Amid talk of China’s increased presence in Pakistan and Afghanistan, little attention has been given to Russia’s steady return to the region. For better or for worse, Russia has definitely returned to the neighbourhood.

With the rapid modernisation of China's nuclear forces comes the potential for a change in China's nuclear strategy. What are the implications for future US-China relations and regional stability?

There is a broad consensus in the Western world that the rules-based order that has governed international relations for the past 70 years is under unprecedented strain. Where are the most serious threats coming from? How fundamental are they and how can they be dealt with?

Australia considers the stability of the current rules-based international order as a strategic interest. But defence of this order first requires Australia to determine which rules are worth fighting for and which ones can accommodate change. To date, no clear answer has emerged.

Canberra is focusing on how to sustain the rules-based order given the Trump Administration’s apparent disinclination to incur the costs required to buttress that order.  Some of this Presidency’s animating principles – its transactionalism, suspicion of multilateralism and protectionism– run counter to that very order.

Recent years have been a period of tremendous change for the EU, internally and in its relations with the rest of the world. Both the EU and Australia would benefit from closer ties with like-minded global actors that share the same values and objectives.

Australia’s values and freedoms are a source of strength and soft power in the region. Australia has better choices than supine acceptance of autocrats on the one hand or megaphone diplomacy on the other.

On 17 May the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade concluded that climate change is exacerbating threats and risks to Australia’s national security. As Australia promotes its bid for a UN Security Council seat, what can the Security Council do to lessen climate insecurity?

This week the G20 Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers took place in Argentina. Could the time spent on the middle-power MIKTA grouping be better spent elsewhere?

The dismantling of North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear testing site started this week. What are the implications of the North Korean nuclear issue for Australian national security?