Ralph Cossa

May 13, 2024 | nationalinterest.org | Ralph Cossa

During a recent visit to Seoul, every conversation I had quickly got down to one key question: “What happens if Trump is reelected?”  This was quickly followed by: “What will it mean for the Alliance?”; “What will it mean for US-DPRK relations?”In an attempt to reassure my colleagues -- or perhaps to at least reassure myself -- my response was “Less than you might imagine!”Trying to predict what Donald Trump might say or do is a fool’s errand. But Pyongyang is more predictable.

Feb 8, 2024 | nationalinterest.org | Ralph Cossa

Is Kim Jong Un preparing for war? This provocative question, asked by Bob Carlin and Sig Hecker in a 38 North commentary earlier this year, has prompted a host of thoughtful comments, most downplaying the likelihood of conflict on the Korean Peninsula. I am hesitant to join that chorus, not because I believe an invasion of the South is imminent—I do not—but because Pyongyang has been more provocative in the past year than it has been in decades.

Sep 22, 2023 | pacforum.org | Ralph Cossa |Sheila Smith |Sourabh Gupta |Mason Richey

Comparative Connections Summary:May-August 2023Building Partnerships Amidst Major Power CompetitionBY RALPH COSSA, PACIFIC FORUM & BRAD GLOSSERMAN, TAMA UNIVERSITY CRS/PACIFIC FORUMMajor power competition was the primary topic du jure at virtually all of this trimester’s major multilateral gatherings, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continuing to serve as a litmus test—a test many participants struggled to avoid taking.

Sep 22, 2023 | pacforum.org | Ralph Cossa |Sheila Smith |Sourabh Gupta |Mason Richey

Comparative Connections Summary:May-August 2023Building Partnerships Amidst Major Power CompetitionBY RALPH COSSA, PACIFIC FORUM & BRAD GLOSSERMAN, TAMA UNIVERSITY CRS/PACIFIC FORUMMajor power competition was the primary topic du jure at virtually all of this trimester’s major multilateral gatherings, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continuing to serve as a litmus test—a test many participants struggled to avoid taking.

Aug 27, 2023 | asiatimes.com | Ralph Cossa

Is war between the United States and China inevitable? This was the central question asked of panelists at the opening session of this year’s  in Kuala Lumpur.