Once again, Trump takes Putin at his word. From Helsinki in 2018 on election interference to Anchorage in 2025 on how war wouldn’t have happened if he’d been president to today, Putin’s word is Trump’s truth.

Trump: “Russia wants Ukraine to succeed.” Anybody who says with a straight face can’t be a mediator for peace. The only way Russia wants Ukraine to succeed is by making Ukraine part of Russia. That’s what this war is about. youtu.be/yBU91X-CQ9s?...

Here’s what caught my eye this week: The CIA loses a nuke on a mountain. Putin successful recruitment of Steve Witkoff. And how the arguments for Venezuela sound eerily like the arguments for the Iraq War—up to and including “weapons of mass destruction.” open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

This week on World Review — Venezuela, Ukraine, and Trump as Peacemaker. Watch or listen to the latest analysis by @nahaltoosi.bsky.social, Alex Ward, and Giles Whittell. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

🚨BREAKING: Trump declares fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction.” Jon Stewart predicted as much last week, showing how there Trump administration was using the Iraq playbook to gin up war fervor versus Venezuela. youtu.be/powm6EFL630?...

Trump’s National Security Strategy is another nail in the coffin for foreign policy. @ivodaalder.bsky.social, @djrothkopf.bsky.social, and @rosabrooks.bsky.social discuss current anti-European sentiment and the implications of this “strategy.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... youtu.be/RMUyCVm_9PM

🚨BREAKING: Washington sees security guarantees to Ukraine as a bargaining chip. That’s not only bad negotiations. It undermines the credibility of the security guarantee provided in the first place. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Here’s what caught my eye this week: Insights into Trump’s National Security Strategy, what it is like to negotiate with Xi Jinping, how Biden ignored the immigration crisis, and how the economics of war has changed in Ukraine. Enjoy! open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

@ivodaalder.bsky.social cuts through the bullshit on Ukraine: open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Lost in all the sturm und drang about the latest negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is this reality: there is no basis for a deal. This is all a massive effort to massage one man’s ego. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

This week on World Review, what does the world think of Trump’s National Security Strategy. With @kenmoriyasu.bsky.social, @antonlaguardia.bsky.social, and Anna Sauerbrey. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Trump’s National Security Strategy is another nail in the coffin for foreign policy. @ivodaalder.bsky.social, @djrothkopf.bsky.social, and @rosabrooks.bsky.social discuss current anti-European sentiment and the implications of this “strategy.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... youtu.be/RMUyCVm_9PM

Trump’s National Security Strategy is another nail in the coffin for foreign policy. @ivodaalder.bsky.social, @djrothkopf.bsky.social, and @rosabrooks.bsky.social discuss current anti-European sentiment and the implications of this “strategy.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... youtu.be/RMUyCVm_9PM

The Trump National Security Strategy is a deeply unserious document—befitting an unserious president. But it is no less dangerous for that. My take: open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Apparently, it’s War on EU day in America. MAGA has launched a full-scale Twitter assault on the EU, and all of our favorite Russians have joined in the attack. From Elon and “based” Mike Lee to Dmitriev and Mevedev, they’re all in on it. The new NSS was a virtual declaration of war against the EU.

Another excellent episode of World Review with @ivodaalder.bsky.social I found the final bit on the NSS particularly useful podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

For the record, the US ranks well below European countries on civil and political rights (surely core to "western civilization) according to the 2024 Freedom House rankings. And that does not even take account of the damage has Trump has done this year.

This week one world review: Putin disappoints Trump on Ukraine, Finger pointing on boat strikes, and how awful Europe really is. With Carla Robbins, @stevenerlanger.bsky.social, and @matthewkaminski.bsky.social. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Trump runs the U.S. government like he ran his family business—from behind his desk in the Oval Office, where he meets with everyone, calls anyone and then decides policy on a whim. Chaos is the inevitable result. www.politico.eu/article/with...

Ukraine topped the news this week—with leaked transcripts of calls, new business deals to profit from talks, and much, much more. Some great reads and a lot of clips of TV, radio, and other interviews I did commenting on the latest ups and downs. Enjoy! open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

To reassure Ukraine that Europe’s security commitments are real, European leaders must “draw on the resources of NATO” to support Ukrainian forces, argues @ivodaalder.bsky.social.

Still plenty of reasons to be skeptical about the Trump administration's latest push for an end to the war in Ukraine. Thanks @ivodaalder.bsky.social and @michaelkofman.bsky.social for speaking with me -- theworld.org/segments/202...

My interview on Ukraine with Joe Mathieu on Bloomberg earlier today www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/...

Excellent discussion, still totally relevant after today’s revelations. Love Susan’s uncompromising stance and indignation of what Trump has been since the very begging, no matter his ridiculous zigzagging @ivodaalder.bsky.social @sbg1.bsky.social youtu.be/0So6DjWJ_i8?...

It takes a special talent to come up with a Russian plan to end the war in Ukraine and present it as your own. But then that has been Steve Witkoff’s modus operandi from the start: take Russia’s side and force Ukraine to accept it. My latest @theobserveruk.bsky.social. observer.co.uk/news/interna...

This week on World Review, an extended discussion on Trump’s latest attempt to end the war in Ukraine, with @sbg1.bsky.social of @newyorker.com, James Harding of the Observer, and Peter Spiegel of @washingtonpost.com. Well worth your time! open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

The US plan for Ukraine will not end the war, but prolong it. It’s not a serious plan. It’s insulting to those who have been fighting for their lives and future and those who have supported that effort. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

World Review with Ivo Daalder has a new home! The weekly show that brings together three top journalists to discuss the week’s biggest global news stories is now produced by Harvard’s Belfer Center. Listen and watch, every Friday, wherever you get your podcasts. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Why Trump’s latest gambit to end the war in Ukraine won’t work. You cannot impose peace—certainly not without including the one party most affected by the war in talks to end it. My latest. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

BREAKING🧨: Trump's team is negotiating peace plan for Ukraine with Russia. Just Russia. Not Ukraine. Not the Europeans (who will need to implement it). “We don't really care about the Europeans,” one White House official tells Politico. With friends like these... www.axios.com/2025/11/19/u...

Today is the 300th day of Trump’s second term. How’s the world doing? If you take Trump’s word for it, very well. At least for America. But that’s not the real story. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

'𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧?' Former Danish Ambassador to Russia, Germany, and NATO, Søndergaard: Moscow treats diplomacy as an extension of conflict; seven traits of Russian statecraft (Thank you, @ivodaalder.bsky.social) d1xp398qalq39s.cloudfront.net/uploads/cked...

Here’s what caught my eye this week: internal discussions on Gaza show difficulties ahead for Trump’s peace plan and debates among Biden aides whether Israel was violating international law. Plus: progress since, Ukraine’s difficult winter & how Russia negotiates. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Join @ravireports.bsky.social, Yasmeen Aboutaleb, and me as we discuss COP30 and China's race to dominate electricity production and growing questions about Trump's focus abroad rather than problems at home. 📆 Friday, NOV 14; 11:00 ET / 17:00 CET open.substack.com/live-stream/...

First the Dutch announce (publicly!) that they won’t share certain critical intelligence with the US because of its politicization. Now the UK won’t share intelligence to enable what it (rightly!) says are illegal strikes. That’s how you emasculate your national security. www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/p...

This week, my eye caught a remarkable story about how the Trump administration bullied other countries in not signing onto a climate shipping agreement, a deep dive into Dick Cheney’s remarkable life, and a report that Trump will next target drug cartels in Mexico. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Today, on World Review, how the world is ignoring the crises in sub-Saharan Africa. And what elections in Czechia and the Netherlands can tell us about the strength of the European far right. With Anna Sauerbrey and @bobbyghosh.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Trump loves the 19th century, including tariffs and dominating the Western hemisphere. That's a profound shift in US national security policy of the past 85 years, that's sought to protect Americans by warding off dangers overseas. My take. www.politico.eu/article/dona...

The great Jon Stewart did. youtube.com/shorts/D-GbZ...

Some great reads this week—and an excellent podcast on the dangers of AI development in the US. Also: how the Trump administration is upending the rule of law, the renewed humanitarian horror in Darfur, and Silicon Valley’s new (and mistaken) love affair with China. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

This week on World Review: Trump goes to Asia and gets a US-China trade truce. But what does it all really mean? Check out my conversation with Ken Moriyasu and @gideonrachman.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Loads of good stuff on this week’s reads — a profile of Ron Dermer, assessment of the Gaza ceasefire, how Sam Altman took Silicone Valley by storm, and more. Including links to some of my TV interviews, podcasts, and writings. Enjoy! open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

If you missed World Review today, here is my conversation with Jane Perlez and @antonlaguardia.bsky.social on US-China and the new oil sanctions on Ukraine. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Don’t forget to join @antonlaguardia.bsky.social, Jane Perlez, and me for World Review tomorrow at 11 ET/5 CET. We’ll discuss US-China and oil sanctions on Russia. open.substack.com/live-stream/...

President Trump announced new sanctions on the Kremlin that target Russia's two largest oil companies. This comes after Trump called off his meeting with Russian President Putin, saying "it didn't feel right." @ivodaalder.bsky.social joins Chris Jansing to discuss. www.msnbc.com/chris-jansin...

Trump’s destruction of the White House is the most vivid demonstration of what his presidency stands for: needless destruction of America’s very foundation and our standing in the world. It’s total, complete and unchangeable.

Trump wants an end to war in Ukraine more than Putin. As long as that’s the case, Putin will play Trump time and again. And again. And again. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...