Hudson Institute Events Podcast

Southeast Asia is increasingly important to both Japan and the United States thanks to the region’s economic growth and proximity to key shipping lanes and geopolitical flashpoints. As such, in April 2024 the US, Japan, and the Philippines signed a trilateral agreement to expand investments and maritime security initiatives. Future US and Japanese engagement in Southeast Asia should adopt a similar approach to address growing security and economic concerns in the region.Hudson’s Japan Chair will welcome a panel of geopolitical, security, and economic experts to address the challenges and opportunities for US-Japan cooperation with Southeast Asia. Hudson Japan Chair Kenneth R. Weinstein will moderate a panel discussion on how the new administrations in Washington and Tokyo can work to address these interrelated issues.

President Donald Trump’s post-war plan for Gaza has electrified Israel and given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a political victory. But is this what the prime minister hoped to bring home? Meanwhile, President Trump’s Middle East agenda seems to include negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. Do President Trump’s plans for Tehran dovetail with PM Netanyahu’s? Or is there hidden friction?To explore these questions, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Director Michael Doran will sit down with Dr. Gadi Taub.

On Friday, President Donald Trump will host Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House for the first summit of the second Trump administration. Increasing challenges in the Indo-Pacific necessitate greater economic and security cooperation between the United States and its most important ally, Japan.Hudson will welcome Senator Bill Hagerty, who served as ambassador to Japan in the first Trump administration, for remarks on the Japan Chair’s recent report, Past Lessons and Future Action: Policies for a Successful Free and Open Indo-Pacific, and the direction of the US-Japan alliance. The senator will then join Hudson Japan Chair Kenneth R. Weinstein for a fireside chat on how President Trump and Prime Minister Ishiba can work to address shared priorities.

Petro Poroshenko became the fifth president of Ukraine in 2014, just after the Revolution of Dignity, and served until 2019, three years before Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. After his election, many in the West learned of President Poroshenko as the chocolate king thanks to his confectionary company. But those who followed Ukraine’s post–Cold War development also knew him as a member of the Ukrainian Rada and a minister in multiple presidential administrations.Today President Poroshenko leads the European Solidarity party in the Rada, where he serves on the Committee for Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union. President Poroshenko has said that he intends to run for president once the war is over. He has also expressed interest in running for European Parliament once Ukraine is admitted to the EU.Join Senior Fellow Peter Rough for a fireside chat with President Poroshenko on the state of the war, the United States–Ukraine relationship, developments in Kyiv, and key issues to watch in the months ahead.

Three years into the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces remain unable to achieve major advances on the battlefield, and Moscow’s economy is increasingly weak. President Donald Trump has threatened to increase pressure on Russia if the Kremlin does not negotiate an end to the war. But President Vladimir Putin shows no interest whatsoever in doing so and continues to message maximalist goals of annexing Ukraine.The West’s approach to the war will depend in part on its assessment of Russia’s economy. Some think Russia can devote virtually unlimited resources to its war and that Kyiv must accept Moscow’s terms. This outcome would be tantamount to a Russian victory. Others believe the Russian economy is rapidly getting weaker and that the United States and its allies should increase sanctions and improve enforcement—especially on Russian energy and steel—to force Putin to seek an end to the war. This outcome would be better for Ukraine, the United States, and the West.Senior Fellow Matt Boyse, Ambassador James Glassman, King Mallory, and Oleksandr Kalenkov will discuss the state of Western sanctions and what additional pressure should be applied against the Kremlin to arm President Trump with greater leverage to bring an end to the war. 

Join Hudson for an event to launch a new policy memo coauthored by Olivia Enos, Sophie Richardson, and Anouk Wear: “Prioritizing Human Rights in US Policy toward China: A Guide for the Next Administration.” The event will discuss the report’s findings and its recommendations for challenging the Chinese Communist Party over its deepening repression inside and outside the country. Senior Fellow Michael Sobolik will moderate the discussion.

Jill Hruby, the under secretary for nuclear security of the United States Department of Energy and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, helps guide the US nuclear security mission. In her roles, she works to deliver modernized weapons on schedule, revitalize the nuclear production complex, and develop advanced capabilities to enhance security.Join Hudson for a discussion with Administrator Hruby on the state of America’s nuclear enterprise.

Mass demonstrations have been sweeping through Georgia since the country’s parliamentary elections in late October, which observers widely regard as fraudulent. The crisis escalated in November when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would suspend its European Union membership talks until at least 2028.In recent years, Kobakhidze’s Georgian Dream party has embraced a pro-Kremlin stance, denouncing Western sanctions against Moscow, deepening Georgia’s economic ties with Russia, and blaming the war in Ukraine on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The party has maintained power by suppressing political opposition, civil society, and independent media. In defiance of these challenges, Georgians are courageously standing up to Russian influence—a noble cause that directly aligns with the United States’ national interests.Join Hudson for a special address by freedom fighter and Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, followed by remarks from Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) and an expert panel discussion.

The United States and its allies face increasingly capable adversaries who have benefited from the recent proliferation of military technologies and a range of geographic advantages. The Pentagon cannot roll back technology, change the map, or out-build an opponent like China, so US forces will need to gain an edge through operational creativity and leveraging the software and commercial industries that make America’s economy the world’s largest and most vibrant.The Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) leads the Department of Defense’s pursuit of an adaptable, software-defined force that can continuously evolve to stay ahead of rivals and take advantage of emerging technologies. Central to CDAO’s efforts are the Open Data and Applications Government-owned Interoperable Repositories (Open DAGIR) initiative, enterprise data analytics tools, and the Global Information Dominance Experiments (GIDE). Together, these programs enable the US military to marry operational and technological innovation.Join Hudson Senior Fellow Bryan Clark for an event with CDAO Dr. Radha Plumb, Deputy CDAO Margaret Palmieri, and defense industry representatives on CDAO’s progress in its first four years and how it can help give US forces a needed advantage against twenty-first-century opponents.This event is not sponsored by the Department of Defense.

America’s and Taiwan’s economic and security interests are fundamentally interconnected. While Taiwan is not the United States’ largest trading partner, Taiwanese-manufactured semiconductors are essential to US industry. Taiwanese companies are also investing more in US semiconductor manufacturing, advancing America’s ability to produce the most powerful semiconductors domestically. Finally, eight years of growing relations and ongoing trade and tax negotiations inspire optimism about the partnership between the two like-minded democracies.Join Hudson for a discussion on the trade and technology relationship between Washington and Taipei with US-Taiwan Business Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Senior Vice President Peter Cleveland.