The best geopolitics newsletters

Interconnects AI is a technical newsletter from inside frontier AI labs, covering open-weight model developments, geopolitics of AI regulation, and the future direction of AI research and engineering. Readers get analysis of model releases, policy moves, and grounded takes on AI progress without hype.

Chartbook is Adam Tooze's newsletter on economics, geopolitics and history, offering longer and more freewheeling analysis than his journalism. Recent issues feature curated top links alongside essays on topics like US current account and AI investment, Treasury markets, Indonesia's economic crisis, and historical episodes.

Sinocism delivers a near-daily briefing on Chinese politics, economy, trade, technology and foreign policy, with curated items from official and Chinese-language sources plus commentary. It also includes a companion podcast (Sharp China) discussing export controls, GDP data and Party meetings.

Noema is an online magazine publishing long-form essays on politics, history, science, and society, with issues covering topics like Sudan's conflicts, short-termism in democracies, and coastal erosion. Readers get in-depth, thoughtful analysis and reportage from a variety of contributors.

Sinification presents Chinese-language perspectives on trade, economics and foreign policy, using translated excerpts, expert commentary and live conversations. Readers get analysis of how Chinese scholars and commentators view issues such as EU-China trade tensions, global imbalances and China's relations with Brazil.

A long-form newsletter by Mick Ryan examining Ukraine's war, Indo-Pacific defence, and how technology such as uncrewed systems is changing warfare. Readers get analytical commentary on US policy toward Ukraine and detailed discussion of robotic ground combat.

Exponential View, by Azeem Azhar, offers analytical essays and data-driven briefings on AI, the AI economy, and broader technology and geopolitical trends. Readers get concise analysis of market dynamics, company financials, and long-range thinking about how artificial intelligence may reshape work and society.

Niall Ferguson's Time Machine is a Substack newsletter from historian Niall Ferguson that uses historical analysis to examine current economics, politics, and culture. Issues cover topics such as European protests and debt, American founding principles, election-year risks, and newly unlocked Nixon White House tape transcripts.

SemiAnalysis is a paid research newsletter covering semiconductors and their business implications, including datacenter buildout, chip manufacturing equipment, and AI policy. Each issue offers deep-dive analysis with forecasts, supply-chain detail, and data models for investors and industry professionals.

Ed Conway's newsletter examines the hidden economic and geopolitical forces shaping the modern world, from energy and diesel markets to national economic models. Issues mix original interviews, such as a transcript with India's Chief Economic Adviser, with long-form analytical essays drawing on his books and reporting.

Kyle Orton writes long-form analysis of terrorism, geopolitics and Middle East and Caucasus affairs, with substantial historical and source-critical depth. Readers get detailed essays on topics such as the Karabakh conflict, Armenian casualty figures and Iranian-linked threats to Britain.

Doomberg publishes long-form essays on energy markets, finance and geopolitics, often challenging mainstream political and media narratives. Readers get contrarian, data-informed analysis of topics such as LNG flows, sanctions, BRICS and hydroelectric contracts.

Essays on the political economy and geopolitics of advanced AI, covering industrial strategy for middle powers, government oversight of frontier labs, and the policy implications of datacenter buildouts. Readers get original argument and forward-looking policy proposals rather than news roundups.

Essays on technology, geopolitics and U.S.-China relations, drawing on original research, firsthand travel and policy analysis. Readers get argued positions on AI chips, frontier AI access as a tool of power, and allied strategy in Asia.

Middle East Uncovered publishes essays, analysis and reported pieces by regional writers and experts on political and social developments across the Middle East. Recent issues cover Syria's political transition, Palestinian refugees returning to ruined camps, and a Bahraini perspective on Iranian attacks on the Gulf.

Independent research newsletter that publishes trade updates and analysis on energy, macro and geopolitics, with specific long and short positions. Readers get a point-of-view read on sell-side notes, company news and market events, tied back to earlier pieces.

A paid-subscription newsletter tracking the escalation trajectory of the Iran war, with frameworks for judging shifts in conflict dynamics and their strategic and economic effects. Recent issues analyse US-Israel-Iran signalling, Strait of Hormuz reopening proposals and Russian mediation with a clear forecasting angle.

Analysis of Russian foreign and security policy and the war in Ukraine, including a dedicated drone warfare report and weekly reviews of battlefield and political developments. Issues combine operational detail, commander insights and context on events such as Starlink restrictions and Operation Vivaldi.

A newsletter reporting from Kyiv on the war in Ukraine, combining on-the-ground human stories with analysis of US policy toward Ukraine. Each issue has a lead story plus a short list of latest headlines.

Newsletter from the Special Competitive Studies Project, a US think tank, covering technology and national security policy. Issues include in-depth analysis pieces by SCSP staff and a weekly podcast-style tech brief with expert guests.

openDemocracy publishes investigative journalism on far-right networks, technology and surveillance, migration, gender and rights. Readers get original reporting, such as leaked-document investigations, alongside editorial roundups and appeals for donations.

A newsletter by a veteran foreign correspondent covering New Zealand's foreign policy, diplomacy and place in global politics, mixing original reporting and interviews with curated reading. Issues include political profiles, election-season analysis and a weekly round-up of international news.

Chris Harding writes personal, well-researched essays on Japanese food, history and modern society, linking everyday encounters to wider East-West stories. Readers get vivid explanations of cultural curiosities alongside clear-eyed commentary on Japan's place in global technology and geopolitics.

Konstantin Kisin writes opinion essays on politics, culture and comedy, from a contrarian centre-right and horseshoe-theory perspective. Recent issues cover Trump's Russia-Ukraine energy ceasefire, a Tucker Carlson and Jacob Rees-Mogg debate, and Andy Burnham and British economic policy.

Analysis of technology, policy and strategic infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific, with a focus on China, export controls and elite Party politics. Includes guest essays by Yue Millward alongside the author's own commentary, written for decision makers in government and industry.

A foreign policy newsletter by journalist Elise Labott offering commentary and analysis on global affairs, including the Ukraine war, the Middle East and women in political leadership. Issues mix opinionated takes on current events with interviews with authors and experts.

A history-focused newsletter that uses past events, such as the Russell-Einstein Manifesto and mid-century American foreign policy, to frame current debates about AI and geopolitics. Readers get long-form essays linking historical precedent to present-day risks and political choices.

High Capacity is a newsletter and podcast by Kyle Chan, a Brookings fellow, examining China's AI policy, technology industry and US-China relations. Issues mix long-form interviews with China policy experts and commentary on AI safety, regulation and geopolitics.

Essays on European sovereignty, industrial strategy and the political economy of technology, written by a Tony Blair Institute policy analyst. Readers get a policy-informed argument on state capacity, state equity stakes in tech firms and the future of the nation state, often framed through history.

Interconnected is a personal newsletter by a former GitHub international strategy leader and US-Asia tech analyst, covering US-China relations, AI talent flows, and global open source and geopolitics. Readers get informed commentary connecting summits, research findings and tech industry trends, with a clear point of view.

Nemets is a history newsletter with long essays on prehistory, archaeology, and obscure peoples, alongside broader historical processes such as the fall of the Roman Republic. Its issues also include reading lists and commentary on contemporary geopolitics like Canada and Greenland.

The Signal is a current affairs newsletter with daily briefings on international politics, Europe, North America and Turkey, plus long-form features, book and music picks. Readers get a curated digest of world news and a few in-depth analytical pieces, with much of the substance behind a membership paywall.

Short realpolitik analyses of foreign affairs, focused in these issues on US policy toward Russia and Ukraine under Trump. Readers get argued assessments of diplomatic moves, rebuttals of official claims, and recommended courses of action.

A Substack for retirees that connects geopolitics, federal fiscal data and market news to their effect on retirement budgets and portfolios. Issues use concrete household-scale examples to explain headlines and caution against reacting to them.

Independent journalist Jonathan Cook writes reader-supported opinion pieces that challenge mainstream framing, here focusing on Israel and Palestine, international law, and Western political influence. Readers get a polemical, argument-driven take that sets out a clear position on contested political questions.

A long-running newsletter by Phillips O'Brien offering a critical, strongly opinionated take on US policy toward Russia and Ukraine under Trump, with weekly updates and reality-check essays. Readers get a pointed, partisan analysis of sanctions, alliances and the front-line war.

A reader-supported commentary newsletter by a Texas-based writer covering race, education, politics, ADHD, and geopolitics with a blunt, personal voice. Issues mix first-person reflection on voting and coalition politics with research-driven explainers and critiques of media and government narratives.

A weekly roundup of how newspapers and websites around the world cover the United States and global events, drawing on dozens of international papers and sites. It quotes and excerpts foreign press such as Le Monde, The Guardian and the Kyiv Independent, with commentary from a veteran foreign correspondent.

A paid-tier oil market research newsletter offering weekly market wraps, monthly OPEC+ and positioning data decks, and free summaries on crude prices, inventories, shipping flows and Middle East supply disruption. Readers get data-driven context on the oil market, with paywalled PDF reports and podcast interviews.

A personal newsletter on geopolitics and history, written with a sharp, opinionated voice that critiques Trump administration policy on Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, and the historical roots of food-crisis fears. It mixes current events, historical analogy and a skeptical take on doomsday predictions.

Japan Optimist is a newsletter by an author involved in Japan's startup ecosystem, offering argued analysis of Japanese policy, entrepreneurship, and economics. Readers get a pro-Japan perspective on political reform under PM Takaichi, startup-policy progress, and Japan's role in US-China tech competition.

Anatoly Karlin's blog covers world politics, geopolitics, crypto markets, AI risk and rationalist ideas, mixing provocative takes with data references. Readers get contrarian, opinionated essays on macro trends, elections and existential risk.

A Substack offering geopolitical and political analysis framed through historical patterns, with commentary on US elections, the Iran war and Canadian politics. Paid subscribers also get live Zoom discussions on current events.

A historian with professional political and Hollywood experience comments on current affairs, placing events like NATO-Russia tensions and US election politics in historical context. The issues are openly partisan, mixing news roundup with sharp opinion and quoting others at length.

Independent reporting and commentary on US foreign policy, centered on the Ukraine war, US-Russia relations and Middle East conflicts. Issues include original analysis alongside links to the author's interviews and media appearances.

An independent newsletter covering financial markets, crypto, geopolitics and preparedness, written in a first-person, opinionated voice. Issues mix market commentary, interviews such as one on prepping with a former SEAL commander, and strongly argued essays on topics like mass migration.

A personal Substack by a former Big Tech engineer and architect who writes opinionated commentary on AI, the software industry, and the US-China tech race. Issues pair clickbait-style headlines with explanatory essays, personal experiments, and speculation about where the technology is heading.

A newsletter from the Renew Democracy Initiative offering political analysis of Western responses to Russia, Ukraine and authoritarian threats, with a strong focus on US policy under Trump. It pairs op-ed-style commentary by Garry Kasparov and others with podcast interviews and calls for specific policy action.

Scott Ritter's Substack offers geopolitical commentary and analysis, often critical of Western policy toward Russia and Ukraine, alongside video episodes like Trump Watch and The Russia House. Readers get a strongly opinionated, former-weapons-inspector perspective on Middle East, European and US-Russia affairs.

Balaji Srinivasan's personal newsletter covers his views on network states, startup societies, and moving from San Francisco to Singapore. It promotes his Network State Conference and offers provocative, opinionated essays on the decline of the postwar order and the rise of online-to-physical communities.