From kidnapping Venezuela's president to proposing the annexation of Greenland, Trump appears to be the most 'imperialist' leader the US has had in decades
The UAE backs southern Yemenis who want secession, while Saudi Arabia wants a unified Yemen. Egypt also favours unity, but is close to both Gulf states, putting it in a difficult position.
It remains unclear if Damascus's move to kick the Kurds out of Aleppo will pressure the SDF to implement the 10 March deal to integrate its forces into the Syrian army or harden its resolve to resist
If fighting spreads beyond the predominantly Kurdish neighbourhoods of Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud and beyond Aleppo, there is a real risk that Syria could be dragged into a new civil war
Khamenei has struck a defiant tone amid growing protests against his regime, but a series of regional setbacks, coupled with an emboldened Trump, could finally bring it down
Overcoming Yemen's fragmentation requires more support for the Riyadh-led path—one that rejects secession, all militias and institutionalises the state
The US has made it clear that securing a deal is a key priority, and it will be looking to pick up the pace of talks ahead of Israeli elections later this year
The two presidents seem to share a crucial flaw: both assumed that America's overwhelming military would suffice to shape the destinies of the countries that they targeted
From kidnapping Venezuela's president to proposing the annexation of Greenland, Trump appears to be the most 'imperialist' leader the US has had in decades
From Yemen and Syria to Sudan and Libya, there is a concerted effort to reassert state authority and thwart moves toward the proliferation of quasi-states and fragmentation
A decisive Syrian military campaign, coupled with diplomatic pressure from Türkiye, the US, and Israel, has forced the SDF into a far-reaching integration deal with Damascus
This could be a decisive year for Beijing as long-running strategies collide with harsher geopolitical realities. The outcomes will shape global power balances well beyond 2026.