A broader look at Europe before and after the break-up of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and the Warsaw Pact in 1991 illustrates why Putin may see Russian efforts to gain influence or control over Belarus and much of the Ukraine as a major strategic objective. For example, 1991, the FSU had some 3,400,000 active forces while in 2020-2021, Russia only had some 1,004,100 active forces.

SOURCE: "Broader Risk: Russian Control Over the Ukraine and Belarus" by CSIS's Anthony Cordesman.

On December 7, 2021, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation said it would lend up to $500 million to First Solar in order to build a solar manufacturing facility in India. First Solar’s cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film technology is an alternative to crystalline silicon, an industry now dominated by China—showing what is possible in terms of competing with China and building resilient supply chains for clean energy.

SOURCE: "DFC Deal to Boost U.S. Solar Industry and Strengthen Clean Energy Supply Chains" by Nikos Tsafos.

Recent thermal infrared imagery of the Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center show warm water being discharged from the cooling system of the 5MWe reactor. Temperature variations of up to 4 degrees Celsius are present in the river and the warmest temperatures of the dispersal pattern are found near the mouth of the water discharge channel outlet—a clear indication that the reactor is in operation.

SOURCE: "Thermal Imagery Analysis of Yongbyon" by CSIS's Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha, Andy Dinville, and Jennifer Jun.

Over the past 30 years, Laos has experienced one of the highest economic expansions in the Southeast Asia region—slashing its poverty rate from 46 percent in 1993 to 18 percent in 2019. Now, as Laos continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, the United States has the opportunity to assist Laos with modernizing its economy, bridging healthcare gaps, identifying new areas of growth, and strengthening U.S.-Laos relations.

SOURCE: "Opportunities for U.S. Development Cooperation in Laos" by CSIS's Dan Runde, Romina Bandura, and Rachel Lee.