United States

Iran

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

During a Cabinet meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the Iran conflict, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States preferred a diplomatic resolution and that there had been some progress in negotiations, AP reported on May 27.

U.S., Iran: Trump Meets With Cabinet To Discuss Iran War

U.S.-Iran Relations

China

Taiwan

The Taiwan People's Party on May 27 posted a notice on its website stating that TPP head Huang Kuo-chang had sent a letter to U.S. members of Congress calling for the U.S. Six Assurances to be codified into law, adding that "The U.S. commitment to Taiwan should be enduring and principled -- not an option to be bargained away through diplomatic horse-trading."

Taiwan: Third Party TPP Rejects U.S. Arms Sales as China Negotiating Chip

U.S.-China Relations

Israel

Palestinian Territories

The Gaza-based Palestinian group Hamas confirmed on May 27 that a May 26 Israeli military operation had killed Mohammed Odeh, the commander of Hamas' military wing, the BBC reported.

Israel, Gaza: Israel Assassinates Second Hamas Military Chief in Under Two Weeks

South Africa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa asked the Western Cape High Court to set aside the Section 89 panel report, which advised that he face an impeachment inquiry surrounding his actions following a robbery at his Phala Phala farm, on several legal grounds, News24 reported on May 27.

South Africa: Ramaphosa Requests Dismissal of Impeachment Report, Vows To Block Proceedings

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kenya

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

The United States is looking to set up a quarantine facility in Kenya for U.S. nationals exposed to Ebola or having tested positive for the virus, a proposal yet to be approved by the Kenyan government, The Wall Street Journal reported on May 26, quoting sources familiar with the matter.

U.S., Kenya, Congo: U.S. Eyes Quarantine Facility in Kenya as Cases Grow, New Vaccine Emerges

United Kingdom

Poland

Ukraine

Russia

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a new defense and security treaty in London, United Kingdom, on May 27, according to statements from both governments the same day.

Poland, U.K.: New Treaty Deepens Defense and Security Ties

Indonesia

France

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in France for a state visit that Indonesia's foreign ministry said would conclude with the two countries upgrading ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the Jakarta Globe reported on May 27.

France, Indonesia: Paris, Jakarta Likely To Upgrade Ties

Syria

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, said it, along with Syria's provisional government, had found dozens of undeclared chemical weapons across Syria hidden during the rule of ousted President Bashar al Assad, The Defense Post reported on May 26.

Syria: Assad-Era Chemical Weapons Recovered

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant politics analyses.

Below are our latest and most relevant politics analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Post-Apartheid Era Ends

Venezuela's Unraveling

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Israel's Survival Strategy

Turkey's Resurgence

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

Brexit

Old Leaders in a New Africa

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The Pulse of Political Islam

Broken Contracts in the Middle East

Russia's Internal Struggle

China in Transition

Southeast Asia: Burdened by Consensus

India's Own Worst Enemy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Assessments

Ethiopia

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed delivers remarks during the official inauguration ceremony of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in Guba on Sept. 9, 2025.

Prime Minister Abiy will likely be reelected without sustained unrest, but escalating tensions in Tigray could still fuel a worsening security crisis in the Amhara and/or Oromia regions in a less-likely, higher-impact scenario.

Previewing Ethiopia's General Elections

An employee assembles a long-range drone in a workshop of the Fire Point company, which manufactures FP-1 deep-strike drones and FP-2 strike drones, Jan. 29 in an undisclosed location in Ukraine.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

This two-part report outlines how the trajectory of the war with Russia will act as the ultimate determinant of capital allocation and economic recovery in Ukraine.

Scenarios for the Future of Foreign Investment in Ukraine, Part 1

Snapshots

The USS Rafael Peralta implements a maritime blockade against an Iranian-flagged ship attempting to sail toward an Iranian port on April 26, 2026, in the Arabian Sea.

Despite ongoing U.S.-Iran diplomatic engagement, unresolved disputes and continued hostilities make prolonged, unstable containment more likely than a comprehensive, long-lasting peace agreement.

U.S.-Iran Talks More Likely To Contain the War Than Resolve It

Argentina

Bolivia

Chile

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

Argentina, Bolivia and Chile have had varying degrees of success in developing their lithium production capacity, with Chile achieving the greatest success of the three, and Bolivia lagging behind.

The Outlook for the Lithium Triangle Amid the Global Energy Transition, Part 1

Lebanon

Japan

Philippines

Armenia

Kazakhstan

India

A cargo ship anchored May 16 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran. Major gaps in negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program persist, and the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will remain fragile over the next week.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Rubio Visits India, a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Cuba

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche (center) speaks during a news conference announcing the indictment of former Cuban president Raul Castro, at the Freedom Tower in Miami, Florida, on May 20, 2026.

Recent U.S. escalations against Cuba are creating a pretext for kinetic action, most likely a targeted operation to capture key officials, though an airstrike campaign and/or a ground deployment also remain possible.

Assessing the Potential for U.S. Military Action in Cuba

Greenland

Denmark

U.S. special envoy to Greenland, Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (center right), and Greenlandic mason and Trump supporter Jorgen Boassen (center left) are pictured in Nuuk, Greenland, on May 20, 2026, on the sidelines of the Future Greenland business fair. 

Ongoing talks with Greenland and Denmark will likely yield a deal that meets most U.S. objectives without requiring formal annexation, though a broader transatlantic crisis remains possible if negotiations collapse.

Can the U.S. Reach a Compromise on Greenland That Averts a Transatlantic Crisis?

Germany

Slovenia

Spain

Ireland

Hungary

The EU and Israeli flags in March 2024 in central Berlin's Rotes Rathaus. Although the European Union has sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers, deep-seated internal divisions and a reliance on Israeli defense systems will likely prevent the bloc from imposing comprehensive trade restrictions.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Although the European Union has sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers, deep-seated internal divisions and a reliance on Israeli defense systems will likely prevent the bloc from imposing comprehensive trade restrictions.

Targeted EU Sanctions on Israeli Settlers Unlikely To Broaden Into Wider Restrictions 

Egypt

Jordan

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Right-wing activists gather with Israeli flags outside the Damascus Gate of the walled Old City of Jerusalem on May 26, 2025, during a flag march for Jerusalem Day, commemorating the Israeli army's 1967 capture of the city's eastern sector during the Arab-Israeli war.

Israel's quest for middle-power status will be defined by its ability to unify its Jerusalem core, which has remained divided throughout the modern state's history.

The Modern Geopolitics of Israel

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Social Issues

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Gulf states' push to employ more local citizens in the private sector will help advance their economies and reduce public wage bills, but it will also create new risks for businesses that have traditionally relied on cheap foreign labor.

The Future of Work in the GCC: Localization, Competition and Business Risks

Mexico

South Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sept. 3, 2025, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

The Weekly Rundown: Elevated Tensions in the Middle East, Putin Heads to Beijing

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.

Despite a mutual desire to stabilize relations, Xi and Trump's meetings produced few tangible results, sustaining the risk of future tariff escalations, export restrictions and other coercive measures.

Xi-Trump Talks Fail To Move the Needle on Major Issues

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., Iran: Trump Meets With Cabinet To Discuss Iran War

Taiwan: Third Party TPP Rejects U.S. Arms Sales as China Negotiating Chip

Israel, Gaza: Israel Assassinates Second Hamas Military Chief in Under Two Weeks

South Africa: Ramaphosa Requests Dismissal of Impeachment Report, Vows To Block Proceedings

U.S., Kenya, Congo: U.S. Eyes Quarantine Facility in Kenya as Cases Grow, New Vaccine Emerges

Poland, U.K.: New Treaty Deepens Defense and Security Ties

France, Indonesia: Paris, Jakarta Likely To Upgrade Ties

Syria: Assad-Era Chemical Weapons Recovered

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