International Organizations

With the end of World War II came the rise of many international organizations, from the United Nations and World Bank to the European Union, NATO, ASEAN, and other regionally focused bodies. RAND has explored the effectiveness of these organizations in areas such as international development, economic policymaking, and local and regional peacekeeping and stability operations.

  • The German Navy's task force supply ship

    Commentary

    Navigating Complex Maritime Security Challenges in the Black and Mediterranean Seas: Insights from the Updated EUMSS

    The European Union understands the rising geopolitical challenges that will affect security in the Black and Mediterranean Seas, both from non-state actors and as a result of state-based competition and conflict. Cooperation with non-EU countries will be critical in promoting maritime security in the region.

    May 25, 2023

  • Brezhnev and Nixon talk during Brezhnev's June 1973 visit to Washington during the beginning of detente between the United States and the Soviet Union, photo by World History Archive/Alamy

    Research Brief

    What Should Future U.S. Policy Toward Russia Be in Peacetime?

    Russia's invasion of Ukraine has made a constructive U.S.-Russia relationship implausible for the foreseeable future. But once the fighting stops, the United States will continue to face long-term incentives to improve the stability and predictability of its relations with Moscow.

    May 17, 2023

  • Report

    Report

    Future U.S. Peacetime Policy Toward Russia: Exploring the Benefits and Costs of a Less-Hardline Approach

    Using four historical case studies, the authors found that limited less-hardline approaches can lead to durable but narrow gains. However, issues left unaddressed by these approaches may still undermine the relationship over the long term.

    May 17, 2023

  • RAND's 75th anniversary logo over a global network, image by RAND Corporation and spainter_vfx/Adobe Stock

    Blog

    RAND Turns 75: A Look Through the Decades At World-Changing Research

    From anticipating the Space Age in the 1940s to studying gun policy and COVID-19 responses in the 2020s, RAND is celebrating 75 years of research that has made a difference.

    May 8, 2023

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence near Moscow, Russia, February 17, 2023, photo by Vladimir Astapkovich/Sputnik/Kremlin via Reuters

    Commentary

    Countering Russia's Nuclear Threat in Europe

    President Vladimir Putin's announced plan to put nuclear arms in Belarus may pose risks to NATO's nuclear posture. Three decades after the Soviet collapse, some allies might be uneasy about reenergizing NATO's nuclear mission. But others might argue that not responding to Russia's plans could cause the Kremlin to doubt NATO's nuclear credibility.

    Apr 20, 2023

  • Polish and American soldiers stand near their armored vehicles during NATO exercises at the military range in Bemowo Piskie, near Orzysz, Poland, May 24, 2022, photo by Kacper Pempel/Reuters

    Commentary

    Stick with Europe

    The United States' chief competitive advantage in the contest with China is its dominant global network of friends and allies. Now is the time to strengthen those coveted ties—in Europe and elsewhere.

    Apr 17, 2023

  • The U.S. Capitol at dusk, photo by Stephen Emlund/Getty Images

    Report

    Truth Decay and National Security

    Truth Decay—the declining role of facts in American public life—creates national security vulnerabilities, including by making the United States more susceptible to foreign influence. What can be done to mitigate such risks?

    Apr 12, 2023

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Emmanuel Macron, and Olaf Scholz meet at Elysee Palace in Parisé, photo by Ukrainian Presidency via ABACAPRESS.COM/Reuters

    Commentary

    Europe: Ukraine's Essential Ally

    While the United States is Ukraine's primary military backer, Europe is sharing the war's overall burden, sanctioning Russia, arming Ukraine, and helping prepare it to join the European Union, as well as absorbing huge economic costs. Europe's partnership with the United States on Ukraine may be Western diplomacy's finest hour since the Berlin Wall fell.

    Apr 10, 2023

  • RAND Weekly Recap

    Blog

    Dementia and National Security, Finland Joins NATO, the Four-Day School Week: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on the risk that dementia could pose to national security, Finland's NATO membership, the downside of a four-day school week, and more.

    Apr 7, 2023

  • Finland's flag is raised at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023, photo by EyePress News/Reuters

    Commentary

    Finland Joins NATO, Sweden's Accession Remains Uncertain

    Finland is at long last joining NATO, having applied together with Sweden last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland's accession represents a boon to NATO, a radical change in Finnish foreign and security policy, and another unplanned setback for Russia.

    Apr 4, 2023

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Study Strengthening the Fight Against Organised Crime: Assessing the Legislative Framework

    This study looks at three 'tools' that Member States can deploy in the fight against serious and organised crime. The report describes the current state of play and outlines possible policy solutions to address challenges identified.

    Mar 29, 2023

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Norway's Next Long-Term Defence Plan: An Allied Perspective

    As Norway contemplates the priorities for its next Long-Term Defence Plan (LTP), it finds itself in a Europe, a NATO, and a global environment that have all changed markedly since the last iteration of the Plan was released in 2020.

    Mar 28, 2023

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Reflecting on One Year of War: The Role of Non-Military Levers

    One year after Russia's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this article examines the role of non-military levers (e.g., diplomatic, information, economic) in the conflict so far.

    Mar 28, 2023

  • Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu shake hands at a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, June 8, 2022, photo by Umit Bektas/Reuters

    Commentary

    Consequences of the War in Ukraine: Two Areas of Contention—Turkey and the Balkans

    Turkey is navigating a narrow path between its NATO commitments and its relationship with Russia. The Western Balkans remain an arena of competition between pro-Russian and pro-Western elements. It's not clear how events might play out, but there are indications and track records.

    Mar 6, 2023

  • Flags fly outside NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, November 16, 2022, photo by Yves Herman/Reuters

    Commentary

    Consequences of the War in Ukraine: NATO's Future

    Security issues have again become paramount among NATO members, making the alliance far more relevant. But NATO's southeastern flank is soft and the war in Ukraine has exposed its fault lines.

    Mar 2, 2023

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    A Quantitative Analysis of the Costs of Corruption in the EU

    The aim of this report is to quantify the economic and societal losses due to corruption in the European Union, and to identify potential for action at EU level, to address the challenges identified.

    Feb 28, 2023

  • Russian reservists recruited to support the military campaign in Ukraine walk towards a banner with a portrait of Russian President Putin during a ceremony before their departure in Omsk, Russia, January 6, 2023, photo by Alexey Malgavko/Reuters

    Commentary

    Consequences of the War in Ukraine: Escalation

    If Russian forces remain unable to defeat Ukraine, and Putin remains unwilling to back down, what escalation options does Russia have left?

    Feb 27, 2023

  • A pair of Ukrainian Su-25 jet fighters fly low near the town of Kramatorsk, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, June 24, 2022, photo by Marko Djurica/Reuters

    Commentary

    Deciding Whether to Send Fighter Jets to Ukraine

    Supplying military equipment to another country's forces can be far from straightforward. The logistical, operational, and technical considerations are immensely complex, and any offer made by NATO allies to Ukraine might best come with a credible plan for deployment and effect—not just a cheque that cannot be cashed.

    Feb 24, 2023

  • A Ukrainian national flag flutters near buildings destroyed by Russian military strikes in Borodianka, Ukraine, February 15, 2023, photo by Gleb Garanich/Reuters

    Commentary

    Consequences of the War in Ukraine

    One year ago, Russian ground forces, following a lengthy military buildup, invaded Ukraine. Today, the war continues, with no clear end in sight. How does this end?

    Feb 24, 2023

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Study to Support an Evaluation of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL): Final Report

    This is the final report of the study to support the European Commission's evaluation of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL).

    Feb 14, 2023