New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy | Podcasts

Global Hotspots Outlook: Japan's Takaichi Secures Election Victory

This week, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, after which Trump insisted that negotiations with Iran would continue, while Israel is reportedly preparing for a ground offensive in Gaza against Hamas.
In the Indo Pacific, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering constitutional reform following her party’s victory in parliament, while the U.S. is preparing a new arms sale to Taiwan. 
In the Americas, Cuba has warned airline companies that they would no longer be able to refuel on the island amid the country’s energy crisis following an oil embargo by the United States. 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted a U.S. invitation to participate in peace talks in Miami next week, while the European Union is preparing a list of concessions it will demand from Russia. 
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Global Hotspots Outlook: U.S. and Iran Hold Talks Amid Rising Tensions

This week, the U.S. and Iran held talks in Oman over Iran’s nuclear program amid rising tensions following U.S. forces shooting down an Iranian reconnaissance drone in the Arabian Sea. In the U.S., the federal government reopened after a partial shutdown following commitments by the Trump administration to reduce the number of federal law enforcement officers in Minnesota. In the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. hailed a trade agreement with India following New Delhi’s reported commitment to halt Russian oil purchases, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted foreign leaders for a new trading block for critical minerals. Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. held trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi while Russia resumed strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure following a one-week stop in those bombings.   
 
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Global Hotspots Outlook: Trump Considers Iran Strikes

This week, in the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump continued to weigh options for possible intervention in Iran and ordered military assets to be deployed in the region. In the U.S., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer continued to negotiate a deal that would avert a U.S. government shutdown in exchange for restrictions on immigration enforcement, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified in Congress on the future of governance for Venezuela. In the Indo-Pacific, the Chinese government removed the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and authorized key tech companies to order Nvidia chips. Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian officials held talks in Abu Dhabi about ending their conflict, while Russian President Vladimir Putin stated a willingness to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow. 
 
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Global Hotspots: At Davos, Trump Walks Back Greenland Threats

This week, world leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, an event dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland, which he later walked back following discussions with NATO. In the Middle East, Trump inaugurated his “Board of Peace” and ordered the Department of Defense to draw up plans for a possible intervention in Iran. In the Russia/Ukraine conflict, top U.S. officials held separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russia continued its strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. In the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. Congress approved a revised defense budget that earmarks $1 billion for Taiwan’s defense, while the United Kingdom approved the controversial construction of China’s new embassy to the U.K.
Register your interest to gain access to the 2026 Geopolitical Forecast Report and information on the latest forecasting and risk management platform developed by New Lines.
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Global Hotspots: U.S. Pressures Iran on Protests; Greenland Diplomacy Ramps Up

This week, the White House ramped up pressure on Iran as the regime’s protest crackdown led to thousands of protestors dead according to varying accounts. Denmark and Greenland sent their top diplomats to negotiate with the U.S. over Greenland’s status, while European countries have sent small troop contingents to the island ahead of planned joint military exercises to assess how to ensure the country’s security. In the Indo-Pacific, U.S. President Donald Trump formally approved the sale of Nvidia chips to China despite remaining reservations on both sides, while Japan is preparing for possible snap elections. In Ukraine, Russia has continued to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, while its efforts to obtain security guarantees from the U.S. have stalled.
Register your interest to gain access to the 2026 Geopolitical Forecast Report and information on the latest forecasting and risk management platform developed by New Lines.
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Global Hotspots: U.S.-Venezuela Intervention and Worldwide Ripple Effects

This week, the United States conducted a major military operation against Venezuela resulting in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, with implications throughout the Americas and globally. In the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to intervene militarily in Iran as the country faces large-scale anti-government protests, while Saudi Arabia conducted strikes against UAE-backed forces in Yemen. In the Indo-Pacific, China banned all dual-use exports to Japanese military companies, while Chinese President Xi Jinping met with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, signaling increased cooperation. In the Russia/Ukraine conflict, the U.S. backed a security guarantees proposal for a Ukraine ceasefire, and Trump approved a bipartisan congressional sanctions package against Russia’s energy sector.
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Armenia-Azerbaijan Diplomacy and Regional Connectivity Implications, Part 2

In this episode of the New Lines Contours Podcast, host Eugene Chausovsky sits down with Farid Shafiyev, the chairman of the Center of Analysis and International Relations and former ambassador for Azerbaijan to Canada and Czechia. Together, they discuss the developments over the last year in diplomatic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the economic interests foreign powers have in the region, and how the South Caucasus will develop in the future.

Armenia-Azerbaijan Diplomacy and Regional Connectivity Implications, Part 1

In this episode of the New Lines Contours Podcast, host Eugene Chausovsky sits down with Richard Giragosian, the founding director of the Regional Studies Center and a guest lecturer for the NATO Defense College in Rome. Together, they discuss the developments over the last year in diplomatic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the influence foreign powers have in the region, and how the South Caucasus will develop in the future.

Global Hotspots: Review and Forecast of Venezuela, DRC, Sudan, and Gen Z Protests

In the last Global Hotspots episode of 2025, Milos and Andrew sit down with New Lines student fellows Ashley Nunes and Sebastian Dittgen. Together, they discuss analytical hotspots New Lines analysts tracked in 2025, including Venezuela, the DRC, and the wave of Gen Z protests around the globe.
Read the 2026 Forecast - https://newlinesinstitute.org/analytical-products/2026-annual-forecast/
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Global Hotspots: 2026 Annual Forecast

A global adaptation to a new state of the world driven by the White House’s approach to international relations will headline 2026. Efforts to de-escalate the war in Ukraine will persist and gain some traction. In the Middle East, the fragile ceasefire in Gaza will hold as tensions among Israel, Syria, and Iran continue to mount. A U.S.-China trade truce will keep the Indo-Pacific relatively stable economically, as the rival powers continue to vie for influence with diplomatic and security repercussions that extend well beyond the region. Global trade flows are expected to stabilize, supported by improving logistics conditions and more resilient supply-chain networks. At the same time, renewable energy will expand through new installations and a rising share in power generation, reinforced by efficiency gains from AI-driven technologies. Deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the possibility of armed conflict in Venezuela, and youth-driven protest movements will pose destabilization risks to various degrees around the world.
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/