Russia, Ukraine and the NATO question

Fartlek is a Swedish term for “speed play.” This informal version of interval training is simple, effective and dare we say … enjoyable? And not just because fartlek is fun to say. Exercise columnist Gretchen Reynolds is here to vouch for this often-overlooked, decades-old practi ...  Show more

Today, we revisit one of our favorite episodes from the past year: about the science of how dogs make us calmer, happier — and maybe even more trusting.If you want more optimistic content on the weekends, let us know at podcasts@washpost.com and maggie.penman@washpost.com – and c ...  Show more

War in Ukraine and the threat of conflict in the Baltics raise fundamental questions about the West’s military alliance. What is NATO for? And is it up to the job? More countries have been joining the club, but those who foot the bill seem to be becoming less keen to do so. Do wo ...  Show more

Russia never wanted NATO to spread east through the former soviet republics. But it especially didn't want it to reach Ukraine. A compromise in 2008 put Ukraine on the path to membership, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is now effectively holding the country hostage in effor ...  Show more

What will it take to end the war in Ukraine? A plan for what happens inside Ukraine is a prerequisite for peace in the six-year civil war. But that will not suffice if the conflict’s broader geostrategic underpinnings are not addressed, explains Olga, our host-turned-guest for th ...  Show more

NATO leaders are gathered in Madrid for the most consequential meeting in the organization’s history. The summit kicked off by enlarging the alliance, giving Putin more NATO, not less: when Sweden and Finland become NATO member states, it will lengthen Russia’s border with the al ...  Show more