Caption
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signs the golden book as he meets Norway’s king on October 20, 2026, at the Royal Palace in Oslo. (Getty Images)
Caption
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on May 9, 2015 (RIA Novosti via Getty Images)
Soon after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, experts began using the term “hybrid warfare” to describe the threat posed by the Kremlin to neighboring countries. But there is now widespread recognition that Vladimir Putin is pursuing broader ambitions to build a network of anti-Western states, destroy NATO, and ultimately marginalize the United States and the West in order to achieve regional hegemony and global power.
In Weaponizing Kleptocracy: Putin’s Hybrid Warfare, Marius Laurinavicius explores the roots of the kleptocratic dimension of Russia’s hybrid warfare, how kleptocracy fits into Putin’s global strategy, and the ways in which it increases the risk of a conventional war between Russia and the West.
On June 14, Hudson Institute hosted a discussion of these issues with Charles Davidson, Executive Director of the Kleptocracy Initiative; Jeffrey Gedmin, Atlantic Council Nonresident Senior Fellow; Marius Laurinavicius, BAFF Security Research Fellow; Hannah Thoburn, Hudson Institute Research Fellow; and Michael Weiss, CNN Investigative Reporter for International Affairs.
Related Events
12
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
From Dependence to Resilience: Financing a Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Featured Speakers:
Caroline Vik
Maryll Toufanian
Nick Snyder
12
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
From Dependence to Resilience: Financing a Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Join DFC Chief Policy Officer Caroline Vik and Amneal Pharmaceuticals Senior Vice President Maryll Toufanian for a conversation moderated by Senior Fellow Nick Snyder. The discussion will examine America’s strategy to secure pharmaceutical supply chains and the work ahead for policymakers and industry as they pursue sustainable solutions in a complex market and policy environment.
Featured Speakers:
Caroline Vik
Maryll Toufanian
Nick Snyder
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The Future of US-Japan Cooperation in a Competitive World: Economic Security and Strategy
Featured Speakers:
Nick Snyder
Hiroyuki Nakashima
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The Future of US-Japan Cooperation in a Competitive World: Economic Security and Strategy
Join Japan Bank for International Cooperation Senior Managing Director Hiroyuki Nakashima and Senior Fellow Nick Snyder for a conversation on the state of the US-Japan relationship, the links between economic cooperation and national security, and the opportunities and challenges ahead for the alliance.
Featured Speakers:
Nick Snyder
Hiroyuki Nakashima
18
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom and Reindustrializing America
Featured Speakers:
Congressman Mike Rogers
Nadia Schadlow
18
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom and Reindustrializing America
Join House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03) for a fireside discussion with Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow on Congress’s role in revitalizing America’s defense industrial base.
Featured Speakers:
Congressman Mike Rogers
Nadia Schadlow
19
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Peace Through Strength: How Reagan’s Military Buildup Won the Cold War
Featured Speakers:
Roger Zakheim
Nadia Schadlow
19
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Peace Through Strength: How Reagan’s Military Buildup Won the Cold War
Join Hudson Institute for a conversation with Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow and Roger Zakheim, director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, to discuss Peace Through Strength and what President Reagan’s buildup can teach US policymakers today.
Featured Speakers:
Roger Zakheim
Nadia Schadlow
Related Research
Caption
Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft and Lightfish USVs deploy in formation during a live robotic and autonomous systems demonstration during Exercise Obangame Express 2026 in Douala, Cameroon, on April 25, 2026. (US Navy)
Caption
A US Navy MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter supports Project Freedom. (US Navy)
Caption
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb addresses journalists following a telephone call between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, on October 27, 2026. (Getty Images)
