President Donald Trump has once again moved his deadline for Vladimir Putin to begin peace talks on Ukraine, this time to just 10–12 days. But with no breakthrough in sight and repeated Russian missile strikes undercutting diplomatic overtures, frustration in the White House is mounting. What happens if Putin ignores this latest ultimatum? Could extreme tariffs or indirect pressure on other countries make a difference? And what might the war’s trajectory look like if neither side is willing or able to negotiate?

In this episode, Paul Saunders discusses these latest developments. Saunders is the president of the Center for the National Interest and an expert with more than three decades of experience in U.S.-Russia policy. He previously served in the George W. Bush Administration from 2003 to 2005 as Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs.

Music by Sonican from Pixabay.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House has revived one of his signature economic tools: tariffs. But will this strategy revitalize the U.S. economy or sabotage it? With Trump pressing forward on new levies against hundreds of countries and industries, global trade relationships are in flux and domestic markets are bracing for impact. What could this mean for consumer prices, interest rates, and America’s already staggering $36 trillion debt? And will Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” deliver growth or invite economic catastrophe?

In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Interest. Heilbrunn previously served as a senior editor at the New Republic and an editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times and has written on both foreign and domestic issues for numerous publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, Reuters, Washington Monthly, and the Weekly Standard.

Music by Sonican from Pixabay.

Israel’s June 13 strikes on Iran, followed swiftly by American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and a White House-declared ceasefire, revealed a new strategic posture in Washington and Jerusalem. As the regional order reshuffles and traditional proxies splinter, Iran’s nuclear ambitions may likely intensify. Will the strikes deter Tehran, or entrench a dangerous stalemate with no clear endgame? In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Joshua Yaphe, a senior fellow at the Center for the National Interest. For fifteen years, Yaphe was the lead analyst for the Arabian Peninsula at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. In 2020, he was a Visiting Fellow at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, and from 2022 to 2024, he served as a visiting faculty member at the National Intelligence University.

Music by Sonican from Pixabay.