2026 has opened amid profound upheaval, with foreign policy disruption already reshaping the global landscape. What will the months ahead mean for unfolding crises, fragile alliances, and shifting alignments? Join us on Thursday, January 29 as top foreign policy voices gather to explore what lies ahead for global affairs in 2026 and beyond. Through expert forecasts and debate, participants examine emerging flashpoints, shifting power dynamics, and the strategic choices that will shape the international landscape – from Caracas to Kyiv.
For more on these issues, read our Top Ten Global Risks for 2026, by Mathew Burrows and Robert Manning, now in its ninth annual edition.
Full Agenda
9:35 to 9:50 am: Opening and Keynote
Curt Mills, Executive Director, The American Conservative (Keynote Speaker)
9:50 to 10:50 am – Panel Discussion:
“Welcome to the Age of Chaos”
Amid mounting shocks and accelerating instability worldwide, foreign policy analysts take stock of the most pressing global risks confronting the world in 2026. Our experts analyze where instability is likely to intensify—and what it means for American foreign policy and the rest of the world.
Mathew Burrows, Program Lead, Strategic Foresight Hub
Kelly Grieco, Senior Fellow, Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program
Yun Sun, Senior Fellow and Director, China Program
Steve Clemons, Editor-at-Large, The National Interest (Moderator)
10:50 to 11:15 am – Quickfire #1:
Venezuela, Cuba, and the Future of US – Latin America Relations
Amb. Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Distinguished Fellow, Strategic Foresight Hub
Benjamin N. Gedan, Senior Fellow and Director, Latin America Program
11:15 to 11:40 am – Quickfire #2:
Ukraine, Russia, and the Future of European Security
Emma Ashford, Senior Fellow, Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program
Peter Slezkine, Senior Fellow and Director, Russia Program
11:40 am to 12:05 pm – Quickfire #3:
AI, Power, and the Future of the Technology Race
Giulia Neaher, Research Analyst, Strategic Foresight Hub
Julian Mueller-Kaler, Senior Fellow and Director, Strategic Foresight Hub