Firefighters put out a fire in a supermarket following a Russian drone attack in Chernihiv, Ukraine, Sunday, July 26, 2026.

The New Normal in Kyiv, Ukraine

by Tamar Jacoby September 2, 2026September 2, 2026

Nonstop attacks by Russian jet-powered drones empty supermarket shelves and terrorize civilians

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks with U.S. troops in April 2025.

Politics

The Disintegration of the U.S. Military Under Trump and Beyond

by Mike Lofgren August 7, 2026August 12, 2026

After The Fall: Repression, cynicism, and fear have extinguished post-Soviet hopes for democratic reform. Here, pro-democracy demonstrators file across Moscow’s Crimean Bridge, February 23, 1990.

Books

The Price of a Lost Russia: A Correspondent’s Eulogy

by Markos Kounalakis April 22, 2026April 21, 2026

Drone Dominance: The conflict in the Middle East is showing the value of Ukraine’s weapons systems and military tactics. Here, an instructor demonstrates the operation of a drone designed to destroy Russian attack drones in the Kyiv region, March, 2026.

Magazine

Ukraine’s Way of War is Coming to the Persian Gulf

by Tamar Jacoby April 2, 2026May 5, 2026

Strongman Goals: President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office of the White House, September 25, 2025.

Foreign Policy

Trump’s Authoritarian Envy: The Plight and Peril of a Lame Duck

by Markos Kounalakis February 6, 2026February 5, 2026

Not America First: President Donald Trump holds artist renderings of the new White House ballroom as meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, in Washington.

Politics

What Happened to America First?

by Bill Scher October 24, 2025October 24, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to governor of Smolensk region Vasily Anokhin, at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russia’s War on Ukraine

Putin Goes There

by Paul Glastris September 11, 2025September 11, 2025

President Trump seems to have made a shift on Ukraine, criticizing Russia and okaying arms sales to Ukraine that the Defense Department had stopped. That's why there's a picture of Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looking uncomfortable.

Russia’s War on Ukraine

Trump’s Shift on Ukraine is Welcome, but Now What?

by Tamar Jacoby July 13, 2025July 13, 2025

Russia’s War on Ukraine

Zelensky’s Big Istanbul Gamble

by Tamar Jacoby May 14, 2025May 14, 2025

Politics

Poland’s Trump Conundrum—and Vice Versa

by Tamar Jacoby May 7, 2025May 5, 2025

Support the Washington Monthly

Founded in 1969, the Washington Monthly is an independent media organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission: To preserve democracy and champion good governance through honest journalism and thoughtful commentary.

We’re not a subsidiary of a giant media company or a mouthpiece for ideologues. We’re independent, listened to by insiders and willing to take on sacred cows—liberal and conservative.

Yes, I'll Make a Donation

Putin

The New Normal in Kyiv, Ukraine

The Disintegration of the U.S. Military Under Trump and Beyond

The Price of a Lost Russia: A Correspondent’s Eulogy

Ukraine’s Way of War is Coming to the Persian Gulf

Trump’s Authoritarian Envy: The Plight and Peril of a Lame Duck

What Happened to America First?

Putin Goes There

Trump’s Shift on Ukraine is Welcome, but Now What?

Zelensky’s Big Istanbul Gamble

Poland’s Trump Conundrum—and Vice Versa

A Feminist Humanist’s Last Word

If You Don’t Like Polls, Follow the Money

Before the Fall

The Supreme Court Still Works as the Founders Intended

The Case for a Shadow Court

Never Forgetting 9/11 Means Learning Lessons

Never miss an article!