News | In his own words

A conversation with Henry Kissinger

The transcript of his meeting with our journalists

Henry Kissenger photographed by Vincent tullo for The Economist, New York 2023.Credit: The Economist/Vincent Tullo

OVER TWO days in late April 2023, The Economist spent over eight hours in conversation with Dr Kissinger. Just weeks before his 100th birthday, the former secretary of state and national security adviser laid out his concerns about the risks of great power conflict and offered solutions for how to avoid it. This is a transcript of the conversation, lightly edited for clarity.

Day 1