Authoritarianism is a persistent threat to democracy and the transatlantic alliance. The Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine is only its latest effort to expand its influence, while it continues to spread disinformation abroad and crush dissent at home. The Chinese Communist Party has continued to seek influence across the transatlantic space through disinformation and strategic economic investment as it starts to flex newly found military power.
Authoritarian Threats
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Christ in the Crosshairs: Moscow’s War on Ukraine’s Churches
The Kremlin is using imperialist repression techniques to break the spirit of the country’s defenders.
First Xi, Now Carney – Davos Never Learns
Hypocrisy remains the surest path to acclaim at gatherings of the global elite, where saying the right things matters more than getting things right.
Russia: Six Lessons From Iran’s Uprising
After losing its allies in Syria and Venezuela, a relieved Moscow will applaud the bloody suppression of the Iranian protests.
A West Without America
The world is becoming a more troubled and dangerous place. That’s why Europe’s rift with the US must produce a new security deal for the democratic West.
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Comprehensive Report
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War Without End: Russia’s Shadow Warfare
To secure its grip on power, Russia adopts Soviet practices coupled with modern tactics of covert influence, violence, and manipulation.
Related Events
Discover the latest CEPA events on how the transatlantic alliance can respond to growing authoritarian threats.
January 17, 2023
Chinese Media Influence: Lessons Learned from Central and Eastern Europe
Event
China
Disinformation
January 12, 2023
Shaping a Transatlantic Response to Chinese Influence
Event
China
Disinformation
Regional Security
December 22, 2022
Melitopol: Life Under Russian Occupation
Event
Hybrid Threats
Regional Security
Russia
September 8, 2022
Russian Cyberwarfare: Unpacking the Kremlin’s Capabilities
Event
Cybersecurity
Regional Security
Russia
Event
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January 28, 2026
A West Without America
The world is becoming a more troubled and dangerous place. That’s why Europe’s rift with the US must produce a new security deal for the democratic West.
January 28, 2026
Christ in the Crosshairs: Moscow’s War on Ukraine’s Churches
The Kremlin is using imperialist repression techniques to break the spirit of the country’s defenders.
January 28, 2026
First Xi, Now Carney – Davos Never Learns
Hypocrisy remains the surest path to acclaim at gatherings of the global elite, where saying the right things matters more than getting things right.
January 27, 2026
Russia: Six Lessons From Iran’s Uprising
After losing its allies in Syria and Venezuela, a relieved Moscow will applaud the bloody suppression of the Iranian protests.
January 27, 2026
Ukraine Penetrates the Fog of War
The pace of technological change on the Ukrainian front lines is now exceptionally fast. Could Western armies adapt as quickly?
January 27, 2026
The Senseless Return of ‘Change Through Trade’
The US and other free societies need to relearn that freewheeling economic engagement with unfree systems risks security and prosperity.
January 26, 2026
The Key Theme of Davos 2026? Ice
The Trump reality show barreled into the Swiss Alps with a roar that drowned out critical developments in Ukraine and Iran.
January 23, 2026
CEPA Podcast: H.E. Olha Stefanishyna on Ukraine’s Defining Moments
Newly appointed Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Olha Stefanishyna discusses her life, career, and work toward Ukraine’s future.
January 23, 2026
I Can Buy a British Election for $25m: Here’s How
The UK’s protections against political interference are analog in a digital age, leaving it wide open to corruption and foreign interference.
January 22, 2026
Europe’s New Cyber Rules Target China — and US
Proposed legislation attempts to reduce dependency on risky tech vendors. Good luck.
January 22, 2026
Putin Unleashes Cold and Sickness on Ukraine
Russia’s deliberate and systematic attacks on Ukraine’s hospitals, ambulances, and medical suppliers are causing a cascading public health crisis.
January 22, 2026
Art, Gold, and Putin Regime Loyalists
Every aspect of life in Russia’s despotic system must be controlled to ensure conformity.
January 21, 2026
Slovakia: Technicolor Culture Wars and Grayscale Economics
Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government is struggling to make the sums add up.
January 20, 2026
A Romania-Moldova Union? Work Has Begun
Moldova’s unification with Romania may not be popular with voters on either side of the border but the two countries’ energy security policies tell a different story.
January 20, 2026
Moldova’s Unification With Romania Back on the Table
More than three decades after the collapse of the USSR, the old narrative about Moldova’s unification with Romania is again revived.
January 20, 2026
How a Balkan Wind Farm Aids US National Security
Energy suppliers in southeastern Europe are heavily politicized and sometimes nefarious. The US can aid democratic stability through energy engagement.
January 15, 2026
Russia’s Thuggish New Ally? Midwinter
Ukraine is suffering badly, with implications for significant population movement. Western allies can help, if they acknowledge the threat.
January 15, 2026
A Tale of Three Cities: Eastern Europe’s Renaissance
The revival of three written-off cities in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria shows how vision, engagement, and investment can help rebuild communities.
January 14, 2026
Pax Silica — Can it Stop China?
The US has launched a coalition to head off China’s challenge to its semiconductor supremacy. It needs work.
January 13, 2026
Russia Loses Venezuela, the Avocado Ally
The Kremlin has waved goodbye to another ally, at a low-ish cost in rubles but a higher price in political currency.
January 13, 2026
Russia’s Propagandists: Welcome to 2026, the Year of the Savage
Humanity’s base nature is once again triumphing, say Putin’s commentators. Say hello to the return of cruelty, greed, and bloodlust.
January 12, 2026
What a Wonderful World: Subzero Ukraine Edition
When you live in Ukraine, you learn that the weather forecast is not just about weather.
January 12, 2026
Ukraine: Faith in US Dwindles But We Won’t Fold
Ukrainians are ready for peace, but not at any price.
January 12, 2026
Shadow Tankers, Hard Power, and an Unready UK
Britain and many of its European allies are struggling to acknowledge that soft power is of little use in an increasingly hard power world.
January 9, 2026
Russian Propaganda Infects AI Chatbots
A Moscow-based global “news” network is leveraging Western artificial intelligence tools to devastating effect.
January 9, 2026
Putin Gets a Drenching in High Seas Drama
The fallout from the seizure of a Russian oil tanker could be extremely dangerous.
January 9, 2026
Vučić Hangs on and Hopes for Better Days
Serbia’s administration suffered severe setbacks in 2025. There’s no immediate prospect of any improvement.
January 8, 2026
A Sobering New Year for Russia’s Propagandists
Russia’s new year is off to a rocky start, as its hopes and dreams are dashed by reality.
January 7, 2026
Ukraine’s War Museum Gathers Evidence (and Mends Minds)
Collecting evidence of war crimes and helping heal the wounds they cause go hand-in-hand in a pioneering project at a Kyiv museum.
January 5, 2026
US Explores State Capitalism
By taking minority stakes in strategically vital firms, Washington reshapes how it pursues national security.
December 22, 2025
CEPA at 20 and the Ideas That Shaped 2025
CEPA’s President & CEO Dr Alina Polyakova reflects on the events and trends that shaped 2025, the institution’s 20th Anniversary.
December 19, 2025
Europe Rescues Ukraine, Sort Of
“The greatest treason,” wrote the poet TS Elliot, is “to do the right deed for the wrong reason.”
December 19, 2025
Preparing to Confront Russia’s Shadow Fleet
Europe needs to share intelligence and exploit legal “gray zones” to tackle Russia’s sanctions-busting shadow fleet.
December 18, 2025
Why Russia’s Shadow Fleet Sails Unhindered
Russia is developing a steadily more aggressive shadow war campaign against Baltic Sea countries, but there’s been little response.
December 18, 2025
Frozen: Europe Struggles to Agree Ukraine Lifeline
The dispute over €210bn of Russia’s reserves frozen in Europe is entering a decisive phase.
December 18, 2025
Counting the Cost of Putin’s Assault on Ukraine’s Biosphere
Any peace settlement has to include compensation for Russian damage to Ukraine’s environment, alongside reparations for lost lives and property since 2014.
December 16, 2025
Émigrés in Putin’s Crosshairs
As 2026 nears, Russian authorities are preparing a new, large-scale attack on political emigrants.
December 16, 2025
Russia and China’s Shadow War in Europe
China and Russia share common interests: weakening US leadership, fracturing Western unity, and creating strategic paralysis across the democratic world.
December 15, 2025
Japanese Chips: A Model for Countering China
While Tokyo no longer dominates global chipmaking, it has forged a path to reduce dependence on China and make itself indispensable.
December 15, 2025
Nuclear Fusion: A Solution to Europe’s Energy Woes?
As Europe confronts crippling energy prices, it hopes to fuel its energy-intensive tech industry with clean fusion power. But skeptics ask, will it move fast enough?
December 15, 2025
Joy Division: Belarus
Good news on political prisoners masks alarming geopolitical shifts.
December 11, 2025
Why Russia is So Resilient
Outsiders have misread the Russian system and why it functions despite the pressures of wartime.
December 11, 2025
How Russian Drone Developers Outpace the West
Russia’s Geran attack drones have morphed from crude versions of Iranian Shahed UAVs into an affordable and flexible strike system, with deadly results.
December 11, 2025
2026 — Europe’s Year of Living Dangerously
Russia will step-up its shadow war on Europe in the New Year, attacking infrastructure and disrupting democracy in a bid to exploit Western disunity.
December 10, 2025
General Philippe Lavigne on the Future of NATO
General Philippe Lavigne and Kari Odermann discuss NATO’s role amidst shifting technological and geopolitical norms.
December 9, 2025
Sakharov — A Russian Hero for Our Time
Andrei Sakharov was one of the greatest Russians of all time and lived a life that stands as a contrast and rebuke to Vladimir Putin. His voice needs to be heard.
December 8, 2025
Macron, Pandas, and Ping Pong
The French leader’s visit to China produced little to proclaim but there were intriguing hints about off-the-record discussions.
December 5, 2025
Awake Now? The US and Europe
The new US National Security Strategy is surprising only for those determined to ignore reality.
December 5, 2025
The US Must Beware the Deepening China-Russia Axis
Beijing is constructing an ever-deepening technological alliance with Moscow. The US should be worried.
December 4, 2025
How Cheap is Too Cheap?
France’s crackdown on Shein for selling dangerous products casts a dark shadow over e-commerce throughout Europe.
December 4, 2025
Taiwan and Ukraine: Joined at the Hip
The two embattled democracies cannot be surrendered. They are simply too important to be sacrificed to global authoritarianism.
December 4, 2025
A Drone Wall Without Ukraine? A Barricade Lacking Bricks
To defend NATO’s airspace Europe must make Ukraine an integral part of its defenses from the outset.
December 3, 2025
Authoritarians Are Ramping Up Online Censorship
A new Freedom House report details a dramatic expansion of government control over the Internet.
December 3, 2025
A Strategic Trap? The Outline Ukraine Peace Deal
Europe and Ukraine must work hard to avoid a bad peace that puts the continent’s security at risk from Russia.
December 2, 2025
The Hybrid Threat Imperative: Deterring Russia Before it is Too Late
While Russia’s hybrid tactics are not new, their scale and sophistication in the digital age present unprecedented challenges.
December 2, 2025
The Fragility of the Deal: Why Details Matter in Ukraine’s Endgames
Peace deals are an endpoint, but they are also the starting point for what comes next. Ukraine must take great care in what it agrees to.
December 2, 2025
A Rebirth in Flame: Ukraine’s Beleaguered Energy System
Russia’s relentless assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and a crisis of governance promise a cold winter. But there is hope ahead.
December 1, 2025
Putin’s Sanctions Demands Doomed to Disappointment
The vast web of measures that ensnare the Russian economy will not easily be removed, even if the West acts in unison.
November 26, 2025
Seize Russia’s Money — Stop Dithering
The continent says Ukraine’s survival is an existential issue but then risks everything by failing to make swift decisions.
November 25, 2025
How Safe is Your Face?
Europe and US states impose tough restrictions on facial recognition, while the US federal government hesitates. China moves full steam ahead.
November 25, 2025
Blocked and Bypassed: Russians Evade Internet Censorship
Millions of Russians still use VPNs to see forbidden content — and the Kremlin struggles to respond.
November 25, 2025
Europe and the Lukewarm War
The consequences and costs of a hurried peace settlement in Ukraine would be enormous and era-defining.
November 25, 2025
China — The Real Winner From Russian Victory in Ukraine
Kremlin success would benefit the Beijing regime in a whole number of ways, including the theft of Ukrainian military technology.
November 24, 2025
Nexperia: China Puts Dutch in Check
The Netherlands moved to place Chinese-owned Nexperia chipmaker under state supervision. China retaliated, and the Dutch backed down.
November 24, 2025
Putin to End Hostilities? Think Again
Ukraine may be Russia’s primary military target but the regime has a much broader range of enemies.
November 24, 2025
Can Democracies Prevail?
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin believe their autocratic political and economic systems will gradually defeat the West’s democracies. How can they be stopped?
November 24, 2025
The 29th Point: Cognitive Control
Russia’s bogus peace plan wins it a round of psychological warfare.
November 21, 2025
Britain Hits Snooze as Russia’s Threat Intensifies
There is now clear evidence that despite an acknowledged threat, the UK is extending its holiday from history.
November 20, 2025
A Necessary Air of Venom: Hardening NATO’s Airspace
Russia’s recent air incursions into NATO airspace are part of a disruptive strategy.
November 20, 2025
Russia’s Shadow War Won’t Stay Hidden Forever
Poland’s Prime Minister has accused Russia of an “unprecedented act of sabotage” against its rail system, the latest in a wave of attacks attributed to the Kremlin’s shadow war.
November 20, 2025
Self-Harm: The EU’s Sustainability Rules
A new European Union directive is undermining the bloc’s economic security and failing to deliver on its social justice promises.
November 19, 2025
The New China Challenge: Gene Editing on the Farm
The US and Europe deem gene editing of crops a national security priority.
November 19, 2025
Awake But Groggy: Europe’s Shadow Warfare Guardians
The EU is doing well in some areas but as attacks rise, much more continent-wide cooperation is needed.
November 19, 2025
War Without End: Russia’s Shadow Warfare
To secure its grip on power, Russia adopts Soviet practices coupled with modern tactics of covert influence, violence, and manipulation.
November 18, 2025
The Hon. Jim Costa on Ukrainian Security & Resilience
Representative Jim Costa discusses his path to Congress and his support of Ukraine’s fight for freedom.
November 18, 2025
The Hon. Nathaniel Moran on US Support for Ukraine
Representative Nathaniel Moran discusses his career in public service and his efforts to strengthen transatlantic support for Ukraine.
November 18, 2025
Washington’s Eurasian Moment
The US has momentum, but Russia and China still limit Central Asia’s options.
November 17, 2025
Fogbound: Narrative Wars
Ukraine’s setbacks are troubling but only part of the story.
November 14, 2025
The Next Critical Mineral Battle: Potash and Phosphate
Concerns over critical minerals have focused on industrial inputs. That’s a mistake: the risks to our food supply are also significant.
November 14, 2025
The Fortune Teller’s Vision — A Russia Without End
The Kremlin has a vision for the future. It should make everyone very worried.
November 13, 2025
Work Needed After NATO Floats Maritime Plan
NATO has finally published its updated maritime strategy, but it will need government and public support if it is to deliver.
November 12, 2025
A Sleeping Semiconductor Giant Awakes: India
Billions of investments are pouring into the country, creating a chip manufacturing alternative for the US and Europe.
November 12, 2025
Truth and Consequences: Russia’s Exiles Shudder at Spy Claims
Russia’s intensive intelligence operations against the exile community are having some success, with profound implications.
November 12, 2025
How Russian Weakness in the South Caucasus Can Reward the West
Developments in 2025 have highlighted the reordering of regional power relations in the South Caucasus. There is opportunity for the West, but peril too.
November 10, 2025
Aesthetics: Border Control
Art can deliver a powerful geopolitical message — so be careful.
November 6, 2025
Pokrovsk: Where Putin Shattered His Teeth
“Last November, I visited Pokrovsk and called it the farmhouse at Waterloo”, writes the former Ukrainian Marine, Shaun Pinner. Both places have mauled the army of an imperial aggressor.
November 6, 2025
AI and the Geopolitics of Big Science
Scientists are wielding artificial intelligence to cope with the mounting threat of hurricanes and other disasters. The US & EU need better coordination to stay ahead.
November 6, 2025
Putin Seeks to Solve His Azerbaijan Problem
Russia and Azerbaijan are playing nice again, but the fundamentals have not changed.
November 5, 2025
Geoengineering Innovation: Cooling Effects?
New technologies to reshape global weather are being rolled out by different countries. Will they work — or cause conflict?
November 5, 2025
Oil Turnaround Shows How US Can Win in Ukraine
When many US taxpayers hear about Ukraine, they ask: what’s in it for us? The story of Ukraine’s largest oil company shows why helping Kyiv can put America first.
November 5, 2025
Europe Can Feast on Cheap US Gas (and Roast Russia in the Process)
Abundant gas supply is now available for Central and East European countries. Will they seize the opportunity?
November 3, 2025
Punchlines: Wagner and Narva
Estonia responds to Russian trolling with ridicule.
October 31, 2025
China Trade Truce: Beijing Boosts Its Leverage
China decouples from American and European suppliers, while Western allies are divided on how to respond.