The Council on Foreign Relations

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is a nonpartisan and independent organization that serves as a membership group, think tank, and publisher. Its mission is to support a diverse range of individuals, including members, government officials, business leaders, journalists, educators, students, and community leaders, by providing valuable insights into global issues and foreign policy decisions affecting the United States and other nations. Established in 1921, CFR does not take official stances on policy matters. Our aim is to encourage discussions among Americans about the importance of understanding the world around them.

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Ukraine’s Operation Spider’s Web Shows Future of Drone Warfare

3 days ago | cfr.org | Michael Horowitz

Michael C. Horowitz is senior fellow for technology and innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations. More From Our Experts In a daring and unexpected attack, Ukraine said it had used 117 attack drones to target airfields deep inside Russian territory. Named “Operation Spider’s Web” by Ukrainian officials, the assault required Ukraine to secretly smuggle the drones into Russia over several months.
Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web Shows Future of Drone Warfare

3 days ago | cfr.org | Michael Horowitz

Michael C. Horowitz is senior fellow for technology and innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations. More From Our Experts In a daring and unexpected attack, Ukraine said it had used 117 attack drones to target airfields deep inside Russian territory. Named “Operation Spider Web” by Ukrainian officials, the assault required Ukraine to secretly smuggle the drones into Russia over several months.
Israel’s Laser Air Defense Revolution

5 days ago | cfr.org | Elliott Abrams

For Israel, as for Ukraine, defending against drones has been a difficult and expensive endeavor. Drones are cheap and lethal. Air defense systems are expensive. Each of Israel’s Iron Dome batteries costs about $100 million, and interceptors can cost over $40,000. In the Ukraine war, it is estimated that the Shahed attack drones used by Russia coast about $35,000 each—while a PAC-3 Patriot interceptor costs about $3 million and an AIM 9-X variant called the NASAM costs about $1 million each.
China’s Industrial Policy Drives Boom in Eldercare Robots

1 week ago | cfr.org | Carl Minzner

Beijing is dramatically pushing eldercare robots as part of its national development plans to promote advanced manufacturing. But it is unclear how effective such policies will be in responding to China’s mounting eldercare needs, particularly in rural China. Central authorities have promoted robotics and technology as part of efforts to reform China’s eldercare services for nearly a decade. Such language featured in State Council opinions issued in both 2016 and 2021.
Women This Week: Funding Cuts Threaten Lifesaving Work in Crisis Zones

1 week ago | cfr.org | Noel James |Diya Mehta

Nearly Half of Women’s Organizations May Close Without Renewed Support  A new report from UN Women is warning that nearly half of women-led and women's rights organizations working in crisis zones may be forced to shut down within six months due to widespread funding cuts. These organizations provide vital support for women, including reproductive health services and maternal care.
Remembering Those Whom Memorial Day Honors

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | James Lindsay

Monday is Memorial Day. The United States has fought twelve major wars and numerous smaller skirmishes in its history. Memorial Day is how we honor the soldiers, sailors, airmen, airwomen, marines, and coast guardsmen who did not return home. The holiday dates back to the months immediately following the Civil War when a few towns and cities began honoring their dead. In 1868, General John A.
Trump’s Confrontation of South Africa’s President Derails Effort to Cool Tensions

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | Mariel Ferragamo

The conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office Wednesday was meant to smooth over tensions between the two leaders’ countries. More From Our Experts It appeared to begin cordially enough. Ramaphosa thanked Trump for providing his country with respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic, introduced some of South Africa’s famous golfers, and presented Trump with a book on his beloved pastime.
Trump's Putin Call Indicates Ukraine's Future Is Up to Europe

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | Max Boot

Max Boot is the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. More From Our Experts When it comes to safeguarding Ukraine, it could now be up to Europe. More on: Ukraine The War in Ukraine Europe Eastern Europe United States That is the message from Monday’s phone call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Trump Visit and the Black Boxes of the Gulf

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | Elliott Abrams

During his trip to the Gulf last week, President Trump went out of his way to abandon what he described as intrusive, ignorant, and much resented U.S. lectures to Gulf nations about their internal affairs. Here is an excerpt from his remarks in Riyadh on May 13:This great transformation has not come from Western interventionalists or flying people in beautiful planes, giving you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs.
What Is Birthright Citizenship and Could the Supreme Court End It?

3 weeks ago | cfr.org | Diana Roy

The United States is one of a few dozen countries that guarantees citizenship to any individual born within its territory—a policy that has been in place since Congress ratified the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868. But efforts to end the practice have increased as critics say it encourages unauthorized migration. On President Donald Trump’s first day in office, he issued an executive order seeking to redefine the interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.