In the era of Trump, smart diplomacy is a must

We also look at Saudi Arabia's diplomatic initiatives in the region and the wider world, where it has excelled at crisis mitigation, conflict resolution and forging strategic economic and security partnerships.

With diplomatic channels open with the three major power centres—the United States, Russia, and China—we examine Saudi Arabia's positioning at a time of global realignment and its delicate balance between economic pragmatism and security imperatives. We also feature an in-depth report on the key pillars of the Saudi economy and its evolving role in the global financial landscape.

In 2017, Trump chose Saudi Arabia as his first foreign visit in his first term as president. One month into his second presidency, he plans to return—this time, to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine. The cover story examines the broader implications of a potential Trump-Putin agreement, assessing its impact on global conflicts and Russia's influence across the former Soviet sphere.

NATO in jeopardy?

A US-Russia accord on Ukraine could profoundly impact Europe and NATO's future. An emergency summit in Paris called by Macron exposed deep European divisions, while Vance's dressing down of European leaders at the Munich Security Conference, who, in his view, have compromised their democratic principles, further emboldened right-wing populist movements.

Meanwhile, in London, a summit aimed at mustering up support for Ukraine demonstrated just how dependent Europe and NATO are on the US, with Washington traditionally footing half the bill for the latter. The situation appears increasingly dire, with a senior German official going as far as saying that NATO's survival could be in jeopardy by mid-year despite European pledges to boost their financial contributions to the security alliance.

Read more: Trump's second term could shake up NATO, Ukraine and China

We also feature an in-depth report on Ukraine's vast rare earth wealth, as stakeholders vie for control over them. And we examine the radical transformation of Germany's political landscape as its new chancellor-elect, Friedrich Merz, is now in the process of trying to form a government after winning national polls.

Ongoing regional conflicts

Beyond Ukraine, Riyadh is also heavily involved in the discussions surrounding Gaza's future, in collaboration with Cairo and other Arab capitals. It has thrown its backing behind an Egyptian plan that aims to rebuild the Strip in five years and does not entail the forcible expulsion of Palestinians, unlike Trump's plan to "relocate" them to countries like Egypt and Jordan.

We also explore the potential regional repercussions of any settlement in Gaza and the broader implications of Trump's hardline policy towards Iran.

Switching to Syria, 15 March marks the anniversary of the 2011 revolution and will be the first time Syrians celebrate it without Bashar al-Assad as president, following his abrupt toppling in December 2024. Former US ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, shares his reflections after his first visit to the country, following the fall of the Assad regime.

We also published an exclusive interview with Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in which he discusses areas of convergence and divergence with Syria's new interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, as well as his vision for the country's future.

We also take stock of the war in Sudan as it approaches its second anniversary in April, as well as the ongoing turmoil in Yemen. In culture, we look at the resurgence of the Umayyads in contemporary discourse, and publish features with a special focus on Ramadan.