Geopolitical Futures Podcast

On Saturday US time, 7 B2 Spirit Bombers dropped more than a dozen Bunker Buster Bombs on Iran as part of a coordinated strike on three nuclear sites inside the country. It came just over a week after Israel began its own strikes on Iran, which it said was approaching the point of no return in the development of a nuclear weapon. But it has left the world asking: is this a turning point, the start of a new conflict in the Middle East? Or the end of another one? On the podcast, recorded Sunday, June 22nd, Geopolitical Futures chairman George Friedman joins host Christian Smith to discuss what’s behind America’s decision to attack, what next for Iran and the region, and whether the US may be dragged into another quagmire in the Middle East. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

Rivalry and alliances in the Middle East go back centuries and have shaped the geopolitics of this region in a major way. On this clip of a recent ClubGPF Podcast+ episode, GPF contributing analyst Kamran Bokhari joined Christian Smith to examine the complicated relationship between the various factions, mainly Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and how this all fits together to forecast the future of the Middle East region. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

The U.S. decision to recuse itself from European security has created something of a crisis on the continent. America wants European countries to pick up their own defense spending and focus on their own region, following Vladimir Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.  So what’s the feeling in Europe about the risks countries there face from Russia? How are they navigating those threats? And do Americans and Europeans see them in the same way? Talking Geopolitics host Christian Smith was joined by Geopolitical Futures Chairman and Founder George Friedman and Antonia Colibasanu, GPF's Senior Analyst from on the ground in Romania to discuss. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

It’s hard to find a region facing as much widespread turmoil as the Middle East, both historically and in the modern world. As Geopolitical Futures’ contributing analyst Hilal Khashan predicts, the Middle East will continue to oscillate between established and rising regional powers, with more turbulent times ahead. Hilal joined George Friedman for our recent ClubGPF live discussion to focus on the Middle East, and to break down the US imperatives in the region, following Donald Trump’s historic visit. To learn more about ClubGPF and join our next session, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

The return of Donald Trump to the White House was always going to mean a new showdown between the world’s two largest economies. But, after spiraling tensions and escalating tariffs, last week the US and China announced that they had agreed to roll back recent measures for an initial 90 days. The agreement, which was hammered out over a weekend in Geneva, has relieved the markets. But the future of the relationship is far from settled – not least because the two sides are attempting to negotiate thorny issues concerning both their security and economic relationships side by side. So what comes next? Host Christian Smith is joined by Geopolitical Futures' director of analysis Allison Fedirka, and China analyst Victoria Herczegh, to find out. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.  

The US-Ukraine minerals deal is done but a Russia-Ukraine peace deal is seemingly out of reach. Now the US is looking to scale back its involvement in mediating an end to the conflict. So what's next for the war in Ukraine? In this episode, GPF Chairman George Friedman considers how the fighting might end, why Vladimir Putin might be running out of room, and why Eastern Europe is now the pivot point for European defense. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

Like much of the world, North American geopolitics looks very different to six months ago. Tariffs, border issues and suggestions of US troops in Mexico are creating concerns to America’s south. On a recent episode of our ClubGPF's Podcast+, GPF director of analysis Allison Fedirka joined host Christian Smith as we continued our series on Trump’s second term in office, looking at the geopolitics of North America. To learn more about ClubGPF, including more free audio and video clips, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

The next great power is in the making. Could the United States make room for the likes of China or even Iran as the next superpower? As GPF Chairman George Friedman explained in our recent ClubGPF live discussion, a great power not only has to have a great military, it also has to have a high level of technology and a strong geopolitical position. To learn more about ClubGPF and join our next session, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

From the U.S., to Europe, China, the Middle East and Russia, relationships are being restructured due to changing geopolitical forces. As GPF Chairman George Friedman explained in our recent ClubGPF live discussion, we are now entering an age where America is taking on a pivotal role, and where economic warfare is the weapon of choice to maintain power. To learn more about ClubGPF and join our next session, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2.  Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

It has been a tumultuous couple of weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump announced his sweeping tariffs, pushing the world's two biggest economies, the United States and China, into an ever-escalating trade war. The radical shifts taken by the administration have us at GPF wondering, could this be one of the most consequential months for global economics in the 21st century? And are the tariffs meant to disrupt the global economic system of free trade that's been in place since WWII? In this episode of Talking Geopolitics, Geopolitical Futures Chairman George Friedman joins host Christian Smith to examine just how we got here and to predict how long the tit for tat will continue. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

As we edge over the halfway point of Donald Trump's first 100 days in his second term in office, it's possible we're seeing the start of America’s terminal decline or its regeneration, depending on which side of the line you're on. While the US has been busily announcing the end of the post-World War II global order abroad, at home, the president seems to be even more rapidly trying to upend the status quo. In this episode of Talking Geopolitics, Geopolitical Futures Chairman George Friedman joins host Christian Smith to discuss what to make of Trump’s first 50 days in office in the wider context of American history. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

As the world watches the Transatlantic Alliance continue to strain, America’s allies to the West are wondering what it all means for them. Analysts Victoria Herczegh and Ronan Wordsworth joined host Christian Smith in our recent Podcast+ episode for ClubGPF members to discuss what Trump's second term means for Australia, AUKUS, and the Indo-Pacific at large. In this clip, the analysts share their thoughts on China's unusual military presence in the Tasman Sea off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. To learn more about ClubGPF, including more free audio and video clips, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

After Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Oval Office bust up, you might think the war in Ukraine is going rather well for Vladimir Putin. But, according to Geopolitical Futures Chairman George Friedman, the Russian president has already lost the war. Tune in to this new podcast from Geopolitical Futures as Friedman explains Russia’s failure, why he thinks Trump is buttering up Putin, and what he thinks of the press conference heard round the world and the decision to pause U.S. military aid for Ukraine. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

One month into Donald Trump’s second term, even those who closely followed his first time in office have struggled to keep up. Foreign policy shifts alone include tariffs, attacks on allies, and a proposed takeover in Gaza. Now, an apparent rapprochement with Russia has the potential to revolutionize US strategy. What is the US trying to achieve in its negotiations with Russia? And is this all just the new norm for a world without an anchor? Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.  

Historically, nations did not conduct themselves without aligning with or getting their bearings in relation to a power system that drove the world; an anchor. This was the case, for example, in the world wars of the last century, and the Cold War. But as Chairman George Friedman explained in our recent ClubGPF live discussion, things have changed, and various nations are testing each other. To learn more about ClubGPF, including more free audio and video clips, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2.

Over the past few decades, Poland has seen its economy grow and its military expand. With Donald Trump returning to the White House next month and the former president having made his feelings about European security contributions clear, the Eastern European nation is set to become one of the most important players in Europe. Senior Analyst Antonia Colibasanu joined host Christian Smith in our recent Podcast+ episode for ClubGPF members to discuss the current state and potential future of the Polish nation. To learn more about ClubGPF, including more free audio and video clips, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2.

Israel’s decimation of Hezbollah’s leadership and war-making capabilities has paved the way for a massive altering of the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East. After decades on the offensive, Iran has suffered a major setback in its strategy for the region. GPF contributor Kamran Bokhari joined host Christian Smith on our recent Podcast+ episode for ClubGPF members to discuss what’s next for Iran, its proxies, and the Middle East at large. To learn more about ClubGPF, including more free audio and video clips, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2.

From London to Warsaw, Paris to Kyiv, last week’s election of Donald Trump for a second time in the U.S. has sent European leaders scrambling. With the expectation that Trump will reduce defense support for Ukraine and Europe more generally, tune in to this special podcast from Geopolitical Futures as Chairman and Founder George Friedman explains what Trump means for Europe and the post-war order. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.

At GPF we have a distinct method for looking at the world, and every day we see this model play out in real time, like in the current conflicts in the Middle East. In this ClubGPF live discussion, Chairman George Friedman discusses the relationship between current conflicts and the dangers of non-state actors like Hezbollah and Hamas. To learn more about ClubGPF, including more free audio and video clips or to save your seat for our next live discussion, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2.

The European far right has had one of their best electoral years since the Second World War. What could it mean for European geopolitics, and how does migration play a part? GPF Analyst Ronan Wordsworth joined host Christian Smith from Prague on our recent Podcast+ episode for ClubGPF members to understand the moment and plot what comes next. To learn more about ClubGPF, including more free audio and video clips, visit http://ow.ly/qHIP50JUPW2.