This week, President Trump announced major AI chip agreements with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since the start of the war were held in Türkiye, the U.S. and China reached a tariff reduction deal, and India and Pakistan declared a ceasefire after last week’s military confrontation.

This week, the U.S. and the UK announced a trade agreement, India carried out strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Friedrich Merz became chancellor of Germany, and Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV.

This week, our beloved Co-Founder Joseph S. Nye, Jr. passed away at the age of 88. One of our “founding three,” Joe, along with Brent Scowcroft and William J. Perry, created the Aspen Strategy Group in 1984.

This week, Mark Carney was elected prime minister of Canada, Ukraine and the U.S. signed a critical minerals deal, Mike Waltz was removed as national security advisor and will be nominated as UN ambassador, and power outages hit parts of Spain, Portugal, and France.

This week, Pope Francis passed away at 88, President Trump rebuked Putin following a Russian attack on Kyiv, India-Pakistan tensions escalated after violence erupted in Kashmir, and U.S. and Iranian negotiators prepared for technical talks in Oman.

This week, President Trump met with Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni and President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele, Russian missiles struck Sumy, Daniel Noboa claimed victory in Ecuador’s presidential election, and the Rapid Support Forces declared a parallel government in Darfur.

This week, the U.S. announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs with the exception of China, China responded by raising tariffs to 125% on U.S. goods, U.S. officials headed to Oman ahead of nuclear talks with Iran, and Russia freed U.S. dual national Ksenia Karelina in a prisoner swap.

This week, President Trump announced “Liberation Day” tariffs, South Korea’s Constitutional Court upheld President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzlement and banned from running for office for five years, and Myanmar’s ruling junta announced a temporary ceasefire.

This week, it came to light that U.S. officials inadvertently included a journalist in a Signal chat where airstrike plans were discussed, Russia and Ukraine committed to a Black Sea ceasefire in separate deals with the U.S., Brazil’s Supreme Court moved to try former President Jair Bolsonaro, and Prime Minister Mark Carney called a snap election in Canada.

This week, German parliament passed a historic defense and infrastructure spending package, the U.S. Department of Defense shuttered its Office of Net Assessment, Israel broke the Gaza ceasefire and Hamas responded with rocket launches at Tel Aviv, and Türkiye arrested Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu.

This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz engaged in talks with Ukrainian representatives in Jeddah, sectarian violence claimed at least 110 lives in Syria, the center-right Demokraatit party won the Greenlandic general election, and the European Union and Canada retaliated against U.S. tariffs.

This week, EU leaders agreed to a defense spending surge at an emergency summit on Ukraine, Arab leaders endorsed Egypt’s proposal for the reconstruction of Gaza, the White House announced partial tariff exemptions for Mexico and Canada, and South Korean fighter jets mistakenly bombed Nogok.