Council on Foreign Relations

The United States needs to act now to maintain its dominance in outer space, argues a new CFR Task Force report, "Securing Space: A Plan for U.S. Action." The report argues that as the United States adapts to the changing commercial, technological, and national security landscape in space, it needs to “make space a top national priority and commit to revitalizing U.S. leadership in space" The Task Force is co-chaired by former Congresswoman Jane Harman and retired Lieutenant General Nina Armagno, the first director of staff at U.S. Space Force, and is directed by Esther Brimmer, CFR senior fellow in global governance. The bipartisan Task Force includes over 30 members and observers representing the public sector, private sector, and academia. Read the recommendations for how to make space a national priority: https://on.cfr.org/4jSg8Rm

An increase in space traffic and space debris is making collisions more likely, endangering not just assets such as satellites, but the lives of astronauts. International "rules of the road" are needed to prevent accidents, argues a CFR Task Force ?? https://on.cfr.org/4jSg8Rm

In his second administration, President Trump is again calling for greater scrutiny of U.S. funding and involvement in the UN, and he has signaled sharp cutbacks in some payments. Get the latest:

During a testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, CFR’s China Strategy Initiative Director Rush Doshi responded to a question posed by Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY) about whether U.S.-Russia negotiations over the war in Ukraine will have implications for Chinese aggression towards Taiwan or in the South China Sea. While reluctant to say that the situation “transfers like that,” Doshi states that if the United States doesn’t “stand for Ukraine, [China] will be emboldened in Taiwan.” Tap here for more on Rush Doshi’s testimony ?? https://on.cfr.org/41CSWiQ #China #Ukraine #Taiwan #UnitedStates

CFR Russia and Eurasia expert Stephen Sestanovich outlines how the blowup between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump during negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine war marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy and could significantly reshape the world order. Trump alluded that the United States, in seeking peace, needs to cut off aid to Ukraine. "It may be further than President Trump intended to go, and the pushback may be very strong," said Sestanovich as he noted the likelihood of Trump hearing from European governments, members of Congress, and the media that this was too far a break from U.S. foreign policy.

"The forty-seventh president remains more focused on the alleged shortcomings of America’s friends than on standing up to a predatory power that threatens U.S. interests. That is a recipe for a more dangerous world," writes James M. Lindsay.

The end of the countries’ historic peace deal was once unimaginable—but is now on the horizon, writes Steven Cook.

The Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. foreign aid apparatus has created a vacuum that China is rapidly filling, increasing its influence and soft power in regions like Southeast Asia, writes Josh Kurlantzick.

Read The World This Week newsletter for a weekly digest of the latest from CFR on the biggest foreign policy stories of the week, including CFR President Mike Froman on maintaining America's technological edge???

"The iPhone is priced correctly in China’s customs trade data. A seemingly banal observation that leads to big questions about China’s post 2022 balance of payments methodology," writes Brad Setser.