Maxim Shipenkov/Reuters

China Strategy Initiative

Beijing’s and Moscow’s quasi-alliance endangers U.S. national interests and undermines the current international order. How can the U.S. policymakers manage the growing relationship?

China

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.

China

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.
Health

What Is the U.S. Life Expectancy? It Depends.

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China

China

China’s electric vehicle capacity will soon match total Chinese domestic auto demand, and total Chinese auto production capacity is already over half of total global auto demand.

China

Europe’s planned tariffs on electric vehicles from China miss the bigger threat: Beijing could turn smart cars into weapons of cyber warfare.

China

Jay Shambaugh discusses U.S.-China macroeconomic engagement and dialogue with Chinese leadership on overcapacity and economic imbalances. 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 and U.S. monetary policy. This meeting series is presented by RealEcon: Reimagining American Economic Leadership, a CFR initiative of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies. This meeting is also part of CFR’s China Strategy Initiative. 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.
Syria

Syria

The flight of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to exile in Russia poses a major strategic challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the Kremlin’s influence in Syria and the region should not be downplayed yet.

Syria

CFR experts discuss the latest news out of Syria, including what the fall of Bashar al-Assad means for the future of the country and the wider region.

Syria

The swift collapse of Syria’s regime brings a humiliating end to Russia’s and Iran’s sway and opens the door for greater Turkish influence. But the Islamist movement that seized power has yet to show its full intentions.
Iran

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.

Syria

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.

Syria

Turkey opposes the Assad regime, but the fall of the government could disrupt Ankara’s aims to reverse refugee flows and defeat Kurdish forces in Syria’s north.
Climate Change

Energy and Climate Policy

What powers artificial intelligence (AI)? As global electricity use is surging, with unprecedented demand coming from an increase in data centers, AI’s dependence on fossil fuels presents a serious issue for the planet. In the United States, data center power usage is on track to double by 2030, largely due to the proliferation of AI technology. But while the application of AI shows potential to mitigate climate problems through modeling or predicting weather events, will its power grab stall the clean energy transition?

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Nuclear power has been a stagnant U.S. energy source for decades, but it could be primed for a technology-driven renaissance amid the growing artificial intelligence boom.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has been breathtaking, and American firms are leading the way in showing the potential of a new AI-propelled world. But rivals like China are gaining ground, with major consequences for the U.S. economy and security.

Events

United States

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.

United States

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.

Ukraine

Dmytro Kuleba discusses Ukraine’s strategic position in the war with Russia, and evaluates how the incoming Donald Trump administration might influence Ukraine’s international relations and policies. This meeting is part of the Council Special Initiative on Securing Ukraine’s Future and is part of the Wachenheim Program on Peace and Security. The program is made possible by the generous support of the Sue and Edgar Wachenheim Foundation. 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.

Syria

CFR experts discuss the latest news out of Syria, including what the fall of Bashar al-Assad means for the future of the country and the wider region.

Explainers

Featured Publications

Religion

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.

United States

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.

Asia

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.