While the Trump administration was eager to jettison the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal in its first term, it now seems serious about negotiating another agreement in its second. And Iran, though wary of that seriousness and fearful of U.S. military action, appears willing to give negotiations a chance.  

 What are the prospects for success and the appetite for meaningful engagement with Iran? How would an agreement differ from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal? And if diplomacy fails, is American and Israeli military action against Iranian nuclear sites inevitable?  

Join Aaron David Miller as he engages Suzanne Maloney, the vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, and Vali Nasr, the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, on these and other issues on the next Carnegie Connects. 

Three months into his presidency, Donald Trump has embarked on an unprecedented effort to aggrandize executive power and extend his reach over the judiciary, Congress, the media, and even American culture and society. Perhaps the most alarming aspect has been his battle with the judiciary. The president has called for the impeachment of a federal judge; his executive orders have challenged, if not violated, constitutional norms; and his Justice Department has slow-walked, if not ignored, the rulings of the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court. “Never in history has the country faced such a massive flood the zone strategy,” writes the Carnegie Endowment’s President Mariano Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar in Foreign Affairs.  

Can the republic’s guardrails hold? Other than the courts, what are the constraints on the abuse of presidential power? What role do the markets, the states, the media, and public opinion play? And what are the consequences for America if these guardrails don’t hold?

Join Aaron David Miller as he engages the Carnegie Endowment’s Tino Cuéllar and Harvard’s Learned Hand Professor of Law Jack Goldsmith to shed light on how these issues may play out and what their implications are for America’s changing place in the world on the next Carnegie Connects. 

More than a year into the Israel-Hamas war, the Middle East remains mired in conflict. The war in Gaza drags on with no end in sight; the West Bank continues to seethe; the collapse of the Assad regime has activated Israeli forces along the Syrian border; and while a cease-fire deal has calmed the Israel-Lebanon border, the possibility of a serious escalation between Israel and Iran remains all too real. Meanwhile, uncertainties about U.S. policy abound as the Biden Administration gives way to one headed by President Donald Trump.

Will Israel be able to translate its recent military wins into stable security and political arrangements? What does the future hold for the hostages and the people of Gaza? Is there a diplomatic off-ramp that might preempt or prevent an Iran-Israel confrontation? And what of the future of Iran’s nuclear program?  

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Ami Ayalon, the former head of Shin Bet, and Efraim Halevy, the former head of Mossad, to discuss these and other issues on Carnegie Connects. 

Beyond Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the Biden administration has faced significant international challenges over the president’s four years in office.  President Biden and his team have contended with a range of issues including strategic competition, growing threats to democracies, climate change, critical minerals supply chains, and shaping the transformative potential of emerging tech to solve global problems without exacerbating regional economic inequality. When it comes to foreign policy, as George Will quipped, the American public wants as little of it as possible, but that hasn’t been the case over the last four years.  

What are the key principles and assumptions that have underscored its approach to foreign policy? And what kind of world does it leave for its successors? 

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell has served in the Biden administration from the beginning, first at the White House and more recently at the State Department. Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell to discuss these and other issues.

With no shortage of conflicts in today’s world, journalists covering war zones provide indispensable reporting and analysis, often at great personal risk. Few war correspondents have more experience covering conflict than CNN’S Clarissa Ward, who has covered conflicts from Afghanistan to Ukraine, to Syria and Gaza, reporting from the world’s hot spots providing first-hand accounts of violent conflicts and their impact on civilians. Most recently, Clarissa and her crew were detained by an armed militia in Darfur.  

 What does it take to cover conflict? How does reporting on one conflict differ from another? And how do journalists witnessing the horrors of violent conflict keep their own emotions and feelings out of the story?  

 Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Clarissa Ward to discuss the challenges and travails of reporting from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict areas. 

Elections have consequences. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory carries implications for America’s governance and role in the world that are uncertain, transformative, and potentially dangerous to American democracy.

What explains his election? Does it presage a genuine political realignment? What are the consequences of Republican control of the White House, Senate, and potentially the House? And what do they mean for a Democratic party now seemingly in the political wilderness?  

Join Aaron David Miller as sits down with SE Cupp and Norman Ornstein, two of the nation’s most thoughtful political analysts, to discuss these and other issues.

Ongoing conflicts between Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran are likely to define much of the Middle East for the foreseeable future. Israel may have escalation dominance, but this will not necessarily bring about security, let alone the political accords required to bring greater stability to the region. Most serious is the new reality created by Iranian and Israeli strikes directly on one another’s territory, posing a dangerous risk tolerance.  

What are the chances for further Iranian-Israeli escalation? Does Israel have a strategy to convert its recent military successes into sustainable political achievements with Palestinians or in Lebanon? And what does the future hold for the U.S.-Israeli relationship? Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with former Israeli Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak for a wide-ranging discussion of these and other issues in the next edition of Carnegie Connects. 

Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon has broken a status quo that could carry potentially momentous consequences for a country and a region already marked by a year of conflict. Critical questions loom. What are Israel’s military objectives in the south and can they be achieved? Has the weakening of Hezbollah shifted Lebanon’s internal power balance and created opportunities for strengthening state sovereignty? How will Iran respond to the weakening of its billion-dollar proxy? And are there realistic opportunities for the international community, especially the United States, to pursue diplomatic options that could produce greater stability in Lebanon and along the Israel-Lebanon border? 

 Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Kim Ghattas and Ambassador David Satterfield to address these and other questions on Carnegie Connects. 

During the past two weeks, the possibility of a major Middle East multi-front war has increased significantly. Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah and Iran’s launching of ballistic missiles against Israel has created the potential of an escalatory ladder that both Iran and Israel might climb with dangerous consequences. Iran’s role and what they do next will be decisive.  

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Middle East Program, and Suzanne Maloney, vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, to discuss how Iran perceives the current landscape and may act as the crisis unfolds. 

Ukraine’s Kursk offensive has added a new dynamic to an otherwise predictable grinding war of attrition between Russia and Ukraine. The war has now dragged on for the better part of three years, with neither Moscow nor Kyiv able to achieve their territorial objectives. Nor are there any prospects for serious negotiations that might pause or end the war. 

Are there any developments on the battlefield that suggest changes in either side’s tactics and strategies in the months ahead? Have Europe and the United States developed funding and political strategies to prepare for the long war? What are the right mix of policy tools and overall strategy to help prosecute a long war in Ukraine and an open-ended  confrontation with Moscow?   

Join Aaron David Miller as he engages in conversation with Carnegie’s own Dara Massicot and Eric Ciaramella to discuss these and other issues. 

As Lebanon was rocked by two days of exploding pagers and walkie-talkies directed at Hezbollah’s communications network, killing dozens and injuring thousands, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have risen to new heights.  In a fiery speech, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed revenge.    

How has this latest escalation impacted Lebanon’s internal politics? What are Hezbollah’s options in responding? What are the prospects for defusing not only the current crisis but the complex of issues that have shaped the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah? And what role can the U.S. and other international actors and regional parties play in avoiding an all-out war? 

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with His Excellency Abdallah BouHabib, the foreign minister of Lebanon, to discuss these and other issues.

In a recent poll, two-thirds of American adults said they were concerned that “extremists” will commit acts of violence following the 2024 election if they are unhappy with the results. This should come as no surprise. Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that among other threats the 2024 election cycle will be a  “key event for possible violence.” How real is that threat and how would it likely manifest itself? What are the factors driving political violence in America today? And what can be done to mitigate the threat? 

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with down with former acting assistant attorney general for national security Mary B. McCord and Eric K. Ward, senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center, to unpack these and other issues. 

China is top of mind for all these days, including U.S. officials. Whether it's because of military exercises against Taiwan, a trade war with the United States, or China's efforts to block a deal on Tik Tok, getting tough on Beijing seems to be the order of the day. But are we getting China right? Are agreements between the United States and China on core interests possible? Or is the current status quo the best we can do with Beijing to manage the relationship to avoid serious conflict?  

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with the Economist’s David Rennie to discuss these and other issues. 

The Middle East continues to boil. Following the Hezbollah rocket strike on a Druze town in the Golan Heights killing a dozen children, Israel targeted a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Two days later, the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed presumably by Israel in a missile strike in Tehran while attending the inauguration of the Iranian President. Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis have all threatened retaliation.

What is the likely impact of recent events on the Gaza ceasefire talks? Is the region heading toward a major war? And is there chance for de-escalation diplomacy?

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Amos Harel, Haaretz’s military correspondent and one of Israel’s leading defense analysts, to discuss these and other issues on Carnegie Connects.

This past spring many college and university campuses were roiled by unprecedented protests sparked by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Not since Vietnam has any foreign policy issue resulted in such widespread demonstrations on campuses.

What explains the intensity of the reaction? Has the Israeli-Palestinian conflict become a permanent fixture of hot debate? What lessons have been learned should demonstrations reoccur this fall? And is it possible to have productive conversations about the conflict without succumbing to nationalized, polarized narratives in a toxic media environment?

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Princeton University Dean Amaney Jamal and Columbia University Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo for a wide-ranging discussion of  these and other issues.

The Israel-Hamas war drags on seemingly with no end in sight. President Biden has announced a phased plan to end the conflict, but Hamas has yet to respond and Benny Gantz, a supporter of the plan, has left the Israeli government. Meanwhile, there’s serious concern about the prospects of a major escalation between Israel and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border. 

What is the humanitarian situation for Gaza’s 2.3 million people? Is there any realistic planning for the proverbial day after? And what are the prospects for any regional peace initiative? In this episode, Aaron David Miller welcomes back to the program Ambassador David Satterfield, formerly the White House Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues, to discuss these and other issues.

As the Israel-Hamas war drags on, the potential for spillover effects increase. Three conflict areas have emerged that carry serious risk of escalation: first, growing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah along the Israeli-Lebanese border, attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis against international shipping in the Red Sea, threatening global supply chains and freedom of navigation, and the danger of another direct clash between Israel and Iran.   

What are the prospects for regional escalation? Is there a diplomatic pathway in Lebanon? And how have these conflicts affected the international economy, supply chains, and the global trade of hydrocarbons? Aaron David Miller will discuss these and other issues with Amos Hochstein, deputy assistant to the president and senior advisor for energy and investment at the White House. Prior to serving at the White House, Hochstein served as the U.S.-appointed mediator of the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations that resulted in a maritime border agreement between the two nations.

Seven months on, the Israel-Hamas war continues with seemingly no end in sight, against a backdrop of escalating regional tensions. While Israel remains determined to pursue a major military operation in Rafah, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the release of hostages and a ceasefire drag on. Following unprecedented strikes by Iran and Israel on one another’s territory, there is growing concern that Israel and Hezbollah, Iran’s Lebanese proxy, might find themselves engaged in a major war. Despite these compounding challenges, the Biden Administration holds out hope for a regional peace initiative, including Israeli-Saudi normalization, should the situation in Gaza stabilize.  

What are the prospects for ending the Israel-Hamas war? Will the current status quo hold, or might we see another escalation between Israel and Iran? And what is the status of the US-Israeli relationship? Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog to discuss these and other issues, in the next episode of Carnegie Connects. 

The recent attacks by Iran and Israel on one another’s territory have taken the strategic rivalry between these two adversaries into uncharted and dangerous territory. The unprecedented strikes seem to have been contained for now, but it’s by no means certain that this state will hold. The underlying issues that have fueled tensions — from conflict with regional proxies to Iran’s nuclear program — remain unresolved.  

Will the recent escalation between Iran and Israel lead the parties to greater risk-readiness or risk aversion? What role can outside parties, especially the United States, play in reducing tensions? Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with the Institute for National Security Studies’ Sima Shine and the Carnegie Endowment’s Karim Sadjadpour to discuss these and other issues, in the next episode of Carnegie Connects. 

Congress is more involved in foreign policy — both formally and informally — than most Americans realize. With the war in Ukraine entering its third year, the Israeli-Hamas war continuing with no end in sight, and economic competition with China rising, Congress is likely to take a greater interest and have more influence on foreign policy in the coming year.

How divided is Congress on the key foreign policy issues of the day? Will party lines determine the passage of a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine or a possible ban of TikTok? And what issues offer the best prospects for bipartisan cooperation? Join Aaron David Miller, host of Carnegie Connects, as he sits down with Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) to discuss these and other issues.

As the Israeli-Hamas war enters its sixth month, the conflict shows no signs of abating. The humanitarian plight of Gazans continues to deteriorate while the prospects of a major Israeli ground campaign in Rafah looms. At the same time, the negotiations surrounding a potential hostage deal appear stalled.

What are Israel's current objectives in the conflict? How do tensions along the Israeli-Lebanon border factor in, and what of rising tensions with Washington? Aaron David Miller welcomes former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak back to the program to discuss the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war.

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Late last year, the Economist asked an intriguing question: How scary is China? President Joe Biden’s administration clearly considers China a peer competitor to the United States and many in Congress view Beijing as a mortal threat. There’s no doubt that China poses serious challenges, even dangers in some areas, for America. But is Washington overlooking China’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and misunderstanding what China wants from America and the world? Are we getting China right? 

Aaron David Miller sits down with David Rennie, the Economist’s bureau chief in Beijing, to discuss these and other issues.

As the Israel-Gaza war enters its fifth month, the humanitarian situation for 2.3 million Gazans is increasingly dire. A grinding process of inspections of trucks has slowed delivery of aid, while Israel's ground campaign in southern Gaza—where an estimated 1.9 million displaced Palestinians now reside—makes using predictable and reliable corridors for transport extremely difficult.

What is the future for Palestinians in Gaza? How does the Biden administration envision the proverbial day after? And what are the prospects for converting this crisis into a better pathway to a two-state solution and closer ties between Israel and the Arab world?

Aaron David Miller sits down with Ambassador David Satterfield, the State Department special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues, to discuss these and other issues.

In recent days, the Netanyahu government has doubled down on its efforts to consolidate its control and ramp up its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Following the firing of the former director of Shin Bet, an unprecedented decision in Israel’s history, the government has begun the more complicated process of terminating the attorney general, as well as changing the process by which judges are appointed.  A ferocious military operation in Gaza that has taken a terrible toll on Palestinian civilians and recent anti-Hamas demonstrations have resulted in renewed negotiations on a new hostage release for ceasefire agreement. And for the first time since the Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement in November 2024, rockets launched against northern Israel triggered response strikes in the Beirut suburbs.  

What does the future hold for Gaza and any longer-term agreement? Will the Netanyahu government succeed in what appears to be a renewal of the 2023 effort to increase its power and undermine Israel’s judiciary? What about any hopes for a regional peace accord encompassing Palestinians and Saudi Arabia? Join Aaron David Miller as he engages former Shin Bet director Ami Ayalon on these and other issues on the next Carnegie Connects.

In its threat assessment for 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security forecast that, among other threats, the 2024 election cycle will be a “key event for possible violence and foreign influence targeting our election infrastructure, processes and personnel.” Indeed, Attorney General Merrick Garland noted that in recent months there had been a “deeply disturbing spike” in threats against government workers and public servants.

What is the nature of these threats? What is driving and enabling political violence in America today? Can law enforcement cope with these threats, and are the nation’s institutions strong and resilient enough to deal with these challenges in the years ahead?

Aaron David Miller sits down in conversation with former U.S. acting assistant attorney general for national security Mary B. McCord to unpack these and other issues.

The Israel-Hamas war may have pushed Ukraine off the front pages, but Russia's war against Kyiv is almost certain to remain a key focus of U.S. foreign policy throughout 2024. Tough choices await. Hopes that the combination of a successful Ukrainian counter-offensive, tough sanctions, and diplomatic pressure might force Putin to alter his strategic calculus have given way to a more realistic assessment that this conflict might last for many years.

What should we expect on the battlefield in 2024? Are there any realistic prospects for negotiations and should President Joe Biden’s administration be pushing for them? What are the impacts of delays in aid to Ukraine now and in the months ahead? Over the longer term, is containment the right strategy for dealing with a belligerent Russia?

Aaron David Miller sits down in conversation with Carnegie’s own Dara Massicot and Eric Ciaramella to discuss these and other issues.

As the Israel-Hamas war enters its second month, the role of intelligence has figured prominently. How did Israel fail to grasp Hamas’s intentions and capabilities and to anticipate the October 7 attack? Was this a failure of imagination or were there structural and bureaucratic impediments that prevented Israel’s intelligence community from identifying the dots and connecting them? Are domestic politics overriding sound intelligence analysis to shape the Israeli government’s campaign against Hamas, its approach toward Gazan civilians, its efforts to free hostages, and its thinking on post-conflict Gaza and the West Bank?

Efraim Halevy, former director of the Mossad, and Ami Ayalon, former director of Shin Bet, engage in conversation with Aaron David Miller on these and other subjects.

With the ever-present possibility of tensions between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific, the war between Russia and Ukraine with no end in sight, and a new crisis between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East that could easily escalate, the United States seems to be stretched along several political and military fronts. How should President Joe Biden’s administration think strategically and tactically about this new arc of crisis in Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East? Can it successfully resource America’s role in these conflicts? What are the key challenges it faces, and how much political bandwidth does it have at home to fashion policies that are both sustainable and effective?

Aaron David Miller sits down with General David Petraeus to discuss these and other issues, as well as his new book "Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare From 1945 to Ukraine."

The Israel-Hamas war has pushed the Palestinian issue to center stage both in the region and internationally. Have Hamas’s October 7 attack, Israel’s blockade and airstrikes, and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe altered Gazans’ views on Hamas? What did Hamas hope to gain from the attack? Has the Palestinian Authority been weakened further by the escalating violence in the areas under its control, and would its influence be strengthened or weakened if Israel were to succeed in destroying Hamas’s military capabilities? Are there any circumstances in which the Palestinian Authority might return to Gaza?

Aaron David Miller sits down with pollster and analyst Khalil Shikaki, director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, in conversation on these and other issues.

Since October 7, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated to its highest level in recent years. The brutality of the Hamas attacks, the hostage-taking, and Israel’s response to date, including devastating air strikes in Gaza and the blockade—have intensified the conflict. Will Israel launch a major ground campaign against Hamas? What is the fate of the hostages? Is there a chance that the conflict could spread to the West Bank and Jerusalem or trigger a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah on the Israel-Lebanon border? What is Iran’s involvement, and how is the Biden administration dealing with the crisis? Aaron David Miller sits down with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak to discuss these and other issues.

Relations between Iran and the United States remain fraught. A period of de-escalation has been ushered in by Iran’s release of five American hostages in exchange for five Iranian nationals and the unfreezing of around $6 billion of Iranian assets that Tehran can now access only for food and humanitarian aid. On a separate track, through indirect negotiations, the United States and Iran reached a series of informal understandings to defuse tensions, including limits for Iran on some nuclear enrichment activities. But the underlying tensions driven by Iran’s nuclear program, its brutal repression of its own peacefully protesting citizens, and its support for Russia’s war against Ukraine remain unresolved.

What is the Biden administration's approach to Iran? How will domestic politics and the upcoming U.S. presidential election shape it? And what are the possibilities for a broader agreement between Washington and Tehran on the nuclear issue and other key points of contention? 

Aaron David sits down with two of Washington's finest analysts of Iran.

Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive has perhaps unfairly left some Western policy circles disappointed. Nonetheless, the war continues seemingly with no end in sight. What are the most realistic options for Kyiv to make headway against Russia? Has the Biden administration been too risk averse in its provision of military assistance, and what kind of advanced weapons systems supplied to Ukraine might make a significant difference on the battlefield? What have the past several months taught us about Ukranian and Russian strategy? And do the core tenets of Western strategy toward Russia’s war on Ukraine require rethinking?

Aaron David Miller hosts leading military analysts Dara Massicot, formerly of the RAND Corporation and soon to join Carnegie, and Carnegie’s own Michael Kofman for a discussion of these and other issues.

Uncertainties abound as Ukraine begins its much-anticipated counter-offensive. Will it change the trajectory of the war or represent simply another phase in a lengthy stalemate? Meanwhile, next month’s NATO summit will mandate some tough choices about the war, Ukraine’s potential membership, and the unity of the alliance. To what extent will domestic politics in Washington, Moscow, Kyiv and key European capitals shape decision-making? And what are the long-term security options for Ukraine as the confrontation drags on?

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Carnegie’s Kateryna Shynkaruk and Eric Ciaramella to discuss these and other issues.

The Palestinian national movement is in crisis. Divided between a Hamas-controlled Gaza and a Palestinian Authority that has lost credibility with the West Bank population it partially controls, the movement lacks not only cohesion but an effective strategy to bring about an end to Israeli occupation. Confronted by Israel's most right-wing fundamentalist government, which is committed to maintaining permanent control over most of the West Bank and Jerusalem, the movement is drifting with little more than symbolic support from the international community.

What is the Palestinian strategy? If the two-state solution has failed, what is the Palestinian endgame and how do they mean to achieve it? What happens in the wake of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ presidency? And what can Palestinians realistically expect from the Arab world and the United States?

Aaron David Miller sits down with Dr. Ashrawi to discuss these and other issues.

Does public opinion matter in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Do leaders pay attention to the changing views of their respective constituencies? Each situation presents unique challenges for analysts and scholars trying to answer these questions. And those challenges have grown exponentially more complicated in the wake of October 7, 2023, and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.  

How have Israeli and Palestinian attitudes evolved toward their leaders and the region, one another, the United States’ role, and the war?  And how do Israelis and Palestinians on all sides of the divide imagine their  future, particularly whether there’s a pathway out of the ongoing crisis and any prospects for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?   

Join Aaron David Miller as he engages in conversation with Dahlia Scheindlin, a political strategist and a public opinion researcher, and Khalil Shikaki, the director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, two analysts and pollsters of Israeli and Palestinian politics and public opinion, on these and other issues on the next Carnegie Connects. 

As Israel turns seventy-five, protests opposing the Netanyahu government's effort to overhaul and weaken Israel's judiciary enter their twentieth week, Israel confronts unprecedented internal challenges as Israeli-Palestinian clashes in Gaza and the West Bank intensify, and Iran's nuclear program continues unconstrained. What lies ahead for Israel and the Middle East at this critical moment?

Aaron David Miller sits down with former Israeli prime minister and defense minister Ehud Barak for a wide-ranging conversation about Israel at seventy-five.

Can humanity compete in the critical race against climate change, or are we destined to succumb to a world of extreme heat, flooding, drought, and irrevocable damage to the planet’s seas and biosphere? The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that time is running out but holds out hope of averting the worst. Will UN efforts like COP summits succeed soon enough? If not, who or what will lead the way? And as the climate emergency accelerates, what can the world expect from its largest emitters, China and the United States?

U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change Sue Biniaz joins Aaron David Miller to discuss.

Well before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Biden cast the main dynamic of the 21st century as a struggle between the forces of democracy and autocracy. Putin’s aggression seemed to tether Biden’s rhetoric to the bloody reality of the most serious crisis in Europe since the end of the cold war. But with two thirds of the world’s population residing in countries that have not signed on to pro-active sanctions against Russia, is the democracy versus authoritarian framing the most effective one? Why isn’t the United States and much of the West’s message getting though? Why are so many nations hedging? And what are the prospects for a resurgence of democratic systems against the backdrop of recent democratic backsliding? What concrete steps can the U.S. and its democratic allies take to support fledgling and fragile democracies?

Atlantic staff writer and author Anne Applebaum joins Aaron to discuss. 

America’s foreign policy challenges abound. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has evolved into a seemingly endless war of attrition in which neither side appears poised to win decisively. Relations between the United States and China are at their worst in decades with little discernible pathway to a more productive relationship. North Korea flexes its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities while Iran expands its enrichment capacity to near weapons-grade level. Meanwhile, international institutions and multilateral cooperation seem ill equipped to deal effectively with the transnational challenges of climate, a future pandemic, and the preservation of biodiversity. At home, domestic politics are playing an influential role in shaping U.S. foreign policy, for better or worse. Amid so much geopolitical complexity and so many crises, what are the key elements for an effective and successful foreign policy?

Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with two former national security advisors to discuss America’s role in this challenging and changing world.

Wars evolve in one of two ways—one side decisively defeats the other, or both sides, realizing that total victory is unattainable, compromise on a temporary or permanent deal to end the fighting. In Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, neither scenario is currently in play as Moscow and Kyiv plan fresh offensives and counteroffensives in 2023 along the 600-mile battlefront. How are Putin and Zelenskyy recalibrating their military strategies in the new year? How would Russia react if Ukraine wins more ground and is in striking distance of Crimea? How would Chinese military assistance impact the battlefield balance? And what circumstances might produce a Western military confrontation with Russia? 

Aaron welcomes Russian military expert Michael Kofman from CNA to discuss how the battlefield in Ukraine is shaping up in 2023.

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As the war in Ukraine nears its one-year anniversary, the coming months could prove decisive in a conflict that has become a war of attrition. The possibility of any negotiation in the near future appears dim as rumors spread of massive Russian and Ukrainian offensives. Kyiv and its Western partners are scrambling to bolster the Ukrainian military with tanks, air defense, and other capabilities. How does the Biden administration view the effectiveness and sustainability of its overall strategy? And how can Ukrainian and Western leaders persuade Putin that he is wrong to pin his hopes on simply outlasting his opponents?

Aaron sits down in conversation with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland to discuss these and other issues.     

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The inauguration of the most right-wing fundamentalist government in Israel’s history poses unprecedented and extraordinary challenges. Just the other week, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government introduced new legislation that would weaken the judiciary’s independence. 

Meanwhile, the new government‘s hardline policies toward the Palestinians have the potential to jeopardize its relationships with its Arab neighbors. Is Israel’s democracy in danger with these new judicial reforms? How will the government’s policies on the West Bank and Jerusalem impact relations with the Palestinians and other Arab states? And what’s the trajectory of U.S.-Israeli relations moving forward? 

Aaron sits down with the former Israeli vice prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and justice Tzipi Livni to discuss these and other issues.

Russia’s war against Ukraine continues with no end in sight. Almost a year into the conflict, one of the most intriguing questions is how Russia’s economy has managed to stave off a destabilizing economic crisis in the face of unprecedented economic sanctions. How has the Russian economy survived? What has the impact of sanctions been on the Russian public? And can Russia continue to thwart international pressure to choke off the oil revenues that fuel the war effort in Ukraine?

Aaron is joined by the Financial Times’ Polina Ivanova, an investigative journalist who covers Russia, Ukraine, and Central Asia and has focused on how Russia’s economy has learned to adapt over the last year. 

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The U.S.-China relationship will figure prominently in global politics for decades to come. Getting China right, to the extent that’s possible, is critically important both to minimize the chances of conflict and maximize potential cooperation. Despite its rising power, China is also wrestling with sluggish growth, an aging population, and a failed pandemic policy that has sparked backlash against President Xi’s leadership. Is Taiwan squarely in Beijing’s crosshairs today? How does Xi envision his relationship with Biden and the United States in the years to come? And what do American policymakers miss when it comes to China and its authoritarian leader?

Aaron David Miller is joined by David Rennie, the Economist’s Beijing bureau chief and Chaguan columnist, to discuss these and other issues. 

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Russian aggression against Ukraine continues with no end in sight. While Ukrainian military offensives have shifted the momentum and recaptured significant swaths of territory, entrenched Russian positions and winter conditions have slowed the tempo of the fighting. Meanwhile, Russia’s air and missile strikes have crippled Ukrainian infrastructure and exacted a severe price on civilians. Where is the war headed? Is the resolve of the U.S.-led coalition still strong? How has the conflict affected Putin’s domestic support? And what options are available to the Biden administration other than simply staying the course?

Aaron sits down with Carnegie’s own Andrew S. Weiss and one of Russia's most acclaimed political observers, Ekaterina Schulmann, to discuss these and other issues.

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All Presidents, Jonathan Alter wrote, are blind dates. Donald Trump may be the first who isn’t. Political analysts and historians not only have Trump’s first term to gauge his temperament and policies, but the four years preceding the 2024 elections, where he previewed his agenda for his second non-consecutive term. Even with that foreshadowing, Trump has crashed through traditional norms and conventions, aggrandized presidential power, and sought to reshape American politics in ways few would have thought possible. 

What lessons does history hold for us in approaching the second Trump presidency? Is it plausible to talk about the age of Trump as historians have done for certain presidents? The American experiment in democratic self-governance has been tested in the past. How will it fare going forward? Indeed, will the traditional guardrails hold and protect against the abuse of presidential power? Join Aaron David Miller as he engages in conversation with presidential historians Nicole Hemmer and Douglas Brinkley to discuss these and other issues, on the next Carnegie Connects. 

The U.S.-Saudi relationship is going through some of the worst tensions in decades. In the wake of the Saudi-driven OPEC Plus decision in October to cut production, Biden has warned of “consequences” for the relationship. At the same time, the White House has also granted Mohammed bin Salman legal immunity over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a sting to Biden’s calls to uphold human rights. What consequences, if any, will arise now, or will it just be a slap on the wrist for a problematic but important partner? How will the OPEC Plus meeting in Vienna shape energy markets? And how will the EU’s embargo of seaborne Russian oil shipments and G7 price caps affect energy prices and U.S.-Saudi relations?

Aaron welcomes veteran OPEC watcher Helima Croft and Princeton University’s Bernard Haykel as they discuss the future of U.S.-Saudi relations.

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When it comes to foreign policy, George Will quipped, Americans want as little of it as possible. That much was even clearer this week as American voters had inflation, crime, abortion access, U.S. democracy, and recession fears at the top of their minds in the midterm elections. At the same time, warming temperatures, supply chain breakdowns, and a global pandemic have only reaffirmed the inescapable fact that what happens here at home is inextricably linked to events beyond America’s shores. All this takes place amid the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s rise as a peer competitor, and challenges from rogue states such as North Korea and Iran. How do we prioritize these challenges? And what does it mean to lead in a complex, multipolar world?

Aaron sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman for a wide-ranging discussion of these and other challenges.

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Next week Americans will go to the polls in a midterm election that may speak volumes on how voters view the current policies of the Biden administration and provide a snapshot of the state of America’s deeply polarized politics. How will the election results shape the second half of Biden’s term in office? What did the pollsters get right and wrong about voters’ priorities? And what do the midterms tell us—if anything—about the general election in 2024?

Aaron sits down with S.E. Cupp and Norman Ornstein for an analysis of the midterms and the state of politics in America.

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With negotiations over the nuclear deal on hold and Iran facing its most serious protests since 2009, the Biden administration is dealing with a new reality in its relations with the Iranian regime. How have the demonstrations reshaped the administration’s thinking on Iran? Is a revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action still on the table? And what is the most effective approach to deal with Iran’s internal unrest?

Aaron sits down with Robert Malley, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, for a wide-ranging conversation on the Biden administration’s Iran policy.

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