Authoritarian powers are challenging the democratic world on every front, using military force, economic coercion, disinformation, and subversion to expand their influence and weaken open societies. Russia and China lead this effort, joined by partners such as Iran and North Korea, in an authoritarian alignment that spans hard security, technology, and the global economy. This hub is the gateway to analysis of the authoritarian threat: Russian aggression and hybrid tactics, Chinese influence over trade and technology, energy coercion, and the campaigns aimed at eroding trust in democratic institutions. Fellows and analysts assess how Russian aggression and Chinese influence reinforce this authoritarian alignment, where these regimes are vulnerable, and how the transatlantic community can push back. Explore analysis and commentary across the threats that authoritarian states pose to Europe and North America.
Authoritarian Threats
Vladimir Putin hoped to double the size of the stock market. He has comprehensively failed, and there’s no obvious fix to be found.
No Result Found
July 15, 2026
The Kremlin Smiles on Russia’s Rock’n’Roll Renaissance
KINO, a rock band that provided the soundtrack to the fall of the Soviet empire, is back in fashion, and the Kremlin is happy to play along.
July 15, 2026
The Black Sea Needs a NATO Sentry
The alliance must ensure that the Black Sea doesn’t become a blind spot in its efforts to track and deter Russian aggression.
July 15, 2026
Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Central Nervous System
Only pain can convince Russia to reconsider its war of aggression. Ukraine may have found a way.
July 14, 2026
Russia’s Spies: Smear Recycling
Intelligence agency obsessions can seem eccentric from a distance, but they map the mind and the game theory of the Kremlin’s security elite.
July 13, 2026
Where the Air Raids Never End
Ukraine has learned to live under constant aerial terror. The danger is that the rest of the world mistakes adaptation for normality.
July 10, 2026
Kremlin Mouthpieces Raise the Specter of 1917
Putin’s propagandists are battling to bridge the gap between a supposedly victorious war against Ukraine and worsening fuel shortages.
July 10, 2026
Russia Must Remain the Pariah of World Sports
Russia has proved time and again it doesn’t believe in fair play, preferring to cheat at every turn. Vladimir Putin’s sportswashing cannot be allowed.
July 10, 2026
The End of Pretense: War Comes Home to Russians
It is hard to gauge public opinion where dissent is outlawed, but Russians’ growing concern about the war in Ukraine suggests discontent.
July 10, 2026
A Burning Russia Warms Ukrainian Hearts
It’s momentum that gives Ukrainians hope. Every attack on the infrastructure facilitating Russia’s war is greeted as a step forward.