International Security Program

The CSIS International Security Program (ISP) is a constant source of reliable analysis on the international security and defense landscape, particularly with growing competition between the United States and such countries as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea

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Learn more about the CSIS International Security Program, our goals, and our primary areas of research.

ISP About Us

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Meet our network of experts, staff, and non-resident affiliates who contribute to our analysis.

Seth G. Jones

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The CSIS International Security Program leads a rigorous analytic agenda covering the most pressing challenges facing the U.S. globally. Our research projects range from multi-year reports to short commentaries and opinion pieces on breaking news. Explore our various research projects here.

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Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

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Photo: Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

What Happened at the Trump Administration’s Annual Threat Assessment Hearing?

At the worldwide threats hearings, the Trump administration’s top intelligence officials named illicit drug actors, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea as top threats to the United States. But questions about the Signal chat largely overshadowed the hearings.

Commentary by Emily Harding and Julia Dickson — March 27, 2025

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Global Security Forum 2024

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Gathering Strength in a Gathering Storm

Join the CSIS International Security Program for its annual Global Security Forum on April 24, 2024, featuring keynote discussions with General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Honorable Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence.

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All International Security Program Content

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What Happened at the Trump Administration’s Annual Threat Assessment Hearing?

At the worldwide threats hearings, the Trump administration’s top intelligence officials named illicit drug actors, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea as top threats to the United States. But questions about the Signal chat largely overshadowed the hearings.

Commentary by Emily Harding and Julia Dickson — March 27, 2025

The Truth of the Matter

Russia's Shadow War Against the West

CSIS's Seth Jones, president of the CSIS Defense and Security Department, joins the podcast to discuss his new report, "Russia's Shadow War Against the West."

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Seth G. Jones — March 21, 2025

CSIS the truth of the matter

The Trump-Putin Phone Call: Some Promise, Some Disappointments, and Many Questions

Today's Trump-Putin phone call included some encouraging developments, such as a ceasefire on deep strikes and a process for continued negotiations. However, there is no 30-day ceasefire, and frontline fighting will continue unabated. This is only the first step in a long process.

Commentary by Mark F. Cancian and Maria Snegovaya — March 18, 2025

How Interagency Campaigns Can Counter Chinese Gray Zone Incursions in the Pacific

The Pacific is where China is testing the edges of U.S. resistance by refining its ability to exploit gaps in governance, security, and perception management. The Trump administration has an opportunity to integrate a sustained, proactive approach to deny China the ability to shape the competitive space unchallenged.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen, Kathleen McInnis, and Audrey Aldisert — March 13, 2025

Sealing the Interagency Cracks: The United States in Oceania

The United States has a major vulnerability it needs to address: China is exploiting an immigration loophole in the U.S. territory of Saipan, posing a security and counterintelligence threat to U.S. bases and installations in the region.

Commentary by Kathleen McInnis and Benjamin Jensen — March 13, 2025

Is Ukraine Now Doomed?

The Trump-Zelensky meeting ended disastrously, with the future of U.S. aid in doubt. Yet, Ukraine needs a steady flow of weapons, munitions, and supplies to continue its resistance, and Zelensky has worried that Ukraine would “have a low chance to survive without support of the United States.” Is Ukraine doomed?

Critical Questions by Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park — March 1, 2025

Calculating the Cost-Effectiveness of Russia’s Drone Strikes

As Ukraine devises ingenious ways to defend its population from Russia’s precision aerial bombardment, Russia’s Shahed one-way attack drones continue to operate with a cruel logic of attrition.

Commentary by Neil Hollenbeck, Muhammed Hamza Altaf, Faith Avila, Javier Ramirez, Anurag Sharma, and Benjamin Jensen — February 19, 2025

The First Step for Making Government More Efficient: Fix Cyber Budgets

Washington is at a pivot point on how government does business. That pivot must be away from old, buggy, patchworked IT and toward a modern IT system that is secure and ready for the AI revolution. The first step in the change will be to upend how the government funds IT.

Commentary by Julia Dickson and Emily Harding — February 13, 2025

PONI 2025 Virtual Winter Conference

The Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) will host its 2025 Virtual Winter Conference on February 11. The theme of this conference is “Strengthening U.S. Alliances and Partnerships.”

Event — February 11, 2025