H.R. McMaster in conversation with Tarō Kōno,  Minister of Regulatory Reform and Administrative Reform on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 9:00 AM PT.

In our fourth episode of Battlegrounds, H.R. McMaster and Minister Kono discuss the evolution of the Japan-U.S. alliance and growing international cooperation to preserve peace in the Indo-Pacific region and counter threats to freedom and prosperity from the South China Seas to the Senkakus as well as in space and cyberspace.

H.R. McMaster in conversation with Ambassador Mariangela Zappia, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 9:00 AM PT.

In our third episode of battlegrounds, H.R. McMaster and Ambassador Zappia shed light on the challenges facing southern Europe. The rich discussion will include instability in the Sahel and Libya; relations with Turkey; the refugee crisis and the rise of populism in Europe; and the EU and NATO response to the COIVD crisis, Russian subversion and China’s Wolf Warrior diplomacy.

H.R. McMaster in conversation with Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Foreign Minister of Afghanistan on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 9:00 AM PT.

In the re-release of this inaugural episode of Battlegrounds, H.R. McMaster and Minister Atmar discuss this critical time for Afghanistan. They look at how the past impacts the present, the role of Afghanistan’s neighbors and what is at stake for the United States, Afghanistan, and the world as Afghanistan moves towards peace.

H.R. McMaster in conversation with Ho-Young Ahn, President of University of North Korean Studies on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 9:00 AM PT.

In this second episode of Battlegrounds, H.R. McMaster and Ambassador Ahn discuss the daunting challenges South Korea faces with North Korea’s nuclear and missile ambitions and China’s political and economic aggression. South Korea’s relationship with Japan is increasingly strained due to historical grievances as South Korea-U.S. relations are complicated due to anti-alliance sentiment among a vocal minority of South Koreans as well as demands from American leaders that South Korea share more of the defense burden.