As the world looks back into a turbulent 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors underscores the urgent need for renewed global efforts to mitigate nuclear risks. In the face of rising geopolitical tensions and technological advancements, we must revive strategic dialogues and prioritize diplomatic solutions, following President Kennedy’s example, to ensure global security and address the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and AI-enhanced warfare. And this call demands leadership.

It’s no longer just a movie: The risk of a nuclear accident, mistake or blunder that escalates into war is a tangible reality. U.S.-China engagement is urgently needed and could produce more stability and sustainability than many other areas of cooperation in the face of new and evolving nuclear risks.

As 2025 approaches, the global climate crisis is set to intensify, and the global climate governance process may enter a period of hardship and turmoil. In the face of new challenges, developing countries must unite to protect our shared planet.

Middle Eastern nations are capitalizing on Donald Trump’s penchant for unprincipled, no-limits deal-making, even though he has yet to assume office. These countries are scrambling to position themselves for the high-stakes negotiations that lie ahead.

The West’s dominating influence around the world has come under heavy scrutiny as open conflicts rage on in Europe and the Middle East. Does this year’s BRICS Summit, hosted in Russia, represent an inflection point in the global community’s tolerance for U.S.-led order?

At 82, I have lived through countless political and social upheavals, enough to become somewhat inured to history’s recurring cycles. But recent developments have left me profoundly shaken and afraid. The bedrock principles of international law, established in the aftermath of World War II, are being flagrantly undermined. The ban on acquiring territory by force, the obligation to protect civilians during conflict, the limitations on the right of self-defense, and the United Nations Security Council’s mandate to “maintain international peace and security” are all unraveling, with little regard for the consequences.

A fundamental shift in how the international community approaches global governance is required. Through concerted action, nations can resist the pull of unilateralism and build a more inclusive and stable international order.

Threats of violence are pushing the region to the brink. Israel said it would exact a “deadly and heavy” toll for any Iranian attack. In turn, Iran promised to “retaliate tenfold,” and its hardliners want to lift the ban on developing nuclear weapons. Lines are blurring that were once seen as inviolable.