The US military faces one of its most serious readiness challenges in recent history. The Army did not meet its recruitment goals, falling nearly 15,000 soldiers short at the end of the last fiscal year. At that same time, junior enlisted service members are underpaid and often unable to afford basic necessities for their families. All the while, our military continues to face procurement shortfalls that threaten our ability to produce and deploy vital systems for our military. With rising threats abroad, what can policymakers do to restore readiness and strength to our armed forces? Please join Congressman Mike Garcia (CA-27) and Hudson Media Fellow Jeremy Hunt for a discussion on the way out of this crisis.

Japan’s adoption of a pathbreaking National Security Strategy in December 2022 began a transformative period for Japanese security policy. In their meeting in January 2023, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed joint efforts to strengthen the bilateral alliance to meet heightened challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Kishida has shown bold leadership of the democratic international community by visiting Ukraine last month, and committing to host the G7 summit in his hometown of Hiroshima from May 19 to 21. In this event hosted by Hudson Institute and Sasakawa USA, the Honorable Akira Amari—one of the most influential leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan’s House of Representatives and a champion of Japan’s economic security—will share his views on the G7 summit and Japanese leadership.  The Hon. Amari’s remarks will be followed by a Q&A session moderated by Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein, distinguished fellow at Hudson Institute, and Dr. Satohiro Akimoto, chairman and president of Sasakawa USA. Event Itinerary:9:00 a.m.             Welcome from Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein9:05 a.m.             Introduction by Dr. Satohiro Akimoto9:08 a.m.             Featured Remarks by the Honorable Akira Amari9:38 a.m.             Q&A Discussion Moderated by Dr. Akimoto and Dr. Weinstein10:15 a.m.          Event Concludes

For 70 years, the world’s oceans have been a global commons protected by America’s dominance of the high seas. However, since the end of World War II, the active US Navy fleet has shrunk from nearly 1,000 ships to fewer than 300. China and Russia are eager to fill this dangerous vacuum. Please join retired Navy Captain Dr. Jerry Hendrix and Hudson Senior Fellow Timothy Walton for a conversation about rebuilding American naval dominance. Hudson Media Fellow Jeremy Hunt will moderate the event.

Hudson Institute will host Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský for remarks on the Czech view of the Indo-Pacific, the war in Ukraine, and transatlantic relations, followed by a conversation with Europe and Eurasia Center Director Peter Rough.Minister Lipavský has made transatlantic cooperation, democratic values, and human rights the centerpieces of his agenda since becoming foreign minister in December 2021. He is well known for his clear-eyed view of the challenges posed by the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation. Minister Lipavský has also earned a reputation in Washington as a friend of Taiwan, an ally of the United States, and a supporter of Ukraine. He has called on the European Union to support “bullied” democracies “as much as possible” and has lobbied for Czechia’s military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, which includes generously hosting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. 

Though some African countries strongly denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many African states have declined to condemn the Kremlin in United Nations resolutions. This reticence surprised Western policymakers, but it shouldn’t have.As Russia’s aggression in Ukraine continues to reverberate in Africa, please join Hudson Senior Fellows Peter Rough and Joshua Meservey as they welcome Joseph Sany of the United States Institute of Peace and Ebenezer Obadare of the Council on Foreign Relations to analyze the historical, economic, and diplomatic complexities that shape the varied African perspectives on Russia.

With speculation rife about a spring counteroffensive, continued churn in Vladimir Putin’s approach to his illegal war, and the Vilnius NATO summit in July, the coming months will be critical for Ukraine’s future.   Join us for a conversation about the latest developments in Ukraine and what an endgame could look like with visiting former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, International Republican Institute Senior Advisor for Transatlantic Strategy Reka Szemerkenyi, and Hudson Senior Fellow Luke Coffey. 

Please join Rebeccah Heinrichs, Hudson senior fellow and director of the Keystone Defense Initiative, for a conversation with Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Ms. Heinrichs and Gen. Bussiere will discuss the AFGSC’s role as the combat support to US Strategic Command, current AFGSC priorities, and the future weapons and platforms the AFGSC will require to complete its mission.

While the corrupt Nicolás Maduro regime presides over a deteriorating economy and mass emigration, the Venezuelan democratic opposition is organizing to hold the dictator accountable ahead of planned elections in 2024. Please join Hudson Institute for a discussion with Venezuelan pro-democracy leader Leopoldo López on the situation in Venezuela, the growing alliance between authoritarian regimes, and the prospects for democracy in Venezuela and beyond. A former mayor of the municipality of Chacao, López is the founder and coordinator of the opposition party Voluntad Popular and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress. Since leaving Venezuela in 2020, he has lived in exile in Spain. 

Iran is already capable of enriching enough uranium to build several nuclear weapons in a matter of weeks, and its capacity is steadily growing. At the same time, Iran’s conventional military power is on the rise, bolstered by its burgeoning military alliance with Russia. Despite severe protests at home, Tehran shows no sign of moderating its hostility to the West—and the United States in particular. Alarmed by these facts, the Institute for Science and International Security (the good ISIS), the world leader in independent research and analysis on nuclear nonproliferation, has developed a methodology for assessing all dimensions of the Iranian threat simultaneously. Join Hudson Senior Fellows Michael Doran and Jonathan Schachter as they discuss the rise of Iran’s power and its implications for the US, Europe, and Israel with David Albright and Henrik Rasmussen of ISIS. 

After the decrease in oil and natural gas production and the depletion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, America’s energy security is at risk. Join Hudson Senior Fellow Brigham McCown for a discussion with Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) on energy’s impact on economic stability and the role of energy production in North Dakota’s economy.