Council of Councils
Think Global Health
Defense and Security
Wars and Conflict
-
Sudan’s Humanitarian EmergencyPanelists discuss the status of the conflict in Sudan, including the deteriorating condition of civilians, the prospect for regional stability, and the options for an international response. This is a virtual meeting through Zoom. 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.
-
Five Takeaways From CFR’s 2026 Conflict Risk AssessmentEvery year, the Preventive Priorities Survey asks experts to rank thirty conflict scenarios in terms of likelihood and potential impact. This year’s results paint a picture of a more violent and dangerous world in 2026.
-
The Risk Report for 2026Every year, CFR’s Preventive Priorities Survey analyzes existing and potential conflicts throughout the world in terms of likelihood and possible impact. As the second Trump administration reorders U.S. foreign policy priorities, important questions remain about the country’s role in mitigating global conflict. Is the U.S. diplomatically prepared for the multitude of evolving conflicts worldwide and for new challenges on the horizon?
Experts in this Topic
Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis Senior Fellow for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security
General John W. Vessey Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention and Director of the Center for Preventive Action
International Affairs Fellow in National Security, sponsored by Janine and J. Tomilson Hill
-
Conflicts to Watch in 2026The world continues to grow more violent and disorderly. According to CFR’s annual conflict risk assessment, American foreign policy experts are acutely concerned about conflict-related threats to U.S. national security and international stability that are likely to emerge or intensify in 2026. In this report, surveyed experts rate global conflicts by their likelihood and potential harm to U.S. interests and, for the first time, identify opportunities for preventive action.
-
In Myanmar, the World’s Indifference to Authoritarianism Is on Full DisplayMyanmar’s upcoming, tightly controlled “elections” are designed to manufacture legitimacy for the junta, which hopes the mere act of holding a vote will ease its international isolation despite the ongoing civil war.
-
Thailand and Cambodia Head Back to Battle, Presaging Possible WarWeeks after a Trump-negotiated ceasefire fell apart and Thailand hit Cambodia with air strikes, the two countries seem far from finding another pause, and it is unlikely the U.S. president will step back in.
-
Trump Can Break Maduro’s Hold of Venezuela Without a WarThe opposition and the Maduro regime will face a new variable at the negotiating table: the United States and its heavy military presence off Venezuela’s coast. As a direct party, the Trump administration now has an opportunity to learn the lessons of the past to bring a potential conflict to a close.
-
Ceremonial Foreign PolicyIn shallowly engaging with Kinshasa and Kigali, Washington does little to promote peace and risks insulating leaders from accountability.
-
Conflict in Cambodia and Thailand Resumes—With No End in SightWeeks after a Trump-negotiated ceasefire fell apart, the two countries seem far from finding another pause in the fighting. In fact, the border conflict is likely to get worse.
-
Open to Debate: Should the United States Militarize the War on Drugs?In a collaboration between CFR and Open to Debate, panelists debate the legal, moral, operational, and diplomatic trade-offs of the Trump administration's recently authorized military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels and its designation of certain cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Supporters argue this is a necessary deterrent and part of a broader strategy to treat narcotrafficking as a national security threat. Critics claim it violates domestic and international law, undermines sovereignty, risks civilian harm, and may provoke dangerous escalation. Under what circumstances, if any, is military force justified in combating drug trafficking networks? Open to Debate is the nation’s only nonpartisan, debate-driven media organization dedicated to bringing multiple viewpoints together for a constructive, balanced, respectful exchange of ideas. Open to Debate is a platform for intellectually curious and open-minded people to engage with others holding opposing views on complex issues. Please note there is no virtual component to this meeting. The recording of this debate will be posted on the CFR and Open to Debate websites and broadcast on NPR stations nationwide.
-
What Is the Extent of Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis?More than two years into the civil war in Sudan, about twelve million people have been forcibly displaced. Yet experts say the country’s devastating humanitarian crisis is still not getting the international attention it deserves.
-
Shelling, Drones, and Hunger in El FasherRegional and international actors should approach the crisis in Sudan with the urgency it demands.
-
Are We Ready? | The China Reckoning, With Rush DoshiRush Doshi, the C.V. Starr senior fellow for Asia Studies and director of the China Strategy Initiative at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the United States is reckoning with the rise of China and a world of renewed geopolitical competition.
-
How food is being used as a weapon in Gaza, Sudan, and UkraineExperts, physicians, and humanitarian workers point to an alarming pattern that spans across regions, countries, and conflicts: food is being weaponized. And that weaponization is evolving—shaped by technology, globalization, and the politics of power.
-
Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo, and Ambassador John Sullivan on 'Inside the Situation Room'In partnership with Columbia University's School on International and Public Affairs, panelists discuss what effective crisis decision-making looks like in practice, how to understand America’s adversaries, and lessons for future leaders navigating crises in national security. Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton and Columbia SIPA Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo's new book, Inside the Situation Room, offers a window into how presidents and policymakers weigh risks, build consensus, and communicate their decisions to the wider public. Blending fresh case studies with insights from political science, and inspired by their popular class at Columbia, the book offers a framework for understanding leadership under pressure and the art of managing crises in real time. Copies of Inside the Situation Room will be available for purchase during the event. The David A. Morse Lecture was inaugurated in 1994 and supports an annual meeting with distinguished speakers. It honors the memory of David A. Morse, an active Council on Foreign Relations member for nearly thirty years.