World Review with Ivo Daalder

Ivo Daalder
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Global events move fast—World Review helps you keep up. Each Friday, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder brings together leading journalists and experts to break down what’s happening, why it matters, and what comes next. A Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs podcast from Harvard Kennedy School. ivodaalder.substack.com

  1. 4d ago

    25 Years After 9/11 — A Look Back

    Key Topics Nicholas Burns recounts being the new U.S. ambassador to NATO when the attacks happened and describes the urgent push to invoke Article V for the first time in NATO history.Meghan L. O’Sullivan explains how 9/11 helped push a generation of foreign policy professionals into government and public service, including her own move from Brookings to the State Department.Juliette Kayyem recalls being on maternity leave and on an Amtrak train to New York when the attacks unfolded.The group discusses how 9/11 changed the American national security mindset from treating terrorism as a niche issue to making it a central organizing concern.O’Sullivan breaks down the evolution of the phrases “you’re with us or against us” and “the war on terror,” arguing that both became more problematic over time than they were at the moment they were first used.Burns emphasizes that NATO allies were unified immediately after the attacks and that Canada was the first country to raise the idea of invoking Article V.The guests contrast the diplomatic and alliance-based response to 9/11 with the later turn toward preemption, especially in Afghanistan and Iraq.O’Sullivan explains why the Iraq invasion cannot be understood apart from the post-9/11 atmosphere, even if the Iraq-9/11 connection itself was not proven.Kayyem describes the creation of homeland security as a major structural shift, from fragmented local and federal systems to a more centralized architecture with FEMA, the FBI, state homeland security advisors, and fusion-style coordination.The panel argues that domestic terrorism, political violence, technology, and radicalization now pose different challenges than the international terrorism focus that dominated the years after 9/11.Burns warns that the State Department and broader foreign policy bureaucracy have been weakened, arguing that America needs experienced diplomats and allies more than ever.The conversation closes with a shared lesson: America is strongest when it relies on friends, coordinates across institutions, and resists making the military the sole organizing principle of foreign policy.Links Juliette Kayyem - https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/juliette-kayyem Meghan L. O'Sullivan - https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/meghan-osullivan Nicholas Burns - https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/nicholas-burns Ivo Daalder - https://www.ivodaalder.com/ Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs — belfercenter.orgWorld Review with Ivo Daalder — belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

  2. Sep 4

    Venezuela Oil Deal, A Depleted Military, and the CIA Warns Moscow

    Key Topics The Venezuela oil deal is framed as a huge geopolitical gamble, with claims of 65 billion barrels and a U.S. stake in a private Venezuelan company.Nahal Toosi explains why the deal is surrounded by legal, constitutional, and practical doubts, including questions about infrastructure, financing, and corruption.Alex Ward argues the deal reflects a Trump-era foreign policy that treats oil and regime change as spoils of victory, not just strategic assets.Shashank Joshi notes that Europeans see echoes of earlier resource anxieties, from Greenland to the Falklands, and worry about a broader collapse of principle in U.S. policy.The panel raises the possibility that the Venezuela arrangement could create incentives to delay democratic transition and keep an anti-democratic regime in place.The military segment focuses on the strain caused by extended deployments in the Middle East, especially the impact on munitions stockpiles, carrier availability, and long-term maintenance.Joshi cites the depletion of Patriot interceptors and the ripple effects in Ukraine, where reduced interceptor capacity may be affecting defense against Russian missile attacks.Toosi warns that the U.S. is simultaneously damaging its diplomatic, development, trade, and military advantages, leaving Congress and Pentagon leadership slow to respond.On Russia, Alex Ward says Ratcliffe’s Moscow trip appears to be both a warning and a broader attempt to preserve a back-channel with Russian intelligence.Joshi and Toosi discuss Russian hybrid risk, including the concern that Moscow may test NATO without triggering a classic Article 5-style response.Links Nahal Toosi - https://www.politico.com/staff/nahal-toosi Alexander Ward - https://www.wsj.com/news/author/alexander-ward Shashank Joshi - https://mediadirectory.economist.com/people/shashank-joshi/ Ivo Daalder - https://www.ivodaalder.com/ Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs — belfercenter.orgWorld Review with Ivo Daalder — belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

  3. Aug 28

    US Canada Trade War, Economic D-Day, Trump's Playbook Falters

    Key Topicas Canada’s resistance to U.S. tariffs and what it means for Prime Minister Mark Carney Whether economic pressure can succeed against Iran where military action has not The weakening of U.S. leverage when allies are no longer willing to cooperate How Trump’s approach is changing the transatlantic relationship What fragmentation in Europe and the Gulf means for future global power Links Prashant Rao - https://www.semafor.com/author/prashant-rao Matina Stevis-Gridneff - https://www.nytimes.com/by/matina-stevis-gridneff Anton La Guardia - https://mediadirectory.economist.com/people/anton-la-guardia/ Ivo Daalder - https://www.ivodaalder.com/ Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs — belfercenter.org World Review with Ivo Daalder — belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

  4. Aug 21

    How AI is Changing the World

    Key Topics Artificial intelligence as a world-changing technology The promise and risks of AI AI’s potential to improve science and medicine Power, agency, and democracy in the AI era The US-China race for AI dominance China’s centralized approach to AI development Europe’s role in AI governance and sovereignty Why infrastructure and data centers matter for AI The tension between innovation and regulation Safety concerns from AI lab leaders themselves How AI could affect jobs, markets, and national security The need for transparency, accountability, and public oversight How political backlash could shape future AI policy The possibility of global AI guardrails and coordination Links Sebastian Mallaby — https://www.cfr.org/experts/sebastian-mallaby Evan Osnos — https://www.evanosnos.com/ Marietje Schaake — https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/people/marietje-schaake Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs — belfercenter.org World Review with Ivo Daalder — belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

  5. Aug 14

    Iran, Ukraine, Cuba: Success? Failure? Stalemate?

    Show Notes In this episode, Ivo Daalder is joined by Steve Erlanger, Christopher Miller, and Carla Anne Robbins for a wide-ranging conversation about three tests of U.S. power: Iran, Ukraine, and Cuba. The discussion begins with Iran, where the panel explores whether Tehran is outlasting Washington in a long war of patience and why sanctions and military threats may not produce the outcome the U.S. wants.The conversation then turns to Ukraine, where listeners hear how Ukrainians are adapting to modern warfare, why air defense remains critical, and how shortages of Patriot interceptors are reshaping the battlefield. The panel also examines the uncertainty around U.S. support and the broader lessons Kyiv is teaching the West about decentralized warfare.Finally, the episode looks at Cuba, where pressure, collapse talk, and regime-change logic collide with the reality of blackouts, shortages, and no clear post-collapse plan. Across all three cases, the central question remains: what happens when the U.S. escalates before deciding what success actually looks like?

  6. Aug 7

    Hormuz Truce Deal, Ceuta Cracks the EU, Europe Bakes

    Iran and Oman appear to have reached a tentative agreement over the Strait of Hormuz, but is it a genuine diplomatic breakthrough or simply a pause in a much larger geopolitical conflict? At the same time, Europe is grappling with renewed migration pressures in Ceuta and record-breaking heat that underscores the growing political and economic consequences of climate change. Host Giles Whittell is joined by Adam Cancryn (CNN), Shona Murray (Euronews), and Kim Willsher (The Observer) to connect these stories and explore what they reveal about the shifting global landscape. The panel examines President Trump's approach to Iran, the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, and the potential impact on global energy markets. They also discuss Europe's response to increasing migration, the political tensions within the European Union, and the ways climate-related disasters are becoming central to policy debates. Together, they explore how international crises increasingly shape domestic politics, influence elections, and test alliances across Europe and the United States. From energy security and border policy to climate resilience and transatlantic relations, this episode provides the context behind the headlines and explains why these interconnected challenges will continue to shape global affairs in the months ahead.

  7. Jul 31

    U.S.–Saudi Nuclear Deal, More Tariffs, New British Government

    Key Topics The details and potential consequences of the US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement and its departure from previous non-proliferation standards The strategic importance of the Iran war, nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, and regional reactions to new US policies The Trump administration's approach to tariffs aimed at combating forced labor and their impact on international trade UK’s post-election foreign policy outlook under Prime Minister Burnham, focusing on relations with Europe, the US, and support for Ukraine NATO defense commitments, international defense spending, and how UK’s role in security continues to shape global stability The influence of the UK’s domestic political landscape on its foreign policy and international partnerships Links Hugh Tomlinson — https://x.com/hughtomlinson Felicia Schwartz — https://x.com/felschwartz?lang=en Robbie Gramer — https://x.com/robbiegramer Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs — belfercenter.org World Review with Ivo Daalder — belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

  8. Jul 24

    Looking Back at the World Cup: Politics, Nations and Who Gains Financially

    In this episode, we take a critical look at FIFA, global sports politics, and the way major international events can reveal deeper institutional problems. Key Topics Criticism of FIFA leadership and governance How scandals reveal an organization’s true priorities The political meaning of the World Cup and other major sporting events Large events can temporarily distract from deeper structural failures. Leadership is best judged under crisis, not during calm moments. Institutions often protect reputation before they protect integrity. Links Mehreen Khan – https://x.com/MehreenKhn?lang=en Edward Luce – https://x.com/EdwardGLuce Bobby Ghosh – https://bobbyghosh.substack.com/ Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs — belfercenter.org World Review with Ivo Daalder — belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

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Global events move fast—World Review helps you keep up. Each Friday, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder brings together leading journalists and experts to break down what’s happening, why it matters, and what comes next. A Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs podcast from Harvard Kennedy School. ivodaalder.substack.com

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