USAID veteran David Jacobstein summarizes his new paper A personal reflection on Thinking and Working Politically (TWP) at USAID. He argues that TWP is gaining ground, but losing focus. An increasing pursuit of tactical TWP makes programmes smarter in the short run, but what is also called for is strategic TWP that ensures development efforts contribute to deeper transformations in power, institutions, and resilience.

In wartime Ukraine, the battle against corruption is just as critical as the battle against Russia. In July 2025, a sudden political move to weaken Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions sparked mass protests—and a rapid government U-turn. In this blog, TPP Associate and Ukrainian lawyer Andrii Biletskyi explains the political economy factors behind this anti-corruption drama, and why strong, independent institutions are essential to Ukraine’s survival and its Euro-Atlantic future.

In his new blog, TPP Director Neil McCulloch urges a rethink of aid following USAID’s collapse and deep UK cuts. He proposes a low-cost, adaptive model focused on supporting local coalitions for change, rather than imposing external solutions. This “transformational” approach blends development, diplomacy, and security tools, aiming for sustainable, locally driven reform based on how real progress has historically been achieved.