Our July/August 2025 issue is now available online. Start reading here:.

“Although Silicon Valley once lived by the mantra ‘move fast and break things,’ this principle has not transferred well to manufacturing. Moving fast in the world of atoms is much harder than in the world of bits.”.

The editors at Foreign Affairs have selected some of the magazine’s best coverage of the origins of the Israeli-Iranian conflict—and how to end it. Explore the reading list here:.

Yuen Foong Khong and Joseph Chinyong Liow argue that Southeast Asia—a region that has long disavowed the notion that it must choose between the United States and China—is now drifting away from Washington and toward Beijing.

The war in Ukraine is now “an existential struggle for Russia,” writes @LawDavF. Despite having no clear path to victory, Putin has refused calls for a negotiated cease-fire—and doubled down on fighting.

“If New Delhi cannot effectively balance Beijing in Asia, Washington will invariably wonder how many resources and how much faith it should invest in India.” .

By striking Israel in 2024, Iran had hoped to showcase its military might and reestablish deterrence, writes @AOstovar. “Instead, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps exposed the limitations of its missile capabilities.”.

“In no future is the United States safer without its network of allies, regardless of the costs the country must pay to ensure that its security guarantees and extended nuclear deterrent remain credible.” .

Read Florence Gaub and Stefan Mair on how Europe could develop its own nuclear deterrent:.

“Historically, countries that fail to adapt effectively to changes in the character of war are less capable of deterring their adversaries and more likely to lose future wars.” How can the United States start preparing for the next conflict? .

The Trump administration should take advantage of a weakened Iran to bring stability and peace to the Middle East once and for all—an unprecedented opportunity to succeed where past U.S. presidents have failed, argues James Jeffrey.

“Military action may have ultimately been necessary to deal with Iran’s nuclear program. But it always carried risks and complications.”.

“No one expects that European forces can match the scale and global reach of the U.S. military. But they are now much closer in strength to the United States within the NATO alliance, even in comparison with five years ago.” .

“The world has entered an era of mercenary multipolarity that will be much more chaotic and dangerous than what has come before.”. @JulianGewirtz reviews “Upstart” by Oriana Skylar Mastro and “Should the World Fear China?” by Zhou Bo: .

“The European Union can and should be central to Gaza’s reconstruction,” argue @JosepBorrellF and Kalypso Nicolaidis.

In a review of Mary Thompson-Jones’s new book, “America in the Arctic,” Heather Conley discusses the United States’ approach to the far north—and urges Washington to expand its military and economic presence in the Arctic: .

“With a change of strategy, Ukraine can still win the war in the near term—if both Europe and the United States decide to give it the assistance it needs,” writes @mikercarpenter.

“The United States cannot and should not organize its economy exactly like China’s. It would be prudent, however, for Washington to learn from the world’s manufacturing colossus.”.

Since his return to office, Trump has weakened the dominance of the U.S. dollar—but “there appears to be no competitor strong enough to bump the currency off its pedestal,” argues @EswarSPrasad.

On the latest episode of “The Foreign Affairs Interview,” Celeste Wallander argues that as Europe becomes more capable, it will become more willing to defy the United States. Start listening here: .

“The posture and principles that William F. Buckley, Jr. represented have become the oxygen of the American right, invisible yet essential.”. Read Charles King’s review of “Buckley” by Sam Tanenhaus:.