The center barely held in Germany, as Germany moved sharply to the extremes, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) doubling its support in just four years. Can Germany retake the lead in Europe, which is now more urgent than ever? Meanwhile, President Trump continued to walk away from Ukraine, siding with Russia at the UN and forcing Kyiv into signing a mineral agreement for little in return. How will this significant break impact the future of US foreign policy? Then, looking ahead, the fragile ceasefire in Gaza is approaching a critical deadline. With the first phase of the truce set to expire Saturday, how far apart are Israel and Hamas from agreement on proceeding to the next phase? Stefanie Bolzen, Andrew Roth, and Giles Whittell join Ivo Daalder on this week’s World Review to analyze these pressing issues that could have lasting global consequences.

US and Russian negotiators met in Saudi Arabia this week and, in a stunning reset, agreed to re-establish normal relations and work together to end the Ukraine war. Meanwhile, from Mar-a-Lago President Trump blamed Ukraine for the war and called President Volodymyr Zelensky “a dictator.” What does this shift mean for Ukraine, NATO, and US security commitments? Then, we examine Arab states’ alternate plans for Gaza—what do they propose, are any of them viable, and what will the impact be on the region’s dynamics? Finally, we turn to Beijing, where China’s President Xi Jinping met with top entrepreneurs at a big tech summit. Will Xi be able to boost investor confidence and promote high-tech industries while ensuring businesses align with government priorities? Bobby Ghosh, Prashant Rao, and Liz Sly join guest host Carla Anne Robbins on this week’s World Review to analyze shifting alliances and intensifying global power struggles.

As world leaders gather in Munich this week for their annual security conference, Ukraine will once again take center stage – though mainly because of the two people who won’t be there. Presidents Trump and Putin discussed the war and committed to work towards peace in a phone call, but didn’t commit to involving Ukraine in the talks. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told his counterparts in Brussels that the U.S. had other interests and Europe needed to take care of its own security. A new Council report explains how Europe can do so. To discuss how these transatlantic tensions will play in Munich, Stefan Kornelius and Steven Erlanger join Ivo Daalder in Munich for a special episode of World Review, recording on the sidelines of the year’s most important security conference.