Experts in the News

As countries like Canada and the UK take steps to ease entry requirements for Ukrainian refugees, most Ukrainians can’t come to the U.S. without a visa. “I think if the U.S. doesn’t do something further, it would be very out of pace with what most Western nations are doing right now to help support Ukrainians," says Middle East fellow Kelsey Norman, director of the Women's Rights, Human Rights and Refugees Program.

A U.S. ban on Russian oil imports has brought renewed interest in Venezuela's bountiful reserves. But when assessing how much oil Venezuela is actually producing, “we should be much more conservative if Maduro is the [president] in place,” Latin American said energy fellow Francisco. "The outlook isn’t immediately rosy for Venezuela’s [energy] sector."

Congratulations to fellow Katharine Neill Harris and scholar Christopher F. Kulesza, recipients of a drug policy research grant from Ohio State University's Drug Enforcement and Policy Center. Neill Harris and Kulesza will use the funds to study the impact of cannabis legalization on county-level drug enforcement patterns.

“UAE leadership does not want to take sides" in the conflict, saidMiddle East fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichson. “That is harder to balance when they are on the UN Security Council and when the relationship between the U.S. and Russia has ruptured so dramatically.”

Given Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- which apparently has been more difficult than the Kremlin envisioned -- how might a similar attempt by China to seize Taiwan play out? "If the invader can’t force capitulation within three to four days, it’s likely in for a grinding, protracted campaign," said fellow Gabe Collins.