Micah Zenko's Blog

On Ukraine’s Reconstruction

As the war in Ukraine nears its fourth year, uncertainty is growing over the future of international support. Meanwhile, mounting pressure on Russia’s economy and an increase in high-tech, drone-centric warfare continue to bolster Ukraine’s defense. Experts from Ukraine and Europe discuss international financial initiatives to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and revitalize its infrastructure and economy in the aftermath of Russia’s military aggression.

 

Background Reading: 

This report lays out strategies for rebuilding Ukraine, reintegrating workers, and growing the country’s economy post-war.

 

Host: Heidi Crebo-Rediker, Senior Fellow, Center for Geoeconomic Studies at CFR

 

Guests: Nadia Calviño, President, European Investment Bank

Sergii Marchenko, Minister of Finance, Ukraine

Odile Renaud-Basso, President, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

 

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To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/yySb8cSk7E8. 

 

On Navigating Crises Inside the Situation Room

U.S. Department of State officials are the foremost representatives of U.S. interests around the world, helping to manage relationships with foreign governments, international organizations, and the people of other countries. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Dean of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs Keren Yarhi-Milo discuss their new book, Inside the Situation Room, and lessons for future leaders navigating national security crises.

 

Background Reading: 

This post unpacks leaked reform plans that the Donald Trump administration seeks to make to the State Department.

 

Host: David Westin, Anchor, Bloomberg

 

Guests: Hillary Rodham Clinton, 67th U.S. Secretary of State

Keren Yarhi-Milo, Dean and Adlai E. Stevenson Professor of International Relations, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)

John J. Sullivan, Partner, Mayer Brown; Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State

 

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To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juwvr_yrwz4 

On the Future of the U.S. Economy

In September 2025, the U.S. Federal Reserve approved a quarter-point interest rate cut. The move came amid a softening labor market, above-target inflation, heightened uncertainty about Trump’s trade and tariff policy, and other conditions that present significant challenges to monetary policymakers. Against this backdrop, Susan M. Collins, the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, discusses the United States’ current economic outlook. 

 

Background Reading: 

This backgrounder unpacks the role of the U.S. Federal Reserve, and its ongoing struggles with inflation and political scrutiny.

 

Host: Seema Mody, Technology and Global Markets Correspondent, CNBC

 

Guest: Susan M. Collins, President and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

 

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To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJgEznKrwKY 

UN High Commissioner Volker Türk On Human Rights

From Sudan to the war in Gaza, 2025 has seen the continuation of major humanitarian crises across the globe. Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, examines a range of these crises, while also exploring issues such as financing, reform, and declining multilateral consensus. 

 

This conversation was hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations during the 80th United Nations General Assembly. 

 

Background Reading: 

This expert brief outlines the Trump administration's move away from UN human rights standards. This post discusses the most recent U.S. report on Human Rights Practices. 

 

Host: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

 

Guest: Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

 

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To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/Hami3lD8MeY?si=8Uzbhk09q45hB8jC 

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa On Trade, Reform, and the BRICS Alliance

Long before Trump retook the Oval Office, policymakers were concerned that South Africa's growing ties with Russia and China could undermine Washington’s strategic interests in the region. Against the backdrop of these concerns, President Cyril Ramaphosa examines South Africa’s domestic priorities, its bilateral trade relations with the United States, the future of BRICS, and the country’s role in Southern Africa.

 

This conversation was hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations during the 80th United Nations General Assembly. 

 

Background Reading: 

This post unpacks the confrontational meeting between South African President Ramaphosa and U.S. President Trump in May 2025.

 

Host: Richard Stengel, Political Analyst at MSNBC; Former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State

 

Guest: Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa

 

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To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD93mvqbnDI

Canadian PM Mark Carney On NATO, Trade, and the Middle East

The U.S.-Canadian relationship boasts a history of cooperation, peaceful borders, and strong trade ties. However, the partnership has come under strain during the second Trump administration, in part due to sweeping tariffs that have called into question Canada’s economic ties to Washington. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Mark Carney discusses Canada’s role in NATO, the ongoing war in Gaza, Canada’s foreign policy priorities, and the new global economy. 

 

This conversation was hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations during the 80th United Nations General Assembly. 

 

Background Reading: 

This backgrounder unpacks Canada’s fraught trade relationship with the United States.This timeline highlights the U.S.-Canada partnership over the last century, and how trade tensions and territorial disputes have strained relations in recent years.

 

Host: Michael Froman, President, Council on Foreign Relations

 

Guests: Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

 

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To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYYjz2hABZk 

 

On U.S. National Security Challenges

Since the start of the second Trump administration, the National Security Council (NSC) has seen its staff reduced from around 350 employees to fewer than 100, with dozens of policy experts abruptly dismissed or placed on administrative leave this May. Former U.S. National Security Advisors Thomas E. Donilon, Stephen J. Hadley, and Susan E. Rice unpack how the recent reorganization could affect U.S. foreign policy decision-making. 

 

Background Reading:

This backgrounder from CFR Education outlines the role of the U.S. National Security Council.

 

Host: Michael Froman, President, Council on Foreign Relations

 

Guests: Susan E. Rice, Former National Security Advisor (2013–17); CFR Member

 

Thomas E. Donilon, Former National Security Advisor (2010–13); Member, Board of Directors, Council on Foreign Relations

 

Stephen J. Hadley, Former National Security Advisor (2005–09); CFR Member

 

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To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTvZJxAGnW4 

On Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis

Former UN Undersecretary-General Sigrid Kaag discusses the state of humanitarian assistance in Gaza and the role of the international community in supporting relief efforts.

 

Background Reading:

Malnutrition has reached alarming levels in Gaza, with famine declared in the territory’s most populated region. As Israel continues to block aid from entering Gaza, this backgrounder explains how hunger is now reportedly affecting more than just civilians on the ground. As the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip continues, some countries have announced their intent to recognize the Palestinian territories as a sovereign nation, but full independence and UN membership remain elusive. This backgrounder unpacks the quest for Palestinian statehood.

 

Host:

Steven Kalin, Foreign Correspondent at the Wall Street Journal

 

Guest:

Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process; Former United Nations Undersecretary-General

 

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To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPUiqLythfc 

Religion and Foreign Policy Webinar: Pope Leo XIV’s First 100 Days

Thomas J. Reese, senior analyst for Religion News Service; Stephen Schneck, commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; and George Weigel, senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, discuss Pope Leo XIV’s foreign policy priorities during his first 100 days and the Vatican’s evolving role in international diplomacy. Claire Giangravé, Vatican reporter for Religion News Service, moderates the conversation. 

Religion and Foreign Policy Webinar: Pope Leo XIV's First 100 Days

Thomas J. Reese, senior analyst for Religion News Service; Stephen Schneck, commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; and George Weigel, senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, discuss Pope Leo XIV’s foreign policy priorities during his first 100 days and the Vatican’s evolving role in international diplomacy. Claire Giangravé, Vatican reporter for Religion News Service, moderates the conversation.