Global Security Briefing

Is the Trump Administration's 'Donroe' Doctrine Transforming Relations with Latin America?

Following Washington's emphasis on the Western Hemisphere in its 2025 National Security Strategy, this episode examines Cuba, Venezuela and the intensifying US-China competition in Latin America. In this episode, Neil Melvin is joined by Dr Brian Fonseca, Director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University, and Dr Carlos Solar, Senior Research Fellow for Latin American Security at RUSI, to assess how the Trump administration's 'America First' strategy is reshaping security and geopolitics across the Americas, and what the shift means for regional stability and US global priorities. This discussion explores: · The elevation of the Western Hemisphere to the top tier of US national security priorities. · Cuba's re-emergence as a strategic concern, including energy pressure, migration controls and intelligence considerations. · Venezuela's uncertain transition following US intervention and the risks of proxy competition. · The expansion of bilateral security agreements and US military deployments in the Caribbean basin. · The implications of this hemispheric focus for US alliances and global commitments. · Whether Latin America is becoming an arena for US-China strategic rivalry.

Greenland: A Flashpoint in Transatlantic Relations

The Greenland crisis has damaged goodwill and trust between the US and Europe and has undermined perceptions of US reliability and trustworthiness. Following the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, should Europe now pursue independence and begin to decouple from the US? In this bonus episode of Global Security Briefing, we hear from RUSI's Director-General Rachel Ellehuus as she discusses the state of the US-Greenland-Denmark discussions, and the potential lasting impact on the transatlantic relationship and NATO. Rachel's remarks were recorded during a RUSI webinar on Friday 23 January 2026: https://my.rusi.org/resource-library-search.html?information_type=members-event-recordings  In an hour-long discussion, the panellists, including Rachel Ellehuus, the Director General of RUSI, Oana Lungescu, a RUSI Distinguished Fellow and former long-serving NATO spokesperson and Ed Arnold, Senior Research Fellow for European Security at RUSI, focus on the diplomatic, military and geopolitical fallout from the Greenland crisis for the transatlantic relationship. Become a RUSI member today to access the full recording: https://my.rusi.org/membership.html 

Can the Transatlantic Alliance Survive the Trump Presidency?

As US–European relations face renewed strain under President Trump, this episode explores what the crisis means for NATO, European security and the United Kingdom. In this episode, Neil Melvin is joined by RUSI Distinguished Fellow Sir David Lidington to discuss the growing crisis in transatlantic relations, from the Greenland dispute and uncertainty over US security commitments to the wider impact of Russia's war in Ukraine and shifting US strategy, and to assess what these changes mean for Europe's security order and the UK's strategic choices. The discussion explores: - The resilience of Europe's security order amid transatlantic tension. - The implications of the Greenland crisis for NATO and European unity. - How NATO, the EU and smaller groupings are adapting to a harsher security environment. - The future of the Ukraine war and its impact on European security. - Whether NATO and the transatlantic relationship can endure. - How the UK should position itself in a changing Euro-Atlantic landscape. Recorded on Tuesday 20 January 2026.

How Will German Rearmament Shape European Security?

Dr Claudia Major joins Neil Melvin to discuss Germany's rearmament drive and its implications for European and transatlantic security. Germany is undertaking the most significant overhaul of its defence and security policy in decades, moving from long-standing restraint to large-scale rearmament and military reform. In this episode of Global Security Briefing, Neil Melvin speaks with Dr Claudia Major, Senior Vice President, Transatlantic Security at the German Marshall Fund, about what Germany's changing approach means for Europe's future security. This episode explores: - Germany's rearmament strategy, spending priorities and capability timelines. - The domestic political, public and institutional challenges to sustained defence investment. - The role of conscription, recruitment and societal defence in Germany's plans. - How the German defence industry is adapting to unprecedented demand. - What Germany's emergence as Europe's largest defence actor means for European security. - How Berlin's rearmament affects relations with European partners, the European Union and the United States. - Whether Germany's strategic culture is undergoing lasting change.

The View from Doha 2025

Dr Burcu Ozcelik and Nicholas Hopton join Neil Melvin to discuss key insights from the Doha Forum and the shifting Middle East security landscape. In this episode, recorded at the Doha Forum 2025, Neil Melvin speaks with Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow at RUSI and Nicholas Hopton, RUSI Distinguished Fellow and former British Ambassador, to discuss the state of Middle Eastern security after two years of conflict. They explore how regional and global powers are responding to the effects of these conflicts, and what a new security order might look like. Topics discussed include: The current Middle East landscape following major conflicts across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and the Gulf. Prospects for a new regional security order and pathways toward peace. How regional actors are positioning themselves diplomatically and strategically. Reactions to the new US National Security Strategy and perceptions of US engagement. Key takeaways from the Doha Forum debates on regional stability, governance and future diplomacy.