Welcome to the winter issue of The World Today. From robotics and renewables, to pharmaceuticals and electric vehicles, China now makes technology products as well as anyone, but considerably cheaper. And that is posing challenges to Europe and the United States that neither is rising to, writes James Kynge. Yet as Beijing bids to reinforce its tech advantage in its next Five-Year Plan, writes Yu Jie, is it at risk of leaving behind its young unemployed? 

Vladimir Putin’s pseudohistorical justifications for Russia’s expansionism may be fantasies, but their message is clear, writes Gabrielius Landsbergis – he won’t stop at Ukraine. This is why Europe urgently needs a doctrine of its own. Russian disregard for civilian casualties is all too apparent in Kherson, eastern Ukraine – Olga Tokariuk speaks to those under threat daily from enemy drones. 

As a tumultuous year closes we look back, with our Quiz of 2025, and forward, asking Chatham House experts to mark your cards for the big moments of 2026. Speaking of which, the next big electoral date in the US political calendar, the midterm elections in November, are on the horizon. Democrat strategist Adam Jentleson tells us that the party must win back the Senate or it’s ‘in trouble’. Barrister and author Marina Wheeler, who had a ringside seat at the EU withdrawal referendum campaign as Boris Johnson’s then wife, spells out the benefits of Brexit – and why Britain leaving the European Court of Human Rights would be ‘catastrophic’. With a muted COP30 now behind us, Jonathon Porritt and Robin Maynard propose a ‘climate dashboard’ to get the public more engaged in climate policy. Which just leaves room for the World Today team to wish you a peaceful year’s end and a happy 2026.