The latest on Russia's war on Ukraine [What Think Tanks are thinking]

Russian President Vladimir Putin used his speech at the annual Victory Day over Nazi Germany, on 9 May, to mobilise support among the country's citizens for its 11-week-old war on Ukraine, claiming that Moscow had to defend itself against imminent attack. Recently, Russia has shifted its military efforts towards the east and south-east of Ukraine, as well as to the bombing of critical infrastructure, after it failed to capture Kyiv, the capital. In some areas abandoned by the Russian forces, Ukrainian troops and journalists found many dead civilians and other evidence of war crimes. The United States and European Union countries have increased military aid to Ukraine. Finland and Sweden are to apply for membership of the NATO military alliance. Russia has cut gas deliveries to Bulgaria and Poland, escalating its conflict with the EU, which in turn is pondering an embargo on imports of Russian energy to deprive Moscow of funds needed to finance the war, on top of a wide range of existing sanctions. This note gathers links to the recent publications and commentaries from many international think tanks on Russia's war on Ukraine, its implications for the two countries, for the European Union and for the world. Earlier analyses of the implications of the war can be found in a previous edition of the 'What Think Tanks are Thinking' series.