The World Next Week

Finland and Sweden intensify the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership process, U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders for a special summit in Washington, DC, and Lebanon holds parliamentary elections.   Podcasts Mentioned on the Podcast   Steven A. Cook, “The Middle East’s Reaction to the Invasion of Ukraine,” The President’s Inbox, May 10, 2022

The Philippines holds a general election, a vote for a new chief executive happens in Hong Kong, and foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations meet in Germany.   Articles and Podcasts Mentioned on the Podcast   Derek H. Chollet, “U.S. Policy Toward Russia,” The President’s Inbox, May 3, 2022   Josh Kurlantzick, “A Marcos Presidency Will Be Bad News for the Philippines’ Democracy,” World Politics Review via CFR.org, April 15, 2022   Josh Kurlantzick, “The Philippines’ High-Stakes Election: What to Know,” CFR.org, April 21, 2022   Books and Reports Mentioned   Alice C. Hill, The Fight for Climate After COVID-19 (2021)   Stewart Patrick, Reflecting Sunlight to Reduce Climate Risk (2022)

The U.S. Federal Reserve is poised to raise interest rates, the United States assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council, and Japan marks Constitution Memorial Day as the country makes changes to its defense and security policy.   Articles Mentioned on the Podcast Kali Robinson, “How Russia’s War in Ukraine Could Amplify Food Insecurity in the Mideast,” CFR.org, April 21, 2022   Experts and Interactives Mentioned Sheila Smith, CFR Sheila Smith, “Constitutional Change in Japan,” CFR.org, March 11, 2021

U.S. officials visit the Solomon Islands to discuss China, voters in France head to the polls for a presidential runoff, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson travels to India.   Articles Mentioned on the Podcast  Matthias Matthijs, “Macron vs. Le Pen: What’s at Stake in the French Election?,” CFR.org, April 20, 2022

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank convene for their annual Spring Meetings, rumors fly of a North Korean nuclear test on the one-hundred-and-tenth anniversary of Kim Il Sung’s birth, and COVID-19 cases surge across China.    Articles and Reports Mentioned on the Podcast   Europe and Central Asia Economic Update: War in the Region, The World Bank, April 10, 2022   Michelle Nichols, "U.S. pushes U.N. to cut N.Korea oil imports, ban tobacco, blacklist Lazarus hackers,” Reuters, April 13, 2022

France has the first round of its presidential election, Warsaw holds a global pledging event for Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons, and Pakistan faces a constitutional crisis.   Podcasts Mentioned on the Podcast   Audrey Kurth Cronin, “War in the Digital Age,” The President’s Inbox, April 5, 2022

Russia-Ukraine peace talks continue in Istanbul, Turkey, officials from the European Union (EU) and China convene for a virtual trade summit, and Hungary holds closely watched general elections.   Blogs Mentioned on the Podcast   Michelle Gavin, Africa in Transition, CFR.org

U.S. President Joe Biden travels to Poland as Russia’s war in Ukraine enters a new phase, leaders from OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and its allies convene virtually to discuss oil production, and international themes abound at the Ninety-Fourth Academy Awards.   Podcasts Mentioned on the Podcast   Charles A. Kupchan, “TPI Special: The War in Ukraine,” The President’s Inbox, February 25, 2022

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders meet in Brussels as Russia’s attacks in Ukraine continue, and ministers from Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries discuss the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.

The destruction of Ukraine continues as countries ramp up pressure on Russia, the world marks two years since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), and Colombians vote in parliamentary elections.   Reports Mentioned on the Podcast   Chris Boulton, et al, “Pronounced loss of Amazon rainforest resilience since the early 2000s,” Nature Climate Change (March 2022)   “Ukraine Refugee Situation,” The UN Refugee Agency, 2022

Russian forces ramp up assaults on Ukrainian cities, Chinese leaders gather for their annual “Two Sessions” meeting, and South Koreans head to the polls for a presidential election.   Articles Mentioned on the Podcast    Christian Shepherd, "China not emerging as lifeline for sanction-slammed Russian economy," Washington Post, March 2, 2022   Scott Snyder, "South Korea's Presidential Election: What to Know," CFR.org, March 3, 2022   Resources Mentioned "Global Conflict Tracker," Center for Preventive Action, CFR.org

Russia launches an invasion of Ukraine with wide-ranging consequences for international order.   Articles Mentioned on the Podcast   Robert Kagan, “What we can expect after Putin’s conquest of Ukraine,” Washington Post, February 21, 2022   Events and Speeches Mentioned   Crisis in Ukraine, Council on Foreign Relations, February 23, 2022   Vladimir Putin’s address on Ukraine, via Bloomberg News, February 24, 2022

The Munich Security Conference is the stage for crisis diplomacy amid high tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border, the world marks the fiftieth anniversary of former U.S. President Richard Nixon’s historic trip to China, and the UN Environment Programme issues its annual Frontiers report.   Books Mentioned on the Podcast   Margaret MacMillian, Nixon and Mao: The Week That Changed the World (2007)   Reports and Statements Mentioned   Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches, UN Environment Programme, February 17, 2022   Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the International Relations Entering a New Era and the Global Sustainable Development, The Kremlin, February 4, 2022   2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, February 15, 2022

Iran nuclear talks resume in Vienna, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Kyiv and Moscow, and some countries start to loosen COVID-19 restrictions.   Articles and Statements Mentioned on the Podcast   Thomas Bollyky et al., “Pandemic preparedness and COVID-19,” The Lancet, February 1, 2022   Claire Felter, “The World Still Hasn’t Agreed on a Pandemic Playbook,” CFR.org, February 4, 2022   Senator Ted Cruz’s letter on Iran nuclear deal [PDF], February 7, 2022   Podcasts Mentioned   Ian Johnson, “China’s Domestic Challenges,” The President’s Inbox, February 8, 2022

The Winter Olympics kick off in Beijing, the African Union (AU) holds its annual heads of state summit in Addis Ababa, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House.   Articles and Statements Mentioned on the Podcast   Yanzhong Huang, “China welcomed the world the last time it hosted the Olympics. Not now.” Washington Post, February 3, 2022   Ian Johnson, “The Games Nobody Wants: How the Winter Olympics Became a Headache for China,” CFR.org, February 1, 2022   “Statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the Visit of Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany,” The White House, January 27, 2022   Podcasts Mentioned   Gabrielle Sierra, “Hey, Remember the Olympics?” Why It Matters, July 15, 2020

The humanitarian crisis deepens in Afghanistan, international diplomacy intensifies over Russian-Ukrainian tensions, and Myanmar marks one year since the military coup.   Articles Mentioned in the Podcast   “Afghanistan Food Security Update” [PDF], World Food Programme, December 8, 2021   Joshua Kurlantzick, “Myanmar Is a Failing State—and Could Be a Danger to Its Neighbors,” CFR.org, September 16, 2021

Supply chain challenges reverberate again, high-stakes diplomacy continues with Russia over Ukraine, and Hondurans inaugurate a new president.   Articles Mentioned in the Podcast   Shannon K. O’Neil, “Why the Supply Chain Slowdown Will Persist,” Foreign Affairs, December 21, 2021

The European Parliament elects a new president, COVID-19 case rates surge across the globe, and diplomacy continues over Russian security demands in Europe.   Articles Mentioned in the Podcast   Mary Beth Sheridan, “Mexico has refused to close its borders during the covid-19 pandemic. Does that make sense?” Washington Post, January 12, 2022   Stephen Sestanovich, “The Russia-Ukraine Crisis: A Scorecard on Biden’s Response,” CFR.org, December 23, 2021   Adam Tooze, “Chartbook #68 Putin’s Challenge to Western hegemony - the 2022 edition,” January 12, 2022

Top officials from the United States and Russia meet in Geneva to discuss nuclear arms control and the crisis in Ukraine, Americans mark one year since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and the CES trade show wraps in Las Vegas.   Articles Mentioned on the Podcast   Stephen Sestanovich, “The Russia-Ukraine Crisis: A Scorecard on Biden’s Response,” CFR.org, December 23, 2021

In this special year-end episode of The World Next Week, James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon are joined by Shannon K. O’Neil, CFR vice president, deputy director of studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin America Studies. They discuss this year’s historic elections and the state of democracy in Latin America and beyond, the development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the world, and U.S. President Joe Biden’s first year in office.   Articles Mentioned on the Podcast   Lauren Sloss, “The Documents You Need to Travel Abroad Now,” New York Times, December 10, 2021   Christopher Troeger and Thomas J. Bollyky, “Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic Hinges on Trust,” Think Global Health, November 30, 2021   Podcasts Mentioned   Richard Haass, Nine Questions for the World, Council on Foreign Relations   Anne Appelbaum and Richard Haass, “Can Democracy Survive?,” Nine Questions for the World, December 16, 2021   Michelle McMurry-Heath and Richard Haass, “Can Biotech Be Harne