Council of Councils
Think Global Health
The U.S. ratification of the stalled Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama indicates that "there is a possibility, despite the very great partisan divisions in Congress, of bipartisan cooperation on economic issues," says CFR’s Edward Alden. However, Alden emphasizes that "it is important not to overstate the potential job creation benefits" of the agreements.
Top Stories on CFR
The rise of middle powers in recent decades has offered a counterweight to the strain created by the United States, China, and Russia in international affairs. But although middle powers challenge great power leadership within multilateral institutions, they also create stability within those institutions and have a vested interested in maintaining it.
The world faces unresolved conflicts, growing climate crises, attacks on aid workers, two famines, and diminishing political will—along with significant aid cuts. Altogether, 2025 has earned a grim new superlative: the worst humanitarian year on record.
As 2025 comes to a close, here are the ten most notable world events of the year.