Peter Rough
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Articles by Peter Rough
America’s adversaries are attacking sideways Original
When the U.S. imposed tariffs on China in April 2025, Beijing restricted exports of rare earth elements and magnets, threatening allied supply chains around the world in a campaign that continues to this day. When the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February, Tehran expanded the battlefield to the Gulf states. Last month, European Union defense ministers gathered in Brussels to grapple with the rising threat of grey-zone attacks.
Why Poland could be Trump’s new ally in the G-20
Why Poland could be Trump’s new ally in the G-20 (washingtonpost.com) Why Poland could be Trump’s new ally in the G-20 By Peter Rough; Ulrich Speck 2026071510010300 President George W. Bush convened the first Group of 20 leaders' summit to tackle the 2008 global financial crisis. Yet as economic and political turmoil have gripped the world in recent years, the forum has all too often occupied the sidelines.
The Russian Economy Looks More Vulnerable Each Day
A pressure campaign using sanctions and enforcement could compel Putin to reach a meaningful peace. By Thomas J. Duesterberg and Peter Rough Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Journal Editorial Report: The week's best and worst from Kim Strassel, Joe Sternberg, Allysia Finley and Dan Henninger. Photo: Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg News/Union20/Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images No one knows how the war in Ukraine will end, but it appears to be pushing the Russian economy toward crisis.
How NATO Can Build Europe’s Drone Wall
How NATO Can Build Europe’s Drone Wall NATO, rather than the European Union, has the experience and capabilities to manage Russia’s drone threat to the continent. Read Full Article »
How Europe can make Putin pay
President Donald Trump has long referred to the conflict in Ukraine as ‘Joe Biden’s war’. But in two weeks of whirlwind diplomacy, Trump has put his own stamp on the ongoing contest. First, Trump dispatched his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow on 6 August. Then, after Witkoff failed to achieve concrete breakthroughs with the Kremlin, Trump stunned the world by inviting Vladimir Putin to Anchorage, Alaska.
The Republican foreign policy debate, President Trump, and the transatlantic alliance
Camille Grand’s thought-provoking Raymond Aron Lecture sketches scenarios for the transatlantic relationship for the years ahead. Those scenarios are extrapolated, in part, from the European Council on Foreign Relations’ well-known tripartite framework for understanding the dominant strains of Republican party foreign policy: restrainers, prioritizers, and primacists.
Europe’s path to global influence
Peter Rough and Abram Shulsky are senior fellows at Hudson Institute. Europe is suddenly in a hurry. Apparently, the U.S. administration’s overtures to Russia and its suspension of military assistance to Ukraine reminded the continent’s leaders of the cynical adage that one is either at the table or on the menu. Advertisement “There is only one thing that counts, and that is speed,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in February, announcing a 70 percent increase in military spending.
Trump is making Europe squirm — to force a lasting peace in Ukraine Original
President Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine should hold elections to potentially replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Anadolu via Getty Images Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a team of negotiators met Tuesday with their Russian counterparts in Riyadh, unthawing US-Russian relations in a dramatic diplomatic turnabout and kicking off talks on the war in Ukraine. Conspicuously absent were representatives from Europe.
Trump is making Europe squirm — to force a lasting peace in Ukraine | Flipboard
1 hour ago Europe Should Avoid ‘Excesses’ in Bank Regulation, Panetta Says European lenders could lose out to international competitors if regulators don’t look into whether the industry is overly burdened by rules, … 19 hours ago Trump’s Surprise Attack on Europe European leaders knew that Vladimir Putin in the East and Donald Trump in the West would be a strategic nightmare scenario.
Trump mustn’t go wobbly on Russia: Sanctions are working — time to double down
US President Donald Trump attends a meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin during the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. AFP via Getty Images Russian President Vladimir Putin is rushing to defeat Ukraine because the Kremlin stands on the brink of economic crisis. Its forces have thrown caution to the wind, attacking Ukrainian positions with reckless abandon.
Opinion | Trump and Meloni: A Promising Friendship
No one is better positioned to do so than Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. She can empathize with the incoming U.S. president. Like Mr. Trump, she was a political outsider decried as a populist and “fascist.” She too confounded her opponents’ expectations and has built a serious political movement. Many of Mr. Trump’s closest allies, including Elon Musk, admire Ms. Meloni. Her personality mixes charm and grit in equal measure. On policy, the two leaders will find common ground.
JD Vance nomination puts Europe on notice
To the news of former President Trump’s selection of Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate, Western pundits and politicians alike reacted as if the end of U.S. support for Ukraine was all but a fait accompli. One senior European Union official called the pick a “disaster,” while an American news outlet published an article titled “God help Ukraine.” There is no doubt Vance is one of the most strident opponents of aid to Ukraine. He is committed to “America First” and whip-smart by any measure.
The Shortest Path to Victory in Ukraine Goes Through Crimea
A pall of pessimism hangs over Western supporters of Ukraine. With Kyiv’s counteroffensive underperforming most observers’ expectations, a fatalistic attitude bordering on defeatism has set in from Washington to Berlin. NBC News and the German tabloid Bild reported last month that U.S. and European officials were deliberating about an end to the war.
Pass Ukraine aid, Congress — it’s a bargain for American security Original
As Congress wrestles with another supplemental funding request for Ukraine, it’s worth assessing why Kyiv deserves our continued support. America is facing mounting deficits and debts, and President Biden’s request for more than $60 billion is more than twice the US Coast Guard’s annual budget. We should not allow the sticker shock to deter us, however. Support for Ukraine remains a bargain for American national security.
How to Take Apart the Axis of Revisionists
“You must look at facts, because they look at you,” Winston Churchill once observed. One unpleasant fact that the war in Ukraine has thrown into sharp relief is that a global axis of anti-American powers is forming to undermine the U.S.-led international order. America’s adversaries are aligning their moves on the global chessboard and undertaking a process of strategic convergence.
Shutdown-ready Republicans shouldn’t buy into Vivek Ramaswamy’s insane Ukraine plan Original
With a government shutdown looming as some House Republicans refuse to support even a short-term funding bill that includes Ukraine-war aid, GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has come forward with a solution. “We need a reasonable peace plan to end this,” he argued standing center stage in Wednesday’s debate. He claims his plan is modeled on Richard Nixon’s 1972 deal with Mao Zedong.
Biden must seize on Putin's weakness and help Ukraine win the war
After his lightning assault on Kyiv failed last year, Vladimir Putin switched strategies. Unable to impose his will on the battlefield, he pivoted by necessity to a drawn-out campaign of attrition, confident that Russian support for the war would wear down the will of Ukraine’s Western backers. The open democratic systems of the West, easily manipulated and highly sensitive to public opinion, would inevitably lose interest in Ukraine.
Reverend Billy’s Revelations
Dear Reverend Billy, You talk a lot about the climate crisis and the sixth mass extinction. But you always call for non-violent protest. If things keep getting worse, shouldn’t we be ready to stop this madness by any means necessary? — Lewis Well, yes, the violence by Chase, Blackrock, Citigroup, Exxon, Shell — they have made the dark decision. Killing the planet’s life systems is their big profit center. But don’t be tempted to play into their hands.
China creates a new world order as Biden ignores the threats Original
In the opening weeks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, European Union foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell placed his hopes in China to resolve the conflict. “There is no alternative,” Borrell said. “We cannot be the mediators, that is clear. And it cannot be the US either. Who else? It has to be China, I trust in that.” A year later, Borrell’s faith has proven misplaced, as China has only disappointed Western policymakers.
Arm Ukraine or Prepare for China? Wrong Question.
Washington needs to quickly ramp up defense production, especially munitions. Ukrainian soldiers fire a French CAESAR self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions in eastern Ukraine on June 15, 2022.
Turn up the heat on Putin — and show him he can’t defeat Ukraine Original
In the Ukraine war, the United States has developed a novel strategy: boiling the frog. If Russian leader Vladimir Putin feels the full brunt of Western capabilities at once, the thinking goes, he may react unpredictably. If, however, the West turns up the heat slowly — by spacing out the delivery of key weapons and restricting their use — Putin will accept each incremental increase. One day, he’ll wake to find it’s too late. He’s already cooked. But this strategy prolongs the war.
Opinion | The Perils of a Post-Ukraine-War Russia
What will happen inside Russia if the Ukraine war continues to go poorly for Moscow? The possibilities range from revolution and insurgency to civil war and dissolution of the Russian Federation. And the odds of each increase by the day.
Putin's Pit Bull Prigozhin Is Making a Power Play
When the European Parliament voted to condemn Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism last month, Yevgeny Prigozhin decided to send a message. The head of Russian military contractor Wagner Group and confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he would deliver a sledgehammer—shown in a video engraved with Wagner’s logo and stained with fake blood—to the parliamentarians in Brussels.
Politikberater: Auf Chinas Zuckerbrot folgt Peitsche
Die Kehrtwende der Ukraine-Politik der USA könnte nach den Zwischenwahlen ausbleiben. Dennoch fordern Spitzenpolitiker, dass Europa sich stärker positioniert. Auch gegenüber China. Zu Gast sind Bundesfinanzminister Christian Lindner (FDP) und SPD-Chef Lars Klingbeil. Sie treffen auf die Wirtschaftsweise Ulrike Malmendier, den US-Politikberater Peter Rough und Helene Bubrowski von der FAZ.
As Putin Tries to Carve Up Ukraine, Biden Must Go for Broke—and Deliver Kyiv Better Weapons - by Peter Rough
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to deliver a widely anticipated speech celebrating the annexation of Ukrainian territory into the Russian Federation. Its contents have been staring us in the face since before the beginning of the war. Putin is going for broke in Ukraine, and the Biden administration should adjust its strategy accordingly. On Monday, Feb.
As Putin tries to carve up Ukraine, Biden must go for broke - and deliver Kyiv better weapons Original
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to deliver a widely anticipated speech celebrating the annexation of Ukrainian territory into the Russian Federation. Its contents have been staring us in the face since before the beginning of the war. Putin is going for broke in Ukraine, and the Biden administration should adjust its strategy accordingly. On Monday, Feb.
Virtual Event | The Azerbaijan-Armenia Conflict and the American Interest
This event will premiere on this page on Friday, September 23 at 12:00 p.m. On September 13, fighting flared up between Azerbaijan and Armenia, killing dozens of soldiers on both sides. Tensions between these South Caucasus countries have been high for decades. In 2020, their most recent war ended in a major defeat for Armenians, who had to retreat from large territories they had occupied since the early 1990s but which are internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
Ukraine Surprise Victories Hurt Russian Soldiers’ Morale
Luke Coffey appears on VOA to discuss the likely impacts of Ukraine’s resurgence.
What Ukraine's Momentum Means
Peter Rough appears on the Jim Bohannon Show to discuss the war in Ukraine so far, and wheat might be next with Ukraine regaining ground.
Biden Must Commit to Victory in Ukraine
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 hit Europe like a thunderclap on a sunny day. In Paris, the head of military intelligence, Gen. Eric Vidaud, was promptly fired for failing to predict the war. Germany’s chief of foreign intelligence, Bruno Kahl, had to be evacuated from Kyiv, where he was preparing for talks as Russian hit squads descended on the Ukrainian capital.
The US-Australia Alliance on the Anniversary of AUKUS
The event will air live on this page on Thursday, September 15, at 8:00 a.m. One year ago today, the leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced an enhanced trilateral security partnership called AUKUS, which reinforces and intensifies decades of close partnership. To mark the anniversary, please join us in welcoming the Hon. Andrew Hastie, MP, to Hudson Institute.
The Gorbachev Legacy
Tod Lindberg joins John Podhoretz on the Commentary Magazine Podcast to discuss what Mikhail Gorbachev’s legacy is, and what it should be.
It Is Too Early to Pass the Baton to Renewable Energy - by Brigham McCown
Brigham McCown discusses on the Randy Tobler Show why relying on renewable energy sources at the expense of America’s total energy production capacity is a threat to security at home and abroad.
The Risk of Nuclear Plant Disaster in Ukraine
Bryan Clark appears on TBN’s Centerpoint to discuss fighting around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility in Ukraine and the death of Mikhail Gorbachev.
The Future of Atlantic Alliances
Peter Rough discusses Ukraine, new NATO members, and trade in the north Atlantic on Sirius XM POTUS Radio’s Laura Coates Show.
Social media, common carriage, and the First Amendment
[This piece has been published in Restoring America to highlight how regulating social media companies as common carriers could violate the First Amendment.] AEI recently published a thought-provoking report by Professor Richard A. Epstein addressing censorship of conservative viewpoints online.
When is an 'unlawful user' of controlled substance prohibited from having a gun?
[This piece has been published in Restoring America to consider whether a federal law banning "unlawful users" of controlled substances from owning a firearm violates the Second Amendment.] Federal law prohibits many people from owning and possessing both firearms and ammunition.
Why Biden’s student loan ‘forgiveness’ will make inflation, labor shortage worse
[This piece has been published in Restoring America to highlight how the White House's student loan debt forgiveness plan will exacerbate inflation and labor shortages]. Since the pandemic started, the federal government has erased over $100 billion of student loan debt through a moratorium on loan repayments. President Joe Biden just extended that pause yet again — and added $10,000 to $20,000 per borrower in student loan cancellation along with limits on monthly repayments.
The Reality of Dealing with Putin
Peter Rough appears on The Jim Bohannon Show to discuss the war in Ukraine and the reality of dealing with Russians.
Florida's DeSantis takes conservative populism to the Rust Belt
PITTSBURGH — While it is always unsettling for a political movement when its party loses power, the reality is that the movement's coalition doesn’t necessarily collapse or disappear. Sometimes, it even gets stronger. Coalitions last beyond a candidate's or party's loss because the coalition is always more about the people who are in it than about any single person. Coalitions are also often about a sense of place. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis understands this.
COVID vaccine mandate for DC government workers is unlawful, judge rules
Washington, D.C. , can no longer require its city government workers to be vaccinated fully against COVID-19 as an employment requirement , a judge ruled this week. The decision strikes down the mandate implemented by Mayor Muriel Bowser earlier this year that required government workers to have a complete course of vaccination and the booster shot without an alternative test-out option.
What the US and NATO Stand to Gain from an Alliance with Finland and Sweden
Two months ago, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization took the momentous step at its summit meeting to invite Sweden and Finland into the alliance. Since then, twenty-three of NATO’s thirty members have ratified the decision, putting both countries on the cusp of admission. Although Turkey may yet delay matters over a political dispute, it will not stop enlargement altogether.
The War in Ukraine and the Transatlantic Economy
Peter Rough appears on NPR’s All Things Considered. to discuss the importance of the transatlantic economy to defeating authoritarianism.
Escalation Centers around Ukrainian Nuclear Facility
Bryan Clark appears on NewsNation Prime to discuss fighting around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility and the coming influx of Russian troops.
Student loans gambit is the latest example of Biden's selective COVID-19 emergency Original
The Biden administration cited the COVID-19 pandemic as justification for its $300 billion student loan-shifting program, continuing a pattern of mentioning the virus in some situations and ignoring it in others.
Student debt relief expected to undo any disinflation from Inflation Reduction Act
President Joe Biden’s move to forgive mountains of student loan debt may offset any inflation reductions from Democrats' recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act. The announcement this week that the administration is moving forward with canceling up to $20,000 of student loan debt for borrowers who earn below a $125,000 annual income threshold came as a relief to many, but it also may contribute to the already historic levels of inflation.
What the US and NATO stand to gain from an alliance with Finland and Sweden
Two months ago, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization took the momentous step at its summit meeting to invite Sweden and Finland into the alliance. Since then, 23 of NATO’s 30 members have ratified the decision, putting both countries on the cusp of admission. Although Turkey may yet delay matters over a political dispute , it will not stop enlargement altogether.
Arizona completes shipping container border wall with Mexico
Mexican cartels and smugglers who funnel migrants and drugs over the border and into Yuma, Arizona, have begun moving outside of town to areas without a barrier following Gov. Doug Ducey 's installation of a shipping container wall this month, according to Arizona officials. “We are definitely seeing a reduction in the areas where the wall has been closed up,” Jonathan Lines, Yuma County supervisor, wrote in a message Thursday to the Washington Examiner.
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