The Center for the National Interest is pleased to share a new report, “How America Can Achieve Nuclear Energy Dominance: Recommendations to Implement President Trump’s Policy Agenda,” released in partnership with Energy Innovation Reform Project. This forward-looking document outlines how the United States can revitalize its nuclear energy sector to meet rising domestic demand, compete| Center for the National Interest
New Report: How America Can Achieve Nuclear Energy Dominance| cftni.org
CRANK Call is a monthly review of developments involving cooperation, and at times contention, among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (the CRANKs). July 2025 Highlights Russian Foreign Minister visits Pyongyang as North Korea readies more troops Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made a three-day visit to North Korea beginning on July 12, before traveling| Center for the National Interest
President Donald Trump has reordered U.S. energy policy in pursuit of “energy dominance.” In doing so, he has established a new National Energy Dominance Council in the White House, issued an extensive series of executive orders addressing almost all forms of energy as well as the U.S. electricity grid, and declared an energy emergency—a move| Center for the National Interest
President Donald Trump announced Friday he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in Alaska, part of his ongoing push to broker a ceasefire in the grinding, three-year Ukraine war. On Saturday, August 9, Center president Paul Saunders told C-SPAN’s Washington Journal that expectations should be tempered. “My expectations are limited,” Saunders said, noting| Center for the National Interest
The United States’ “America First” foreign policy under the Trump administration has emphasized security, strength, and economic prosperity. However, its approach to Afghanistan has remained narrowly focused on counterterrorism and the return of American detainees. This raises a critical question: Can Afghanistan contribute to regional stability and prosperity in a way that also aligns with| Center for the National Interest
Gulf Arab Perspectives on Regional Security After the Israel-Iran War| cftni.org
Afghanistan and Central Asia Since the Taliban Takeover| cftni.org
Both Central Asian and South Caucasian states border Iran and rely on key transit routes as well as economic and political ties with Tehran as they seek to bolster their sovereignty through multi-vector regional foreign policies. To what extent are these goals compromised by U.S. and Israeli efforts to isolate Iran? On July 28, 2025,| Center for the National Interest
The deepening partnership between Russia and North Korea—fueled by Moscow’s global search for troops and weapons to sustain its invasion of Ukraine—carries profound security implications for both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. Although Pyongyang has contributed relatively few soldiers compared to Russia’s large military force, their presence on Europe’s frontiers has raised alarm among policymakers and elites across the continent. This development also prompted South Korea’s ...| cftni.org
The Trump administration has been clear that its America First foreign policy prioritizes making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. However, it has not articulated how those objectives apply to Afghanistan policy beyond expressing priority interests in countering terrorism and securing the release of American detainees. But is there a viable way for Afghanistan to| Center for the National Interest
CRANK Call | June 2025| cftni.org
Trump’s Middle East Pivot? (w/ Greg Priddy)| cftni.org
Trump’s Middle East Pivot? (w/ Greg Priddy)| cftni.org
The Drone War Over Ukraine (w/ Samuel Bendett)| cftni.org
Chinese journalism is expanding its footprint across the Middle East in ways that sharply diverge from Western outlets like CNN. Rather than sending foreign correspondents, China’s CGTN deploys local reporters to tell regional stories, building trust and sidestepping the backlash often directed at U.S. and European media. As CGTN positions itself as a friendlier, non-interventionist alternative to the West, the implications for regional politics, public opinion, and global soft power are pr...| cftni.org
Korea’s Energy Crossroads (w/ Chinho Park)| cftni.org
The Middle East is becoming an increasingly contested arena in the emerging strategic competition between the United States and China. For global hubs like Dubai, this rivalry threatens to upend long-standing economic models built on openness, interconnectivity, and neutral ground. As tensions escalate, the region faces difficult choices about how to navigate great power politics without sacrificing prosperity or autonomy. Can countries like the UAE maintain their balancing act—or will they...| cftni.org
Russia’s Changing Profile and Influence in Central Asia| cftni.org
Perspectives on Central Asian Hydrocarbons, Pipelines, and Transit Corridors| cftni.org
Greg Priddy| cftni.org
Paul J. Saunders| cftni.org
On April 23, the Center for the National Interest hosted an off-the-record dinner discussion with Georgia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Levan Davitashvili and a visiting delegation of senior Georgian officials. Moderated by Center board member and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Iraq, and Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, the evening brought together a select group of Washington-based experts for a frank and substantive conversation with the Georgian delegation. The discussion cov...| cftni.org
Central Asian Perspectives on the Russo-Ukraine War| cftni.org
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Policy: Building Partnerships in Central Asia and Beyond| cftni.org
Is Russia Under Pressure?| cftni.org
CRANK Call | February 2025| cftni.org
CRANK Call | December 2024| cftni.org
Andrew C. Kuchins| cftni.org
CRANK Call | January 2025| cftni.org
Central Asia Connectivity Project| cftni.org
Nuclear Power in Central Asia: The New “New Thing”?| cftni.org
Report Launch | Afghanistan’s Qoshtepa Canal and Water Security in Central Asia| cftni.org
Afghanistan’s Qoshtepa Canal and Water Security in Central Asia| cftni.org