What happens when decades of diplomatic experience collide with today’s ruthless geopolitical reality? Bob Hormats, a leading veteran of American foreign policy spanning multiple presidential administrations doesn’t mince words: “Being nice to Putin has not achieved the results we need.”
In this eye-opening conversation, Hormats takes us behind the scenes of modern diplomacy, from the disappointing Alaska summit with Russia to the high-stakes economic competition with China. This isn’t your typical foreign policy discussion—it’s a master class in how economic statecraft has become the new battlefield for global leadership and why it’s so important for American diplomacy to master it… if we want to lead.
Hormats also reveals why personal relationships in diplomacy, while important, must take a backseat to hard-nosed national interests. He dissects America’s evolving relationship with India, explains why tougher sanctions on Russia are essential to demonstrating American power, and offers a sobering assessment of how the U.S. must enhance its economic policies to compete with China’s rise.
This conversation is essential listening for those interested in Making Sense of the World and understanding how America can maintain its global leadership… and what we are getting wrong today.
