• 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

Key Topics

• The Iran ceasefire and US naval blockade: what's holding and what isn't
• US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan: prospects for a deal and the limits of unilateral diplomacy
• Europe's divided response: the Paris talks between Macron and Starmer and the question of inserting Europeans into the negotiations
• The Strait of Hormuz as Iran's ultimate leverage — and what "open" really means for trapped mariners
• Viktor Orbán's stunning defeat in Hungary: the economy, corruption, and the cohesion funds that sealed his fate
• Peter Magyar and TISA: how new is Hungary's new direction, and what does it mean for the EU and Ukraine?
• Orbán's fall as a setback for Putin, Trump, and the global far-right populist network
• Trump's feud with Pope Leo XIV: the politics of attacking the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics
• Hispanic and Catholic voters: the political costs of the President vs. Pope standoff
• The limits of populism: from Budapest to Washington, is the far right losing its popular touch?

Links

• Christina Ruffini — https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/AX7AZxLijDQ/christina-ruffini
• Karin Axelsson — https://politiken.dk/person/7961_Karin_Axelsson
• Jamie Dettmer — politico.eu/author/jamie-dettmer
• Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs — belfercenter.org
• World Review with Ivo Daalder — belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics

• The fragile Iran ceasefire: achievements and uncertainties
• US presidential objectives and their evolution during the Iran conflict
• NATO's membership challenges amid US skepticism and strategic disagreements
• The influence of domestic politics on international alliances
• The strategic implications of the Strait of Hormuz closure
• The future of transatlantic relations and alliance cohesion
• Pakistan’s mediating role and regional power shifts
• The impact of US military actions on Middle Eastern geopolitics
• Broader implications for global stability post-Ukraine and Afghanistan

Links

David Luhnow - wsj.com/news/author/david-luhnow

Michael Birnbaum - washingtonpost.com/people/michael-birnbaum

Catherine Philp - thetimes.com/profile/catherine-philp

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - belfercenter.org/

World Review with Ivo Daalder - belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics

The real implications of the Strait of Hormuz closing—how it’s causing energy shocks, economic disruptions, and geopolitical shifts.

Why Israel’s military campaign, despite overwhelming strength, might be eroding its long-term security stability.

The calculus shaping Gulf leaders’ fears and hopes amid rising regional tensions.

Inside the secret strategies and political dilemmas that threaten to turn localized conflicts into larger regional or even global crises.

Hosted by Harvard’s Belfer Center, this episode offers powerful insights into international security, regional politics, and the broader implications for global stability.

Links

Bobby Ghosh - bobbyghosh.substack.com

Gideon Rachman - ft.com/gideon-rachman

Isabel Coles - observer.co.uk/contributor/isabel-coles

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - belfercenter.org/

World Review with Ivo Daalder - belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics

• President Trump's claims of Iran begging for a deal and the US military's posture in the Gulf
• The rift between the US and Europe, NATO's limited involvement, and European responses
• The impact of recent European elections on future political directions
• The emerging global payment systems bypassing traditional US sanctions
• The broader implications of US and European foreign policy strategies

Links

Edward Luce - ft.com/edward-luce

Peter Speigel - https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/peter-spiegel/

Stefanie Bolzen - welt.de/autor/stefanie-bolzen/

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - belfercenter.org/

World Review with Ivo Daalder - belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics

• The escalation of the Iran war entering its fourth week, with detailed analysis of Iran’s military capabilities, sanctions, and the potential for reopening the Strait of Hormuz
• The impact of the Iran conflict on US-China relations, including the fate of the planned US summit with Xi Jinping and China's strategic positioning amid military pressures
• The US approach to Cuba, including the potential for regime change, economic sanctions, and the long-term implications of current US policies
• The role of Middle Eastern Gulf states in the conflict, their vulnerabilities, and their shifting alliances with the US and Israel
• The broader geopolitical landscape, including the exhaustion of military resources and the strategic calculations of adversaries like Russia and China

Links

Karen DeYoung - washingtonpost.com/people/karen-deyoung

Robbie Gramer - wsj.com/news/author/robbie-gramer

Yaroslav Trofimov - wsj.com/news/author/yaroslav-trofimov

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - belfercenter.org/

World Review with Ivo Daalder - belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics

• The strategic objectives and possible endgame of Israel’s multi-front military campaign
• The impact of U.S. political shifts and unilateral military actions on global credibility
• Iran’s resilience, nuclear ambitions, and the regional threat after recent conflicts
• The European response and evolving alliances amid U.S. disengagement
• How global energy markets, especially oil prices, are influenced by the war
• Russia’s position and benefits stemming from Western distraction
• The role of drone warfare and military preparedness in modern conflicts
• The implications for nuclear proliferation in the region
  

Links

Susan Glasser - newyorker.com/contributors/susan-b-glasser

Carla Robbins - cfr.org/experts/carla-anne-robbins

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

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - belfercenter.org/

World Review with Ivo Daalder - belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics
Iran war escalation and regional reactions
The role of AI in military operations and security
Energy sector disruptions due to Middle East conflict

Nahal Toosi | politico.com/author/nahal-toosi

Anton La Guardia | economist.com/our-people/anton-la-guardia

Prashant Rao | semaphore.co/author/prashant-rao