State of Play
Center for Strategic and International Studies
51 episodes
The world order has been disrupted, and a new international system is emerging. Hosted by Will Todman, State of Play unpacks the biggest geopolitical developments of the week. Every episode brings together CSIS’s leading regional experts to explore how global power is shifting, how allies and adversaries are responding, and what it all means for the future of international order. State of Play is produced by Cera Baker.
Episodes page 1 of 2
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How Serious is Russia's Threat to Europe?
U.S. and European leaders have accused Russia of stepping up sabotage, drone incursions, and cyberattacks in Europe, and some warn that Russia will test NATO's article 5 resolve by striking European states with drones…
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After Houthi Attacks, What Options Does Saudi Arabia Have?
Last weekend, the Houthis conducted their deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia for over a decade. Amb. Michael Ratney and new CSIS senior fellow Allison Minor join Will to discuss how we got to this point, whether Saudi…
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Could Fighting in Ethiopia Spark Regional War in the Horn of Africa?
Fighting has broken out between the Ethiopian government and an alliance of 7 opposition groups. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Egypt, and Sudan of backing the rebel alliance, though officials from all three governments…
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What Did Trump and Xi Agree to at the White House?
The summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping could cover a range of issues to potentially include trade, investment, AI, the war with Iran, and Taiwan. The morning after the summit, CSIS’s leading China experts will…
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Is the U.S.-Philippines Alliance Really at a Historic High?
A recent opinion poll found that Filipinos have the most positive view of President Trump of any of the 36 countries surveyed. On the sidelines of the Manila Strategy Forum, Amb. John Negroponte and Greg Poling join…
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Will Trump’s Pressure on Canada Break the USMCA?
When faced with President Trump’s economic pressure, most U.S. allies have fallen into line. Canada bucked the trend and stood firm. This week, Will talks with Chris Hernandez-Roy and Diego Marroquin Bitar to discuss…
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Did Iran Attack U.S. Water Systems?
Cyberattacks targeting water and wastewater utilities have been reported in at least a dozen states across the United States since late July. Although there has been no widespread contamination or immediate threat to…
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Is Cuba Nearing an Inflection Point?
President Trump is ramping up economic pressure on Cuba and has instructed U.S. intelligence agencies to find a new leader who could work with the United States – like Delcy Rodriguez in Venezuela. Christopher…
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How Should the U.S. Counter China in the Pacific?
A Chinese submarine recently launched an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific, and China has been on the hunt for a security foothold in the region. Meanwhile, the United States has cut assistance and…
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Was This World Cup More Political?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolded against a backdrop of geopolitical tension, trade disputes, and competing national ambitions. But did these politics shape the tournament more than in previous years? Max Bergmann,…
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Have Politics Jeopardized the Ebola Response?
The current Ebola outbreak comes after major cuts in humanitarian and health aid and is spreading in a deeply insecure environment. This week, Steve Morrison and Michaela Simoneau of the CSIS Global Health Policy…
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Was the G7 Summit in France a Success?
The G7 Summit may have defied expectations. President Trump stayed until the end, there were no big bust-ups, and lots of joint policy statements. Victor Cha, Kristi Govella, Phil Luck, and Caitlin Welsh join Will to…
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Trump's Iran Deal: What Comes Next?
The United States and Iran announced a framework deal that includes a 60-day ceasefire and reopens the Strait of Hormuz. CSIS Middle East Program experts Mona Yacoubian, Michael Ratney, Paul Salem, and Susan Ziadeh…
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How Should the United States Counter the CRINK Axis?
The recent Xi–Kim summit has further strengthened ties between China and North Korea, with potential implications for the broader dynamics among the CRINK countries and regional security. Dr. Victor Cha, Igor…
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Is Ukraine Turning the Tide?
Four years into the war, Ukraine may finally have the upper hand. Will speaks with Max Bergmann and Maria Snegovaya about their recent trip to Kyiv, Ukraine's key advantages, Russia's challenges, and if the shifting…
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Is Something Big About to Happen with North Korea?
A flurry of diplomatic activity and a reported visit of Xi Jinping to North Korea has heightened speculation that something is afoot. Victor Cha, Tom Christensen, and Edgard Kagan join Will to discuss what these…
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What Can Negotiations Between Lebanon and Israel Achieve?
Under U.S. pressure, Lebanon and Israel recently entered into direct negotiations for the first time in 30 years. This week, Mona Yacoubian and Paul Salem join Will to discuss what each side is hoping to get out of the…
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What did the Trump-Xi Summit Achieve?
The U.S.-China summit covered trade, investment, the war with Iran, and Taiwan. Edgard Kagan, Scott Kennedy, and Bonny Lin joined Will to discuss how successful the summit was, what it means for the future of…
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Is a Cold Peace with North Korea Possible?
North Korea has resisted decades of international denuclearization efforts, including the world’s most crippling sanctions regime. Victor Cha and Sydney Seiler join Will to discuss why U.S. strategy has failed, how the…
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Has the Iran War Transformed the Middle East's Future?
The war with Iran has roiled the economies of the Middle East, shattered trust between Iran and Arab Gulf states, challenged security arrangements, and highlighted the region's geopolitical importance. But looking…
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Will Orban’s Defeat Transform Europe?
Prime minister Victor Orban lost the Hungarian elections after 16 years in power. Péter Magyar’s landslide victory gave him a broad mandate for change and the ability to do so. Donatienne Ruy joins Will to discuss what…
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Has the Iran war upended U.S.-China negotiations?
President Trump delayed his planned summit with Xi Jinping from March to May due to the war with Iran. Scott Kennedy and Brian Hart join Will to assess the war's impact on the talks, if the war has changed China's…
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What Are the Hidden Costs of the War with Iran?
Beyond increasing gas prices, the war with Iran has had significant ripple effects for food security, economic security, and humanitarian crises in the Middle East and beyond. Emily Harding, Caitlin Welsh, and Mona…
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How did Japan Navigate Trump's Pressure on Iran?
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was the first U.S. ally to visit President Trump in the White House after he called on allies to help with the war on Iran. Nick Szechenyi joins Will to discuss what Takaichi had hoped to…
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Are Russia and China Benefitting from the War with Iran?
As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran enters its third week, U.S. attention is focused on the Middle East once again. Both China and Russia may find strategic openings, from higher global energy prices that bolster…
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Is Cuba Next?
President Trump said the Cuban government will fall “pretty soon” and “it may not be a friendly takeover.” Ryan Berg and Carrie Filipetti join Will to discuss President Trump’s goals in Cuba, his range of options, and…
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Would Regime Change Solve the Iran Challenge?
To discuss the risks of regime change in Iran, the lessons to draw from other regime change efforts in the Middle East and beyond, and to outline what the United States can do now to ensure a positive outcome in Iran,…
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How are SE Asian States Recalibrating Their U.S. and China Ties Under Trump 2.0?
President Trump's economic strategy in SE Asia faces new questions after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs. Greg Poling and Henrietta Levin join Will to discuss how SE Asian states are engaging with the Trump…
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Emergency Episode: European Security after the Munich Conference
Max Bergmann shares his key observations about transatlantic relations after attending the Munich Security Conference. He discusses how European leaders reacted to Secretary Rubio’s speech, the U.S. strategy for…
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Are we thinking about tech competition with China the right way?
Technological advances are not just about economics, but also power and leverage. Mark Dallas and Ilaria Mazzocco join Will to explore the geopolitical aspect of tech competition. They discuss each state's key…
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Emergency Episode: PM Takaichi's Landslide Victory in Japan
Nick Szechenyi joins Will to analyze the geopolitical consequences of Sanae Takaichi's resounding victory in the February 8 Japanese general elections. They discuss what the prime minister's historic supermajority in…
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Can middle powers build a new world order as PM Carney says?
At Davos, the Canadian prime minister argued that the rules based system is fading and middle powers must work together to build a new world order. Chris Hernandez-Roy and Kristi Govella join Will to discuss whether or…
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How should we combat China's economic coercion?
In a special live episode to mark the launch of a new book on China's weaponization of trade, Will sits down with its main author Dr. Victor Cha and panelists Bethany Allen and Dr. Melanie Hart. They discuss how…
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What are CSIS experts' boldest geopolitical predictions in 2026?
After a momentous year of geopolitical shifts, 12 CSIS experts join Will to share what they consider the most significant developments in different parts of the world in 2025. They also share their predictions for what…
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The Donroe Doctrine: What Venezuela Means for China, Russia, and Iran
Nicolas Maduro was a key ally of the so-called CRINK countries (China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea) in Latin America. But President Trump’s actions in Venezuela seemingly support an attempt to alter the balance of…
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Did Trump remake the global order in 2025?
2025 was a transformative year for geopolitics. Victor Cha and the Brookings Institution's Dr. Tom Wright join Will to discuss how the United States' global strategy changed, how its allies and adversaries are…
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Where now for Europe and Ukraine after the NSS?
After a flurry of diplomacy on Ukraine and the release of the new U.S. National Security Strategy, Max Bergmann and Maria Snegovaya join Will to discuss what we should expect from ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine and…
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Did the Saudi & Syrian Trump visits meet expectations?
The visits of the Saudi crown price and the Syrian president to the White House resulted in large investment deals and new defense announcements. Mona Yacoubian and former ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney join…
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Are President Trump's tariffs working?
President Trump has staked much of his economic and foreign policy agendas on his expansive use of tariffs. Navin Girishankar and Phil Luck join Will to discuss what they are intended to achieve, their economic…
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Was President Trump's Asia trip a success?
After a whirlwind trip through Asia, President Trump touted big economic deals, a peace treaty, and a successful meeting with Xi Jinping. Victor Cha and Brian Hart join Will to discuss if the trip met expectations,…
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Will U.S.-China tensions dominate the ASEAN summit?
As Southeast Asian leaders prepare to discuss regional security and economic cooperation at the ASEAN Summit, President Trump's potential presence raises questions about the future of U.S. engagement in the region.…
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Is Gaza pushing international institutions to crisis or renewal?
After nearly two years of conflict in Gaza, Caitlin Welsh and Mona Yacoubian join Will to discuss whether the war has prompted an irreversible break in the effectiveness of international institutions or if signs of…
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What can U.S. pressure on Venezuela achieve?
Mark Cancian and Ryan Berg join Will to discuss what the U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean tells us about changing U.S. priorities, its implications for Venezuela and the wider region, and if U.S.…
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Are U.S. tariffs bringing India and China together?
President Xi and Prime Minister Modi greeted each other warmly at the SCO summit in China last weekend. Rick Rossow and Henrietta Levin join Will to discuss how real the China-India rapprochement is, if it’s really…
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Are allies or autocrats managing Trump better?
After a busy month of U.S. diplomacy, Victor Cha and Max Bergmann join Will to discuss what East Asian and European allies are learning about summits with President Trump and what patterns are emerging about how…
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Are U.S.-Japan relations at a turning point?
This week, Kristi Govella and Nick Szechenyi join Will to discuss if U.S.-Japan relations are shifting in a fundamental way after tariff negotiations, pressure on defense spending, and turbulent Japanese politics. •…
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Is Pressure on Indo-Pacific Allies Working?
The Trump administration is placing pressure on allies in the Indo-Pacific, from tariffs and aid cuts to efforts to increase defense spending. Charles Edel and Greg Poling join Will to discuss if the United States'…
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China’s World Order: Does BRICS Still Matter?
After President Xi skipped the BRICS summit in Brazil, Ryan Berg and Henrietta Levin join Will to discuss if BRICS still matters, if it's part of China’s alternative world order, and other ways China is competing with…
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How the Israel-Iran War Crossed the Rubicon
This week, Will talks with Mona Yacoubian and Max Bergmann about the consequences of the war between Israel and Iran. They discuss President Trump's negotiating strategy, the lessons other states are taking from the…
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What to Expect at the G7 Summit
This week, Will talks with Victor Cha and Max Bergmann about what to expect from the G7 Summit in Canada. They discuss what makes this meeting so unusual, what on the agenda is most important, and what needs to change…
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