Read our expert commentary for FPRI's takeaways from the Trump-Xi summit and thoughts on what we should keep in mind in the weeks ahead.

Mohammed Salih broke down Iran's most recent proposal that was struck by the United States. As the US formulates its own demands, check out his thoughts on the proposal for Pakistan TV.

🗓️ Central Europe on the World Stage | Tuesday, October 20 Join FPRI and New Eastern Europe as they co-host a panel addressing the Visegrád Group's role in European politics, how domestic politics impact regional solidarity, and what the future of the V4 means for the transatlantic alliance.

🆕 Navigating Germany’s Defense Pivot with Peter Beyer, Member of the German Bundestag, and FPRI President Aaron Stein

⏰️ Thursday, October 15 | Virtual Event Join Mohammed Salih for an upcoming discussion will be joined by David Schenker and Ahmed Ali to examine the effects of the US departure from Iraq, Iraq’s increased capacity to manage security challenges, and the future of US-Iraq relations.

The National Paying Agency in Lithuania was searched by an anti-fraud agency following accusations of corruption.

Estonia's Riigikogu (parliament) elected a new head of state: Ülle Madise.

Soviet military planners correctly viewed orbital weapons as potentially superior to missile-launched warheads. The advantages of orbital weapons would obviate any advantage a defender could gain from missile defense, ensuring the credibility of a retaliatory nuclear strike.

Raghvendra Kumar explains that the push for de-Westernization across countries in the Sahel differs from previous ones, in that they are pursuing decoupling with tangible political and economic goals in mind. Check out his piece to learn what greater autonomy has already granted them.

Amid protests over rearmament plans, read Julian Pawlak's analysis on Germany's Military Strategy. Germany plans to build national capability goals to feed back into NATO, its military alliance and anchor of collective defense.

Check out Michael Duitsman and Sam Lair's photographic assessment of Belarus' nuclear exercise using Su-25 attack aircraft and nuclear gravity bombs.

In Nothing New Under the Golden Dome, FPRI researchers calculated the cost of deploying the required number of anti-missile satellite constellations to space based on current threats. Ultimately, they concluded that using such systems would not be sustainable, financially or logistically. ⬇️

Arkhangelsk region - cut more than 63 million rubles from foster and large-family support to support soldiers’ lump sum payments; followed a similar move in Tula

St. Petersburg (in Leningrad Oblast region) - introduced an amendment reducing spending on education and capital repair by around 70 million rubles

Several regions in Russia have cut expenditures on social policy and public infrastructure, following growing leeway to relieve fiscal pressures: Saratov region - cut “death payments," or one-time financial support to the families of killed servicemen