test whether the alliance can convert breadth into cohesion, and cohesion into credible deterrence.
Jul 13, 20264 min
Why Sanctions Rarely Bend a Determined State
Economic pressure has become the instrument of first resort. Its record is far more ambiguous than its popularity suggests.
GeopoliticsJul 12, 20264 min
The Return of Spheres of Influence
The vocabulary of spheres of influence never really left international politics. It is returning to the surface — and with it, hard questions about sovereignty and consent.
The Weekly Dispatch
Diplomacy, decoded — in your inbox
A concise weekly briefing on the forces shaping foreign policy and the global order. No noise, no spin.
Unsubscribe anytime · We never share your email