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Q: Vanshika Thakur , Blogger of The Real Rectitude A: Samantha Vinograd , Former Senior Director for Russia and Europe on the U.S. National Security Q1:  How should the U.S. balance support for Ukraine with avoiding escalation into broader conflict with Russia? A:  The U.S. must provide sufficient military and economic support to enable Ukraine to defend itself, while signaling clearly that direct confrontation with Russian forces is off-limits. This requires careful calibrat

Q: Vanshika Thakur , Blogger of The Real Rectitude A: David Miliband , Former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom Q1:  How do humanitarian crises intersect with geopolitics today? A:  Humanitarian crises are rarely isolated; they often reflect underlying political conflicts or governance failures. Responses must balance immediate aid with long-term political stability. Effective diplomacy requires integrating both humanitarian and str

Q: Vanshika Thakur , Blogger of The Real Rectitude A: H. A. Hellyer , British Scholar in Middle East Realignments and Western Legitimacy Q1:  Has the Middle East entered a phase of regional realignment independent of Western influence? A:  Evidence suggests that regional powers are increasingly pursuing independent strategies, negotiating bilateral agreements, and leveraging non-Western partners. While Western actors still influence outcomes, local agency is growing. This shi

Q: Vanshika Thakur , Blogger of The Real Rectitude A: Jonathan Holslag , Europe, Strategic Autonomy, and China Q1:  Has Europe already become dependent on the U.S., despite claims of strategic autonomy? A:  Europe remains heavily reliant on the U.S. for security guarantees, particularly under NATO. Strategic autonomy is aspirational but constrained by capabilities, political cohesion, and shared risk perceptions. True independence would require significant investments in defe