Council on Foreign Relations

Ludovic Marin/Pool/Reuters

Is a Ukraine Peace Deal Slipping Away?

U.S. officials Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to negotiate a cease-fire in Ukraine—but the chances of that deal becoming a reality appear increasingly slim.

by Max Boot April 17, 2025

Ukraine

Europe’s Moment of Truth on Defending Ukraine—and the Continent

The Trump administration is signaling that European allies need to take the lead in securing Ukraine. How they respond has a crucial bearing on Ukraine’s fate and the future of the transatlantic partnership.

by Paul B. Stares and Michael E. O'Hanlon February 14, 2025

United States

Russia’s Peace Demands on Ukraine Have Not Budged

Some recent favorable White House moves toward Russia have appeared to signal a belief that Moscow is ready for constructive talks on ending the war in Ukraine. But there’s slim chance of Russian concessions.

by Thomas Graham March 7, 2025 Europe Program

El Salvador

The ‘Dark Side’ of Bukele’s El Salvador Gang Crackdown

Cambodia

Fifty Years On: The Cambodian Genocide Legacy

The legacy of atrocity crimes that took the lives of millions of Cambodians during the communist Khmer Rouge regime, and the need for credible justice for the survivors, led to the creation of a criminal tribunal while mass atrocities continued elsewhere in the world.

by David J. Scheffer April 16, 2025

International Criminal Court

The Role of the ICC

The International Criminal Court was created to bring justice to the world’s worst war criminals, but debate over the court still rages.

by Mariel Ferragamo and Claire Klobucista March 27, 2025

China

China’s Repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang

More than a million Muslims have been arbitrarily detained in China’s Xinjiang region. The reeducation camps are just one part of the government’s crackdown on Uyghurs.

by Lindsay Maizland September 22, 2022

Tariffs

Trade

Tariff Turmoil Hits U.S. Farmers

Tariffs are often discussed in big, abstract terms—trade wars, economic strategy, global power struggles. But for ginseng farmers in Wisconsin, their effects are painfully personal. In this episode, Why It Matters dives into how tariffs work and how they’re hitting one of America's most niche yet lucrative exports: Wisconsin-grown ginseng.

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra, Matthew P. Goodman and Will Hsu April 16, 2025 Why It Matters

United States

What Trump’s Trade War Would Mean, in Nine Charts

President Trump’s tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico could upend U.S. trade. These nine charts show what’s at stake, what comes next, and why it matters.

by Shannon K. O'Neil and Julia Huesa February 5, 2025 Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies

RealEcon

On to Wisconsin: RealEcon Visits the Badger State

From ginseng farms to food-processing facilities, Wisconsin businesses shine light on how trade policy and foreign investment impact rural America.

by Allison J. Smith and Matthew P. Goodman May 14, 2024 RealEcon

Sudan

Sudan’s Third Year of War

As Sudan plunges into another chapter of fighting, the country is enduring the world’s worst humanitarian crisis at a time of drastically shrinking foreign aid.

by Mariel Ferragamo April 14, 2025

Sudan

The Abandonment of Sudan

Partition in Sudan is no solution for a sustainable peace.

by Michelle Gavin February 26, 2025 Africa in Transition

Sudan

Crisis in Sudan: War, Famine, and a Failing Global Response

Photo Essay by Mariel Ferragamo and Sabine Baumgartner September 19, 2024

CFR experts provide timely analysis on the trade-offs and costs associated with U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic policies.

Explore Our Content

Strategic Initiatives

Securing Ukraine’s Future

Securing Ukraine’s Future provides timely, informed analysis and practical policy recommendations for U.S. policymakers and the American public.

Paul B. Stares

General John W. Vessey Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention and Director of the Center for Preventive Action

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"How the Europeans respond in the coming weeks will not only have great bearing on the fate of Ukraine but also on the future of the transatlantic partnership that has been so vital to their security for close to eight decades."

Europe’s Moment of Truth on Defending Ukraine—and the Continent by Paul B. Stares and Michael E. O'Hanlon

Climate Realism Initiative

The Climate Realism Initiative charts a novel, pragmatic course for U.S. energy and climate policy that is both realistic in forecasting climate impacts and U.S. leverage as well as realist in assessing that countries will compete and pursue policies to advance their own interests.

Varun Sivaram

Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate and Director, Climate Realism Initiative

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U.S. policymakers need a new strategy to confront the risks of climate change, compete in the global energy transition, and stay the course regardless of which political party is in power.

Our Approach to Climate Policy Has Failed. It’s Time for Climate Realism by Varun Sivaram

China Strategy Initiative

The China Strategy Initiative provides fresh analysis, granular policy recommendations, and answers the questions that go to the heart of American China strategy.

Rush Doshi

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

“

The PRC seeks to “catch up and surpass” the U.S. technologically; to make the world dependent on China’s supply chains economically; and to acquire the capability to defeat U.S. forces militarily.

Countering Threats Posed by the Chinese Communist Party to U.S. National Security by Rush Doshi

RealEcon

RealEcon assesses the role of the U.S. in the international economy, analyzes what's at stake for the American people, and identifies trade-offs in different policy approaches.

Matthew P. Goodman

Distinguished Fellow, Director of the Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, and Director of the CFR RealEcon Initiative

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A serious effort to bring greater reciprocity into the trading system could benefit the United States.... But a sudden, ill-thought-out initiative would leave American companies and consumers much worse off.

Donald Trump Wants Reciprocity in Trade: Here’s a Closer Look by Edward Alden and Jennifer Hillman

Events
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World Trade Organization (WTO)

C. Peter McColough Series on International Economics with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala discusses the future of global trade and the WTO's role in the rules-based international system. The C. Peter McColough Series on International Economics brings the world’s foremost economic policymakers and scholars to address members on current topics in international economics. This meeting series is presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies. This meeting is presented by RealEcon: Reimagining American Economic Leadership, a CFR initiative of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies. If you wish to attend 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 hybrid meeting will be posted on the CFR website.

Virtual Event with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Michael Froman April 23, 2025

United States

Young Professionals Briefing: Why It Matters Live Podcast Taping on Food Diplomacy

Please join us for a LIVE! taping of the CFR Why It Matters podcast. During this special taping and livestream, host Gabrielle Sierra and podcast guests discuss food diplomacy and share stories from White House state dinners where food helped create a lasting partnership. Why It Matters explains some of the least-understood issues that are shaping our world. Every two weeks, host Gabrielle Sierra speaks to a diverse lineup of guests with the goal of simplifying a complicated global topic. Will the world run out of coffee? Will wars be fought by killer robots? Is Hollywood giving in to Chinese censorship? With a little bit of humor and a lot of curiosity, Why It Matters is here to dig in and find out. Please note Why It Matters LIVE! will appear on all podcast feeds and stream live through CFR.org. The CFR Young Professionals Briefing Series provides an opportunity for those early in their careers to engage with CFR. The briefings feature remarks by experts on critical global issues and lessons learned in their careers. These events are intended for individuals who have completed their undergraduate studies and have not yet reached the age of thirty to be eligible to apply for CFR term membership. We are pleased to extend this invitation to you through the recommendation of a CFR member. If you no longer wish to receive these invitations, please let us know by replying to this email. If you wish to attend 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 hybrid meeting will be posted on the CFR website.

Virtual Event with Matthew Costello, Johanna Mendelson-Forman and Gabrielle Sierra April 17, 2025

United States

Young Professionals Briefing: Why It Matters Live Podcast Taping on Food Diplomacy

Virtual Event with Matthew Costello, Johanna Mendelson-Forman and Gabrielle Sierra April 17, 2025

United States

Media Briefing: Trump's Tariffs and the Future of the Global Economy

CFR experts provide insights and context around President Donald Trump’s recent enactment of tariffs, global reactions, and what his plans mean for the future of the global economy.

Virtual Event with Matthew P. Goodman, Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Shannon K. O'Neil, Rebecca Patterson and Heidi Crebo-Rediker April 10, 2025 Media Briefings

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Experts in the News

Steven A. Cook

Cook: U.S.-Iran Talks Will Face Obstacles if the Trump Administration Keeps Its Requirements

Via MSNBC Katy Tur April 14, 2025

Will Freeman

Freeman: Bukele Lacks Regard for American Rule of Law

Via NBC Meet the Press April 14, 2025

Rebecca Patterson

Patterson: Markets Likely Influenced Trump's Tariff Reprieve

Via Fox Business Making Money April 9, 2025

View All

Public Health Threats and Pandemics

How Vaccines Changed the World

by Mariel Ferragamo

Vaccination campaigns have nearly eradicated some of the most deadly and transmissible diseases. In a rising tide of vaccine hesitancy, however, outbreaks are cropping up again.

United Nations How Much Does the U.S. Pay to UN Agencies?

Backgrounder Redesign by CFR.org Editors

Women and Women's Rights Where Are Women Wielding Power?

Tracker by Linda Robinson and Noël James

Climate Change The World Faces a Sharp Rise in Extreme Weather. Can AI Help?

Article by Alice C. Hill and Colin McCormick

Ray Takeyh

Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies

Iran Iran Nuclear Agreement Persian Gulf

Will Trump Use Force to Stop Iran’s Nuclear Development?

Offsite Via Wall Street Journal April 10, 2025

Kat Duffy

Senior Fellow for Digital and Cyberspace Policy

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Corporate Governance Digital Policy

E Pluribus Chaos

Offsite Via Ctrl-Alt-Speech March 6, 2025

William Henagan

Research Fellow

Budget, Debt, and Deficits Defense and Security Competitiveness

Trump Orders Agencies to Chart U.S. Maritime Revival

Offsite Via Wall Street Journal April 9, 2025

Featured Publications

International Law

Eastward, Westward

Few Americans have done more than Jerome A. Cohen to advance the rule of law in East Asia. The founder of the study of Chinese law in the United States and a tireless advocate for human rights, Cohen has been a scholar, teacher, lawyer, and activist for more than sixty years. Moving among the United States, China, and Taiwan, he has encouraged legal reforms, promoted economic cooperation, mentored law students—including a future president of Taiwan—and brokered international crises. In this compelling, conversational memoir, Cohen recounts a dramatic life of striving for a better world from Washington, DC, to Beijing, offering vital first-hand insights from the study and practice of Sino-American relations. In the early 1960s, when Americans were not permitted to enter China, he met with émigrés in Hong Kong and interviewed them on Chinese criminal procedure. After economic reform under Deng Xiaoping, Cohen’s knowledge of Chinese law took on a new importance as foreign companies began to pursue business opportunities. Helping China develop and reconstruct its legal system, he made an influential case for the roles of Western law and lawyers. Cohen helped break political barriers in both China and Taiwan, and he was instrumental in securing the release of political prisoners in several countries. Sharing these experiences and many others, this book tells the full story of an unparalleled career bridging East and West.

Book by Jerome A. Cohen March 4, 2025 Asia Program

Public Health Threats and Pandemics

When the World Closed Its Doors

A detailed exploration of the most sweeping government border closures in human history during the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications for the future of global mobility.

Book by Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman January 7, 2025

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

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The ‘Dark Side’ of Bukele’s El Salvador Gang Crackdown