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Two large container ships are seem from a distance across a stretch of open water through a thin haze of fog. Smoke billows from a smokestack on one ship facing the camera; the other is seen in profile with no smoke.
Two large container ships are seem from a distance across a stretch of open water through a thin haze of fog. Smoke billows from a smokestack on one ship facing the camera; the other is seen in profile with no smoke.

The Slow Death of the Global Commons

Hormuz is a sign of worse things to come.

Analysis
Robert A. Manning
Volunteers of the National Guard manage traffic at a checkpoint in Suwayda, Syria on January 22.
Volunteers of the National Guard manage traffic at a checkpoint in Suwayda, Syria on January 22.

Suwayda’s Struggle

Syria’s Druze are trapped between Israeli protection and Damascus’s rule.

Argument
Ahmad Sharawi
Andy Burnham delivers his inaugural speech as the United Kingdom’s new prime minister in London.
Andy Burnham delivers his inaugural speech as the United Kingdom’s new prime minister in London.

Britain’s New Prime Minister Must Stand Up to Trump

Keir Starmer allowed his country to be humiliated by Washington. Burnham should learn from his mistakes. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Andi Hoxhaj
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron speak ahead of a meeting on the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans Summit at Porto Montenegro in Tivat on June 5, 2026.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron speak ahead of a meeting on the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans Summit at Porto Montenegro in Tivat on June 5, 2026.

Europe Is Back in 1952

France and Germany again locked into military rivalry is bad news for the rest of Europe.

Argument
Caroline de Gruyter

Asia-Pacific

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump before the start of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump before the start of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7.

Russia’s Arms Buyers Rejoice Over Trump’s Deal With Turkey

Analysis
Derek Grossman

A Divided World Is North Korea’s Greatest Asset

What Did the Nine-Dash Line Ruling Accomplish?

Modi Seeks to Project Influence on Asia-Pacific Trip

China

Chinese President Xi Jinping guides U.S. President Donald Trump during a tour of the Zhongnanhai Gardens in Beijing on May 15.
Chinese President Xi Jinping guides U.S. President Donald Trump during a tour of the Zhongnanhai Gardens in Beijing on May 15.

U.S.-China Relations Are More Volatile Than Ever

Analysis
Andrew Scobell, Andrea Ghiselli

The Iran War Is a Gift to China

A New Law Heralds China’s Fraught Ethnic Future

China Wants to Regulate AI Companions

Europe

A woman crosses a road in front of a mural depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kashira, Russia, southeast of Moscow, on Oct. 16, 2017.
A woman crosses a road in front of a mural depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kashira, Russia, southeast of Moscow, on Oct. 16, 2017.

The Western Myth of Russian Greatness

Argument
Christian Caryl

Armenian Democracy Faces a Threat From Within

Flamingos Against Autocrats This article has an audio recording

German Military Power Needs to Go It Alone This article has an audio recording

Middle East & Africa

An overhead shot looks down at a legislative chamber with seats arranged in a horseshoe shape around an ornate tiled floor and facing a podium and desk at the front of the room. Almost every seat is occupied; members are dressed in an array of business suits and more traditional Syrian formal attire. Some wear headscarves. Sharaa wears a suit as he strides across the tiled floor.
An overhead shot looks down at a legislative chamber with seats arranged in a horseshoe shape around an ornate tiled floor and facing a podium and desk at the front of the room. Almost every seat is occupied; members are dressed in an array of business suits and more traditional Syrian formal attire. Some wear headscarves. Sharaa wears a suit as he strides across the tiled floor.

Syria’s Weak Parliament Still Matters

Argument
Ibrahim al-Assil

How to Isolate Tehran

Nigeria Is Quietly Becoming a Diplomatic Powerhouse

Iranian Attacks Need Not Change the Gulf’s AI Ambitions This article has an audio recording

Americas

U.S. President Donald Trump attends the final match of the FIFA World Cup in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.
U.S. President Donald Trump attends the final match of the FIFA World Cup in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.

Trump Needs to Defy History to End the Iran War

Argument
Will Walldorf

Thank You, Mr. President, for Fact-Checking Yourself

Fixing U.S. Security Assistance

The Liberal Origins of the War Against the Deep State

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FP-Summer-Sale-2025-Towel-Homepage-1000X400-#EDDFC5

The world stage is heating up. Stay cool with 67% off.

Use code SUMMER2026 to unlock your savings during FP’s Summer Sale.

Audio Picks

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FP Weekend

  • An illustration showing a person from the chest down sitting at a wooden table, wearing a light-colored long-sleeved shirt with a yellow and blue napkin tied around their neck. In front of them sits a large white bowl of vibrant pinkish-red soup topped with sour cream and dill, with two smaller bowls of soup steaming on either side and a spoon resting on the table.
    An illustration showing a person from the chest down sitting at a wooden table, wearing a light-colored long-sleeved shirt with a yellow and blue napkin tied around their neck. In front of them sits a large white bowl of vibrant pinkish-red soup topped with sour cream and dill, with two smaller bowls of soup steaming on either side and a spoon resting on the table.

    The Battle for Borsch

    Ukraine is using the beet-based soup to fortify national identity in the face of Russian aggression.

    Analysis
    Paul Hockenos

In the Magazine

Current Issue: Summer 2026 Archives
Magazine cover with a light blue background featuring a large hourglass in the center. Inside the top bulb of the hourglass, a small globe of Earth rests on a pile of sand as the grains slip through the narrow neck into the bottom bulb. To the left, the black and white logo "FP" is visible with the text "SUMMER 2026" underneath. To the right, bold text reads "the End of," followed by a stacked list of terms including "The U.S.-Israel alliance," "Neoliberalism," "Trans-Atlanticism," "Climate politics," "The United Nations," "Asylum," "Political parties," "Chinese growth," "Morality," and "The future."
Magazine cover with a light blue background featuring a large hourglass in the center. Inside the top bulb of the hourglass, a small globe of Earth rests on a pile of sand as the grains slip through the narrow neck into the bottom bulb. To the left, the black and white logo "FP" is visible with the text "SUMMER 2026" underneath. To the right, bold text reads "the End of," followed by a stacked list of terms including "The U.S.-Israel alliance," "Neoliberalism," "Trans-Atlanticism," "Climate politics," "The United Nations," "Asylum," "Political parties," "Chinese growth," "Morality," and "The future."
Illustration of a globe sitting atop a marble pedestal with the words I heart Earth on the globe. On the pedestal the words Climate Politics are printed. The image is on a green background.
Illustration of a globe sitting atop a marble pedestal with the words I heart Earth on the globe. On the pedestal the words Climate Politics are printed. The image is on a green background.

How China’s Rise Upended Climate Politics

As the West debated a green energy future, Beijing was building it. This article has an audio recording

Essay
Leah Aronowsky
A museum-style glass display case sits against a solid orange background. Inside the case, on a white surface, are seven small, tattered fragments of fabric arranged in two rows. The fragments feature patterns from the United States flag (red and white stripes, and white stars on a blue field) and the Israeli flag (the blue Star of David and blue stripes on a white field). A small white label on the front left corner of the glass case reads "EXHIBIT I The U.S.-Israel Alliance".
A museum-style glass display case sits against a solid orange background. Inside the case, on a white surface, are seven small, tattered fragments of fabric arranged in two rows. The fragments feature patterns from the United States flag (red and white stripes, and white stars on a blue field) and the Israeli flag (the blue Star of David and blue stripes on a white field). A small white label on the front left corner of the glass case reads "EXHIBIT I The U.S.-Israel Alliance".

The U.S.-Israel Alliance Isn’t Special Anymore

A joint war against Iran might be its apex. This article has an audio recording

Essay
Joshua Leifer

Breaking China’s Golden Streak This article has an audio recording

Essay
James Palmer

Are Political Parties Dinosaurs? This article has an audio recording

Essay
Anton Jäger

Where Neoliberalism Went Wrong

Essay
Branko Milanovic

Is Trans-Atlanticism Really Done? This article has an audio recording

Essay
Nathalie Tocci
Shadow-government-democrats-blue-cutout-3-2
Shadow-government-democrats-blue-cutout-3-2

SHADOW GOVERNMENT: The view from the Democratic opposition

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Where the Iran Conflict Goes From Here

As the United States and Iran hit the escalate button once again, what will it take for both sides to pull back? One advisor... READ MORE

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Subscribers’ Picks

A paved waterfront walkway under an overcast sky. In the foreground, a person walks two small dogs on long leashes, while another person nearby stands looking across the water. In the background across the water, an industrial facility emits an enormous, billowing plume of dark black smoke that stretches high into the cloudy sky.
A paved waterfront walkway under an overcast sky. In the foreground, a person walks two small dogs on long leashes, while another person nearby stands looking across the water. In the background across the water, an industrial facility emits an enormous, billowing plume of dark black smoke that stretches high into the cloudy sky.

Ukraine Finally Has a Theory of Victory. Will It Work?

Kyiv has developed a strategy for winning the war. Now all it needs is time. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Christian Caryl
Representatives from Hong Kong University view a prototype of the domestic J-10A fighter jet at the Beijing Aviation Museum at Beihang University in Beijing, China, on June 1.
Representatives from Hong Kong University view a prototype of the domestic J-10A fighter jet at the Beijing Aviation Museum at Beihang University in Beijing, China, on June 1.

Why We Know More About China’s Next-Generation Fighters Than America’s

As internet sleuthing replaces traditional intelligence collection, one big mystery about the PLA remains. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Sam Roggeveen, David Vallance
Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on April 7, 2025; and President Donald Trump Washington on Aug. 14, 2025.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on April 7, 2025; and President Donald Trump Washington on Aug. 14, 2025.

War Has Become Pointless

Military conflict has always existed. It’s just stopped making sense. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Stephen M. Walt
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits at the door of a military helicopter during his visit to an Israeli drone center at the Palmachim Airbase near the city of Rishon LeZion, Israel on July 5, 2023.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits at the door of a military helicopter during his visit to an Israeli drone center at the Palmachim Airbase near the city of Rishon LeZion, Israel on July 5, 2023.

Israel Belongs in the New Saudi-Iranian Order

An anti-Abraham Accords is taking shape. That would be a big mistake. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Trita Parsi
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fp-collections-icon-550x367

COLLECTIONS: Download PDFs on the trade wars, the AI arms race, and the scramble for critical minerals.

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Zelensky and Rutte walk beside one another. Rutte is smiling and gesturing in a welcoming manner toward Zelensky.
Zelensky and Rutte walk beside one another. Rutte is smiling and gesturing in a welcoming manner toward Zelensky.

Why This Year’s NATO Summit Is Different for Ukraine

Insider
John Haltiwanger
A painting from the late 1800s depicts a cotton plantation on the Mississippi.
A painting from the late 1800s depicts a cotton plantation on the Mississippi.

A Short Economic History of the United States This article has an audio recording

Insider
Cameron Abadi, Adam Tooze
Tourists ride in an old American car used as a taxi in Havana on Feb. 8.
Tourists ride in an old American car used as a taxi in Havana on Feb. 8.

Is Cuba Really Next? This article has an audio recording

Insider
Ravi Agrawal

Books

  • A man with a white beard and grey hair stands at a clear podium, speaking into a microphone. Behind him, a massive digital screen shows a close-up projection of his own face wearing a bright red baseball cap with a white star logo while holding a microphone. To the right of the projection on the screen, a large, dense crowd of supporters is visible, many with their arms raised in the air.
    A man with a white beard and grey hair stands at a clear podium, speaking into a microphone. Behind him, a massive digital screen shows a close-up projection of his own face wearing a bright red baseball cap with a white star logo while holding a microphone. To the right of the projection on the screen, a large, dense crowd of supporters is visible, many with their arms raised in the air.

    Will Lula Win the Century?

    Brazil’s president is democratic, successful, and globally respected. This article has an audio recording

    Review
    Vincent Bevins
  • Book cover featuring a historical, eye-level photograph of a crowded city street in what appears to be the Soviet Union. Numerous pedestrians in mid-century attire walk along the sidewalks and crosswalks, while vintage cars and trolley wires are visible on the wide road. In the background, grand European-style buildings and the distinct onion domes of a Russian Orthodox church are visible under an overcast sky. Large, bold white text at the top reads "EXIT STALIN." Below it, smaller yellow text reads "THE SOVIET UNION as a Civilization, 1953–1991." At the bottom, the author's name, "MARK B. SMITH," is printed in bold white capital letters.
    Book cover featuring a historical, eye-level photograph of a crowded city street in what appears to be the Soviet Union. Numerous pedestrians in mid-century attire walk along the sidewalks and crosswalks, while vintage cars and trolley wires are visible on the wide road. In the background, grand European-style buildings and the distinct onion domes of a Russian Orthodox church are visible under an overcast sky. Large, bold white text at the top reads "EXIT STALIN." Below it, smaller yellow text reads "THE SOVIET UNION as a Civilization, 1953–1991." At the bottom, the author's name, "MARK B. SMITH," is printed in bold white capital letters.

    How Best to Look at Russian History This article has an audio recording

    Review
    Tim Brinkhof
  • Image 5: Power-glory-history-world-cup-jonathan-wilson-book.jpg Alt text: A book cover with a bright green background. The top half features a vintage-style illustration of a soccer player in a blue jersey and white shorts kicking a brown leather soccer ball. The title text reads "THE POWER AND THE GLORY" in bold white letters, separated by a row of various national flags, with the subtitle "THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD CUP" in yellow text at the bottom.
    Image 5: Power-glory-history-world-cup-jonathan-wilson-book.jpg Alt text: A book cover with a bright green background. The top half features a vintage-style illustration of a soccer player in a blue jersey and white shorts kicking a brown leather soccer ball. The title text reads "THE POWER AND THE GLORY" in bold white letters, separated by a row of various national flags, with the subtitle "THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD CUP" in yellow text at the bottom.

    When the Beautiful Game Meets the Ugliest Ego This article has an audio recording

    Review
    Bobby Ghosh
  • Rosenberg-Book-Review-Override-Isreal-What-Went-Wrong-The-Future-Is-Peace
    Rosenberg-Book-Review-Override-Isreal-What-Went-Wrong-The-Future-Is-Peace

    Diagnosing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Doesn’t Solve It This article has an audio recording

    Review
    David E. Rosenberg

Trending

  1. The Slow Death of the Global Commons

    Analysis
    Robert A. Manning

  2. Trump Needs to Defy History to End the Iran War

    Argument
    Will Walldorf

  3. A New Great Game Is Underway in Central Asia

    Analysis
    Giovanni Legorano

  4. Europe Is Back in 1952

    Argument
    Caroline de Gruyter

  5. Houthis Declare a Naval Blockade on Saudi Arabia

    World Brief
    Alexandra Sharp

  6. Suwayda’s Struggle

    Argument
    Ahmad Sharawi

  7. Britain’s New Prime Minister Must Stand Up to Trump This article has an audio recording

    Argument
    Andi Hoxhaj

  8. U.S.-China Relations Are More Volatile Than Ever

    Analysis
    Andrew Scobell, Andrea Ghiselli

Visual Stories

An infographic featuring a simplified grey world map on a light beige background, scattered with numerous small brown dots indicating locations across various continents, heavily concentrated in Europe. Five professional soccer players are superimposed over the map, each positioned inside a white circular frame:
An infographic featuring a simplified grey world map on a light beige background, scattered with numerous small brown dots indicating locations across various continents, heavily concentrated in Europe. Five professional soccer players are superimposed over the map, each positioned inside a white circular frame:

The New Geography of the World Cup

Migration, colonial history, and elite academies have redefined today’s national teams. This article has an audio recording

Gil Guerra, Diana Roy
A young person wearing a baseball cap and dark pants stands with a bicycle in a narrow, debris-strewn alley between damaged concrete buildings. Yellow caution tape stretches across the path, and a large white sheet hangs overhead between the structures.
A young person wearing a baseball cap and dark pants stands with a bicycle in a narrow, debris-strewn alley between damaged concrete buildings. Yellow caution tape stretches across the path, and a large white sheet hangs overhead between the structures.

Syria’s War Crimes Dilemma

The government can execute war criminals or get full international support—but not both. This article has an audio recording

Deborah Amos

Latest

In Case You Missed It

A selection of paywall-free articles

  • A creative illustration against a pale yellow background showing a garden planter containing a dense green hedge. Five human arms emerge from the hedge, with four of the hands holding small flags of China, Russia, the United States, and the European Union, while the fifth hand holds the flag of India.
    A creative illustration against a pale yellow background showing a garden planter containing a dense green hedge. Five human arms emerge from the hedge, with four of the hands holding small flags of China, Russia, the United States, and the European Union, while the fifth hand holds the flag of India.

    Hedging Is the New Normal

    For the foreseeable future, successful statecraft will depend on hedging. This article has an audio recording

    Argument
    Suzanne Nossel
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