This is how to defeat Vladimir Putin

 

Vladimir Putin inspects an honour guard at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, 20 May 2026
Photo by Maxim Shemetov

This is how to defeat Vladimir Putin

The Russian dictator’s dreams of greatness threaten Nato and the EU, not just Ukraine. Here are eight ways in which he can be thwarted

Timothy Garton Ash
Sat 23 May 2026

No dictator lasts for ever. One day Vladimir Putin will be gone. Recent reports suggest growing weakness in the Russian economy, discontent in society and a waning of confidence inside his regime – but it would be foolish to conclude the end is near. Only death or Russia can depose Putin, and nobody knows when or how that will happen. What democracies in Europe and beyond can do is hone a strategy to defeat his external ambitions. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of eight elements of such a strategy.

Putin

‘There is profound disappointment in him’: mood in Russia turns against Putin

Increasingly isolated president is determined to press on with Ukraine war, say well-placed sources, despite ailing economy

Pjotr Sauer and Shaun Walker
Sunday 24 May 2026

Vladimir Putin pulled up to a hotel in central Moscow earlier in May in a Russian-made SUV, dressed casually in jeans and a light jacket. Carrying a bouquet of flowers, he walked unhurriedly into the lobby and embraced his former schoolteacher Vera Gurevich, who kissed him on both cheeks.

Nedra Talley Ross, last surviving member of the Ronettes, dies aged 80

 

The Ronettes in 1964: (L-R) Nedra Talley Ross, Ronnie Spector and Estelle Bennett. Ross, who was the final surviving member, has died aged 80.

Nedra Talley Ross, last surviving member of the Ronettes, dies aged 80

Singer performed hits including Be My Baby with her cousins Ronnie Spector and Estelle Bennett

Sian Cain and Ben Beaumont-Thomas

Mon 27 Apr 2026

Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the 1960s pop band the Ronettes, has died aged 80.

Beverley Martyn, spirited British folk singer, dies aged 79

 

BeverleycMartyn in 1970

Beverley Martyn, spirited British folk singer, dies aged 79

Singer-songwriter was known for collaborations with former husband John Martyn as well as star-studded 1960s singles and 2014 comeback album

Ben Beaumont-Thomas

Tue 28 Apr 2026

British folk singer Beverley Martyn, known for her collaborations with her former husband John Martyn as well as spirited, sublime solo work, has died aged 79.

 

Totó la Momposina
Bogotá, 2021

Totó la Momposina, vocalist and Colombian music legend, dies aged 85

The singer was one of her country’s most’s popular musical exports, and travelled the world with an evangelistic vision for spreading cumbia music

Ben Beaumont-Thomas

Wed 20 May 2026

Totó la Momposina, one of the most celebrated musicians in Colombian history, has died aged 85.

Pius XII / between silence, strategy, and survival

 

Pope Pius XII visiting Piazza San Giovanni after the bombings of Rome on 13 August 1943

Pius XII: between silence, strategy, and survival

Tracing the life, rise, and complex wartime role of Eugenio Pacelli in an era of global upheaval

15 JANUARY 2026, 

BRENDA LEE BOHEN

So, who was Pius XII? Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Pacelli became Pope Pius XII on March 2, 1939. His parents were Virginia Graziosi and Filippo Pacelli. His father was dean of the consistorial lawyers, and his brother, Francesco, was a jurist of the Holy See and member of the Vatican Commission that prepared the editing of the Lateran Pacts, an agreement with the Italian State that legally separated the Vatican from the nation of Italy and compensated the Vatican for the loss of the Papal States conquered by the Kingdom of Italy in 1870. The Vatican City was all that was left of the Church’s holdings and was legally separated into its own sovereign country in an agreement with the Prime Minister, Benito Mussolini, in 1929. The Pacelli family was very familiar with the safe and slow judicial offices of the Roman Curia.

Gary L. Krupp / The other story of Pacelli

 

Monument to Pius XII (Mar 2, 1939-Oct 9, 1958) Eugenio Pacelli by Francesco Messina, 1963

Gary L. Krupp: the other story of Pacelli

What newly examined documents reveal about Pius XII, the Vatican, and Jewish survival under nazi pressure

15 APRIL 2026, 

BRENDA LEE BOHEN

Rome, 1929: Mussolini said that the Jewish people have been in Rome since the time of the Etruscan kings. He suggested that maybe the Roman Jews provided the clothes after the Sabine women were taken. There were thousands of Jews during the time of Augustus, and they were asked to mourn at Caesar’s funeral pyre. They will be left undisturbed.

Michelangelo and the Dream of the Sistine

 

Cover of the book Michelangelo and the dream of the Sistine Chapel co-authored by Valentina Ansuini and Jade Bajeot and Illustrated by Sabrina Gabrielli

Michelangelo and the Dream of the Sistine

An illustrated children’s book about Michelangelo and his challenging work in the Sistine Chapel

15 MAY 2026, 

BRENDA LEE BOHEN

Children are usually exposed to history through fragments of information: historical dates to learn, historical figures to summarize, and masterpieces of arts seen as cultural references far removed from real life. However, history can be made more interesting with storytelling, images, and the element of intrigue. These notions are central to the book entitled Michelangelo and the Dream of the Sistine Chapel written for children and illustrated by Sabrina Gabrielli along with co-authors Valentina Ansuini and Jade Bajeot. Although it can be treated as another typical biography book or museum guide, this project fits into larger debates about childhood engagement with history and art history museums.

The southern dome of the inner narthex of the Chora Church in Istanbul, Turkey, features stunning Byzantine mosaics depicting Christ, Istanbul, Turkey

Erdal İnci and the Kariye: preserving a Byzantine legacy

A contemporary artist's perspective on the historical layers of the Chora

13 APRIL 2025, 

IDIL BURKUTOGLU

The Kariye Church, the main surviving church of the Khora Monastery, dates back to the sixth century and is one of the most important monuments of Byzantine art due to its magnificent mosaics and frescoes. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Historic Areas of Istanbul. The name "Khora" possibly refers to the area's rural nature, as "Khora" means "country" or "outskirts." In the Ottoman period, it was known as Kariye, which could relate to the word "karye," meaning "village." Some of the representations of the Virgin Mary and Christ inside the church carry the "Khora" attribute, suggesting possible mystical meanings beyond the word’s literal meaning.

Sacred bones / The macabre beauty of San Bernardino alle Ossa

Embedded skull and bones details, Ossuary Chapel, Church of San Bernardino alle Ossa, Milan, Italy

Sacred bones: the macabre beauty of San Bernardino alle Ossa

Milan’s haunting chapel of bones and the deep reflection on mortality

13 MARCH 2025, 

IDIL BURKUTOGLU

Nestled in the heart of Milan, Italy, the Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa is a striking testament to both the macabre and artistic ingenuity. The origins of both the ossuary and the Church of St. Bernardino date back to the 13th century. In 1145, a hospital was built near the basilica of St. Stefano at what is now Via Brolo. A cemetery was created in front of the basilica to bury those who died in the hospital, but after a few years, the available space became insufficient. 

Ai Weiwei / In search of humanity

 

Ai Weiwei, In search of humanity, exhibition view (detail). Courtesy of Kunsthal Rotterdam

The power of intersection

30 Sep 2023 — 3 Mar 2024 at the Kunsthal Rotterdam in Rotterdam, Netherlands

IDIL BURKUTOGLU

Typically, when the term "intersection" is mentioned, people often think of it as a point — a singular moment where two or more objects meet or cross. This could be a place where two lines intersect, or where a car reaches an intersection in the road. It’s easy to imagine it as a specific, single event, a point of interaction or connection. However, the concept of "intersection" can be much broader, especially in three-dimensional space. While the intersection of two lines will always be a point, when it comes to planes, the intersection becomes more complex. For instance, when two flat planes (such as a wall and a floor) meet, they don't just meet at a point; they create a line of intersection. This is where the planes continuously meet, forming a line that extends across the planes, rather than being confined to a single spot.