Hudson Institute Events Podcast

When Estonia joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on March 29, 2004, the country?s foreign minister said, ?Ever since regaining our independence, one of the main tasks of every government of Estonia has been the security of our nation. Today, I can say that we are much closer to a peaceful and confident feeling in our hearts.?

But NATO has not only kept Estonia safe from existential threats. The alliance has also helped establish a framework that spurred the economic growth, inward investment, and entrepreneurial vibrancy that have become hallmarks of Estonia?s identity.

Tallinn has proven itself a serious defense actor, consistently living up to its Article III commitments to maintain and develop its security capacities. Estonian forces have reliably proven to be some of the most active contributors to NATO missions. Estonia remains one of Ukraine?s strongest supporters, materially and financially aiding Kyiv?s fight for freedom.

What insights should policymakers draw from Estonia?s 20-year NATO success story? How can Estonia?s experience guide aspirant nations like Ukraine through the membership process? How have Tallinn?s views on NATO shifted over the past two decades? And what does the alliance need to do to maintain credible deterrence at a time of heightened threats?

Ambassador Kyllike Sillaste-Elling, the undersecretary for political affairs at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will join Hudson for a conversation on the Estonian experience in NATO.

Fresh off a string of policy victories, United States Representative Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) joins Hudson Media Fellow Jeremy Hunt for a conversation about the critical foreign aid package that recently passed both chambers of Congress. Specifically, the package contains vital support for Taiwan and the forced divestiture of TikTok?both of which are important policy steps to counter the Chinese Communist Party.

Congressman Crenshaw will explain why this bill?and future national security legislation?is crucial to the interests of the American people.

Join Hudson Distinguished Fellow Walter Russell Mead, United Kingdom Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for a conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing the transatlantic community and the future of the special relationship.

Sweden?s total defense concept includes a civil defense component that ?encompasses the whole of society and comprises the collective resilience in the event of war or danger of war.? Civil defense consists of three pillars: defending the population, safeguarding important societal functions, and contributing to the armed forces? ability to respond to an attack. Russia?s hybrid attacks against the West and indiscriminate targeting of civilians in Ukraine have underscored the importance of a robust civil defense.

How can Stockholm?s new North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies learn from Sweden?s civil defense experience to harden the vulnerable elements of Western societies? How does Sweden employ a whole-of-society approach to strengthen its total defense? What has Sweden learned from the war in Ukraine, and how can this enhance its civil defense capabilities? What is the Swedish view of the geopolitical situation in Europe and beyond?

Join Hudson for a discussion with Swedish Minister for Civil Defense Carl-Oskar Bohlin on the Swedish approach to civil defense.

Hudson?s Michael Doran hosts Columbia University Professor Ran Kivetz, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East Executive Director Asaf Romirowsky, and Senior Fellow and Tablet Editor at Large Liel Leibovitz. They will discuss the causes of the recent slate of pro-Hamas encampments on American college campuses, who is funding these protests, and what administrators and policymakers should do about this nascent national security threat.

For several days, Georgians have demonstrated on the streets of Tbilisi against the Georgian Dream?led government?s moves to derail the country?s Euro-Atlantic future. Nona Mamulashvili, a former member of the Georgian parliament and cofounder of the Gamziri civic platform, has participated in the nightly protests. Hundreds of miles away, her brother Mamuka Mamulashvili commands the Georgian Legion in Ukraine. He and his troops have been fighting Russia there since 2014. 

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Luke Coffey for a conversation with the two siblings, who each serve on the frontlines of freedom in different ways. They will discuss what is at stake for Georgia, Ukraine, and the Euro-Atlantic community.

After Russia?s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders met in Madrid, Spain, to chart a new Strategic Concept for the alliance. The document identified Russia as ?the most significant and direct threat to Allies? security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.? One year later, in Vilnius, Lithuania, NATO leaders met again to adopt a new set of regional defense plans to guard against Russian aggression.

Now comes the implementation. This July, NATO leaders will meet in Washington to assess the alliance?s progress in meeting its deterrence and defense targets. How strong is the West?s defense industrial base, and how prepared is NATO to defend itself if necessary? How will Sweden?s full membership in the alliance affect Northern Europe? 

Moreover, the war in Ukraine continues, and Kyiv has made no secret of its aspiration to join the alliance. So these are difficult questions that allied leaders cannot put off into the future. 

Please join Hudson Institute?s Peter Rough as he sits down with Lithuania?s minister of defense, Laurynas Kas?i?nas, for a conversation on these topics and more. 

Kas?i?nas was appointed minister of defense just last month after serving as chair of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence (NSGK). A past head of the Eastern Europe Studies Centre (EESC), Lithuania?s top think tank, Kas?i?nas wrote his doctoral dissertation on Ukraine?s relations with the European Union.

The foreign policy actions of many Latin American governments often contradict their principles. This disconnect causes leaders to pursue short-term objectives that do not address the region?s most pressing challenges, such as authoritarianism and organized crime.

The Maduro regime?s assassination of a Venezuelan exile in Chile and the Ecuadorian government?s arrest of a convicted former vice president at the Mexican embassy in Quito illustrate how poor foreign policy exacerbates lawlessness and democratic regression in the region.

Join Hudson for a conversation with academic and columnist Hector Schamis on how Latin American governments? approach to foreign policy destabilizes the region and what a better approach might look like.

The historic April summit between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signaled a new era in United States?Japan relations. The summit produced agreements for enhancing economic ties, advancing technological innovation, coordinating diplomatic efforts, and strengthening security cooperation.

The president said that this is the most significant upgrade of the US-Japan alliance since it was first established. This upgrade comes at a critical juncture when the democratic nations of the world need to have all hands on deck. President Biden has made it clear that Japan is already standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell will join Hudson Asia-Pacific Security Chair Patrick Cronin to examine the new outlook for this key alliance.

As Russia scores localized gains on land, Ukrainian forces have achieved major successes in the Black Sea Region (BSR). The Ukrainians have sunk or damaged some one-third of the Black Sea Fleet, forced Moscow to move naval assets away from occupied Crimea, and put Russia on the defensive. These successes challenge the narrative that Russia?s war against Ukraine is a stalemate and demonstrate Ukraine?s determination to preserve its identity, sovereignty, and independence.

Ukraine?s gains are real and strategically significant, but the Battle for the Black Sea is not over. Major Russian land, sea, and air assets remain in Crimea and in the BSR, and Moscow is using them to continue its quest to subordinate Ukraine. The war will be won or lost on land and in the air.

If Russia wins or ends the war on its terms, the interests of all Black Sea littoral states will be negatively affected. But so too will those of the United States, Europe, and the West more broadly. The US has a major interest in a free and open Black Sea and a peaceful, stable, and prosperous BSR.

Join Hudson for an event to present the results of an in-depth study written by a US?Romanian?Ukrainian team: Hudson Senior Fellow Matt Boyse, New Strategy Center CEO George Scutaru, New Strategy Center Senior Fellow Dr. Antonia Colibasanu, and New Geopolitics Research Network Director Mykhailo Samus.

Read the study, The Battle for the Black Sea Is Not Over, here.

Hudson is delighted to welcome Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala for a major policy address on the future of the transatlantic alliance.

Since assuming office in November 2021, Fiala has placed transatlantic cooperation at the heart of the Czech Republic?s foreign policy and marshalled crucial support for Ukraine in its hour of need.

As Fiala put it in October 2022, ?Ukraine?s fight is our fight too. The Czech Republic?s fight, the European Union?s fight, the whole of Europe?s fight. Our own geopolitical prospects depend on the outcome of this war.?

Under Fiala?s leadership, Czechia is modernizing its military and increasing its defense budget. It has launched an initiative to repair and upgrade Ukrainian armor on Czech soil and hosts the third-most Ukrainian refugees in Europe. Most recently, and to much acclaim, the Czech Republic has spearheaded an initiative to source ammunition for Ukrainian forces from stockpiles across the globe. 

Join Hudson to hear Prime Minister Fiala?s understanding of the current moment and a Czech prescription for transatlantic relations in turbulent times.

Prosperity Guardian, the United States?led military operation designed to end Houthi attacks on international shipping, has failed.

Michael Roberts and Salvatore Mercogliano, two leading experts on international shipping, will join Senior Fellow Michael Doran for a virtual event. They will discuss the Houthi attacks? consequences for the global economy and the balance of power between the US and its global rivals?in particular, how Iran and its proxies? weaponization of global supply chains strengthens China.

As United States military ships set sail to the Gaza coast, many questions remain unanswered about President Joe Biden?s plan to construct a floating pier to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians. The Department of Defense is expected to deploy over 1,000 service members to support the project. But how will the Pentagon ensure their safety? How will the aid be delivered in a combat zone?

Join Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Advisor Richard Goldberg and Hudson Media Fellow Jeremy Hunt for an in-depth analysis of this risky mission.

Senior Fellow Harold Furchtgott-Roth will introduce a discussion with Senior Fellow Jonathan Ward on his book The Decisive Decade: American Grand Strategy for Triumph over China. They will cover how the US can outcompete China on the world stage economically, diplomatically, militarily, and ideologically.

Then, David Feith, former US deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Roslyn Layton, founder of China Tech Threat, will respond and highlight critical challenges for US-China semiconductor policy, namely America?s strong rules but leaky enforcement.

Although Belarus gained independence in 1991 when the Soviet Union broke up, it has been the crown jewel of Russia?s sphere of influence for three decades since. Domestically, Belarus remains firmly in the grip of its authoritarian ruler, Alexander Lukashenko, who has maintained power since 1994 through brutal repression and a series of unfree and unfair elections.

Nevertheless, Belarusian civil society has a strong identity and a tradition of peaceful protest in support of freedom and democracy. In 1995, Andrei Sannikov resigned in protest from his position as deputy foreign minister of Belarus after Lukashenko put forward a referendum that would pave the way for the strongman?s consolidation of power. Sannikov has fought for Belarus?s freedom ever since. In 2005, he won the Bruno Kreisky Prize for Service to Human Rights. In 2010, Sannikov ran for president in a sham election in which Lukashenko claimed to have won more than 80 percent of the vote. In the aftermath, Sannikov led a peaceful demonstration in Minsk?s main square. Riot police attacked, badly injuring Sannikov. He was subsequently arrested, imprisoned, and tortured. Under international pressure, the Lukashenko regime released the opposition leader in April 2012. Threatened with rearrest, Sannikov left Belarus and received political asylum in the United Kingdom.

At Hudson, Sannikov will offer remarks on Belarus?s strategic importance, Russia?s regional ambitions, and prospects for political change in Minsk, followed by a question-and-answer session with Hudson Senior Fellow Tod Lindberg.

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Brigham McCown for a conversation with Paul H. Tice about the trend of sustainable investing. They will discuss how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors affect corporate decisions and government policy in the energy sector. 

Tice spent 40 years on Wall Street working for some of the energy industry?s most recognizable firms. He is also the author of The Race to Zero: How ESG Investing Will Crater the Global Financial System.

In January, Taiwan held another successful democratic election. Prior to the election, however, the People?s Republic of China attempted to influence the results by spreading lies on social media about the candidates, the candidates? political parties, and Taiwanese domestic issues. But the PRC?s political interests aren?t limited to Taiwan. According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the PRC, through social media sites like TikTok, attempted to influence the 2022 United States midterm elections?and Beijing will likely do the same in the 2024 US presidential election. 

Join Hudson for a panel with some of the leading organizations combating the PRC?s influence operations in Taiwan and around the world. 

The developing world is mired in its worst debt crisis in a generation, with 60 percent of countries facing debt distress according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the post-COVID world, the United States and its traditional allies have not been able to muster the political capital to institute long-term solutions for these developing nations as their debt-ridden economies deteriorate. China has become the largest source of development assistance but is reluctant to work with multilateral development banks and Western creditors to help find sustainable solutions. 

Former World Bank President David Malpass has been sounding the alarm about this crisis. At Hudson, Malpass will present a new paper outlining constructive and cooperative ways to address these issues. Then he will sit down for a discussion with Senior Fellows Thomas Duesterberg and Joshua Meservey.

On the eve of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida?s state visit to the United States on April 10, Hudson Institute will hold a half-day conference to examine the benefits of the deep and expanding US-Japan economic relationship. The event will focus on the importance of economic security and reliable supply chains; Japan?s significant and longstanding foreign direct investment across the US; and the potential benefits that an enriched US-Japan partnership offers to American workers and allied technological leadership.

Hudson?s Japan Chair will welcome Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb to make a major economic announcement. Following his address, the governor will sit down for a fireside chat with Hudson Japan Chair Kenneth R. Weinstein. Afterward, Hudson will host successive expert panels to discuss economic security cooperation between Washington and Tokyo and the importance of Japanese investment in the United States.

Mike Pence, the forty-eighth vice president of the United States, will give an address on the importance of the US-Israel relationship. Then, he will sit down for a fireside chat with Hudson Japan Chair Ken Weinstein.

The recently released United States defense budget suggests that the US military is reaching its capability and capacity limits. The US force?which consists almost entirely of crewed multimission ships, aircraft, and vehicles?is too expensive to grow within realistic fiscal constraints but too small to meet America?s growing national security needs. To fund next-generation crewed platforms and sustain those already in the force, the Pentagon now must retire more ships and aircraft each year than it buys.

The Department of Defense could escape this force structure death spiral by incorporating uncrewed systems as an integral part of the US military, rather than as extensions of the crewed force that handle only ?dirty, dull, and dangerous? missions. As demonstrated by ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Red Sea, uncrewed systems could contribute to each link in US kill chains, improving the adaptability and resilience of US forces and achieving scale at much lower costs compared to crewed systems.

Join Hudson Institute Senior Fellows Bryan Clark and Dan Patt for a discussion with David Alexander, president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, about the growing role of uncrewed systems in warfare, how the US could exploit uncrewed technology in ?hedge forces? like those the Pentagon is pursuing through its Replicator initiative, and how the US military can improve its ability to integrate uncrewed technology into the force.

To compete with the People?s Republic of China, Republicans need to reach a strong foreign policy consensus that bridges party divides. In We Win, They Lose: Republican Foreign Policy and the New Cold War, Mathew Kroenig and Dan Negrea argue that such a consensus, based on a fusion of Donald Trump?s and Ronald Reagan?s foreign policies, is within reach.

Kroenig and Negrea will join Senior Fellow and Keystone Defense Initiative Director Rebeccah Heinrichs to discuss the path forward for policymakers hoping to usher in a new era of American leadership.

The People?s Republic of China is ratcheting up tensions in the Taiwan Strait following William Lai?s election as president of Taiwan. In this critical moment, Representative Young Kim (R-CA) joins Hudson for a discussion with Japan Chair Ken Weinstein to analyze the array of threats China poses to the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific. 

The discussion will highlight the dynamics of strategic competition between the US and China, assess Congress?s efforts to hold the PRC accountable, and explore new means to demonstrate America?s unwavering commitment to defend Taiwan.

Modern economies cannot operate without reliable communications, and the worldwide demand for greater connectivity and information will only continue to increase. Communications security is therefore vital to both economic security and national security. The United States and Japan need to work together to deliver a shared vision for diverse and resilient communications infrastructure for future generations through undersea cables, satellites, digital services, or other means. 

The fourteenth US-Japan Dialogue on Digital Economy highlighted American and Japanese interest in collaboration in areas like Open RAN networks and engagement with third countries. Join Hudson for a discussion on these and other areas where the US and Japan can work together to build the future of communications security.

In his new book From Peril to Partnership: US Security Assistance and the Bid to Stabilize Colombia and Mexico, Paul J. Angelo draws on years of field experience to provide a comparative analysis of two major United States security assistance initiatives, Plan Colombia and the Mérida Initiative.

Join Hudson for a discussion with the author on the factors that enable or impede successful security assistance and on his recommendations for future US security efforts.

Join Senior Fellow Michael Doran, Mosaic Editor Jonathan Silver, and Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Elliott Abrams for a discussion on the future of United States?Israel relations, moderated by Research Fellow Zineb Riboua.

They will discuss the changes in Israel?s foreign and domestic policies since the October 7 massacre, the Biden administration?s Middle East policy and its impacts, and the rise of anti-Zionism in the US.

Latvia has long been one of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?s most vocal members in warning about the threat Vladimir Putin and Russian revanchism pose to the European security order and the West. President Edgars Rink?vi?s recently said that ?Ukraine is not only fighting for us but fighting instead of us.? Riga has also been one of Ukraine?s most robust supporters since Russia?s illegal 2014 annexation of Crimea, a strong advocate of sanctions against Moscow, and the leader of a coalition to provide drones to Ukraine.

Join Senior Fellow Matt Boyse for a discussion with Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds on developments in Latvia and elsewhere in the Baltics, the war in Ukraine, and key issues for NATO, including alliance enlargement, secretary general succession, and the upcoming seventy-fifth-anniversary summit in Washington.

Iranian proxies threaten to overwhelm Israel?s defenses in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attack. Meanwhile, as Tehran supplies Russia with crucial weapons, Ukrainian munition shortages have cost Kyiv both territory and the lives of its brave citizens. In the struggle against the new axis of authoritarianism, the United States has been unable or unwilling to provide its frontline allies with the support they need.

To discuss how America can reverse this calamity and return to a position of global strength, Distinguished Fellow Mike Pompeo, the seventieth US secretary of state, will sit down with Michael Doran, the director of Hudson?s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East.

On February 29, the Republican Study Committee, chaired by Congressman Kevin Hern (OK-1), introduced the Counter Communist China Act. The bill would regulate Chinese investment in American business and sanction the Chinese Communist Party?s political activities in the United States. 

Join Congressman Hern and Senior Fellow Rebeccah Heinrichs for a conversation on how Congress can restore America?s advantage over the People?s Republic of China in the new cold war.

In December 2022, Japan introduced three security documents that laid out Tokyo?s most ambitious defense plans since the creation of the Japan Self-Defense Forces in 1954. In the documents, Tokyo promised to increase its military spending to 2 percent of Japan?s GDP and develop counterstrike capabilities to bolster deterrence. The documents, along with Japan?s defense agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom and improved Japan?South Korea relations, illustrate Tokyo?s dynamic thinking about its security environment, partnership commitments, and defense and technological capabilities. 

To assess Japan?s ambitious defense transformation, Hudson?s Japan Chair will host a panel with senior Japanese and American security professionals to discuss Japan?s growing security challenges, its need for integrated and comprehensive approaches to security, and its opportunities for deeper cooperation with allies and partners.

The United States has a long history of global leadership on combating illicit finance, from the landmark Bank Secrecy Act of 1979 to coordinating international sanctions on Russia?s war economy. But a lack of transparency within the US financial system itself has made the system vulnerable to money laundering, sanctions evasion, and even terrorist financing.

The Biden administration and Congress have prioritized initiatives to close financial secrecy loopholes in recent years. These notably include the recently launched Beneficial Ownership Information Registry to tackle shell company abuse and new proposed rules to curb money laundering through real estate and other high-risk sectors of the US economy.

Overseeing these efforts within the Department of the Treasury is the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI), led by Under Secretary Brian Nelson. TFI is responsible for developing and implementing US government strategies to combat illicit finance, marshaling formidable enforcement, regulatory, and intelligence capabilities to target domestic and foreign threats to US national security. TFI also oversees component offices responsible for economic sanctions, financial intelligence, and asset forfeiture.

Please join Hudson Institute for a discussion with Under Secretary Nelson on strengthening financial transparency to safeguard US national and economic security.

A month after an Iranian suicide drone killed three brave American soldiers at their post in Jordan, Iran-backed militants continue to spread chaos in the Middle East. Houthi rebels use Iranian-made weapons to attack shipping vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting up to one-fifth of the world?s cargo trade. American troops in the region have faced nearly 170 attacks from the Houthis and other Iran-backed groups since October 2023. 

Please join Representative Rich McCormick (GA-6), a retired Marine Corps commander, and Media Fellow Jeremy Hunt for a conversation on how to reestablish deterrence in the Middle East and protect American troops abroad.

This month marks two somber anniversaries for Ukraine: ten years since Russia?s invasion of Crimea, and two years since Russia launched its full-scale assault. Ukraine?s situation is grim as Kyiv struggles to sustain Western support while facing a much larger occupying power.

But there are reasons for optimism. Ukrainians are committed to their cause. It is within their power to defeat Russia and liberate their lands?but only if their international partners continue to support them.

Join Hudson?s Center on Europe and Eurasia for a conference to commemorate ten years of occupation and two years of full-scale war. The event will examine the importance of the war for the European order, take stock of the conflict with senior Ukrainian and allied voices, and chart a path forward for the transatlantic community.

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele was reelected in a landslide after bringing peace to a country that had been wracked by gang violence for years. But improved security has come at a high cost for El Salvadorans, with Bukele presiding over mass incarceration, human rights violations, increasing corruption, and a government-controlled judiciary. Bukele has embraced charges of authoritarianism, calling himself the ?world?s coolest dictator.?

El Salvador?s success has won admiration from around Latin America, and other leaders seeking to counter rising crime are imitating Bukele?s mano dura policies. Moreover, Bukele seems eager to export his model. 

Join Hudson Institute for a conversation with leading observers as they examine Bukele?s record and discuss what the adoption of the Bukele model could mean for other countries in the region.

Globalization blossomed in the decades after the Cold War ended, but the world is entering a new era characterized by geopolitical blocs. Elisabeth Braw takes on this topic in her new book Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided World, in which she provides recommendations for Western policymakers and business officials looking to navigate this new era of geopolitical competition.

Senior Fellow and Director of Hudson?s Center on Europe and Eurasia Peter Rough will welcome Braw to Hudson for a discussion of Goodbye Globalization.

Argentina is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with hyperinflation and cyclical debt crises plunging more than 40 percent of the population into poverty.

Because of this crisis, Javier Milei was elected with a radical agenda to confront entrenched political interests, slash government spending, and set Argentina back on the path to prosperity. But to succeed, the new president will also need to confront the ongoing effects of his predecessor?s sustained assault on the rule of law.

In December 2021, former President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner was sentenced to six years? imprisonment for fraudulently issuing $1 billion in government contracts. Kirchner has also been accused of colluding with Iran to cover up the Islamic Republic?s role in the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) and opening the country to malign Chinese and Russian influence. These and other scandals have had a corrosive effect on Argentina?s political and legal institutions, further undermining the country?s economic prospects and national security.

Join Hudson Institute for a discussion on restoring the rule of law in Argentina with Senior Fellow Marshall Billingslea and two former senior officials from Argentina?s financial intelligence unit, Mariano Federici and Maria Eugenia Talerico.

Beijing is systematically absorbing Hong Kong into its totalitarian regime in violation of China?s 1997 agreement with Britain to honor the city?s separate political, social, and economic system until 2047. Since the Chinese Communist Party imposed a sweeping national security law in June 2020, Hong Kong has seen its freedom of speech, press, and association curbed and its rule of law undermined. Mounting evidence shows that the CCP has recently begun to harness Hong Kong?s religious communities, aligning them with the CCP?s Sinicization policy, which tightly restricts religious practice and teachings on the mainland.

Jimmy Lai, the founder of Hong Kong?s Apple Daily and a self-educated entrepreneur, is now on trial. He will almost certainly be convicted by the special national security court, which boasts a 100 percent conviction rate. He faces charges of criticizing the CCP and defending democracy. Despite the CCP?s crackdown, he courageously chose to stay in his homeland in order to champion the rights and fundamental freedoms of all Hong Kongers. The CCP froze his bank accounts and forced him to shut his newspaper soon after enforcement of the national security law began. The 76-year-old has been imprisoned for three years and faces a possible life sentence.

The Wall Street Journal?s William McGurn and Hong Kong activist Frances Hui will join Nina Shea for a discussion of Lai?s heroism and the implications of his trial for Hong Kong. They will also examine the CCP?s stealth strategy to take over religious communities in Hong Kong?the last vestige of its free social system?and a possible United States policy response.

As Russia?s full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches the two-year mark, it is imperative that transatlantic leaders keep their eyes on the war. After failing to divide the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the war?s early days, Russia?s plan is to outlast Ukraine and the Euro-Atlantic community. To overcome this, Washington and its partners urgently need to supply Ukraine with provisions, assistance, and training to demonstrate a credible long-term commitment to a Ukrainian victory.

The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Estonia has published a strategy for how Ukraine could win the war by the end of 2026, Setting Transatlantic Defence up for Success: A Military Strategy for Ukraine?s Victory and Russia?s Defeat.

Hudson Institute, in partnership with the Estonian Embassy in Washington, will host a discussion on the report with Kusti Salm, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Estonia, and Peter Rough, director of Hudson Institute?s Center on Europe and Eurasia.

The October 7 attack and the ensuing war have permanently changed the lives of Israelis. What effect has the war had on Israel?s domestic politics? What are the main challenges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces? Is the Biden administration restraining or supporting Israel?

To discuss these and other questions, Hudson Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Director Michael Doran will sit down for a discussion with Dr. Gadi Taub.

Slovakia under Prime Minister Eduard Heger had been one of the most robust Ukraine supporters in Europe since Russia?s 2022 full-scale invasion. But Slovakia?s 2023 parliamentary election brought to power the opposing Smer party, which is less supportive of Kyiv. The Smer government under Robert Fico has also signaled its intention to adopt different policies on key domestic political, economic, and social issues. Slovakia will elect a new president in Spring 2024 and a new slate of members of the European Parliament in June.

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Matt Boyse for a discussion on current developments in Central Europe, especially Slovakia, and Russia?s war against Ukraine with Eduard Heger, Slovak prime minister from April 2021 until May 2023.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once thought to be the wealthiest man in Russia, was arrested and imprisoned by President Vladimir Putin in 2003 and now lives in exile. From London, he advocates against Russian aggression and provides unique insight into how the current Russian leadership thinks and operates. 

As Russia?s sham presidential election approaches and Moscow?s illegal occupation of Ukraine drags on, Mr. Khodorkovsky will sit down with former United Kingdom secretary of defence and longtime Putin critic Sir Liam Fox, MP, on what 2024 could bring for the Kremlin, peace and security in Europe, and America?s global interests.

The Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) is the ?most sweeping and consequential foreign bribery law in nearly half a century? according to Transparency International. By criminalizing corrupt foreign officials? bribery demands, FEPA will protect American companies operating overseas and deter unfair competition from China?s state-owned enterprises. President Joe Biden signed FEPA into law in December 2023 after Congress included the bipartisan legislation in its annual defense spending bill.

Please join Hudson Institute for a fireside chat with Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a leading cosponsor of FEPA.

The AUKUS agreement?which includes Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States?is best known for the nuclear submarines that Australia will receive at the end of this decade. But AUKUS?s lesser-known second pillar focuses on technology sharing and is more likely to affect the Australian Defense Force?s capability and capacity in the near term. Uncrewed systems are one of the foundations of AUKUS Pillar Two, which also includes hypersonic weapons, quantum technology, and electronic warfare. These emerging systems will be essential as Australia responds to intensifying security competition with China as well as challenges in border security and homeland defense. Like their counterparts in the US Department of Defense, Australian defense officials will need to formulate new business and development practices that allow for innovation within government policies and structures.

Join Hudson?s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology for a discussion on these strategies with the Australian defense officials who are currently working to implement them.

The People?s Republic of China poses a colossal threat to American values and the freedom-based world order. No other nation that has confronted the United States and its allies has possessed China?s combination of economic and military strength, which enables Beijing?s exploitative and bellicose foreign policies.

If American citizens are not strong, Washington cannot lead internationally. If the US falters, despotic regimes led by the PRC will fill the void. And America can only succeed in defending freedom if it works diligently to create a new global alliance for freedom, linking established and nascent alliance structures to venerate liberty and the primacy of the individual.

Join Hudson?s China Center for a conversation with leading experts and diplomats on how the US can forge this new coalition.

For more than 200 years, the United States Marine Corps has been America?s ?911 force??the service that is always ready to respond to crises and conflicts in every theater. The USMC is constantly evolving to exploit new concepts and technologies, and now employs advanced missiles and artillery alongside unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and cyber and electronic warfare. But even as they transform for the future, Marines are called upon to protect US allies and citizens in conflicts across the Middle East and Africa and to deter further aggression in Europe.

Please join Hudson Institute Senior Fellows Bryan Clark and Dan Patt for a conversation with General Chris Mahoney, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, about the future of the USMC in a world of increasing competition and confrontation.

Last weekend?s election in Taiwan, which is officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is the most consequential presidential contest in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024. In this contentious yet free, open, fair, and democratic election, candidates from the three main political parties (the victorious Democratic Progressive Party, the main opposition Kuomintang, and the populist third party the Taiwan People?s Party) vigorously debated key issues for the island?s future. These issues are not only vital to the 23 million Taiwanese people, but also to regional and global prosperity and security. The momentous rise of Taiwan?s archenemy, the revanchist Communist China, is the most destabilizing factor in current geopolitics.

Please join Hudson Institute?s China Center for a discussion of these key issues with two of the most authoritative experts fresh out of the exhilarating Taiwanese presidential campaign: Vincent Chao, the spokesperson for President-elect William Lai, and Alexander Huang, special advisor to the chairman of the Kuomintang.

What are the long-term implications of the United States? current economic challenges, federal debt, and demographic trends for American national security? Although the president recently signed the $886 billion 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, what is the future of US defense spending? How do important federal domestic programs, interest on the national debt, and persistent and growing entitlement programs affect the funds available for national security? What types of spending does the Defense Department prioritize, and what does this prioritization mean? 

Brigadier General (US Army, Ret.) Mike Meese will join Hudson Senior Fellow Harold Furchtgott-Roth to discuss these questions and more.

Hudson Senior Fellow James Przystup?s recent study examines how the Indo-Pacific security environment evolved during 2022, in part because of measures by key regional actors?such as the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and India?to strengthen deterrence. In addition, these countries expanded their diplomatic coordination and security cooperation, which reflected a strategic commitment among the region?s democracies to support a rules-based order and advance a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. At the same time, European democracies have continued to expand diplomatic and security engagement with Indo-Pacific partners.

In this event, Dr. Przystup and other experts will reflect on recent changes in the Indo-Pacific, how the US and its allies are working to build a multilayered network to shape the region?s strategic environment, and where greater cooperation and coordination are still needed.

While Taiwan?s new president will not take office for a few months after the election on January 13, the implications of this new government can already be felt throughout the region. What is the significance of the incoming government on United States?Taiwan relations? How will the new government handle its relations with the People?s Republic of China? Will the incoming government have the domestic and international support it needs to meet the multifaceted challenges facing Taiwan?s military, economy, and international relationships? Join Hudson for a discussion on the results of Taiwan?s presidential and legislative elections.

The future of the West?s economic engagement with the People?s Republic of China is increasingly uncertain. Though the PRC seems integral to the global economy, it is an increasingly untrustworthy and dangerous partner for Western corporations. The Chinese government?s August 2023 raids on American corporations operating in China further signaled the need for firms to reconsider their relationships with the PRC. Against the backdrop of an international conversation regarding ?decoupling? and ?de-risking,? concerns about human rights in Chinese manufacturing, and the increasing national security risks the PRC poses, the United States business community needs a clearer understanding of the Chinese economy and the risks it poses to US corporations. At issue is not merely a few instances of aberrant behavior on the part of the PRC. Rather, US corporations hold a fundamental misconception about the PRC as a free and open market economy.

Please join Hudson Institute?s China Center for a panel on leading US corporations? involvement with the PRC, and the future of US corporate engagement with China.