STRIKE THE TRUTH

This week marked UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) week. It's a time when world leaders gather at the UN headquarters in New York to debate and deliberate on pressing global issues. One of the major topics this year was the question of Palestinian statehood. Several countries, including France and the UK, have recently moved to formally recognize Palestine, joining more than 150 UN member states that already do so. At the same time, strong opposition remains, particularly from the United States and Israel. Amid these debates, a larger question loomed: does the United Nations still matter in today’s turbulent political landscape? In this blog post, I want to explore a simple but urgent question: Does the UN still matter? And if so, can it remain strong in a world where global systems seem increasingly fragile and outdated. WHAT IS THE UNITED NATIONS?   The United Nations was born in 1945 out of the wreckage of World War II, meant to replace the failed League of Nations and to...

This post may spark controversy, but it’s a discussion we can’t avoid in today’s war landscape. Should ordinary Russians be forced to pay the price for Putin’s war — or should the burden fall solely on oligarchs and siloviki? Sanctions on the “little man” may feel unjust, yet sparing them entirely raises its own moral and strategic dilemmas. Who should justly bear the cost? THE IDEA OF “RUSSKYI MYR” We’ve talked before about how Putin wants to unite Russian speakers under Russia’s influence, much like in the Soviet era. This idea of “Russkyi Mir” — the Russian World — is a key part of why he invaded Ukraine. He doesn’t fully recognize Ukraine as an independent country, seeing it instead as part of Russia’s historical and cultural sphere. Putin has even said that any place where Russian soldiers have set foot could be considered Russian — a very imperial way of thinking. It’s also worth noting that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania each have significant Russian-speaking populations. These ...

Politicians often rely on simple, powerful messages to rally support. The far right, in particular, thrives on polarizing ideas and fearmongering. They don’t have to look far for a villain. For decades, immigration has been their favorite scapegoat — a symbol twisted into fear, resentment, and division. But immigration isn’t the problem. Often, it’s part of the solution to an aging population, a shrinking workforce, and a thriving multicultural society. The real danger lies in the politics of demonization — a tactic designed not to protect communities, but to consolidate power. In this post, I’ll explore why the far right blames foreigners during hard times, and why they push the false promise that life will improve if immigrants simply disappear. WHY THE FAR RIGHT ALWAYS TARGETS IMMIGRANTS IN HARD TIMES When economies falter or societies face uncertainty, the far right needs an easy target. Immigrants and refugees often fit the bill perfectly. By blaming foreigners for job losses, ris...

The world today feels increasingly split between the left and the right. Over the past decade, politics have drifted further toward the extremes, with many countries leaning heavily to either the far-left or far-right. Centrist parties that once held power have either been voted out or seen their support collapse. Only a handful of nations—Canada and Norway being modern examples—have managed to maintain a centrist or center-left course. In this blog post, let’s take a closer look at why this shift is happening and what it means. Are extreme politics the cure for a broken system, or are they the greatest threat modern democracy has ever faced? WHY POLITICS IS SHIFTING TO THE EXTREMES Politics are swinging from one extreme to the other because people are frustrated. First came Covid, which locked people in their homes, fractured families, cost jobs, took lives, and drained the last reserves of sanity for many. Then came Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sparking an energy ...

The past few months have been filled with talk of peace in Ukraine. Trump’s high-profile meeting with Putin and European leaders shuttling between Washington and Kyiv have fueled debate over what security guarantees Ukraine can really expect once the fighting stops. But what would peace actually look like—and would Putin honor it at all? In this post, we’ll break down how the “Coalition of the Willing” is supposed to work, and what it could mean for Ukraine’s future. A "family" picture of all the leaders present at the summit in March 2025. WHAT IS THE "COALITION OF THE WILLING?" At the start of this year, several countries pledged to back Ukraine with security guarantees if a ceasefire and eventual peace deal with Russia is reached. The “Coalition of the Willing” is a multinational grouping, led primarily by the United Kingdom and France, that brings together a wide range of European partners. It was formally launched by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the 2...

Since Trump came into power, there has been talk that the USA might withdraw troops and armaments from Europe, with its focus shifting toward the Pacific. This topic feels especially relevant this week, after China’s Victory Parade on September 3, 2025, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. What we saw was an impressive display of Chinese weaponry—some new, some already known—all of it worrying. In this post, I want to cover what it could mean if the USA withdraws or reduces its support in Europe. And, for a change, let’s take a look at how much of a threat China poses on the global stage. We tend to focus on Russia, but I think China is the real sleeping dragon—one that could wake up and breathe fire . WHY DOES THE WHITE HOUSE WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE NOW? NATO has hosted U.S. troops in Europe since the end of the Second World War. Over the decades, Europe has built a defensive strategy—primarily aimed at Russia—that has relied heavily on Amer...

India, home to nearly 1.46 billion people, fields the world’s second-largest active army. Its armed forces include about 1.45 million active personnel, 1.15 million in reserve, and another 1.6 million in paramilitary units—bringing India’s total mobilization capacity to an estimated 5.1 million personnel. Why does this matter? Because lately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been seen drawing closer to leaders like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. If the global order continues to polarize, the pressing question becomes: which side will India ultimately choose?     INDIA IN A NUTSHELL For nearly two centuries, India existed under British colonial rule, first through the East India Company and later under direct Crown administration after 1858. The Raj exploited India’s vast resources, reshaped its economy to serve imperial interests, and imposed political control while fostering divisions along religious and social lines. Yet this period also witnessed the growth of a national co...