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

• The evolving ceasefire and military dynamics in Ukraine, including the Western response and Ukraine's increasing technological resilience
• Lebanon’s fragile ceasefire extension, Hezbollah's role, and opportunities for strengthening Lebanese sovereignty
• Iran’s nuclear ambitions, domestic fractures, and the prospects for a diplomatic resolution amid US-Iran tensions
• The impact of US foreign policy, regional alliances, and the importance of strategic patience and expertise
• Ukraine’s military remains strong, with signs of a shift in the battlefield, including increasing drone attacks deep inside Russia
• Europe is rethinking its security posture, increasingly looking towards Ukraine’s resilience and local defense capabilities
• Lebanon’s internal political landscape offers a window for US and European allies to support state-building and disarmament efforts
• Iran faces multiple asymmetries—geographical, military, and trust-related—that complicate negotiations and potential agreements
• US influence in the Middle East is waning, highlighting the need for regional actors to diversify alliances and strengthen capabilitiesThe Iran ceasefire and US naval blockade: what's holding and what isn't