Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes

Mark Leonard is joined by Andrew Wilson, senior policy fellow at ECFR and Ukraine expert, and Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher and editor of the blog Ukraine World, to dissect Russia's war against Ukraine from a Ukrainian intellectual perspective. What concepts define Ukrainian history and identity, and how is this important in understanding Ukraine’s response to the Russian invasion? What role does Westsplaining play for Ukraine in the current context? And what do Russia’s zoopolitics mean for Ukrainian futures?This podcast was recorded on 22 March 2022.Further reading:• All ECFR Ukraine analysis: https://ecfr.eu/topic/russia-ukraine-crisis/• Ukraine world https://ukraineworld.org/Bookshelf:• “The last empire” by Serhii Plokhy • "Explaining Ukraine" podcast: https://buff.ly/3uwd9W2 • Ukraine in Histories and Stories, essays by Ukrainian intellectuals: https://buff.ly/3DbTEGa If you want to support Ukraine World, you can become a patron and donate via patreon.com/ukraineworld! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Leonard is joined by Marie Dumoulin, head of our Wider Europe programme, and ECFR’s research director, Jeremy Shapiro, to talk yet again about the ongoing war in Ukraine and some possible different scenarios for its resolution. Does this war actually mean – as per one US strategist – a complete collapse of NATO member states’ policy? How should Europe react to Russian loss or indeed victory in this war? And what are the possible ramifications for the West?This podcast was recorded on 15 March 2022.Further reading: All ECFR Ukraine analysis https://ecfr.eu/topic/russia-ukraine-crisis/Bookshelf:“The end of diplomacy? Seven glimpses of the new normal by Andrey Kortunov https://russiancouncil.ru/en/analytics-and-comments/analytics/the-end-of-diplomacy-seven-glimpses-of-the-new-normal/“Death and the penguin” by Andrey Kurkov https://www.npr.org/2012/04/24/150972348/death-and-the-penguin-captures-post-soviet-reality?t=1647353925557 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Leonard and senior policy fellow and head of ECFR´s Paris Office, Tara Varma, sat down in Paris to talk about how Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine is affecting France and the French presidential race. In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and facing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they discussed such questions as: what kind of role did foreign policy play in the election campaigns before Russia's invasion of Ukraine and what role is it playing now? Have we seen candidates change their positions on Russia and Putin? And will Emmanuel Macron’s approach to European politics and defence policy help him win another term as president? This podcast was recorded on 9 March 2022. Further reading: • EU defence facing Russia: Eastern European security after the invasion of Ukraine by Kristi Raik: https://buff.ly/3pxKLB8• How Russia’s war on Ukraine is shaping the French presidential race by Mathilde Ciulla and Amandine Drouet: https://buff.ly/3suVZZ0• A certain idea of Europe: How the next French president can lead by Susi Dennison and Tara Varma: https://buff.ly/3sSqybg Bookshelf: • “Anéantir“ by Michel Houellebecq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s early podcast, Mark Leonard is joined by ECFR senior policy fellow Kadri Liik and the head of ECFR’s Asia programme Janka Oertel to talk about how the Ukraine war is affecting Sino-Russian relations. How is Russia's attack on Ukraine perceived in China? Will Russia and China be joining forces in an ‘alliance of autocracies’? What does Russian and Chinese policymakers planning look like now - and what should Europeans do? This podcast was recorded on 1 March 2022. Further reading: Russia’s escalation in Ukraine: Views from Asia by Frédéric Grare, Janka Oertel & Elli-Katharina Pohlkamp Games changer: How China is rewriting global rules and Russia is playing along by Janka Oertel All other ECFR Ukraine analysis: https://ecfr.eu/topic/russia-ukraine-crisis/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

War in UkraineAs the situation at the Ukrainian border escalates, Mark Leonard sat down with Marie Dumoulin, director of ECFR’s Wider Europe programme, and senior policy fellows Gustav Gressel and Kadri Liik – as well as Jonathan Hackenbroich, head of ECFR’s Task Force for Strengthening Europe against Economic Coercion – to talk about the recent developments and the state of play at the ground: What does the situation look like militarily? And what reactions from the West have we seen so far? Are economic sanctions enough to react to Putin’s war? This podcast was recorded on 23 February 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live from the Munich Security Conference (MSC)! Mark Leonard huddled together with editorial director for Le Monde and ECFR board and Council Member Sylvie Kauffmann and Jana Puglierin, head of ECFR’s Berlin office in one of the many rooms of the Bayerischer Hof to talk about the West’s thinking and reaction to the geopolitical challenges and battles of today: In the spotlight is of course the question about Ukraine. Has the West really started to “unlearn helplessness” that defined the Western countries’ policy responses? Did the MSC mark the revival of a forceful and united transatlantic alliance, ready to move away from affirmative words to assertive actions? This podcast was recorded on 20 February 2022. Further reading: Munich Security Conference Report https://securityconference.org/publikationen/munich-security-report-2022/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, ECFR senior policy fellow, Susi Dennison, takes over the podcast to talk about international cooperation on global health. As many European countries are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel after yet another hard winter struggling with covid-19, attention is refocusing on global inequity around tackling the pandemic. What does effective multilateral cooperation on global health and pandemic preparedness look like in a growing geopolitically competitive world? And what needs to change in Europe’s approach to cooperation in this area with the African Union and African states? ECFR Council Member Gunilla Carlsson – vice-chair of the Global Fund Strategy Committee, former deputy director of UNAIDS, and former Swedish minister for international development cooperation – and ECFR senior policy fellow Anthony Dworkin share their insights and recommendations from ECFR's latest report on this topic.This podcast was recorded on 10 February 2022.Further reading:The Power Atlas, Health chapter by Anthony Dworkin: https://buff.ly/3lSfyXpHealth of Nations: How Europe can fight future pandemics by Anthony Dworkin: https://buff.ly/3LyS3xIBookshelf:“Beloved” by Toni Morrison“The Global Fund Report”“Oxford Guide to Plain English”“The uncounted” by Sara L.M. Davis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we reverse the usual roles: today’s host is ECFR’s Research Director Jeremy Shapiro and Mark Leonard tries out the role of guest. They discuss the surprising findings of ECFR’s latest public opinion poll on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In recent weeks, many commentators, including this podcast’s interim host, have focused on Europe’s divisions and lack of agency in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. But Mark Leonard and Ivan Krastev demonstrate that there exists a surprising consensus and even resolve within the European public when it comes to the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Together, Jeremy and Mark discuss the report’s key conclusions and how European policymakers might adjust their policies to reflect the public mood it reveals. This podcast was recorded on 10 February 2022.Further Reading: The crisis of European security: What Europeans think about the war in Ukraine by Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard: https://buff.ly/3uHq60VWhy Europe has no say in the Russia-Ukraine crisis by Jeremy Shapiro: https://t.co/o7vYzXo2sqBookshelf:After Life by Ricky Gervais (TV Series)Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson© Image byVolodymyr Tarasov / Avalon / Photoshot / Picture Alliance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humanitarian crises in places like Afghanistan, Yemen or Ethiopia are not only a reflection of internal turmoil – but mirror a much grander development: system failure. In today’s episode, Mark Leonard is joined by David Miliband, president and chief executive officer of the International Rescue Committee and a former UK Foreign Secretary. Together, they discuss his model describing the four levels of system failure: what are the drivers behind it and what must be done in order to confront and counter the current developments? A solution to the system failure, they argue, should be conceptualised as a cross-sectorial endeavour beyond the humanitarian subdivision. This podcast was recorded on 1 February 2022.Further reading:David A. Morse Lecture at the Council on Foreign Relations by President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee David Miliband: https://buff.ly/34yc9apBookshelf:Cricketing Lives: A Characterful History from Pitch to Page by Richard H. ThomasMission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism by Mariana MazzucatoEmpireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain by Sathnam Sanghera Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the holiday season, we have brought to you a special mini-series looking at how the things that keep us connected – like trade, tech, the internet, and migration – can also tear us apart. But rather than despairing at the state of the world, the geopolitics, and ongoing superpower battles, Mark Leonard is joined by a number of high-level thinkers in this mini-series in order to find strategies for shaping and surviving our new reality. We call it The Age of Unpeace: Therapy for internationalists.Join us on this journey to a more therapeutic approach to international relations. The mini-series brings you five special episodes with guests including today’s guests: Anu Bradford, Thomas Wright, and Feng Zhang. We hope you find some healing!For past episodes in this series, check them out here: buff.ly/3ecRbiO _____________On today’s couch, we gathered Anu Bradford, Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organizations at Columbia Law School; Thomas Wright, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on the US and Europe at Brookings; and Feng Zhang, professor of international relations and executive dean of the Institute of Public Policy at the South China University of Technology. Together with Mark Leonard, they discuss the three empires of connectivity – the US as a gate-keeping power, the EU as rule-making power, and China as a relational power. The big question in this group therapy session is: How can those three powers have a peaceful and constructive relationship with each other? Further reading:• “Brussel effect” by Anu Bradford • “ Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order”by Thomas Wright • “The rise of Chinese exceptionalism in international relations” by Feng Zhang Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diplomatic talks about the Russia – Ukraine crisis are increasingly icy. While Europeans continue to gnash their teeth over a patchy security architecture, US president Biden and the Russian president Putin are struggling to come to a peaceful conclusion in their bilateral negotiations. It seems Europeans are caught between the prospect of a “new Yalta” or a full-scale war on the European continent that could easily escalate out of control. To discuss these happenings, Mark Leonard welcomes Marie Dumoulin, director of ECFR’s Wider Europe programme, Kadri Liik, ECFR senior policy fellow at ECFR and Jeremy Shapiro, ECFR's research director and in-house US expert.This podcast was recorded on 19 January 2022.Bookshelf La France dans le bouleversement du monde by Michel DuclosTermination Shock by Neal StephensonХельсинкский процесс (The Helsinki Process) by Andrei Zagorski Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the holiday season we have brought to you a special mini-series looking at how the things that keep us connected – like trade, tech, the internet, and migration – can also tear us apart. But rather than despairing at the state of the world, the geopolitics and ongoing superpower battles, Mark Leonard is joined by a number of high-level thinkers in this mini-series in order to find strategies for shaping and surviving our new reality. We call it The Age of Unpeace: Therapy for internationalists. Join us on this journey to a more therapeutic approach to international relations. The mini-series brings you five special episodes with guests including today’s Anne-Marie Slaughter, Marietje Schaake, and Anne Marie Slaughter. We hope you find some healing! For past episodes in this series, check them out here: buff.ly/3ecRbiO_____________ Today Mark is joined by Anne-Marie Slaughter, chief executive of the think-tank New America. Previously, she was dean of Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and director of policy planning in the US State Department. Together, Mark and Anne-Marie go through the five steps of self-help for internationalists and discuss the reconceptualisation of globalisation while focusing on different players that form the hidden wiring of much of our everyday lives: Why are our societies are increasingly divided over identity, equality, and history? What effect does connectivity have on societies? Further Reading:- Renewal: From Crisis to Transformation in Our Lives, Work, and Politics by Anne-Marie Slaughter- The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World by Anne-Marie Slaughter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Traditions die hard, or so they say. And thus, we are especially excited to continue one of our most popular traditions: Predicting ten foreign policy trends for 2022. This week, host Mark Leonard and Jeremy Shapiro, Research Director at ECFR, are looking into their crystal balls to foretell the forces and events that will shape the upcoming year. They also convened an impartial jury consisting entirely of themselves to rate last year’s predictions. It concluded that Mark and Jeremy set a new high score of 8/10 points in 2021. Can they outdo themselves with their 2022 projections? Or do you think you have better predictions? Send us an email or tweet them at us! This podcast was recorded on 4 January 2022. Further reading: https://ecfr.eu/article/2022-the-road-to-recovery-again/Bookshelf: “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles“Born in Blackness” by Howard W. French Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the holiday season, we are bringing you a special mini-series looking at how the things that keep us connected – like trade, tech, the internet, and migration – can also tear us apart. But rather than despairing at the state of the world, the geopolitics and ongoing superpower battles, Mark Leonard is joined by a number of high-level thinkers in this mini-series in order to find strategies for shaping and surviving our new reality. We call it The Age of Unpeace: Therapy for internationalists. Join us on this journey to a more therapeutic approach to international relations. The mini-series brings you five special episodes with guests including today’s Dan Drezner, Marietje Schaake, and Anne Marie Slaughter. We hope you find some healing! For past episodes in this series, check them out here: https://buff.ly/3ecRbiO_____________Today on the couch is Dan Drezner, professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and non-resident fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Together with Mark Leonard, they go through the five steps of self-help for internationalists and discuss how trade and financial relations are increasingly weaponised by some countries in order to enhance their geopolitical power and economic gain. Further reading: •“The United States of Sanctions. The Use and Abuse of Economic Coercion” by Daniel W. Drezner in Foreign Affairs, September/October 2021• “All Politics Is Global: Explaining International Regulatory Regimes” by Daniel W. Drezner• “The System Worked: How the World Stopped Another Great Depression” by Daniel W. Drezner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the holiday season we are bringing you a special mini-series looking at how the things that keep us connected – like trade, tech, the internet and migration – can also tear us apart. But rather than despairing at the state of the world, the geopolitics and ongoing superpower battles, Mark Leonard is joined by a number of high-level thinkers in this mini-series in order to find strategies for shaping and surviving our new reality. We call it The Age of Unpeace: Therapy for internationalists. Join us on this journey to a more therapeutic approach to international relations. The mini-series brings you five episodes with guests including today’s Parag Khanna, Thomas Wright, and Anne Marie Slaughter. We hope you find some healing! _____________Next up on the couch is Parag Khanna, founder and managing partner of FutureMap, a data and scenario-based strategic advisory firm and best-selling author. He has recently published the book ”Move: the forces uprooting us” in which he looks at how mass migration will reshape the world. Together with Mark Leonard, they go through the five steps of self-help for internationalists and discuss the weaponisation of migration which we see in today’s world more and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the holiday season, we are bringing you a special mini-series looking at how the things that keep us connected – like trade, tech, the internet and migration – can also tear us apart. But rather than despairing at the state of the world, the geopolitics and ongoing superpower battles, Mark Leonard is joined by a number of high-level thinkers in this mini-series in order to find strategies for shaping and surviving our new reality. We call it The Age of Unpeace: Therapy for internationalists. Join us on this journey to a more therapeutic approach to international relations. The mini-series brings you five episodes with guests including today’s Marietje Schaake, Thomas Wright, and Anne Marie Slaughter. We hope you find some healing! _____________First up on the couch is Marietje Schaake, International Policy Fellow at Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. Together with Mark Leonard, they go through the five steps of self-help for internationalists and discuss how the internet has gone from being seen as the ultimate unifier of a global village to being ‘the perfect weapon’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, host Mark Leonard is joined by POLITICO Europe's Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini to discuss his plans for POLITICO. They talk about life in Brussels, breaking news in Asia, how to find a good story and what makes good reporting. Also, many of the big impetuses that have changed Europe in the past came from the outside, and likely in the future, mainly from Asia: what does Anderlini think about China's rise and security issues coming from Asia think?This podcast was recorded on 10 December 2021.Further reading• “Measured response: How to design a European instrument against economic coercion” by Jonathan Hackenbroich & Pawel Zerka: https://buff.ly/3zTgkZo Bookshelf• “The guns of August” by Barbara W. Tuchman • “Red Roulette: An insider's story of wealth, power, corruption, and vengeance in today's China” by Desmond Shum Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After more than a decade of death and destruction – and despite a string of international efforts to end his regime - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in power. Meanwhile, the country faces deteriorating economic and humanitarian crises, with over 90% of its population currently living below the poverty line. In this week’s episode, host Mark Leonard is joined by ECFR Council Member Bassma Kodmani who is also a member of the opposition delegation for peace negotiations and a member of the Constitutional Committee for Syria, Ralph Haddad Coordinator of Advocacy & Research at the Syrian NGO Basmeh & Zeitooneh for Relief and Development, and Julien Barnes-Dacey, head of ECFR’s MENA programme. Together, they analyse the changing dynamics in the ‘struggle for Syria’: What does the re-engagement of regional actors mean for the future of the country? And what role can Europe play to create breathing space in Syria? This podcast was recorded on 29 November 2021. Further reading: -" A decade of death and ruin: How Europe can create breathing space in Syria" by Julien Barnes-Dacey https://buff.ly/3ePDHLIBookshelf: - "How the Assad Regime Systematically Diverts Tens of Millions in Aid" by Natasha Hall, Senior Fellow, Middle East Program, CSIS - "Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture" by Sudhir Hazareesingh- "Without" by Younis Alakhzami Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday afternoon, the German Social Democrats, the FDP and the Greens presented their coalition agreement. The long-awaited deal sets out the roadmap for the “traffic light” government for the upcoming four years led by Olaf Scholz (SPD). In this episode, Mark Leonard and ECFR senior policy fellows Janka Oertel and Jana Puglierin take a deep dive into the 170+ page-long document: what does it say about foreign policy issues, China, defence and security? What is in there about the future of Europe? And how do we see the transatlantic relationship developing in the new coalition?This podcast was recorded on 24 November 2021Further reading:Coalition treaty [in DE]: https://buff.ly/2ZpvyIt Germany announces coalition agreement | DW News Live: https://buff.ly/3cOmBeCWhat’s in the German coalition deal for Europe (and the UK) | Politico: https://buff.ly/3cQX6tepicture (c) Paul Lovis Wagner | Campact Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the beginning of this week, NATO warned about an ‘unusual’ concentration of Russian forces close to the Ukraine border. So far, the Kremlin has dismissed the warning as “alarmist” while the US alerted allies about the possibility of Moscow preparing for a possible invasion of Ukraine. Mark Leonard is joined by Marie Dumoulin the new director of our Wider Europe programme, in her first week on the job, and ECFR Senior policy fellows Gustav Gressel and Kadri Liik to talk about the Russian military built up on Ukraine´s borders: how serious is the situation? And what should - and should not NATO do about it?This podcast has been recorded 17 November 2021.Further reading:Russia’s military movements: What they could mean for Ukraine, Europe, and NATO by Gustav Gressel https://ecfr.eu/article/russias-military-movements-what-they-could-mean-for-ukraine-europe-and-nato/ Bookshelf:• “Ukraine: Putin’s unfinished business” by Eugen Rumer & Andrew Weiss • “Russia in Global Affairs“, Volume 19, No. 3, Jul-Sept 2021• “Practical political science. A guide to getting in touch with reality” by Ekaterina Schulmann [in RU] Picture © picture alliance / AA | Ukrainian Presidency / Handout Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the recent months, the EU and especially Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, have all seen an increasing number of people trying to enter their countries from Belarus. An estimated 2,000 migrants are said to be stranded at the Belarus border with Poland at the moment. But how did we get here? Host Mark Leonard talks to ECFR policy fellow Pawel Zerka and visiting fellow Pavel Slunkin about the situation on the ground. Moreover, we asked Kelly Greenhill, 2020-21 Leverhulme Trust visiting professor at SOAS, to explain what coercive engineered migration is and how successful it is. Is Belarus’s president Alexander Lukashenka’s act of revenge for EU sanctions and criticism working? What would be the best way for the EU to respond to Minsk’s tactics? This podcast was recorded on 10 November 2021.Further reading:• "No quiet on the eastern front: The migration crisis engineered by Belarus" by Gustav Gressel, Joanna Hosa & Pavel Slunkin: https://buff.ly/3EYVidF • "How half-hearted sanctions put the future of Belarus at risk" by Pawel Zerka: https://buff.ly/3imsSBHBookshelf:• "Madam Secretary" by Madeleine Albright • "Belarusians’ views on the political crisis" by Chatham House • "EU sanctions on Belarus as an effective policy tool" by Anders Åslund & Jan Hagemeier in Belarus Insight 02/2021• "On consolation: finding solace in dark times" by Michael Ignatieff Photo © picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS | Leonid Shcheglov Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Negotiations of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) are underway in Glasgow. This week, host Mark Leonard speaks with Lykke Friis, ECFR board member and director of the Danish Think Tank Europa and former minister for climate and energy of Denmark; Susi Dennison, head of ECFR’s European power programme; and Alex Clark, researcher at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford and ECFR visiting fellow. Together, they analyse the prospects of success at COP26 and particularly what role the European Union can and should play. Is the EU in a position to deliver a green grand bargain, or is its role as peripheral now as it was at COP15? This podcast was recorded on 3 November 2021.Further reading;Climate of cooperation: How the EU can help deliver a green grand bargain by Alex Clark, Susi Dennison, and Mats Engström: https://buff.ly/3BrI9HPLast chance for Global Climate Leadership in Glasgow? Event with Lykke Friis, Susi Dennison, Dan Joergensen, and Lars Aagaard: https://buff.ly/3bOmRd5 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Mark Leonard answers your most burning questions about his newly released book, “The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity causes Conflict”. Hosted by ECFR’s head of communications, Ana Ramic, the special Ask Me Anything episode features Mark responding to loyal podcast listeners Zebulon Carlander, Robert Cooper, Teresa Gouveia, Antonio Notario, Jonas Parello-Plesner, Timi Okoya, and Patrycja Sasnal. This episode was recorded on 22 October 2021 **and contains spoilers**! Thanks to everybody who submitted questions! Listen to a sneak-peak: https://soundcloud.com/ecfr/sneak-peek-age-of-unpeace-mark-leonard Learn more about “The Age of Unpeace”: • Podcast with Mark Leonard & Janka Oertel: https://soundcloud.com/ecfr/age-of-unpeace• "Welcome to the age of unpeace" by Mark Leonard in Politico https://www.politico.eu/article/welcome-to-the-age-of-unpeace-geopolitics-conflict/ Get the book here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1443237/the-age-of-unpeace/9781787634657.html#:~:text=The%20%22age%20of%20unpeace%22%20%5B,his%20own%20beliefs%20have%20evolved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, French president Emmanuel Marcon presented a massive investment plan – “France 2030”. The roadmap sketches out France’s digital and green transformation and is meant to set up the country – as well as Europe – for growth and success ahead of the French EU Council presidency. But is this strategy only part of electoral campaigning, as critics say? Or does “France 2030” echo bigger plans which the EU has already set out for the bloc? Host Mark Leonard is in our Paris office talking to office head and ECFR policy fellow Tara Varma: What are Macron’s plans for the EU Council presidency in 2022 and beyond? Can France fill the void that Germany leaves post-Merkel while forming a new government, and how?This podcast was recorded on 19 October 2021.Further reading:- The lonely leader: The origins of France’s strategy for EU foreign policy” by Tara Varma and Mathilde Ciulla: https://ecfr.eu/article/the-lonely-leader-the-origins-of-frances-strategy-for-eu-foreign-policy/ Bookshelf:- Peut-on changer de logique?, Philosophe Magazine No. 153 - October 2021 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A major ruling of Poland’s Constitutional Court challenging the primacy of EU law has escalated Warsaw’s legal and political dispute with Brussels and unleashed serious concerns of a ‘Polexit.’ In this week’s episode, host Mark Leonard speaks with Piotr Buras, head of ECFR’s Warsaw office, and Jana Puglierin, head of ECFR’s Berlin office, about the implications of the ruling for Poland as well as for the European Union. Should the EU fear ‘Polexit’? What steps can the EU take to defend its legal order and protect the authority of the Court of Justice of the European Union?This podcast was recorded on 14 October 2021.Further reading:Forget Polexit – the EU must defend the CJEU by Piotr Buras on Balkan Insight: https://buff.ly/3FA2Ftj Bookshelf: - Aftershocks: Pandemic politics and the end of the old international order by Colin Kahl and Thomas Wright- Angela Merkel: Die Kanzlerin und ihre Zeit by Ralph Bollmann- The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity causes Conflict by Mark Leonard Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the US looks to disentangle itself from various conflicts globally, it leaves behind power vacuums. In the MENA region, various regional – and global - powers are vying to fill the void. In this week’s episode, host Mark Leonard is joined by three guests directly from ECFR’s MENA Forum in Rome: Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, professor of political science in the UAE; Alia Moubayed, MENA chief economist for Jefferies; and Julien Barnes-Dacey, head of ECFR’s MENA programme. Together, they analyse the changing geopolitical and regional dynamics in the MENA region: Who is filling the vacuum which the US is increasingly leaving behind? How are regional actors reacting to US disengagement? And what does this mean for Europe’s future role in the region? This podcast was recorded on 5 October 2021.Further reading: - Iraq’s parliamentary election will produce more of the same by Nussaibah Younis: https://buff.ly/3A5xORd - Europe’s post-Afghanistan to-do list by Arancha Gonzalez Laya: https://buff.ly/3AHJyuC- Autonomous in Afghanistan: How the Europeans could have stayed after US withdrawal by Mary Kaldor: https://buff.ly/3CaB0wiBookshelf: Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture by Sudhir Hazaareesingh After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies by Christopher Davidson Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

German election results are in, and they mark a new era for Germany. On 26 September, Germans headed to the polls to vote in one of the most unpredictable elections since Angela Merkel took office over a decade and a half ago. Now, Germany will have to endure weeks – or possibly months – of fraught coalition talks before a new government can be formed. In this week’s World in 30 Minutes episode, host Mark Leonard talks with Jeremy Cliffe, international editor of the New Statesman, Jana Puglierin, head of ECFR’s Berlin Office, Lykke Friis, ECFR co-chair and Director of the Danish Think Tank Europa, and Sylvie Kauffmann, editorial director of Le Monde, about the fragmented election result and its implications for Europe. What coalition – the ‘traffic light’, ‘Jamaica’ or ‘grand’ – is most likely? How are the results being perceived throughout Europe? And what do they mean for the future of our continent? This podcast was recorded on 29 September 2021.Bookshelf: -How Olaf Scholz and the SPD could lead Germany’s next government by Jeremy Cliffe -The Fateful Chancellor: What the end of the Merkel era means for the world by Jeremy Cliffe - Speak, Silence: In Search of WG Sebald by Caroline Angier - Pandemonium: Europe’s COVID Crisis by Luuk van Middelaar - Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity causes Conflict by Mark Leonard - The Vaccine by Joe Miller with Dr. Özlem Türeci and Dr. Ugur Sahin - Le Premier XXIe siècle by Jean-Marie Guehenno - Crime and persuade by Peter Baldwin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The announcement of the new Indo-Pacific security alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - dubbed ‘AUKUS’ - has led to the biggest crisis in transatlantic relations since the Iraq war in 2003. In this week’s podcast, host Mark Leonard talks with Janka Oertel, head of ECFR’ Asia programme, Jeremy Shapiro, ECFR’s research director, and Tara Varma, head of ECFR’s Paris office, about the new security pact and its implications for Europe. What does it mean for the future of transatlantic relations? And what lessons can be drawn for European strategic autonomy and European sovereignty? This podcast was recorded on 20 September 2021.Further reading:- What Europeans think about the US-China cold war by Ivan Krastev & Mark Leonard: https://buff.ly/3hT6Iqa- After AUKUS: The uncertain future of American and European cooperation in the Indo-Pacific by Tara Varma: https://buff.ly/3CC3I9S- AUKUS: After the sugar rush by Nick Witney: https://buff.ly/3zyho3zBookshelf: - NüVoices - Podcast- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah: - Stalin an Appraisal of the Man His Influence by Leon Trotsky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get a sneak peek into Mark Leonard's latest book "The Age of Unpeace - How Connectivity Causes Conflict", read by the author himself.Additionally, in October we will have a special “ask me anything” episode with Mark Leonard and ask all of you to send in your burning questions about the book to [email protected] which will then be answered in the forthcoming episode.All those who submit questions will be eligible to win a free signed book from Mark, so start emailing! We are happy to receive your questions in written or audio (voice-memo) form. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his newly released book “The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity causes Conflict” ECFR director Mark Leonard explains how many of the forces that we thought would bring us together have ended up driving us apart. Trade, technology, the internet, and travel were once promised to create a global village but have instead created an era of “unpeace”, where the distinctions between war and peace are breaking down.In this week’s episode, Mark Leonard becomes the guest of his own podcast to talk with ECFR’s Asia programme director Janka Oertel about the main themes of his book and particularly how China’s growing role in this interconnected world poses threats for Europe.This podcast was recorded on 16 September 2021.Further reading:Age of Unpeace by Mark Leonard“The Afghan tragedy and the age of unpeace” by Mark LeonardBookshelf:“Doom” by Neil Ferguson“Shutdown. How Covid Shook the World’s Economy” by Adam ToozeMove by Parag Khanna“Renewal: From crisis to transformation in our lives, work, and politics” by Anne Marie Slaughter“China unbound: a new world disorder” by Joanna Chiu Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The collapse of Afghan government forces and the rapid seizure of power by the Taliban has unleashed a series of intense debates about the implications for Europe. How will the Western withdrawal impact on the state of European defence and military capabilities? Are we likely to see a shift in Europe’s relationship with other powers - such as Turkey, China, and the United States? In this week’s podcast, host Mark Leonard talks with Jeremy Shapiro, ECFR’s research director, and senior policy fellows Asli Aydintaşbaş and Andrew Small about what the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan means for Europe and the future of transatlantic relations.This podcast was recorded on 8 September 2021.Further Reading:- “The fall of the Afghan government and what it means for Europe” by ECFR policy experts: https://buff.ly/3kqkOjh - “The Afghan tragedy and the age of unpeace” by Mark Leonard: https://buff.ly/3gXZTmSBookshelf:"Age of Unpeace" by Mark Leonardhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1443237/the-age-of-unpeace/9781787634657.html- "Faust’s Metropolis - A History of Berlin" by Alexandra Richie- “Mr. Five Per Cent” by Jonathan Conlin - “Red Roulette" by Desmond Shum Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every Friday, Mark Leonard invites top-level speakers from across the EU and beyond to debate Europe’s role in the world. We feature and discuss everything from our own research at ECFR to practical pan-European policy – and news from Africa, Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Wider Europe and our own European Power programme. So basically, we bring you the world – in 30 minutes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Germany’s federal elections rapidly approaching, chancellor Angela Merkel is set to depart the political stage. What will the foreign policy of her party, the CDU, look like when she’s gone? In this week’s podcast, host Mark Leonard talks to ECFR senior policy fellow Ulrike Franke and Andreas Nick, a CDU member of the German Bundestag. How would a chancellor Armin Laschet approach China, Russia, and defence? And what exactly sets the CDU’s foreign policy apart from those of the Social Democrats or the Greens? This podcast was recorded on 1 September 2021.Further Reading: ECFR German Election 360https://ecfr.eu/topic/german-election-2021/ Bookshelf: “Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity Causes Conflict” by Mark Leonard https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1443237/the-age-of-unpeace/9781787634657.html “Has China Won?” by Kishore Mahbubani https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/kishore-mahbubani/has-china-won/9781541768123/ “From Cold War to Hot Peace” by Michael McFaul https://fsi.stanford.edu/content/cold-war-hot-peace “Europe: The Struggle for Supremacy” by Brendan Simms https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/04/reviewed-europe-struggle-supremacy-brendan-simms German party election platforms: https://www.aicgs.org/2021/07/a-guide-german-party-election-platforms-2021/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine and the EU recently opened a new chapter in their strategic relationship by signing a memorandum of understanding for closer cooperation in raw materials, green and digital technologies. Making Ukraine part of the European value chain is of strategic importance, but where does the country stand on the recent US-German deal on Nord Stream 2? In this week’s episode, guest host Joanna Hosa, deputy director of ECFR’s Wider Europe programme talks with Svitlana Zalishchuk, Deputy Prime-Minister Foreign Policy Advisor and former Member of Parliament in Ukraine and ECFR senior policy fellow Andrew Wilson about Ukraine, its domestic and international outlook and what the EU can and should do to support Ukrainian sovereignty. This podcast was recorded on 29 July 2021. Further reading: “Faltering fightback: Zelensky’s piecemeal campaign against Ukraine’s oligarchs” by Andrew Wilson https://ecfr.eu/publication/faltering-fightback-zelenskys-piecemeal-campaign-against-ukraines-oligarchs/ Bookshelf: “Civilisations” by Laurent Binet https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/apr/29/civilisations-by-laurent-binet-review-counterfactual-hi-jinks “American Oligarchs: The Kushners, the Trumps, and the marriage of money and power” by Andrea Bernstein https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/12/american-oligarchs-review-donald-trump-jared-kushner-andrea-bernstein “No Room for small dreams: Courage, imagination, and the making of modern Israel” by Shimon Peres https://www.france24.com/en/20170921-peres-autobiography “Now we have your attention: The new politics of the people” by Jack Shenker https://www.redpepper.org.uk/review-now-we-have-your-attention-the-new-politics-of-the-people-by-jack-shenker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The EU is often described as a “regulatory superpower” benefitting from the so-called “Brussels effect.” But is the bloc also able to set its own rules and standards when it comes to new technologies, and let the rest of the world adapt? This week, host Mark Leonard is joined by ECFR senior policy fellows Ulrike Franke and Jose Torreblanca, as well as Marietje Schaake, international director of policy at Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center. How ready are Europeans to prevail in a world of fierce geopolitical tech competition? And what role does Europe play in the Sino American competition?This podcast was recorded on 16 July 2021.Further reading:· “Geo-tech politics: Why technology shapes European power” by Ulrike Franke & José Ignacio Torreblanca https://ecfr.eu/publication/geo-tech-politics-why-technology-shapes-european-power/· “Europe’s digital sovereignty: From rulemaker to superpower in the age of US-China rivalry” by Carla Hobbs (ed.) https://ecfr.eu/publication/europe_digital_sovereignty_rulemaker_superpower_age_us_china_rivalry/Bookshelf· “I, Warbot: The dawn of artificially intelligent conflict” by Kenneth Payne · “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau · “Mistrust: Why losing faith in institutions provides the tools to transform them” by Ethan Zuckerman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Angela Merkel stepping down as Chancellor, the next German federal elections scheduled for this September promise to mark a turning point for Germany. Foreign policy issues promise to be a crucial part of the election campaign. In this week’s podcast, host Mark Leonard talks to Niels Annen, Minister of State in the German Federal Foreign Office and member of the Bundestag for the SPD to find out what a social-democratic foreign policy looks like. What would SPD foreign policy look like unbound by the grand coalition with Merkel’s Christian Democrats? What are social democratic policy ideas when it comes to China, Russia or European security and defence? And how deep are the divides between the SPD’s foreign policy and that of the parties they’re running against?This podcast was recorded on 15 July 2021.Further Reading:- ECFR German Election 360: https://buff.ly/3gJNvr2- A foreign policy for a Green Germany: https://buff.ly/3vxdTcd Bookshelf:- “The Arab of the Future” by Riad Sattouf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In June this year, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of Operation Barkhane – a military offensive launched in 2013 against Islamist militants in the Sahel. France has determined, he said, it could no longer maintain a “constant presence” in West Africa. In this week’s episode, host Mark Leonard discusses European interests in the region and what might change after France’s Africa policy shift, together with Emanuela Del Re, former Italian deputy foreign minister and the new EU special representative for the Sahel; Sylvie Kauffmann, editorial director, lead writer, and columnist for Le Monde; as well as ECFR’s Andrew Lebovich. What does the end of Operation Barkhane in its current form mean for the Sahel? What could further European and international engagement in the region look like?This podcast was recorded on 7 July 2021.Further reading:• “After Barkhane: What France’s military drawdown means for the Sahel” by Andrew Lebovich: https://t.co/xxZ11TiM24 Bookshelf• ”La Guerre de vingt ans. Djihadisme et contre-terrorisme au XXIe siècle” by Marc Hecker & Elie Tenenbaum • “Jihadists of North Africa and the Sahel” by Alexander Thurston • “Être etudiant au Mali: chroniques d'une vie d'étudiant” by Boubacar Sangaré • “Moral Letters to Lucilius“ by Seneca•“From Empires to NGOs in the West African Sahel. The Road to Nongovernmentality” by Gregory Mann • “Half of a Yellow Sun” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie • “L'Islâm in Europa: riflessioni di un imâm italiano “ by Yahya Sergio Yahe Pallavicini Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Globalisation and economic interdependence are increasingly weaponised by various state actors. Europe faces ever greater threats of economic blackmail, sanctions against its lawmakers, and consumer boycotts of its companies. Later this year, the European Commission will launch the Anti-Coercion Instrument, a tool that could enable the EU to protect citizens and businesses by countering economic blackmail from China, Russia, and Turkey – and even the US. In what circumstances could such a tool be triggered? What kind of countermeasures could protect Europe, keep markets open and support a functional global trade order? And how can such a tool be both credible and effective? To find out, host Mark Leonard talks to policy fellows Jonathan Hackenbroich and Pawel Zerka, who worked with the ECFR Task Force for Protecting Europe from Economic Coercion on our latest publication: https://buff.ly/3zTgkZo This podcast was recorded on 1 July 2021. Further Reading:"Xi, Merkel phone call ‘timely to stabilise ties’" in Global Times "Defending Europe’s Economic Sovereignty: new ways to resist economic coercion" by Jonathan Hackenbroich, Janka Oertel, Philipp Sandner & Pawel Zerka: https://buff.ly/37FRvEQ Bookshelf:- An account of the life of Dick Leonard, who passed away this week, written by his son Mark Leonard: https://www.facebook.com/markhleonard/posts/10159900328587642 - "Learning Empire: Globalization and the German Quest for World Status 1875-1919" by Erik Grimmer Solem- "The passions and the interests: Political arguments for capitalism before its triumph” by Albert O. Hirschman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an election which saw the lowest turnout and highest number of spoiled ballots in the history of the Islamic Republic, the ultraconservative regime veteran Ebrahim Raisi was elected as the newest president of Iran. Does the election of Raisi represent a significant change of direction following the term of President Rouhani? Could unified hardliner control of Iran paradoxically lead to a more durable nuclear deal and greater dialogue with regional adversaries such as Saudi Arabia? Will Raisi’s own human rights record prove a barrier to talks with Western powers?To find out, this week’s host Anthony Dworkin, senior research fellow and acting research director at ECFR, talks to Narges Bajoghli, assistant professor of Middle East Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder and CEO of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation and visiting fellow at ECFR, and Julien Barnes-Dacey, director of ECFR´s MENA programme.This podcast was recorded on 23 June 2021.Further Reading:Council of despair: Iran’s uncompetitive presidential election https://ecfr.eu/article/council-of-despair-irans-uncompetitive-presidential-election/A familiar victory: Iran’s divides under a new president https://ecfr.eu/article/a-familiar-victory-irans-divides-under-a-new-president/Four steps to support Europe-Iran trade under a revived JCPOA https://ecfr.eu/article/four-steps-to-support-europe-iran-trade-under-a-revived-jcpoa/Bookshelf:Syria and the Neutrality Trap: The Dilemmas of Delivering Humanitarian Aid through Violent Regimes by Carsten Wieland http://www.carsten-wieland.com/books.htmlTelevision and the Afghan Culture Wars: Brought to You by Foreigners, Warlords, and Activists by Wazhmah Osman https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/29bgf5br9780252043550.html Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/christ-stopped-at-eboli-1945-by-carlo-levi-a-remarkable-memoir-1.4551169 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The meeting between US president Biden and the Turkish president Erdogan, as well as the upcoming European Council Summit on Turkey come at a critical moment in the EU-US-Turkey relationship. After years of heightened tensions, there appears to have been a thawing in relations since the beginning of this year. The renewed focus on climate policy by the EU, however, makes many aspects of this relationship uncertain. Are carbon border taxes a threat to Turkish trade? How can Turkey and the EU cooperate on green energy? To find out, host Susi Dennison, director of ECFR´s European Power programme, talks to Asli Aydıntaşbaş, senior policy fellow at ECFR and in-house expert on Turkey, and Simone Tagliapietra, senior fellow at Bruegel focusing on European Union climate and energy policy. They discuss the outcomes of the Biden-Erdogan summit and the prospects for the EU-Turkey relationship, particularly in relation to the EU’s climate policies.This podcast was recorded on 17 June 2021.Further Reading:- "Europe’s Green Moment: How to meet the climate challenge" by Susi Dennison, Rafael Loss and Jenny Söderström: https://buff.ly/3v48Lw4 - "The geopolitics of the European Green Deal" by Mark Leonard, Jean Pisani-Ferry, Jeremy Shapiro, Simone Tagliapietra and Guntram Wolff: https://buff.ly/3tpyKxGBookshelf:- "Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman" by Robert K. Massie - "The New Climate War" by Michael E. Mann Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Biden described his mission for his trip to Europe this week as “realizing America’s renewed commitment to (its) allies and partners.” But what does this mean in practice? How well does the transatlantic alliance still fit with the way that Europe and the United States now see their goals in foreign policy? To find out, host Anthony Dworkin, senior policy fellow at ECFR, talks to Susi Dennison, director of ECFR´s European Power Program, Jana Puglierin, head of ECFR´s Berlin office, as well as Jeremy Shapiro, ECFR´s research director. They discuss what Europe and the US want from this week’s summit meetings and look at some of the striking results of ECFR’s latest public opinion poll across 12 European countries. Once the coronavirus crisis is over, how do Europeans see the EU’s role in the world? This podcast was recorded on 9 June 2021.Further reading: - Crisis of confidence: How Europeans see their place in the world by Jana Puglierin & Susi Dennison: https://buff.ly/2RxZFt9 Bookshelf: - "How to prevent Germany from becoming Eurosceptic" by Jana Puglierin & Mark Leonard: https://buff.ly/2RzAxSO - "Ali and Nino" by Kurban Said - "The Orientalist: Solving the Mystery of a Strange and Dangerous Life" by Tom Reiss- "Why the Germans Do it Better: Notes from a Grown-Up Country" by John Kampfner- "Histoire de la laïcité en France" by Jean BaubérotPhoto: picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS | Markus Schreiber © Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The little-known but long-running conflict in Western Sahara made it into the headlines in Europe recently, when Morocco weaponised migration in Ceuta to advance its territorial claim. Listen as host Julien Barnes-Dacey, director of the MENA programme at ECFR discusses the issue with Irene Fernandez-Molina, senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of Exeter and expert on frozen conflicts, Jose Ignacio Torreblanca, senior policy fellow and head of ECFR´s Madrid office, as well as Jacob Mundy, visiting fellow at ECFR and an associate professor in Peace and Conflict Studies and Middle Eastern, and Islamic Studies programs at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. Together they try to find out what the Western Sahara conflict is all about, and how the most recent developments between Morocco and Spain will influence this conflict.Picture: UN Photo/Martine Perret (CC BY-NC-ND) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Sunday, Belarus intercepted and diverted a commercial flight between two EU capitals to arrest a dissident. This, alongside the stagnation of the Belarusian economy, the continuing protests and Lukashenka’s illegitimate rule, fuels popular discontent in the country and worries the European Union. Katia Glod, non-resident fellow with the Russia programme of the US-based Center for European Policy Analysis, Linas Linkevičius, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Minister of Defence of Lithuania as well as ECFR Council member, and ECFR visiting fellow Pavel Slunkin who previously worked for the Foreign Ministry of Belarus and our host for this week’s episode ECFR deputy director Vessela Tcherneva recap the recent developments and explore the broader context of the crisis: What will be the impact of the EU and US measures against Belarus? What is Russia’s role in this? And what should be next steps also ahead of the EU-US summit on 15 June? This podcast was recorded on 27 May 2021. Further reading: After the Pratasevich arrest: Four key steps for the EU on Belarus by Joanna Hosa & Pavel Slunkin, https://ecfr.eu/article/after-the-pratasevich-arrest-four-key-steps-for-the-eu-on-belarus/ Bookshelf: A promised land by Barack Obama, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/books/review/barack-obama-a-promised-land.html The politics book: Big ideas simply explained by Kate Johnsen, Sam Atkinson & Rebecca Warren, https://www.frostmagazine.com/2013/03/the-politics-book-review/ Airport by Arthur Hailey, https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/arthur-hailey-3/airport/Image: Andrey Kukharenko CC2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/192897193@N02/51199553335/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catastrophe and disaster have been a frequent phenomenon throughout the history of mankind, coming in different forms. So how is it then that, despite being far more scientifically educated on the origins of disasters, we do not seem to be getting any better at dealing with them? To find out, host Mark Leonard talks to Niall Ferguson, author of the book “Doom: The politics of catastrophe” and senior fellow at both the Hoover Institution at Stanford University as well as the Center for European Studies at Harvard University. Together, they address why some societies and states respond to catastrophe so much better than others. And why do some fall apart, most hold together, and a few emerge stronger?This podcast was recorded on 16 May 2021.Further reading:- "Doom: The politics of catastrophe" by Niall Ferguson: https://buff.ly/3fy2DWA Bookshelf:- "America in the world: A history of U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy" by Robert B. Zoellick- "The road less traveled: The secret battle to end the Great War, 1916-1917" by Philip D. Zelikow Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China’s formalised, seemingly nonchalant, attitude towards the Western Balkans masks a surprising nimbleness and strategic intent. In the past decade, the country has become the most prominent third actor in this part of the European Union’s neighbourhood. To find out why, host Mark Leonard talks to Majda Ruge, senior policy fellow in ECFR´s Wider Europe programme with a focus on the Western Balkans, Vladimir Shopov, visiting fellow with ECFR´s Asia programme, as well as Vessela Tcherneva, deputy director of ECFR and head of ECFR’s Sofia office. Together, they discuss why it is important to take a closer look at Chinese engagement in the region, how much influence China already has in the Western Balkans and how European policymakers should react. This podcast was recorded on 12 May 2021. Further reading: Decade of patience: How China became a power in the Western Balkans by Vladimir Shopov, https://ecfr.eu/publication/decade-of-patience-how-china-became-a-power-in-the-western-balkans/ Bookshelf: War: How Conflict Shaped Us by Margaret MacMillan, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/06/books/review/war-margaret-macmillan.html The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations by Daniel Yergin, https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/a-global-energy-study-that-misses-some-climate-change-realities/2020/09/24/1addeb3e-f2b3-11ea-bc45-e5d48ab44b9f_story.html The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State by Elizabeth C. Economy, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2019/01/15/book-review-the-third-revolution-xi-jinping-and-the-new-chinese-state-by-elizabeth-economy/ Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe by Niall Ferguson, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/07/doom-by-niall-ferguson-review-how-to-make-sense-of-catastrophePhoto: REUTERS/Djordje Kojadinovic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The EU is India's largest trading partner; India, in turn, is only the EU’s tenth largest trading partner. And despite the two often having expressed an interest in closer trade and political relations, there has been no visible progress made in the last years. Ahead of the EU-India Leaders Summit on 8 May 2021, host Mark Leonard talks to Fréderic Grare, senior policy fellow with ECFR’s Asia Programme, Raja Mohan, director of the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and columnist of the Indian Express, as well as Manisha Reuter, ECFR´s Asia programme coordinator. How does the covid-19 pandemic impact India´s geopolitics and foreign policy? How has the rise of China influenced EU-India relations so far? And what are the prospects of a closer EU-India relationship following the upcoming Summit? This podcast was recorded on 5 May 2021. Further reading: “The EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy: A chance for a clear message to China and Europe’s allies” by Fréderic Grare: https://buff.ly/3sKTjmO “Friends in deed: How the EU and the Quad can promote security in the Indo-Pacific” by Manish Reuter https://buff.ly/33ud7Ax Bookshelf - “Globalists: the end of empire and the birth of neoliberalism” by Quinn Slobodian - “India's power elite” by Sanjaya Baru - “India's China challenge: A journey through China's rise and what it means for India” by Ananth Krishnan“The Covid Consensus: The new politics of global inequality” by Toby Green https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-covid-consensus/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While Germany’s long-ruling centre-right parties continue to offer more of the same, the Greens have recently emerged as a serious contender in the run-up to September’s federal elections. Rather than demanding that Germans give up their lifestyles, the Greens are promising to make Germany a better version of itself. But how will this affect German foreign policy? Host Mark Leonard talks to Franziska Brantner, spokesperson for European Policy and Parliamentary Secretary of Bündnis90/Die Grünen’s parliamentary group as well as Janka Oertel, head of ECFR´s Asia programme to discuss what Germany’s future with a Green government would look like. This podcast was recorded on 29 April 2021.Further reading: •“Germany’s Green Velvet Revolution?” by Mark Leonard: https://buff.ly/2RcOTb6 Bookshelf:•“Green Recovery Tracker": https://www.greenrecoverytracker.org/ •“Heimat Europa?” by Martin Ramb & Holger Zaborowski, • “China’s FinTech: the end of the wild west” by Viviana Zhu Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our system is not fit to deal with the challenges of the 21st century. This has been laid bare not just by the covid-19 pandemic, but also by the increasing power competition between the US and China, and the blockage and weaponisation of the multilateral system and the current crisis of democracy. Could a new “concert of powers” possibly be the solution? This week, host Mark Leonard talks to Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University; Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US and the Americas programme and Dean of the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs at Chatham House; as well as Nicu Popescu, senior policy fellow and director of ECFR´s Wider Europe programme. In this episode, they discuss the idea of a “global concert of powers” to promote stability in a multipolar world. How would such a format be formed and who would be involved? And how does the future of the liberal order look after two centuries of Western domination? This podcast was recorded on 20 April 2021.Further reading:• “The new concert of powers. How to prevent catastrophe and promote stability in a multipolar world” by Richard N. Haass & Charles A. Kupchan in Foreign Affairs: https://buff.ly/2OYR5Co • "The liberal order begins at home. How democratic revival can reboot the international system" by Robin Niblett and Leslie Vinjamuri in Foreign Affairs: https://buff.ly/3sMLKfrBookshelf:• “Kill switch: The rise of the modern senate and the crippling of American democracy” by Adam Jentleson• “Mountains beyond mountains: The quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a man who would cure the world” by Tracy Kidder• “Why an internationalist foreign policy needs a stronger domestic foundation” by Charles Kupchan & Peter Trubowitz• “The heart is a lonely hunter” by Carson McCullers• “The bean trees” by Barbara Kingsolver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diplomacy and war have both been part of human history, but neither are stagnant concepts. Different conceptions of the global order influence policy decisions daily, while the notions of war equally shape nation-states and our lives. To get a deeper understanding of how both ideas impact geopolitics, host Mark Leonard talks to Margaret MacMillan, professor of history at the University of Toronto and author of the book “War: How Conflict Shaped Us”, Robert Cooper, distinguished British and European diplomat and author of “The Ambassadors: Thinking about Diplomacy from Machiavelli to Modern Times” and Gideon Rachman, British journalist and chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times. What are different models for thinking about global order? How do ideas about war shape what statesmen and -women do?This podcast was recorded on 14 April 2021.Bookshelf:• “The ambassadors: Thinking about diplomacy from Machiavelli to modern times ” by Robert Cooper• “War: How Conflict Shaped Us” by Margaret MacMillan• “Zero-Sum World: Politics, Power and Prosperity After the Crash” by Gideon Rachman• “Britain alone” by Philip Stephens• “The Greek Revolution: A Critical Dictionary” by Paschalis M. Kitromilides & Constantinos Tsoukalas• “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas• “Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain” by Sathnam Sanghera• “Ioannis A. Kapodistrias, the European diplomat and statesman of the 19th century” by Helen E. Koukkou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that the world is entering a new phase of fighting the covid-19 pandemic, there is a renewed chance for working better together - and the European Union could do much to set these frameworks. But how can Europe adapt its strategies for multilateralism in this competitive world and what would they look like? Moreover, with other big players like China making their intentions to shape the global community unmistakably known, what reactions can Europe expect from a new-found agenda for multilateralism? This week’s host Susi Dennison tries to find answers to these questions with the help of Anthony Dworkin, ECFR research director and senior policy fellow, and Janka Oertel, ECFR’s Asia programme director and senior policy fellow. Together, they take a closer look at the potential for further global cooperation, the role Europe could play and future challenges the multilateral world will face.This podcast was recorded on 8 April 2021.Further reading:· “Built to order: How Europe can rebuild multilateralism after covid-19” by Anthony Dworkin: https://buff.ly/3fu4ehF· “Climate superpowers: How the EU and China can compete and cooperate for a green future” Janka Oertel, Jennifer Tollmann and Byford Tsang: https://buff.ly/2JHm437Bookshelf:· “The bleak house” by Charles Dickens· “Summer” by Ali Smith· “China reveals co-operation with EU on green investment standards” by Selena Yi and Robin Yu· “Economic policy for a pandemic age: How the world must prepare” by Monica de Bolle, Maurice Obstfeld and Adam S. Posen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.