FOREIGN POLICY

APRIL 22. 2026

What Happens if the U. S. -Iran Cease-Fire Collapses?

The truce is hanging by a thread despite Trump’s extension.

Hungary Drops Veto on Massive EU Loan to Ukraine

Reopening the Druzhba pipeline was the final hurdle stopping Budapest from ending its opposition.

Pakistan Gambled on Mediation

As U. S. -Iran talks falter, the political and economic risks are rising for Islamabad.

The Race for the Next U. N. Chief Kicks Off

The selection process for António Guterres’s successor begins with a grilling for four contenders.

What if China Succeeds?

Why Beijing’s success spells doom for everyone else.

Why the Junta Released Myanmar’s President

Aung San Suu Kyi’s fate remains uncertain.

APRIL 21. 2026

Who Will Next Lead the United Nations?

Four candidates hope to reshape the U. N. ’s future amid global fragmentation and anti-multilateral sentiment.

China Doesn’t Always Win When the U. S. Loses

The Iran war exposes the limits of zero-sum thinking about great powers.

6 Things I Wish I Knew About the U. S. and Israeli Positions on Iran

Key knowledge gaps make it hard to assess how the war will end.

The U. S. Has Ditched Professional Diplomacy

The first priority is Trump’s image, not national interests.

Who Wants to Be an American Diplomat?

The State Department has launched a throwback recruitment campaign following layoffs and changes to diversity policies.

Lebanon’s Moment of Reckoning

How to make sure the cease-fire weakens Hezbollah instead of strengthening it.

Russia Is Making Bank on Trump’s Iran War

Pricey oil and sanctions relief mean smiles in Moscow.

The Strongman Era Has Peaked

Why a global era of authoritarian governance may be coming to an end.