North Korea

South Korea

Military & Security

Politics

South Korean unification minister Chung Dong-young expressed "regret" over recent civilian drone incursions into North Korea and announced three measures to prevent future incidents, including reinstating a no-fly zone near the border, the Korean Broadcasting System reported on Feb. 19.

Korean Peninsula: Seoul's Charm Offensive Bears Modest Fruit With Pyongyang

United States

Palestinian Territories

Over 40 countries' representatives met in Washington for the first meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, which will oversee aid distribution and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, AP reported on Feb. 19.

U.S.: Washington Hosts First Board of Peace Summit

China

Taiwan

Economics

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on Feb. 18 declined to comment on a reporter's question about U.S. President Donald Trump's claim on Feb. 16 that he had talked to Chinese President Xi Jinping about arms sales to Taiwan and that they would make a determination on the matter soon, the South China Morning Post reported on Feb. 19. 

U.S., Taiwan, China: Trump Considering Delaying Arms Sales to Taiwan

U.S.-China Relations

Nigeria

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act Amendment bill 2026 into law, formalizing revisions to the country's electoral framework ahead of the 2027 general election, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 19. 

Nigeria: President Signs Controversial Electoral Law

Algeria

France

Algeria and France agreed to restore security cooperation following the Feb. 16-17 visit of France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to Algiers, where he met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, AFP reported on Feb. 18.

Algeria, France: Governments To Resume Security Cooperation

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The second day of U.S.-mediated Russia-Ukraine talks in Geneva, Switzerland, ended after roughly two hours, Reuters reported on Feb. 18.

Russia, Ukraine, U.S.: Geneva Talks Conclude With Kremlin Demands Unchanged

Japan

The Japanese government plans to revise guidelines during the spring Diet session (Feb. 18-July 17) to allow exports to third countries of weapons jointly developed with Japanese partners and allies, Asahi Shimbun sources reported on Feb. 18.

Japan: Government To Expand Arms Export Destinations

Guyana

Venezuela

Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez issued a statement on X on Feb. 17 regarding the country's dispute with neighboring Guyana over the Essequibo region, stating that the 1966 Geneva agreement is "the only legally valid instrument for achieving a mutually acceptable solution to the territorial dispute over Essequibo."

Venezuela, Guyana: President Rodriguez Issues Statement Regarding Essequibo Region

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

Cyber

The Ukraine Conflict

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The Battle for Mosul

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

The Jihadist Wars

Echoes of the Cold War

Instability in Central Asia

South Asian Militancy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Columns

On Security

Iran

Israel

An F-15 fighter plane takes off from RAF Lakenheath at sunset on Jan. 7, 2026 in Mildenhall, the United Kingdom.

The variety and size of the U.S. military buildup give Trump a breadth of options and, compared with last June, suggest that a wider, longer-lasting campaign is more plausible this time around unless a nuclear deal is reached.

Assessing Trump's Options for Military Action in Iran

U.S.-Iran Relations

On Geopolitics

Germany

United Kingdom

A digital illustration shows a nuclear launch map of Europe. 

Amid doubts about the U.S. security guarantee, Europe is considering using Franco-British nuclear arms to bolster its strategic autonomy within NATO, though this plan faces significant political and technical challenges.

The European Nuclear Umbrella: A Search for Strategic Autonomy

Assessments

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro speaks at a press conference during a Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Cebu City, the Philippines, on Jan. 29, 2026.

The coming year will test ASEAN's ability to maintain unity, manage crises and remain a credible regional forum amid rising internal security risks and a more fractured world order, particularly as the Philippines butts heads with China in the South China Sea.

Previewing the Philippines 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship

Lebanon

Yemen

U.S. Vice President JD Vance's shadow is seen as he speaks during a press conference following a military briefing at the civilian military coordination center on Oct. 21, 2025, in Kiryat Gat, Israel. 

Environment, Science & Technology

Negotiations over a new Israel-U.S. security agreement signal a pivot in the bilateral relationship as Israel increasingly focuses on strengthening its domestic defense industry.

How Israel's Defense Sector Will Evolve Amid the Government's Push for Self-Reliance

Slovakia

Hungary

India

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

Cuba

Mexico

American Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana on Feb. 9, 2026. 

Energy

Facing imminent economic collapse and the loss of key allies, the Cuban government will likely yield to U.S. demands for market liberalization to avoid a total breakdown of state authority while attempting to preserve political control.

Economic Concessions to U.S. Offer Path for Regime Survival in Cuba

Bangladesh

Campaign posters Feb. 6 of candidates running in the upcoming Japanese House of Representatives election, in Inagi, Tokyo prefecture.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan Holds Snap Elections, U.S. Weighs Options After Iran Talks

Snapshots

United Arab Emirates

Emirati flags on Feb. 4 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. On Feb. 4-5, delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States held a second round of trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates.

The talks are unlikely to produce a near-term settlement, as Russia will continue to press its territorial demands while using diplomacy to manage sanctions pressure and build leverage ahead of a spring-summer offensive.

The Limits of Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks

Russian soldiers wear chemical protection suits as they stand next to a military fueler on the base of a prime mover of Russian Topol intercontinental ballistic missile during a training session at the Serpukhov's military missile forces research institute some 100km outside Moscow on April 6, 2010.

Over time, this will intensify an ongoing buildup of nuclear capabilities across the globe and make crises involving nuclear powers more unpredictable and prone to miscalculations. 


Implications of the Last Major U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Control Agreement's Expiration

This map shows the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups.

U.S. Naval Update Map: Feb. 5, 2026

Turkey

A digital satellite illustration shows Europe at night.

The EU enlargement chief's upcoming visit to Turkey signals an attempt to balance cautious engagement with clear strategic interests, rather than an imminent breakthrough on the country's stalled accession process.

Understanding the EU's Strategic Reengagement With Turkey

Iraq

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (center) delivers a speech during a campaign rally in Baghdad ahead of parliamentary elections on Nov. 7, 2025. 

If former Prime Minister al-Maliki overcomes challenges to form a new cabinet, it would likely deepen sectarian divisions, embolden Iran-backed militias and increase Iraq's exposure to U.S. financial and/or military pressure.

In Iraq, the Potential Return of a Divisive Leader Raises Alarm

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

Korean Peninsula: Seoul's Charm Offensive Bears Modest Fruit With Pyongyang

U.S.: Washington Hosts First Board of Peace Summit

U.S., Taiwan, China: Trump Considering Delaying Arms Sales to Taiwan

Nigeria: President Signs Controversial Electoral Law

Algeria, France: Governments To Resume Security Cooperation

Russia, Ukraine, U.S.: Geneva Talks Conclude With Kremlin Demands Unchanged

Japan: Government To Expand Arms Export Destinations

Venezuela, Guyana: President Rodriguez Issues Statement Regarding Essequibo Region

Forecasts

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