Hudson Institute Events Podcast

The United States–Zimbabwe relationship has been strained for decades, in part due to the government’s violent farm invasion campaign that began in earnest in 2000. Harare’s refusal to compensate most of the farmers whose land was taken is still a significant barrier to improving the bilateral relationship. Join Senior Fellow Joshua Meservey as he hosts a panel of experts to discuss the history of land expropriation in Zimbabwe, the status of the land compensation agenda, and how policymakers can rectify an issue that bedevils US-Zimbabwe relations.

Since the onset of Operation Epic Fury, Europe’s response has been cautious and divided, revealing real strain within the transatlantic alliance. While leaders in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Southern Europe have ruled out direct military participation—insisting this is “not our war”—others, including Spain and Greece, have declined to support U.S. operations altogether. The result is a Europe aligned with Washington’s concerns about Iran, but hesitant to fully commit. Is this a temporary divergence, or the beginning of a deeper realignment? To explore this question, former Czech Ambassador to Israel and national security advisor, now a nonresident senior fellow with Hudson Institute's Center on Europe and Eurasia Tomáš Pojar joins Michael Doran, Director of Hudson’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, for a timely conversation on Europe’s strategic posture, alliance cohesion, and the future of Western coordination in the region.

For over a year, the Republic of Moldova has advanced economic reforms to improve the country’s business environment and attract investment. The government prioritized deregulation and digitalized public services, while also helping businesses access finance. Key sectors, such as electrical equipment manufacturing and agriculture, received government support, and service exports, particularly in information technology, expanded rapidly. Meanwhile, Moldova is cooperating with international partners to diversify supply chains and position itself as a reliable hub for logistics, energy, and digital infrastructure. These efforts will allow the country to support regional stability and assist with Ukraine’s future reconstruction.  Join Hudson as Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Eugen Osmochescu speaks on these and other issues.

As President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping prepare to meet in April, striking a favorable trade deal is top of mind. But trade shouldn’t be the only priority. China currently imprisons several political prisoners who are important to the United States government—including Chinese Christian Pastor Ezra Jin, Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, and many others. Several of these prisoners have family members who are American citizens and want to be reunited. Ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting, Washington needs to call for the unequivocal release and safe return of political prisoners. Join us at Hudson Institute to discuss how advocates, lawmakers, and the US government can prioritize the release of political prisoners across China.

Starting 20 years ago, the religious group Falun Gong began exposing how China harvests organs from persecuted groups. Today evidence shows that the Chinese Communist Party has harvested organs from living prisoners of conscience through a state-run system that includes the security services, military hospitals, and civilian transplant centers. Join Nina Shea for a discussion with Jan Jekielek, author of the new book Killed to Order, about this modern atrocity. They will focus on how and why China has allowed the horror of forced organ harvesting to flourish, and what decades of rigorous research have uncovered. The conversation will also address how global supply chains and medical institutions have been complicit. Shea and Jekielek will then offer policy recommendations.

Can Kasapoğlu, a senior fellow and open-source military analyst on Middle East and Iranian forces. He breaks down reported strikes in Tehran and authenticity. He explains declines in Iranian missile launcher capacity and how long-endurance drone strikes are executed. He discusses coordination between US, Israel and partners and the strategic choices shaping Iran’s military and political trajectory.

The American industrial base once underwrote the nation's victory. Builders and workers rallied to win World War II. For most of the twentieth century, great American companies from General Mills to Chrysler had defense businesses that sent mankind into space and won the Cold War. But the forges fell silent, and the furnaces went dark. China took the lead in manufacturing. And the relationship between America’s innovators and its warfighters deteriorated—until now. Hudson Trustee and Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar’s new book, Mobilize, spotlights this undeclared state of emergency and the bold reformers in government and industry who are taking action to respond. With Walter Russell Mead, Sankar will discuss his strategy to resurrect the American industrial base, win the twenty-first-century defense technology race, and prevent World War III.

Naval and commercial shipbuilding, maintenance, and shipping are crucial to the national security and economic prosperity of the United States and Japan. Both countries have rich naval and commercial maritime traditions, but such legacies have faced challenges in recent years. In response, Washington and Tokyo have established initiatives to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation. On March 10, Hudson Japan Chair will host a public discussion bringing together experts and practitioners to address US-Japan cooperation on these maritime issues. Experts will focus on how the two countries can strengthen their naval maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) activities; scale shipbuilding capacity; and address the needs of shipping companies and end-users. Join Hudson for a discussion highlighting each nation's approach to these common challenges, as well as how US-Japan collaboration should best proceed.

Supply chains have been central to the second Trump administration’s foreign and national security policy platforms. As global security deteriorates, policymakers need to act quickly to ensure American manufacturers can access materials that are vital for national defense and economic resilience. At the heart of this effort is the United States government’s drive, in collaboration with private industry, to develop domestic critical mineral supply chains. China’s near monopoly on critical mineral processing gives Beijing the ability to influence trade negotiations and exercise economic coercion. Through these unfair trade practices, China seeks to further weaken America’s vital industries and security interests. Join Distinguished Fellow Mike Gallagher and Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) for a discussion on the congressman’s recently introduced Securing Essential and Critical US Resources and Elements (SECURE Minerals) Actand Congress’s role in securing America’s economic security.

The end of Nicolás Maduro’s rule marked a historic turning point for Venezuela. But transitions do not secure themselves. Authoritarian systems often attempt to survive through controlled reform and partial concessions. Venezuela’s interim authorities have introduced initial measures, including an amnesty law and economic adjustments. Yet a genuine democratic transition requires structural guarantees: the full release of political prisoners, the dismantling of repression, the reopening of civic space, the safe return of political exiles, and the establishment of a new, independent electoral authority capable of organizing free and fair general elections. Please join Leopoldo López, who will outline the strategic roadmap for consolidating democratic change and explain why sustained clarity, leverage, and principled leadership from the United States remain essential to preventing backsliding and securing a stable, sovereign, and democratic Venezuela.