geopolitics

What Xi wants from Trump—and Trump might get from Xi.

In May 2025, as Indian BrahMos missile strikes hit Pakistani air bases — targeting runways, parked aircraft, and critical infrastructure — Islamabad faced a choice. It had the capability to respond with its own long-range systems, but it chose not to. Pakistan deliberately withheld the Babur cruise

Why turbulence will make Beijing more assertive.

Ryan sits down at the Cogs of War mic for the last time to introduce Jonathan Panter, the new host and executive editor of Cogs of War. Jonathan shares his background, from naval officer to scholar. They discuss major defense tech issues, and Jonathan shares what he hopes to accomplish at the helm o

The phone rang at 3:45 pm on a Friday afternoon. We were winding down for the weekend when the caller ID lit up — it was the counterterrorism analyst in our office we affectionately called “CT Brian.” When he called, it was never good news. An al-Qaeda-affiliated group seized an American aid worker.

What if fielding more nuclear weapons makes the United States less secure, not more? That question is now at the center of a growing debate as the United States confronts a nuclear landscape shaped by two major nuclear rivals.China is rapidly expanding and modernizing its nuclear arsenal, while the

The post Charai for The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune: Trump in Beijing: Respect, Leverage, and the New Realism of U.S.–China Relations appeared first on Atlantic Council.

Gulf sovereign wealth funds are seeking to maximize return on investment while maintaining strategic optionality. The post How Gulf investments are responding to the US-China critical minerals competition appeared first on Atlantic Council.

On May 14, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig was interviewed on Fox News radio on President Trump's trip to China. The post Kroenig interviewed on Fox News on Trump’s trip to China appeared first on Atlantic Council.

On May 13, Forward Defense Associate Director and Resident Fellow Alyxandra Marine co-authored an article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, arguing that the United States should pursue trilateral arms-control arrangements with Russia and China. While near-term agreement is unlikely, Marine a