Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Italy's former head of state offers an in-depth, insightful and thought-provoking reading of contemporary geopolitics, European cohesion, and leadership ethics. Speaking from the vantage point of a former leader of a major European country, he reflects on instability in global alliances, energy vulnerability in Europe, and the evolving nature of political leadership. His analysis is marked by a tension between pragmatism and principle, where shifting allegiances are both criticized and, at times, cautiously endorsed.

In a week where Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz fully open for commercial trade—effectively ending its nearly seven-week de facto blockade of the critical shipping lane, President Trump imposed a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports to strangle its ability to trade. Trump vowed to continue enforcing what is effectively a U.S. siege until a peace deal is finalized.