What are the major global events shaping international relations in early 2025?

Several overlapping crises and policy shifts are changing how governments deal with one another in early 2025. The picture is moving quickly, but a few developments stand out.

A change in U.S. foreign policy

Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 put U.S. alliances, trade policy, and support for Ukraine under fresh scrutiny. His administration’s push to open talks with Moscow, including meetings that did not initially include Ukraine or European governments, raised questions about the future of Western coordination and U.S. policy toward Ukraine.

Wars and fragile transitions

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in January, allowing hostage and prisoner exchanges and more aid into Gaza. The truce remained fragile, with the terms of its next stages unresolved. Meanwhile, Syria began a difficult Syria’s post-Assad transition after Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024; questions about security, governance, and the role of outside powers remain central.

Sudan’s war continued to drive displacement and deepen a humanitarian emergency, with regional actors and neighboring countries affected by the conflict. Attacks on shipping in and around the Red Sea also kept maritime security on the international agenda.

Pressure on alliances and strategic competition

European governments are debating how to strengthen their own defenses as uncertainty grows over U.S. commitments to NATO and the war in Ukraine. Across the Indo-Pacific, U.S.-China strategic competition continues to shape disputes over technology, trade, Taiwan, and security in the South China Sea. Tariff moves and threats have added another source of friction.

These issues are connected: decisions on Ukraine affect European security, conflicts influence energy and shipping routes, and trade measures can quickly become diplomatic disputes. Early 2025 is less a single turning point than a period in which several alliances and assumptions are being tested at once.