Geopolitical Futures

Recruitment drive. Germany on Wednesday launched a new plan to boost military service. The initiative, approved by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Cabinet, seeks to attract recruits with better pay, flexible service periods and training opportunities. Starting next year, all 18-year-olds will be surveyed about their willingness to serve, and from 2027, young men will undergo mandatory […]

The impending 25 per cent tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil appears bold. While the US said its primary motivation was to hit Putin where it hurts, it understandably prompted a strong reaction from the government in New Delhi. So why is the US government willing to target India, what does China have to do with it, and what does it say about Trump's overall strategy? GPF Chairman George Friedman joins Talking Geopolitics host Christian Smith to discuss all this, and whether it will actually work.

The impending 25 per cent tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil appears bold. While the US said its primary motivation was to hit Putin where it hurts, it understandably prompted a strong reaction from the government in New Delhi. So why is the US government willing to target India, what does China have to do with it, and what does it say about Trump's overall strategy? GPF Chairman George Friedman joins Talking Geopolitics host Christian Smith to discuss all this, and whether it will actually work.

Another rupture. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has called a confidence vote for Sept. 8 over his plan to cut spending by 44 billion euros ($51 billion) and increase...

Cuts coming. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that Germany’s welfare system is overextended and in need of reform. At a party conference, Merz said the welfare state “can...

(click to enlarge) More than synthetic drugs and many plant-based drugs, cocaine production is shaped by geography. Coca, the plant from which cocaine is produced, can grow only in a...