FP This Week: Why U.S. Deterrence Failed in Ukraine

A year of essential analysis on Russia’s invasion. [Foreign Policy This Week]( February 21, 2023 | [View in browser]( To access all the benefits of an FP subscription, [sign in]( or [subscribe](. Thanks for reading. On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine—and until that date, the United States had done little to thwart it. That’s according to Liam Collins and Frank Sobchak, retired U.S. Special Forces colonels who argue that [U.S. deterrence failed in Ukraine]( just as it did when Russia invaded in 2014. “The sad irony,” Collins and Sobchak write, “is that U.S. leaders, of both parties, chose to avoid deterrence for fear of escalating conflict—only to find themselves continually escalating their support once conflict started.” A year into the war, you can find more of our essential analysis and reporting on Russia’s invasion [here](. Don’t miss the Atlantic Council’s Adrian Karatnycky on [whether Russia can ever become a “normal” European nation]( Brent Peabody on [why Russia has already lost in the long run]( and Stephen M. Walt’s [top five lessons from year one of the war]( Editors --------------------------------------------------------------- FP Live On Demand Russia’s War in Ukraine, One Year On Feb. 22, 2023 | 11 a.m. EST Join FP’s Ravi Agrawal for a conversation with two top Russia experts: Angela Stent, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Michael Kofman, the Russia studies research program director at the Center for Naval Analyses. Tune in for a detailed assessment of the war so far and analysis on what lies ahead. [Register here]( Is Biden’s China Policy Too Hawkish? March 6, 2023 | 12 p.m. EST Is the Biden administration’s China policy too hawkish? And how might that be impacting the world? Jessica Chen Weiss, formerly a senior advisor for policy planning at the State Department under the Biden administration, makes the case that the United States is becoming consumed by competition with China, a strategy that could lead to dangerous conflict. [Register here](. ---------------------------------------------------------------  Quote of the Week “My fear is that by acting like military conflict with China is inevitable, you will ultimately make that reality come true. China has not made the decision to invade Taiwan, but if the United States turns all of China policy into Taiwan policy, then that will potentially affect their decision-making.” —Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democratic lawmaker on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in conversation with FP’s Robbie Gramer and Christina Lu. We recommend you take a look at their [deep dive]( on how everyone in Washington became a China hawk. --------------------------------------------------------------- Move Over Elon Musk A new oligarch has been crowned the richest person in the world: Bernard Arnault of France. On the latest episode of [Ones and Tooze]( Cameron Abadi and Adam Tooze discuss how Arnault made his money and what his empire tells us about his home country. Follow the podcast on [Apple](, [Spotify](, or wherever you listen. Plus, read a transcript from the conversation [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Exercise Your Mind What is the name of Scotland’s first minister, who announced their surprise resignation last Wednesday? - John Swinney - Kate Forbes - Humza Yousaf - Nicola Sturgeon You can find the answer to this question at the end of this email. [Click here]( to take the rest of our weekly news quiz. FP subscribers can [sign up]( to be notified when new editions are available. --------------------------------------------------------------- Book Review: What Marvel Can Teach Us About Geopolitics Twenty-first century political scientists have not shied away from using their conceptual wares to analyze significant pop culture phenomena. Name your favorite piece of intellectual property—Harry Potter, Battlestar Galactica, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Star Trek, Star Wars—and political scientists have written a book about it. There are entire podcasts devoted to the intersection of political science and science fiction. Rumor has it that some crackpot even wrote an international relations textbook about zombies. The latest addition to this lineup is [The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe](, a University Press of Kansas volume edited by Nicholas Carnes, a professor of public policy and political science at Duke University, and Lilly Goren, chair of the history, political science, and religious studies department at Carroll University. Even among behemoths like Star Wars and Harry Potter, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) might be the hegemonic actor of the pop culture universe. [Read the full review in Foreign Policy](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Most Popular on FP - [Can Russia Ever Become a ‘Normal’ European Nation?]( by Adrian Karatnycky - [U.S. Deterrence Failed in Ukraine]( by Liam Collins and Frank Sobchak - [Haiti Is on the Brink of State Failure]( by Robert Muggah - [Germany’s Far-Right ‘Firewall’ Is Starting to Crack]( by Emily Schultheis - [China’s Newest Action TV Show Is a Propaganda Hit]( by Alex Colville --------------------------------------------------------------- From Our Partners - Enhancing Cyber Nuclear Security: FP, with support from Schmidt Futures and the International Strategy Forum, will convene leading scientists, policymakers, and defense officials to discuss how the nuclear risks in Ukraine, recent attacks on critical infrastructure, and scenario planning can inform policy, investment plans, and partnerships to strengthen international security going forward. [Register here](. March 2, 2023 | 10 a.m. EST - The Unintended Consequences of Going Green: [Heat of the Moment]( a podcast by FP Studios in partnership with the Climate Investment Funds, heads to Bolivia, where Amy Booth reports on the country’s nascent lithium mining and electric car industries and its goals of expanding affordability and accessibility to electric vehicles. Booth talks to both locals and those involved with this transformation to see how the overall green plans for Bolivia are being balanced with the needs of individual communities. Follow the podcast on [Apple](, [Spotify](, or wherever you listen. Are you interested in learning more about FP Analytics’ cutting-edge research services, hosting an FP Virtual Dialogue event, or building a podcast with FP Studios? [Explore partnership opportunities]( Answer: 4.) Nicola Sturgeon. Though she is Scotland’s most powerful political figure, a failed independence bid proved disastrous for Sturgeon’s career, FP’s Azeem Ibrahim [argues](. Photo: Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP via Getty Images. --------------------------------------------------------------- Final 24 Hours: Join FP today to get 50 percent off unlimited reading. Apply code PRESIDENT at checkout to claim this offer. [Don't miss your chance to save. Subscribe now.]( FOLLOW FP ON This email was sent to {EMAIL} because you are subscribed to the FP This Week newsletter. Want a friend to receive this newsletter? [Forward it]( now. Want to receive other FP newsletters? [Manage]( your FP newsletter preferences. [unsubscribe]( | [privacy policy]( | [contact us]( | [partner with FP]( Foreign Policy magazine is a division of Graham Holdings Company. All contents © 2023 Graham Digital Holding Company. All rights reserved. Foreign Policy, 655 15th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005. [Link](