Geopolitics Archives - Robert Lansing Institute

Diplomacy as Cover: How Trump’s Calls with Putin Coincide with Russia’s Escalating Strikes on Ukraine

The resumption of high-level communication between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin—particularly via direct phone calls—has sparked concern among analysts and U.S. allies. These calls are frequently followed by intensified Russian…

July 4, 2025Russia, Ukraine, USA

Democracy Geopolitics Governance ideology

From Tiso to Fico: Slovakia’s Dangerous Drift Toward the Aggressor

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s foreign policy realignment toward Russia, combined with nationalist rhetoric and active distancing from Western security consensus, has sparked comparisons with the historical legacy of Jozef Tiso—the wartime Slovak…

July 3, 2025Nazi, Russia, Slovakia

Geoeconomics Geopolitics National Security

U.S. Sanctions Lifted on Rosatom: The Case of Hungary’s Paks II Nuclear Power Plant

The Biden administration has quietly authorized a sanctions exemption for Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom to allow completion of Hungary’s Paks II nuclear power plant. This move, occurring amid ongoing Western sanctions on Russia…

June 30, 2025Hungary, Rosatom, Russia, Ukraine, USA

Coup Geopolitics ideology Intelligence ops

The Coup Attempt in Serbia — Kremlin Influence, Balkan Instability, and Strategic Fallout

The attempted coup in Serbia represents a critical turning point in Balkan politics, exposing fragile domestic institutions and Serbia’s delicate balance between the EU and Russia. While the plot was swiftly neutralized,…

June 26, 2025Russia, Serbia

- Geopolitics National Security

INTELBRIEF: Russian Involvement in Iranian Strikes on U.S. Military Targets

Subject: Potential coordination or support by Russia in Iranian military actions targeting U.S. assetsRegion: Middle East, Eastern EuropeSources: Open-source intelligence, defense cooperation patterns, intercepted statements, historical precedents Key Assessment There is growing evidence and…

June 23, 2025

Geopolitics

Hungary’s Shadow Play in Chad: The Orbán Doctrine Enters Africa

Hungary’s decision — led by Gáspár Orbán, son of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán — to deploy 200 soldiers to Chad appears inconsistent with Budapest’s official policy of non-intervention and de-escalation in global…

June 23, 2025Hungary, Russia

Geopolitics National Security Warfare

Fortress North: The Strategic Logic Behind Russia’s New Military Base Near Finland

Russia’s recent decision to build a new military base close to the Finnish border marks a deliberate escalation in its confrontation with NATO. This move—timed just after Finland joined NATO—signals…

June 20, 2025Finland, NATO, Russia

Conflict Geopolitics

Russia and Iran After the Escalation with Israel: Strategic Partners, Conditional Allies

Executive Summary Despite years of strategic alignment, Russia did not provide direct military or political support to Iran during its recent confrontation with Israel. This reflects a calculated restraint rooted in Russia’s own geopolitical…

June 19, 2025Iran, Israel, Russia, USA

Geopolitics Governance ideology National Security Propaganda and Disinformation

The Legal Illusion of Empire: Why Russia Deems the USSR’s Collapse Illegal and How It May Try to Reverse It

The Legal Illusion of Empire: Why Russia Deems the USSR’s Collapse Illegal and How It May Try to Reverse It Executive Summary The Russian Federation’s claims that the collapse of…

June 18, 2025Russia, USSR

Democracy Geopolitics War crimes

Russia and African Workers in the Defense Industry: A New Chapter in Neo-Colonialism

1. Introduction As the Kremlin confronts a labor shortage fueled by military mobilization and escalating economic isolation, Russia has increasingly turned to foreign nationals—especially from African nations—to sustain its defense-industrial…

June 17, 2025Africa, Russia