Authoritarian powers are challenging the democratic world on every front, using military force, economic coercion, disinformation, and subversion to expand their influence and weaken open societies. Russia and China lead this effort, joined by partners such as Iran and North Korea, in an authoritarian alignment that spans hard security, technology, and the global economy. This hub is the gateway to analysis of the authoritarian threat: Russian aggression and hybrid tactics, Chinese influence over trade and technology, energy coercion, and the campaigns aimed at eroding trust in democratic institutions. Fellows and analysts assess how Russian aggression and Chinese influence reinforce this authoritarian alignment, where these regimes are vulnerable, and how the transatlantic community can push back. Explore analysis and commentary across the threats that authoritarian states pose to Europe and North America.
Authoritarian Threats
Ties between the two countries are based on self-interest. That opens a small window of opportunity for Ukraine and its allies.
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September 28, 2026
The Russia-North Korea Partnership: Transactional Only
Ties between the two countries are based on self-interest. That opens a small window of opportunity for Ukraine and its allies.
September 25, 2026
How to Fight Putin’s War on Reality
If the West wants change in Moscow, it needs to stop undermining Russia’s opposition media as it reports the truth about the Kremlin’s disastrous war.
September 24, 2026
Dispersal: Saving Ukraine From Russia’s Winter Blitz
Russia plans to freeze Ukraine into submission this winter. There are ways to thwart it and protect the population.
September 22, 2026
Narrative Failure: Russia and the West have a Storytelling Problem
Persuasion is most effective when there’s a compelling story, but after four and a half years of full-scale war, neither Moscow nor the West has produced a clear narrative of the conflict or how it might end.
September 22, 2026
Russian Fertilizer: Nourishing the Roots of War
A lack of sanctions means the Russian fertilizer industry has had a very good war. That needs to change.
September 18, 2026
Russia’s Rigged Elections Still Serve a Purpose
Putin’s regime fixes election outcomes, but relies on the real numbers to assess resistance.
September 18, 2026
Russia’s Election Campaign Puts Governors on the Hook
The Kremlin devolves vote fixing and coerced turnout to the leaders of its regions. Expectations are high and failure is punished.
September 18, 2026
The Big Day Looms for Putin’s Election Fixers
Why does the Russian regime bother with elections? In part because it has become an imperative for a bureaucracy to maintain its influence and wealth.
September 18, 2026
Kremlin Vote-Fakers Crush the Liberals
The Yabloko party seemed suddenly popular as Duma elections approached. This rattled the Kremlin and brought a familiar despotic response.