Key Topics

• The symbolism and outcomes of President Trump's meeting with President Xi in Beijing
• Russia's economic and military challenges amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine
• The strategic stalemate in the Persian Gulf and its global implications
• The evolving U.S.-China relationship and its impact on global geopolitics
• Iran's nuclear ambitions and the potential for diplomatic resolutions
• The role of symbolism in international diplomacy
• The impact of U.S. domestic politics on foreign policy
• Europe's response to shifting global power dynamics

Links

Yannis Palaiologos -

insidestory.gr

Carla Robbins -

cfr.org/experts/carla-anne-robbins

Jamil Anderlini -

politico.eu/staff/jamil-anderlini

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs —

belfercenter.org

World Review with Ivo Daalder —

belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics

• The emergence of war crimes trials in Syria and their impact on societal reconciliation
• The break between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over oil production and regional influence
• The decline of US-European relations amid troop withdrawals, trade disputes, and strategic disagreements
• The instability in Lebanon and the implications for Israeli and Lebanese relations
• The evolving nature of Middle Eastern geopolitics, including Iran's regional posture and Israel's security
• The influence of U.S. policy decisions, including Syria’s oil pipelines and the Iran nuclear negotiations

Links

Deborah Amos - journalism.princeton.edu/people/deborah-amos-2018

Steven Erlanger - nytimes.com/by/steven-erlanger

Felicia Schwartz - politico.com/staff/felicia-schwartz

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs —

belfercenter.org

World Review with Ivo Daalder —

belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

• The Iran War stalemate and dual blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the mounting pressure on both sides to reach a deal
• Iran's hardliners consolidating power and the growing likelihood the regime pursues nuclear weapons as a deterrent
• King Charles III's address to a joint session of Congress and its surprising ability to unite a deeply divided chamber
• The diplomatic lesson of royalty and why pomp and circumstance may be more effective than elected leaders in dealing with Trump
• Germany's unprecedented defense spending surge and what it means for NATO, European autonomy, and the transatlantic relationship
• Trump's threats to withdraw US troops from Germany, Italy, and Spain, and whether they signal policy or political posturing
• The economic toll of the Iran War on European publics, with inflation rising and governments increasingly vulnerable to far-right challengers
• Europe's fundamental challenge of broad agreement on what needs to be done, paired with near-total failure to agree on how to do it
• The AFD surpassing Merz's CDU in German polls for the first time, signaling deepening public discontent
• The limits of strategic autonomy and why Germany's reliance on American nuclear guarantees and weapons systems keeps it tethered to NATO and Washington