U.S. Helsinki Commission

🚨 Episode 9 | The Dissident Playbook: Lessons for Putin’s Russia On the latest episode of the Transatlantic, historian Benjamin Nathans explains how Putin’s experiences in the Soviet system inform how he quashes dissent in Russia today. (1/2)

🇺🇦🇺🇸 @SecArmy: "What we've learned from the Ukrainians [is when you jailbreak your equipment] you can start to layer generative AI models [on top] to help with decision making." @SenatorWicker: "How long have the Ukrainians been using this concept?" Sec Army: "The entire war."

An added benefit for Putin of shutting down Russia’s internet: no place to post pictures of the funerals of Russia’s hundreds of thousands dead in the “special military operation.” theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/…

Welcome news: “The governments of the U.S. and Ukraine have drafted a memorandum outlining the terms of a potential new defense deal between the countries, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The draft hashed out by the U.S. State Department and Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stefanishyna is a first step toward a defense agreement that would allow Ukraine to export military technology to the U.S. and to manufacture drones in joint ventures with American companies.” cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-u…

In Ukraine, officials get investigated for stealing from the people. In Russia, officials get investigated for stealing from the wrong people.

Having got through a harsh winter, Ukraine is now turning the tide of the war. Three factors are contributing to its success economist.com/europe/2026/05…

NEW: Russia is supporting Iranian efforts to rebuild Iran’s military capabilities during the ceasefire period. Russia is reportedly sending drone components to Iran via the Caspian Sea to help Iran rebuild its offensive capabilities following the war, according to US officials. Russian shipments of drone components to Iran support Iran’s broader effort to restore its missile and drone capabilities ahead of a potential resumption of conflict with the United States and Israel. (1/2) Other Key Takeaways: Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) also supported Iranian attacks on US bases during the war. Russia and the PRC both provided Iran with satellite imagery of US and allied bases during the war. Iran has not yet responded to the latest US proposal and will likely use any delay in negotiations to continue to rebuild its military capabilities. Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated on May 9 that Iran is still reviewing the US proposal and will “pay no attention to…deadlines.”

Péter Magyar created a historic moment when he took the oath as Hungary's new prime minister, inviting Roma children to perform a song in parliament for the first time at its inaugural session

🇭🇺🎶 For the first time in Hungarian history, 'The forest is green / Pădure vergyé', the Hungarian Roma community's anthem—which gained that status after a 1993 civil rights protest—was played in parliament, at PM Péter Magyar's suggestion. Many MPs were in tears, and so was I.

Listen to the entire episode with @sarahemclaugh on your preferred podcast platform: Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sho… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3cH7zY… YouTube: youtu.be/Ery_HY1cXiM?si… (2/2)

Do restrictions on free speech yield their intended effects? @TheFIREorg expert Sarah McLaughlin explains why censoring speech often creates more radicalism and extremism. (1/2)

Until now, Vladimir Putin’s government is thought to have provided intelligence that enabled Iran to target American forces in the Middle East. Our exclusive reporting shows it also offered to send fibre-optic drones of the sort used in the Ukraine war economist.com/europe/2026/05…

In testimony before the @HelsinkiComm, FDD's @therealBehnamBT explained how Congress can support the Iranian people while cutting the ties between Tehran and Moscow. 2/5 x.com/FDD/status/204…

At #CERN this morning with #OSCE26CH to discuss how emerging technologies impact every aspect of modern life including military, science, economic, and ethical realms.

Listen to the full episode on your preferred podcast platform: Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7Bunog… YouTube: youtu.be/7uWf0GNbDMw?si… (2/2)

On the latest episode of The Transatlantic, Benjamin Nathans describes the remarkable boomerang mechanism that allowed Soviet dissident texts to travel to the West and be broadcast back into the USSR to reach millions. (1/2)

Running out of money for your stupid unprovoked illegal war? No problem in Russia—just steal someone else’s! …They probably stole it themselves anyway.

NEW: SPECIAL REPORT | Russia’s Resettlement Strategy in Occupied Ukraine Russia is engaged in a deliberate, sophisticated, and systematic campaign to repopulate occupied areas of Ukraine with Russian citizens as part of a broader effort to consolidate control and forcibly integrate these territories into the Russian state. Russia’s overarching strategic objective is to engineer a demographic reality in occupied Ukraine by making occupied territories appear intrinsically Russian, thereby entrenching occupation governance and complicating any future reintegration into Ukraine. Russia has now occupied about 20 percent of Ukraine for over four years. These four years have granted Moscow time and space to solidify its control over occupied territories using a variety of military, social, economic, political, legal, and bureaucratic mechanisms.

As he promised them last November, @magyarpeterMP has invited the Romani children's band from the village of Sükösd to perform at his inauguration. The continued outreach by the Tisza Party to the Romani community gives real, palpable hope for the future of this nation. 🙏🏼🇭🇺🕊️

Three months later, this is my last @washingtonpost story — delayed because nearly everyone involved in it was laid off. I am very grateful to newsroom friends who made sure it published anyway, and to brave Roman Mongold and his family for their time. wapo.st/4cNY7Cm

Hear more from Robert Rose about the importance of Ukraine’s Fortress Belt in the Donetsk Oblast: youtube.com/live/NYBArTyTc… (2/2)

Ukraine's control of the Fortress Belt is critical for the endurance of its frontline forces and operational depth. The loss of this fortified defensive line would extend Russia's operational reach, making several Ukrainian cities more vulnerable to a major offensive. (1/2)