Viola Gienger

Washington Senior Editor

Viola Gienger (@ViolaGienger) is Washington Senior Editor for Just Security and a research scholar at NYU School of Law with a focus on foreign affairs, U.S. foreign and defense policy, international security, and development.  She previously served as senior editor/writer at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, where she worked on issues including violent extremism, gender, and religion, and conducted research and program strategy work on Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine. A career journalist, she was an editor and reporter at Bloomberg News, including covering the State Department and the Pentagon for five years.

Gienger lived and worked for seven years in the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, five years managing training programs and consulting for independent media in transition, and two years as a freelance journalist. She has reported from more than 30 countries, including in the Middle East and Asia, and has appeared as a guest commentator and moderator in television, radio, and podcasts. In October 2023, she gave the National Security Distinguished Lecture at the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee.

Her freelance work has included writing and editing for the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, and the Wilson Center, and serving as guest national security editor at The Cipher Brief. Her writing also has been published in the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy’s Fletcher Security Review, the Atlantic Council’s Ukraine Alert, Ozy, the Chicago Tribune, Newhouse’s Religion News Service, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Transitions Online and Al-Monitor.

She is a regular judge in national journalism contests and a member of the National Press Club, Journalism & Women Symposium and the Society of Professional Journalists. Gienger is also on LinkedIn.

Articles by this author:

The Just Security Podcast: Russia’s Political Prisoners and Their Lawyers: Vladimir Kara-Murza’s Case Highlights the Risks

by , , , and

Feb 5th, 2024

Policy Alert: Key Questions in Hamas’ Attack on Israel and What Comes Next

by and

Oct 9th, 2023

The Just Security Podcast: Recapping the NATO Summit

by , , , , and

Jul 12th, 2023

Wagner Chief’s Mutiny in Russia: Cautionary Notes on Early Assessments

by

Jun 26th, 2023

Biden Prepares to Fete Modi Amid US Reports of India’s Rights Abuses, Repression

by

Jun 20th, 2023

Early Edition for August 12, 2022

by and

Aug 12th, 2022

Tunisians, Fed Up With `Non-Delivering Democracy,’ Set to Vote on Retrograde Constitution: Civil Society’s Role

by

Jul 23rd, 2022

Справжній страх Путіна: Конституційний лад України

by and

Mar 24th, 2022

Putin’s Real Fear: Ukraine’s Constitutional Order

by and

Mar 24th, 2022

U.S. Under Secretary of State Nuland on Accelerating Aid to Ukraine and Sanctions Against Russia

by

Mar 9th, 2022

Вплив на плани Путіна: інформаційна війна та російський народ

by

Mar 3rd, 2022

Influencing Putin’s Calculus: The Information War and the Russian Public

by

Mar 3rd, 2022

Holding Putin and Russia Accountable: A List of Legal and Policy Options

by , , and

Feb 25th, 2022

Biden’s `Initiative for Democratic Renewal’ — Analysis from Diplomats, Top Experts

by

Dec 10th, 2021

Early Edition: April 2, 2021

by

Apr 2nd, 2021

Early Edition: March 29, 2021

by

Mar 29th, 2021

Blinken Sails Through Queries on Iran, China, Russia, NATO, and More in Secretary of State Confirmation Hearing

by

Jan 20th, 2021

Ousted Autocratic Presidents and Their Backers in the Legislative Branch

by

Jan 15th, 2021

UN Resolution on Women, Peace, and Security Stumbles in Iraq When It’s Needed Most

by

Oct 31st, 2020

Coronavirus, Public Perceptions and the Dangers of “News Deserts”

by

Mar 25th, 2020

Timeline: Trump, Giuliani, Biden, and Ukrainegate

by and

Jan 31st, 2020

15 Questions the Media Should Be Asking Lev Parnas

by and

Jan 17th, 2020

The Trump-Giuliani Election Plan: Manipulating Voters

by

Dec 18th, 2019

Timeline: Rep. Devin Nunes and Ukraine Disinformation Efforts

by and

Nov 26th, 2019