The leaders of America, China and Russia scorn consensual politics. That is a mistake

Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, examines why conflict exerts a “strange pull”

Ideological certainties have hurt Cubans for 70 years. Time to give cynicism a chance

Shashank Joshi looks back on eight years as defence editor

The wrong way to beat populists who deny the existence of hard problems

In the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, more parents are teaching their children

The country is not as isolated as its critics hope, but it is alienating some true friends

Naval mockery of China is turning to alarm

In the annals of rulers committing acts of folly, Roman decadence stands out

The investment frenzy is driven by anxiety about China’s tightening grip on supply chains

It is risky to let Ukraine into the EU. It’s more dangerous to keep it out

Richard Cockett, a senior editor, analyses what makes good generalship—and ranks his top three 

They must contend with a fragmented market and hesitant customers

Defence firms in Ukraine make new weapons much faster and cheaper than most Western companies

America sets too little store by foreigners’ beliefs and values. It’s a costly mistake, each time

The Trump administration is cosying up to a new clique of “neo-primes”

Truces like the one in the Gulf get broken all the time. But they still work

Expensive fuel and fertiliser will lead to smaller harvests and higher prices

A sobering interview with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency

They never recovered from covid-19