Editorial paper at Robert Lansing Institute

Beyond Theology: Patriarch Kirill, Russian Soft Power, and the European Sanctions Debate

Italy has joined Bulgaria in expressing concern over the European Commission's proposal to impose targeted sanctions on the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, as part of the…

July 6, 2026Bulgaria, Orthodox church, Russia, Sanctions, Vatican

Geopolitics

Diversifying Away from Moscow: Tajikistan’s Emerging Partnership with the United States

A meeting took place in Washington between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin. The talks focused on trade, economic and investment cooperation, as well…

July 2, 2026Tajikistan, USA

Conflict Governance

Beyond Khamenei: Why Iran’s Next Regime Could Be More Militarized—and More Dangerous

According to a Reuters exclusive, citing U.S. officials familiar with classified intelligence, the CIA completed contingency assessments before military action against Iran that examined succession scenarios in the event of Ayatollah…

July 1, 2026Iran

ideology influence ops

Strategic Convergence: Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Russian Information Operations, and the Battle for France’s Foreign Policy

The founder and leader of the left-wing populist party "La France Insoumise" (France Unbowed), Jean-Luc Mélenchon, recently called on the French government to withdraw from NATO, refrain from joining any…

July 1, 2026France

Geopolitics

Lavrov’s “Trump’s War” Narrative: Moscow’s Attempt to Reframe U.S. Policy and Preserve Escalation Leverage

Sergey Lavrov’s claim that “Biden’s war” has become “Trump’s war” is not merely a rhetorical attack on Washington. It is a calibrated Russian information operation aimed at reframing the war in…

June 30, 2026Russia, Ukraine, USA

Democracy Governance influence ops Propaganda and Disinformation

NKH: Hungary’s Emerging Influence Platform and the Future of Information Warfare in Central Europe

Former leading propagandist for the pro-Kremlin media organization Megafon, Dávid Filep, who for years received millions in government funding to promote the interests of Viktor Orbán's administration and whitewash Russia's…

June 29, 2026Hungary

ideology influence ops

Educating Confrontation: How MGIMO Shapes Russia’s Future Diplomatic and Hybrid Warfare Elite

A French publication has released an article by Romain Keppen, titled "MGIMO: Russia's Factory of Confrontation with Europe," in which the author, drawing on his own experience as a student at the Moscow…

June 26, 2026MGIMO, Russia

Geopolitics influence ops Propaganda and Disinformation Psyops

Leaked Kremlin Documents Reveal Plans to Redraw Central Europe’s Political Landscape by Dismantling the Visegrád Group

Leaked classified documents have exposed Kremlin plans to fundamentally reshape the political landscape of Central Europe by dismantling the Visegrád Group (V4) and replacing it with a new regional bloc…

June 25, 2026Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia, SDA

Intelligence ops

Luxury Assets, Strategic Threats: The Security Risks Posed by Superyachts in European Waters

The newly built superyacht O3, owned oligarch Leonard Blavatnik and currently transiting the Danish Straits, may pose a security risk to Denmark and the wider European region. The presence of a…

June 24, 2026Blavatnik, O3, Russia

Coup Governance

Lesotho’s Treason Case Against Tšepo Lipholo: Nationalist Mobilization, State Stability, and Regional Security Implications

The treason case against opposition leader Tšepo Lipholo represents one of the most consequential political and security developments in Lesotho in recent years. The government alleges that Lipholo recruited Basotho youth for military-style training on…

June 23, 2026Lesotho, South Africa

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