The War in Ukraine
Thomas Peter/Reuters

Ukraine

Can Stricter Sanctions Break the Stalemate in Ukraine?
The most effective way to secure a just peace between Russia and Ukraine is to stiffen sanctions enough to weaken Russia’s economic resilience—and bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

Article by Edward Fishman December 13, 2024

The War in Ukraine

How Trump Can End the War in Ukraine Link

via Foreign Affairs December 12, 2024

Ukraine

A Conversation With Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko

Play
Petro Poroshenko discusses Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia and the role of U.S. and NATO support. Please note there is no virtual component to the meeting. The audio, video, and transcript of this meeting will be posted on the CFR website.

Event with Petro Poroshenko and Liana Fix December 2, 2024

Election 2024

United States

Trump’s Foreign Policy Test

Ammar Awad/Reuters
Come January, President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a difficult foreign policy inbox that might only get more challenging.

Blog Post by James M. Lindsay December 13, 2024 The Water's Edge

Election 2024

The Price of American Retreat: Why Washington Must Reject Isolationism Link

via Foreign Affairs December 16, 2024

United States

Trump’s Foreign Policy Moments
Donald Trump’s first presidential term marked a sharp departure from previous approaches to U.S. leadership in areas such as diplomacy and trade. Here are major foreign policy moments from his four years in office.

Timeline by CFR.org Editors November 12, 2024

Future of Democracy

Asia

Elections in Asia: A Troubling Trend for Democracy
The year 2024 likely saw the highest number of people voting in recorded history. But in Asia, where most people voted, elections did not mean progress for democracy, which has been on a decade-plus-long regression.

Expert Brief by Joshua Kurlantzick December 12, 2024

Indonesia

The Tragedy of Joko Widodo
Joko Widodo assumed office promising to be a different type of leader for Indonesia. His record suggests otherwise.

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick October 22, 2024 Asia Unbound

Japan

Japan’s Ruling Coalition Rules No More

On Sunday, Japanese voters handed the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner, Komeito, an unmistakable defeat.

Blog Post by Sheila A. Smith October 27, 2024 Asia Unbound

Syria

Syria

What to Know About HTS, Hezbollah, and Iran in Syria
The ascendance of Sunni Islamist rebels in Syria should be viewed with great caution by Western powers, but the Assad regime’s collapse disables a critical node in Iran’s regional proxy network.

Expert Brief by Bruce Hoffman December 9, 2024 National Security and Defense Program

 

Rebuilding Syria After Assad Link

with Charles A. Kupchan and Sinan Ulgen via Project Syndicate December 11, 2024

Syria

A More Dangerous Iran After Assad’s Ouster?

The Bashar al-Assad regime’s rapid collapse deals a heavy blow to Iran’s “axis of resistance” and its ability to project power in the region, and it raises fears Iran will focus more on developing its nuclear program.

Expert Brief by Ray Takeyh December 8, 2024 Middle East Program

U.S. Foreign Policy

China

Unpacking the China-Russia No-Limits Partnership
Beijing’s and Moscow’s relationship has strengthened militarily, economically, and diplomatically in the past two decades, demonstrating their commitment to a “no limits” partnership.

Article by Clara Fong and Will Merrow December 12, 2024

China Strategy Initiative

The China-Russia Relationship and U.S. Foreign Policy
China and Russia’s quasi-alliance endangers U.S. national interests. Its management will prove a generational task for American policymakers—but there are grounds for optimism, argue CFR Senior Fellow Robert Blackwill and Center for a New American Security CEO Richard Fontaine.

Council Special Report by Robert D. Blackwill and Richard Fontaine December 12, 2024 China Strategy Initiative

China

Exploring Ties Between Two Authoritarian Powers
China and Russia have expanded trade and defense ties over the past decade, but they’re not formal allies. Experts say Russia’s war in Ukraine could be a turning point in the relationship.

Backgrounder by Clara Fong and Lindsay Maizland March 20, 2024

South Korea

South Korea

The Costs of President Yoon’s Defiance
South Korea continues to reel from President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on December 3. Although the National Assembly overwhelmingly nullified the declaration in a few hours, political tensions remain unresolved.

Blog Post by Jinwan Park December 12, 2024 Asia Unbound

South Korea

President Yoon’s Impeachment? The View From Seoul
CFR’s Sheila A. Smith spoke with Dr. Duyeon Kim with the Center for a New American Security, who is based in Seoul, to get her assessment of the fallout of President Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law. 

Blog Post by Sheila A. Smith and Duyeon Kim December 9, 2024 Asia Unbound

South Korea

Martial Law in South Korea
Yoon Suk-Yeol’s shocking declaration of ‘emergency martial law’ was a frontal assault on the integrity of South Korea’s hard-won democratic system.

Blog Post by John Delury December 4, 2024 Asia Unbound

Events
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United States

A Conversation With Secretary Antony J. Blinken
Secretary Antony J. Blinken discusses the administration’s foreign policy and diplomacy, including his focus on rebuilding alliances and partnerships abroad to respond to shared challenges.Please note there is no Zoom component to the meeting. However, this event will be livestreamed through CFR.org. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this meeting will be posted on the CFR website. 

Event with Antony J. Blinken and Michael Froman December 18, 2024

United States

Watchlist 2025: Safeguarding the World's Most Vulnerable Nations

Play
David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), presents the new IRC Emergency Watchlist report, highlighting the countries at highest risk of humanitarian crises in 2025 and examining where the international community has made progress or fallen short. For those attending virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question and answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this meeting will be posted on the CFR website.

Virtual Event with David Miliband and Morgan Brennan December 11, 2024

Women and Foreign Policy Program

Hybrid DC Roundtable: A Conversation With Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant

Play

Virtual Event with Julie Inman Grant and Linda Robinson December 11, 2024 Women and Foreign Policy Program

United States

U.S. Health and Its Global Implications

Play
In a special event copresented by the Council on Foreign Relations and The Lancet, panelists discuss priorities for improving public health in the United States and abroad. For those attending virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question and answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this meeting will be posted on the CFR website. Members may bring a guest to this event.

Virtual Event with Rebecca Bunnell, Victor J. Dzau, Mona Hanna, Christopher J. Murray, John Monahan, Thomas J. Bollyky and Richard Horton December 10, 2024

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Experts in the News

Michael B.G. Froman
Link

Froman: Collapse of Assad Regime Is Big Loss for Russia and Iran

Via CNBC Squawk Box December 9, 2024

Steven A. Cook
Link

Cook: Syria Is in Danger of Becoming a Failed State

Via CNN December 9, 2024

Max Boot
Link

Boot: Trump’s Meetings With Macron and Zelenskyy Are Unprecedented

Via MSNBC December 8, 2024

View All

Explainers

Health
How Geography, Race, and Income Shape U.S. Life Expectancy
Health
How Geography, Race, and Income Shape U.S. Life Expectancy
Article by Thomas J. Bollyky, Laura Dwyer-Lindgren, Ali H. Mokdad and Chloe Searchinger
The differences in U.S. life expectancy are so large it’s as if the population lives in ten separate Americas instead of one.
Crisis in Sudan: War, Famine, and a Failing Global Response
Sudan Crisis in Sudan: War, Famine, and a Failing Global Response
Immersive_article_layout by Mariel Ferragamo and Sabine Baumgartner
Guantánamo Bay: Twenty Years of Counterterrorism and Controversy
Terrorism and Counterterrorism Guantánamo Bay: Twenty Years of Counterterrorism and Controversy
Article by Jonathan Masters
Europe’s Migration Dilemma
Immigration and Migration Europe’s Migration Dilemma
Immersive_article_layout by Kali Robinson, Diana Roy and Sabine Baumgartner
View All

Expert Spotlight

Tarah Wheeler
Tarah Wheeler

Senior Fellow for Global Cyber Policy

Cybersecurity Privacy Grand Strategy

Rush Doshi
Rush Doshi

C.V. Starr Senior Fellow for Asia Studies and Director of the China Strategy Initiative

China Taiwan Asia

The Trump Administration’s China Challenge

Offsite Via Foreign Affairs November 29, 2024

Henri J. Barkey
Henri J. Barkey

Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies

Middle East and North Africa Turkey Kurds

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Featured Publications

Religion

If You Will It
Hundreds of thousands of young Jews have drifted away from the American Jewish community and many more may follow. This book explains to Jewish parents, donors, and organizations how Jewish education, Jewish summer camping, and time spent in Israel can revive and strengthen Jewish identity.

Book by Elliott Abrams October 8, 2024 Middle East Program

United States

Reagan
Son of the Midwest, movie star, and mesmerizing politician—America’s fortieth president comes to three-dimensional life in this gripping and profoundly revisionist biography.

Book by Max Boot September 10, 2024

Asia

Lost Decade

Robert D. Blackwill and Richard Fontaine evaluate the limitations of the Pivot to Asia and offer a compelling vision for the future of U.S. foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific.

Book by Robert D. Blackwill and Richard Fontaine June 11, 2024 Asia Program

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