East Asia is an increasingly dangerous place, with tensions high on the Korean Peninsula, a more assertive China, territorial disputes, and questions about the future role of the United States. These developments present critical challenges for Japanese foreign and security policymakers. Under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan has taken steps to reform its national security policy and infrastructure, and since the election of President Trump last November it has 'doubled down' on the US-Japan alliance. How will Japanese foreign policy evolve in light of these security challenges and through this period of dramatic strategic change?

Formed in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional organization dedicated to intergovernmental cooperation and economic integration. There is significant economic potential in this fast-growing region with 625 million people living in ASEAN’s ten member states and a real Gross Domestic Product of over $2.5 trillion. What will be the role of the United States in the region after President Trump’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership? What impact are domestic politics in ASEAN countries playing on regional stability and economic relations with the United States?

In recent decades the United States has led international efforts to halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. But many of President Trump’s statements on nuclear weapons suggest a coming shift in US policy. In questioning America’s security guarantees to its allies, criticizing the Iran nuclear deal, and calling for the strengthening of America’s nuclear capabilities, critics charge that the President is undermining global nonproliferation efforts. Could America’s new posture spark a renewed nuclear arms race? Or is an expanded and modernized nuclear deterrent critical to American security in an age of geopolitical instability and renewed great power rivalry?

In January 2017 Xi Jinping became the first Chinese president to attend the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering in Davos. Xi’s attendance, and his robust defense of globalization, were symbolic of the changing realities of global power. As global wealth and influence flow from west to east, Asia’s growth is ever more tied to global integration. Viewed from America, however, this process of easternization is often portrayed as a threat to American jobs and security – a perception that could increase as China’s regional economic and security influence grows. Is there an alternative to this zero sum assessment of US-Asian relations?

America’s economy seems strong—the labor market is tight; inflation, wages, and home prices are rising; and households and businesses appear optimistic. During the presidential election campaign, President Trump proposed a wide-ranging set of policy shifts in major areas, including international trade, infrastructure spending, taxation, and regulation. What are the potential risks and benefits of President Trump’s economic plan? And how might the interplay between economics and politics impact the agenda? Join the Council on Global Affairs for a conversation on the current state and future prospects for the US economy.

Turkey is an important member of NATO and a powerful player in the Middle East. Recently the stability of the country has become a concern as it is now a target of the Islamic State, and is fighting a low-level insurgency by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, also the failed coup against President Erdoğan of July 2016 has further destabilized the country. Throughout all of these developments, Turkey’s bilateral relations with the United States has deteriorated. With over 2.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, what role will it play in the future of Syria? And how will the changing dynamics of its politics shape its relations with the EU, NATO allies, and the US?

Majestic and highly intelligent, the world’s largest land mammal has been endangered for decades. In September 2016, the elephant’s precarious future was brought into stark relief by new data indicating that the African population had declined a staggering 30 percent from 2007 to 2014. Yet only months later, China—the world’s largest importer and consumer of elephant ivory—made an important commitment to shut down all ivory commerce by year’s end. The decision has already helped to drive the price of ivory down and dampen the market. Is the ivory boom truly over and can elephants be saved? Save The Elephants’ newly appointed CEO gives an update on the status of elephants and the newest silent threat to their future.

In 2017 the European Union entered its sixtieth year with a sense of apprehension. A populist surge that had propelled the UK’s vote for Brexit and President Trump’s election in the US now ominously stalked the EU, as the Bloc faced a succession of crucial national elections. Recent victories for centrists in the Netherlands' general election and France’s presidential election appear to have allayed the worst fears. Yet Le Pen’s anti-EU message received record levels of support in France. And with federal elections looming in Germany in September the EU still faces a number of severe tests including the Brexit negotiations, coordinating a response to the ongoing migrant crisis, and reforms of the Eurozone. Will the travails of 2017 renew the EU? Or is this the beginning of a slow unraveling of the European project?

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the third time in a decade this March—and may do so again at the next rate-setting meetings. What is the US economic outlook given the potential shifts in economic policy signaled by the new US administration? What role should the Fed play in fostering long-term economic growth? Join the Council on Global Affairs for a discussion on the role of the Federal Reserve and the outlook for the US economy.

At a time of uncertainty around security cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe, the Polish administration has advocated for strengthening ties with NATO. Poland is one of only five NATO members that currently meet the alliance’s target for spending two percent of Gross Domestic Product on defense. It is also in the process of a modernization of its armed forces, a process that has been expedited following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. What is the Polish perspective on the future of NATO? How can Poland and the United States work to promote peace and stability in Central and Eastern Europe?