Why It Matters

Autonomous Ukraine: Allies, Partners, or Frenemies?

As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, Russian and Ukrainian forces remain locked in a brutal stalemate. Advanced technology and battlefield adaptation have shaped the conflict, but outside support has also been critical to sustaining the fight. Ukraine depends heavily on aid from the United States and its NATO partners, while Russia draws on backing from countries such as China, Iran, and North Korea. Still, these relationships come with their own limitations and tensions. In this episode, experts outline the global network sustaining both sides of the war and what shifting alliances could mean for the conflict’s next phase and the broader security risks facing the world.

 

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Featured Guests: 

Liana Fix (Senior Fellow for Europe, CFR) 

Joseph Torigian (Senior Fellow for Asia Studies, CFR)

 

Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

Autonomous Ukraine: We Are in a New Era of Warfare

The war in Ukraine is redefining modern conflict and what it takes to win a war. Ushering in a new era of mass warfare and blurring the idea of a front line, millions of low-cost drones are swarming the battlefield—striking, sensing, and reshaping the nature of combat in real time. In this episode, we explore how innovation under fire is transforming power and forcing nations to rethink strategy and military capacity.

Guests

Michael C. Horowitz (Senior Fellow for Technology and Innovation, CFR)

Erin D. Dumbacher (Stanton Nuclear Security Senior Fellow, CFR)

 

Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

The Risk Report for 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, U.S. foreign policy stands at an inflection point. Under the second Trump administration, traditional alliances have been tested, a hard-edged national security strategy has been rolled out, and for the first time, CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey has ranked a military conflict with Venezuela as a top threat facing the U.S. in 2026. 

 

Whether these and other flashpoints erupt next year will hinge on how world leaders manage mounting pressures, both at home and abroad.

 

Read the full 2026 Preventive Priorities Survey. 

 

Featured Guest:

Paul B. Stares (General John W. Vessey Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention and Director of the Center for Preventive Action)

 

Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

Where Does U.S. Trade Go From Here?

The unprecedented trade policies since the beginning of this year, driven largely by the Donald Trump administration’s pro-tariff agenda, have propelled the United States into uncertain and rocky territory. When it comes to our trading partners, the potential damage to U.S. alliances has left economists and policymakers in Washington questioning what’s next. Where do experts foresee U.S. trade policy heading?

 

This season, Why It Matters is taking you through the ins and outs of trade. In this season finale, CFR’s Michael Froman and Shannon K. O’Neil tackle your biggest questions about what’s at stake and what’s next for U.S. trade policy. 

 

Featured Guests:

 

Michael Froman (President of the Council on Foreign Relations)

 

Shannon K. O’Neil (Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair, CFR)

To hear more from Michael Froman, subscribe to his newsletter, The World This Week.

 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/where-does-trade-go-here 

Mind the Trade Gap

Is having a trade deficit necessarily a bad thing? Many experts argue that the U.S. trade deficit is largely good for our economy. It allows Americans to enjoy a wider variety of cheap goods, attracts foreign investment, and reflects the strength of the U.S. dollar. Others believe it’s a warning sign that we’re relying too much on imports, hurting American jobs, and racking up debt owed to other countries.

 

This season, Why It Matters is taking you through the ins and outs of trade. In this episode, we unpack the trade deficit. What is it and why has it become a primary focus of the second Trump administration?

 

Featured Guests:

 

Brad W. Setser (The Whitney Shepardson Senior Fellow specializing in global trade and capital flows, financial vulnerability analysis, and sovereign debt restructuring, CFR)

Heather Hurlburt (Associate Fellow for the U.S. and the Americas Programme, Chatham House)

 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/mind-trade-gap 

Why It Matters Live!: Food Diplomacy

Host Gabrielle Sierra and podcast guests Johanna Mendelson Forman and Matthew Costello discuss food diplomacy, share stories from White House state dinners, and unpack how food has helped to create lasting international partnerships.

 

This taping was originally recorded on April 17, 2025.

 

Featured Guests

 

Johanna Mendelson Forman (Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center, Adjunct Professor at American University’s School of International Service)

Matthew Costello (Chief Education Officer and Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at the White House Historical Association)

Trade Agreements: Deal or No Deal

What role does the president have when it comes to making trade deals? In this episode, we dig into the expansive powers of the U.S. president when it comes to trade. From unilateral authority to congressional oversight, we unpack who truly calls the shots when the U.S. negotiates trade agreements.

This season, Why It Matters is taking you through the ins and outs of trade. In this episode, Why It Matters dissects the current state of U.S. trade agreements; what deals exist, which ones are under strain, and how President Donald Trump’s unconventional approach to trade negotiations is shifting the United States away from the norm.

 

Featured Guest: 

Inu Manak (Fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations)

 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/trade-agreements-deal-or-no-deal 

Tariff Turmoil, Part 2: Steel and Dog Gelato

Tariffs have sparked intense debate in Washington, but their consequences land far from Capitol Hill. Tariffs can shape paychecks, shift prices for consumers, and affect markets. At best, tariffs offer short-term protection for certain industries. At worst, they can uproot the lives of American workers. In this episode, Why It Matters looks at what tariffs mean for a U.S. steel manufacturer and small business owner trying to stay afloat.

 

Featured Guests

 

Matthew P. Goodman, Distinguished Fellow and Director of the Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, CFR

 

Jamie Sychak, President of United Auto Workers Local 3303

Debbie Hendrickx, Founder and CEO of Swell Gelato

 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/tariff-turmoil-part-2-steel-and-dog-gelato 

Tariff Turmoil, Part 1: How Tariffs Are Affecting Farmers

Tariffs are often discussed in big, abstract terms—trade wars, economic strategy, global power struggles. But for ginseng farmers in Wisconsin, their effects are painfully personal. In this episode, Why It Matters dives into how tariffs work and how they’re hitting one of America's most niche yet lucrative exports: Wisconsin-grown ginseng.

 

Featured Guests

 

Matthew P. Goodman, Distinguished Fellow and Director of the Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, CFR

 

Will Hsu, President of Hsu's Ginseng Enterprises Inc.

 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/tariff-turmoil-part-1-how-tariffs-are-affecting-farmers 

The Washington Consensus Could Not Hold

When it comes to trade, there is no consensus in Washington. The issue has become deeply polarizing, with lawmakers split over whether free trade agreements benefit or harm the U.S. economy. While some argue that open markets are essential for global leadership and economic growth, others believe that such policies disproportionately harm American workers and industries, fueling the rise of protectionist sentiment. 

 

This season, Why It Matters is taking you through the ins and outs of trade. In this episode, we’re examining how trade policy is sizing up to be anything but consensus.

 

Featured Guests

 

Shannon K. O’Neil, Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair, CFR

 

Edward Alden, Senior Fellow specializing in U.S. economic competitiveness, trade, and immigration policy

 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/washington-consensus-could-not-hold