A Living, Breathing Document

December 9, 2025 · 1 h 2 min

Show notes

The US plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine; what Putin wants out of a settlement; the wider effects of the war on Europe; Jared Kushner is back; what AI is actually good for (according to a new study); gifts for the IR enthusiast in your life; and Marcus would like a map for Christmas

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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Further Reading:
Tejal Patwardhan et. al. 2025. “GDPval: Evaluating AI Model Performance on Real-World Economically Valuable Tasks.” OpenAI White Paper.

IR books that make perfect holiday gifts:
Signing Away the Bomb, by Jeffrey M. Kaplow

Face to Face Diplomacy, by Marcus Holmes

Inside the Situation Room, edited by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Karen Yarhi-Milo (featuring a chapter by Marcus Holmes)

Featured items from the Cheap Talk shop:
Cheap Talk Live commemorative t-shirt

Ceding Human Control mug

Cheap Talk holographic sticker set

And many more great IR gifts at the Cheap Talk shop!

Jeff’s other gift suggestions for the IR enthusiast:
International News/Analysis: The Economist (discounted for teachers & faculty and for students), Foreign Affairs (discounted for students and teachers), War on the Rocks

Scratch-off world map