Mark Leonard's World In 30 Minutes

This week, ECFR launched its European Sovereignty Index. The index scores the EU and its member states on their contribution to European sovereignty, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and uncovering regional divisions. Hosting this week's episode, ECFR's research director, Jeremy Shapiro, is joined by two researchers of the index – ECFR policy fellow, Pawel Zerka, and senior policy fellow and head of ECFR's European Power programme, Susi Dennison. They discuss their main findings – as well as some surprising results, trends, and developments. How will the European sovereignty effort progress and which areas need the most work? How can the EU and member states close the gap between ambition and capability in their quest for European sovereignty?This podcast was recorded on 9 June 2022Further reading :European Sovereignty Index https://t.co/xepxnkA16L Bookshelf:- Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov- This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends by Nicole Perlroth- The hundred-year war for American conservatism

Chandran Nair, CEO and founder of the Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT) argues in his latest book that dismantling white privilege will require deconstructing the entire superstructure of international relations. So, what is white privilege and how deeply is the idea of the superiority of white people and Western culture interwoven into international relations? How does white privilege manifest itself in current international relations issues like the Ukraine war? Together with Mark Leonard, Nair talks about the origins, realities and futures of white privilege. This podcast was recorded on 2 June 2022.Further reading- Dismantling global white privilege: Equity for a post-Western world by Chandran Nair- Chandran Nair on white privilege in international relations by Shannon Tiezzi in The Diplomat- A new imperial alliance threatens peace in Asia in by Chandran Nair in Noema MagBookshelf:- Last night I dreamed of peace: The diary of Dang Thuy Tram by Đặng Thùy Trâm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

Three months into Russia’s war on Ukraine, social, economic, and political leaders from across the globe retreated to Davos in the Swiss alps to discuss how to set about creating a brighter future for the world. Recording from the heart of the World Economic Forum, Mark Leonard is joined this week by Yara Bayoumy, world and national security editor at the New York Times opinion section, to dissect the impulses that weaved in and out of this weekend’s discussions. What were this forum’s biggest themes? Which discussions on the Ukraine crisis were the most convincing? And what balance was there between the West and the rest?This podcast was recorded on 26 May 2022Bookshelf:- "Our Country Friends" by Gary ShteyngartPicture (c) World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia’s war on Ukraine has led to an unprecedented display of European unity. But the European Union now faces a daunting combination of migration, food, military, and energy crises. Assembling an all-star cast at ECFR’s annual staff retreat in Malaga, host Mark Leonard is joined by senior policy fellows Marie Dumoulin, director of the Wider Europe programme, Piotr Buras, head of the Warsaw office, and Arturo Varvelli, head of the Rome office, to discuss Europe’s solidarity on the war in Ukraine. How sustainable is European unity? What scenarios of solidarity or division can be expected in the next few months? And what factors matter most to different EU member states? This podcast was recorded on 19 May 2022 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is facing criticism for not meeting the expectations he created with his Zeitenwende speech. But how fair is this criticism? Mark Leonard ponders this question and others with some of his German colleagues: ECFR senior policy fellows Janka Oertel and Jana Puglierin, and policy fellow and head of ECFR’s Task Force for Strengthening Europe against Economic Coercion, Jonathan Hackenbroich. How is Germany actually doing in turning round its security and defence policies? And what kind of change is afoot in Germany’s most beloved field, economic policy? This podcast was recorded on 11 May 2022.Further reading:- How Germany can sustain its policy revolution by Rafael Loss, Angela Mehrer: https://buff.ly/3hE5PBv- Zeitenwende: Germany as a pioneer in foreign and security policy? https://buff.ly/3sAo7K7- The birth of a geopolitical Germany by Jonathan Hackenbroich, Mark Leonard: https://buff.ly/3soxQmJBookshelf:- BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs with Fiona hill - China’s Ukraine Conundru

The world is currently focused on one strongman: Putin. Yet strongmen are threatening democracies across the globe. Mark Leonard is joined this week by chief foreign policy commentator at the Financial Times, Gideon Rachman, to dissect the latter's recently published book “The Age of the Strongman”. They discuss such questions as what defines a strongman, and what varieties of this curious species exist? Are there any strongwomen? And when did the age of strongmen really begin?This podcast was recorded on 28 April 2022.Further reading:The Age of the Strongman by Gideon RachmanThe rise and risks of “The Age of the Strongman” “The Age of The Strongman by Gideon Rachman review – a rogues gallery of autocrats” by Simon TisdallBookshelfStrongmen: Mussolini to the Present by Ruth Ben-GhiatAmerica Second by Isaac Stone Fish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Russia undermines democracies and reduces Ukrainian territory to a mere power play, European ideology is flourishing more than ever before. In this week’s episode, Mark Leonard hosts Enrico Letta, former Prime Minister of Italy and current President of the Jacque Delors Institute, to discuss his solution to the EU’s problems: a European Confederation. Nations such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova want the security of EU membership, but how likely are they to be accepted into the union? How could a European Confederation aid greater cross-European integration? And is it a realistic alternative to the EU?This podcast was recorded on 28 April 2022.Further reading:- “A European Confederation: a common political platform for peace” by Enrico Letta- “The EU moves together on the total embargo on Moscow, says Enrico Letta” by the Observatorial- “Letta for a federal Europe” by Roberto CastaldiBookshelf:- The Man Inside: A European Journey Through Two Crises by Marco Buti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

As Russia shifts the focus of its military offensive to southern and eastern Ukraine, Finland and Sweden are moving closer to NATO membership. In this week’s episode, Mark Leonard speaks to Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden and current ECFR co-chair, and Alexander Stubb, former prime minister of Finland and current ECFR council member. Beyond both countries’ expressions of intent, where do they stand on NATO membership? What can Sweden and Finland offer NATO? And are they worried about the Kremlin’s threats to attack their countries? This podcast was recorded on 21 April 2022. Further reading: - Between Russia, Sweden, and NATO: Finland’s defence of “sovereignty equality” by Hanna Ojanen - How the Russia-Ukraine crisis could change Sweden’s security policy by Mats Engström - “Whoever shows weakness, will be attacked” by Francesco Collini Bookshelf:- The Unknown Soldier by Väinö Linna - Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe by Judith Herrin - The New Age of Empire by Kehinde Andrews Hosted

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen will face off against each other in the second round of the French presidential election on April 24. We have a good idea of what a second Macron presidency would look like, but Marine Le Pen is another story all together. How would her presidency affect Europe and the world? Jeremy Shapiro – seizing the reins of the podcast this week from a complaisant Mark Leonard – will explore this question with Agneska Bloch, a senior research assistant at a DC-based think tank, where she works on European affairs.This podcast was recorded on 14 April 2022.Further reading:All ECFR analysis on the French election: https://ecfr.eu/topic/france-2022/ Bookshelf:- East West Street by Philippe Sands - My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has turned European defence and security policy upside down. The German Zeitenwende, the Versailles Summit in March, and the recently published Strategic Compass for Security and Defence are all testament to this rediscovered priority on European leaders’ agenda. Jana Puglierin takes over the podcast to talk with ECFR senior policy fellows Nick Witney – who served as the first chief executive of the European Defence Agency – and Gustav Gressel about the state of European defence and its future. Will it be different this time? What are the biggest challenges in building greater European sovereignty in defence? And how will this effort be funded? This podcast was recorded on 5 April 2022. Further reading: - The EU’s Strategic Compass: Brand new, already obsolete by Nick Witney https://buff.ly/3wZEKkW- Out of the dark: Reinventing European defence cooperation by Gustav Gressel & Nick Witney https://buff.ly/3qidU3v Bookshelf: - East West Street by Philippe Sands - Rochan Consulting -

Mark Leonard is joined by the head of ECFR's Middle East and North Africa programme Julien Barnes-Dacey, ECFR visiting fellow Cinzia Bianco, professor of political science at the University of Tehran Nasser Hadian, and founder and chair of the Gulf Research Center Abdulaziz Sager to analyse current developments in Gulf energy security and the Iran nuclear deal. On location at the Doha Forum 2022, they discuss questions like: following Western energy sanctions on Russia, why is there a reluctance in the Gulf states and the West to cooperate on energy supplies? Is the resurrection of the Iran nuclear deal tangible? And what role do sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and regional security threats such as conflict in Yemen play in such decisions?This podcast was recorded on 27 March 2022.Further reading on ecfr.eu:•Europe’s Russian energy dilemma by Cinzia Bianco, Jonathan Hackenbroich, Filip Medunic, & Pawel Zerka•Order of engagement: Assad’s visit to Abu Dhabi by Julien Barney-Dacey & Ci

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. S

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

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 An

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

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 Changi