David R. Sands

Raised in Northern Virginia, David R. Sands received an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He worked as a reporter for several Washington-area business publications before joining The Washington Times.

At The Times, Mr. Sands has covered numerous beats, including international trade, banking, politics and Capitol Hill, and spent eight years on the foreign desk as senior diplomatic correspondent. He is currently the deputy editor for politics. In addition, he has reviewed books and written feature stories for the newspaper and authored The Times' weekly chess column since 1993. He is also senior writer for Washington GolfStyles, a monthly publication covering the Mid-Atlantic golf scene.

Articles by David R. Sands

Turkish leader Erdogan pours cold water on NATO membership for Finland, Sweden

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he opposed plans by Finland, and possibly Sweden, to apply to join NATO - an application which must be unanimously endorsed by the 27 countries of the Western military alliance to be approved. Published May 13, 2022

Russia fumes as NATO leaders welcome Finland bid to join alliance

Russian officials were quick to promise retaliation Thursday as Finland's top leaders confirmed they were ready to abandon decades of neutrality and apply to join the NATO military alliance "without delay." Published May 12, 2022

Fischer was a model of sanity and realism — at the chessboard

Incredibly for those of us who were first drawn to the game by the excitement and spectacle of the time, this year marks the 50th anniversary -- a full half-century -- of Bobby Fischer's epic run to the world chess title, culminating in the on- and off-board drama of Bobby's defeat of star-crossed Soviet world champion Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland. Published May 10, 2022

Channeling a champ at his own chess tournament

The great Cuban world champion Jose Raul Capablanca had a trademark touch that propelled some of his greatest victories -- the petite combinaison, the little tactical flourish designed not to mate a king or win a queen but to secure the tiniest of positional advantages such as control of a vital square or the trade of a bad bishop for a good knight. Published May 3, 2022

Macron talks to Putin as Germany’s Scholz shuns trip to Kyiv

French President Emmanuel Macron held a two-hour telephone conversation Tuesday morning with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid reports the Kremlin could be ready to declare breakaway parts of eastern Ukraine as part of Russia's sovereign territory. Published May 3, 2022

Battle for Mariupol back on after civilian convoy finally allowed out

Russian forces renewed their assault on the key Ukrainian port city of Mariupol on Sunday just hours after a convoy of civilian refugees was finally allowed to leave, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy greeted a U.S. congressional delegation headed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and accused the Kremlin of pursuing a "war of extermination." Published May 1, 2022

Civilian evacuation from besieged Ukrainian port of Mariupol underway, officials say

Civilians trapped in the grim battle for control of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol have been allowed to start leaving the city by besieging Russian forces, the United Nations and the Ukrainian government said Sunday. Published May 1, 2022

German push to cut Russian energy dependence shows results

Germany has made significant headway already in cutting its dependence on Russian fossil fuels since the start of the Ukrainian invasion in February, officials said Sunday. Published May 1, 2022

Leading Chinese drone maker DJI cuts off Russia, Ukraine

DJI Technology Co., the Chinese manufacturer who claims a massive share of the global market for commercial drones, said Wednesday it is suspending sales to Russia and Ukraine as the Kremlin's invasion of its neighbor enters its third month. Published April 27, 2022

U.S., allied military leaders defy Kremlin with new Ukraine aid plans

Russia's top diplomat and America's top defense official traded charges of saber-rattling Tuesday, as military leaders from the U.S. and more than three dozen allies met in Germany to discuss how to speed up arms flows to Ukraine as it seeks to halt a coming offensive by invading Russian troops in the east and south. Published April 26, 2022

American Cup represents a chess stress test

There is plenty of stress in classical chess, where the slightest misstep can lead to catastrophic loss and a single move can ruin seven hours of hard work. Published April 26, 2022

Joint Sweden, Finland bid for NATO expected within weeks

A joint application from Sweden and Finland to end their longstanding policy of neutrality and apply for NATO membership could be coming in a matter of weeks, according to press reports Monday from both countries. Published April 25, 2022

Russian general hints at broadening war aims

A senior Russian commander for the first time Friday openly suggested the Kremlin's territorial appetite extends beyond Ukraine as the invasion drags on into its third month. Published April 22, 2022

The (chess) kids are all right, judging from these games

Today's games give one fresh hope for the future of chess, with some marvelously creative and daring ideas from two young players who we hope will be giving us such pleasure for years to come. We wrote here last week of Maryland master Bijan Tahmassebi's fine performance finishing in a seven-way tie for first at the recent U.S. National High School Championships in Memphis. Published April 19, 2022

Missing-in-action Russian defense minister surfaces

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who has been most notable for his absence from the public eye for nearly all of the troubled eight-week invasion of Ukraine, surfaced Monday to defend the operation and insist Russian forces are on track to "liberate" two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. Published April 19, 2022

Iranian military shows off new drones, hardware in Tehran parade

Iran's military forces showcased a line of new weaponry in a major Tehran parade Monday, even as talks with the U.S. and other powers over Iran's nuclear programs hang in the balance. Published April 18, 2022

Pentagon backs Ukrainian claim that missile sunk Russian Black Sea flagship

U.S. officials said Friday they are increasingly convinced that a Ukrainian missile sank Russia's leading warship in the Black Sea this week, as Ukrainian officials announced that the Russian captain of the massive cruiser Moskva was among those killed in the strike. Published April 15, 2022

Sinking of storied flagship latest blow to Russian war push

An invasion of Ukraine that has not gone according to Russia's plans took another high-profile hit Thursday as the flagship of the Kremlin's Black Sea fleet sank and President Biden hinted he may visit Ukraine in the coming days to bolster the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Published April 14, 2022

Boris Johnson fined for breaking COVID rules in Britain’s ‘Partygate’

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a top Cabinet aide are being fined for a series of social events that violated the Johnson government's own protocols at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in a scandal that has come to be known as "Partygate." Published April 12, 2022

St. Louis University aces the test at college chess Final Four

We wrote recently about a welcome surge in quality chess programs at colleges around the country, but -- as with college football and hoops -- it's the blue bloods who are still claiming the big prizes for now. Published April 12, 2022