Visit us at Network2020.org. From the Strait of Hormuz to the international monetary system to the semi-conductor supply chain, the world is becoming increasingly aware of how dependence on critical chokepoints is shaping how countries can wield power and leverage. As diplomacy becomes increasingly transactional and technological and energy systems undergo rapid transformation, understanding these visible and invisible chokepoints is essential to any decision maker. Is the weaponization of ge...

Visit us at Network2020.org. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The COVID-19 Pandemic. On-and-off-and-on-again tariffs. Over the past few years, the deeply interconnected global system has experienced major shocks that international organizations and nation states alike have struggled to grapple with. In this age of uncertainty, businesses and governments need to make new calculations. More large companies are opening their own geopolitical units to stay steady...

Visit us at Network2020.org. Recent hostilities with Iran have once again highlighted the role of the Kurds as a key player in regional conflicts. While seen as a threat by governments in Ankara, Tehran, Damascus, and Baghdad, the world’s largest stateless group of people continues to be considered by Washington as potential allies when convenient. As the region faces new waves of destabilization, particularly with the war with Iran and the new Syrian government consolidating its territ...

Visit us at Network2020.org. The recent expiration of the New START treaty between the U.S. and Russia marks a structural shift in the global nuclear order, removing the last legally binding constraints on the world’s two largest arsenals. With no successor framework in place, the bilateral arms control architecture that has underpinned stability for decades is effectively suspended. In its absence, risks of vertical and horizontal proliferation are intensifying. According to the UN ass...

Visit us at Network2020.org. Cuba is at a strategic crossroads as the near collapse of its national energy system reshapes the island’s political landscape. Intense U.S. sanctions and the loss of energy support from traditional partners like Venezuela have left the Cuban government in its most vulnerable state in decades. While Havana seeks diplomatic paths forward, the current U.S. administration sees an opportunity for changing a government that Washington has declared “an unusual and...

Visit us at Network2020.org. It has been just over a year since President Trump’s “Liberation Day” global tariff announcement. Since then, the global trade landscape has shifted as countries hedged against their traditional dependence on the U.S. market. Driven by the increasing use of trade as a political weapon and constant tariff disputes, long-time allies like Canada, the UK, and the EU are now diversifying their trade partnerships as evidenced by landmark moves like the new EU-Indi...

Visit us at Network2020.org. In response to the unprecedented economic sanctions put on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow spent over $10 billion on building a “shadow fleet,” accelerating a practice that countries such as Venezuela and Iran have used to circumvent sanctions. In addition to sanctions evasion, shadow fleets often operate under false flags, lack proper insurance, and pose serious risks of spills, collisions, and abusive labor conditions. Furthermore, th...

Visit us at Network2020.org. Three weeks into 2026, the United States removed a foreign head of state by force, threatened to take territory from a NATO ally, and backed a crackdown in Iran. Since this conversation was recorded in late January, the Supreme Court has struck down the president's sweeping tariffs, U.S. and Israeli strikes have killed Iran's supreme leader, and Europe has begun the largest military buildup since the Cold War. How dead is the U.S.-led rules-based order? What...

Visit us at Network2020.org. Over the past several months, Global Insights has covered some of the biggest stories shaping the world, from the war in Iran to U.S. action in Venezuela to the shifting global energy landscape. Starting now, we're moving to a biweekly release schedule through the summer, with new episodes dropping every other week. We'll be back to weekly in September. In the meantime, catch up on any episodes you may have missed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or where...

Visit us at Network2020.org. With the 2025 National Security Strategy placing renewed emphasis on the Western Hemisphere, Washington appears poised to engage more actively in Latin America than at any time in the past three decades, prioritizing challenges such as migration, transnational crime, and growing geopolitical competition with China. At the same time, several nations, including Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, and Peru, are preparing for presidential elections in 2026, wit...