CFR Staff

Vishnu Sriram

Research Associate, National Security

Ukraine

Here’s How Much Aid the United States Has Sent Ukraine
Ten charts illustrate the extraordinary level of support the United States has provided Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders.

Article by Jonathan Masters and Will Merrow March 11, 2025

Palestinian Territories

The UN’s Palestinian Aid Controversy: What’s at Stake

The leading UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees faces severe funding cuts and suspended services, with huge consequences for millions of Palestinians. It remains enmeshed in controversy over accusations that some of its employees were involved in Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel.

In Brief by Christina Bouri March 6, 2025

United Nations

Funding the United Nations: How Much Does the U.S. Pay?
Many UN agencies, programs, and missions receive crucial funding from the United States. In his second administration, President Trump is again calling for greater scrutiny of U.S. funding and involvement in the global body, and he has signaled sharp cutbacks in some payments.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors February 28, 2025

Top Stories on CFR

RealEcon

Steel Productivity has Plummeted Since Trump’s 2018 Tariffs
Studies have shown that tariffs depress productivity in protected industries. U.S. steel is a case in point.

Post by Benn Steil and Elisabeth Harding March 6, 2025 Geo-Graphics

Arctic

What Would Greenland’s Independence Mean for U.S. Interests?
The island’s residents have voted in favor of a party that seeks gradual independence from Denmark. But Greenland has attracted significant attention from President Trump, who sees the island’s considerable mineral wealth and location in the Arctic as necessary for U.S. national security.

Article by Diana Roy and Jonathan Masters March 13, 2025

Syria

Syria’s Surge in Violence Does Not Signal a New Civil War—for Now
A spate of attacks involving loyalists to former ruler President Bashar al-Assad has spurred concerns of a return to sectarian warfare in Syria, but there is still a path for the country’s new rulers to find stability.

Expert Brief by Steven A. Cook March 12, 2025