Last week, I had an opportunity to participate in The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Global Development Forum and attend events hosted by The Atlantic Council during the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). These forums highlighted key themes such as Technological Innovation & Financial Inclusion, Global Trade Dynamics, and Digital Currencies & Financial Innovation. A particularly intriguing session at CSIS explored "The Role of Mining and Minerals for Ukraine’s Reconstruction and the Future of the U.S.-Ukraine Relationship," prompting my reflection on effective strategies for resolving geopolitical tensions, especially within U.S.-Russia-Ukraine trilateral negotiations.

At first glance, the situation might appear straightforward—the U.S. has restored military aid to Ukraine following high-level talks. But as Anton Chekhov famously said, “Nothing is more deceptive than an obvious fact.” The newly announced 30-day ceasefire may seem like progress, but beneath the surface, its success depends on fragile diplomatic calculations and shifting geopolitical interests. What appears to be a step toward de-escalation is, in reality, a high-stakes maneuver with no guaranteed outcome.

Soft skills are in more demand than ever but remain elusive to quantify. These encompass interpersonal skills such as team building to having sound judgement (aka critical thinking) to personal drive (aka business development skills). Companies are now spending money to figure out who has these coveted skills and how best to retain them.

According to Bloomberg, layoffs across the US technology industry have now claimed well over 300,000 jobs. Most economists foresee a slowdown in the economy occurring in the next year or two. However, ongoing consulting demand remains strong, most notably for compliance projects, restructurings, and Mergers & Acquisitions.