More Europe, Less U.S.? What to Expect from the NATO Summit
In this episode of War & Peace, Olga and Elissa speak with Dr. Pia Fuhrhop, head of the International Security Research Division at SWP, about the upcoming NATO summit, transatlantic relations, and how European NATO allies are working to strengthen their own defence. They discuss expectations for the summit, the potential role of Ukraine, and the alliance’s push to raise defence spending targets to 5% of GDP amid growing U.S. pressure for more burden-sharing. They look at Germany’s evolving role in European security and the new government’s ambition to build “the strongest conventional army in Europe”. Finally, they consider the value of holding regular summits at a time when transatlantic relations are increasingly volatile.For more, check out our report Ukraine and Beyond: Shaping Europe’s Security Future and our Europe & Central Asia page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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28:12
Ukraine: The Battlefield and the Negotiating Table
In this episode of War & Peace, Olga and Elissa speak with Crisis Group’s senior Ukraine analyst, Lucian Kim, about how the war in Ukraine is evolving and what is happening with diplomatic efforts to end it. They discuss recent developments along Ukraine’s front lines, how Kyiv is adapting on the battlefield and the mood among Ukrainians. They assess the recent Istanbul talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations and the prospects for follow-on negotiations. They discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s involvement and the takeaways from his recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They also explore the prospect of a U.S. withdrawal of support for Ukraine and the possible responses of European leaders to fill the gap.For more, check out our Ukraine country page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Authoritarian Playbook Explained
In this episode of War & Peace, Olga and Elissa talk with political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann to unpack how aspiring authoritarian leaders transform democracies into autocratic governments and whether democratic erosion in Western democracies is, in fact, a trend. They discuss how such leaders concentrate power and systematically weaken democratic institutions. They also explore the role of ideology in authoritarian systems and how these regimes differ from totalitarian forms of governance. Finally, they delve into how democratic resilience can be fostered and what can be done to reverse democratic backsliding.For more, check out our Europe and Central Asia regional page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Latin America’s Evolving Drug Trade. Why It Matters for Europe
In this episode of War & Peace, Olga and Elissa talk with Crisis Group’s Latin America program director Renata Segura and senior Colombia analyst Elizabeth Dickinson. They unpack the evolving landscape of narcotics trafficking in Latin America and how the violent crime it fuels is affecting communities across the continent. They explore why, more than 50 years after the U.S. declared a “war on drugs”, law enforcement efforts to dismantle criminal networks have failed to deliver lasting results. They also discuss how the EU can support its Latin American partners in pursuing alternative strategies to curb drug-related violence beyond military-led crackdowns, at a time when such crime is also rising in European cities.For more, check out our recent report “Curbing Violence in Latin America’s Drug Trafficking Hotspots”, our visual explainer “How a New Drug Trafficking Landscape Fuels Violence in Latin America”, and our Latin America regional page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Bonus Episode: Trump, France and European Security
Today, we're bringing you a bonus episode from Crisis Group's global podcast, Hold Your Fire!In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood is joined by Gérard Araud, Crisis Group Trustee and former French ambassador to the U.S., the UN and Israel. They take stock of U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy so far, his administration’s seemingly competing visions for European security and how European capitals are reacting. They talk about diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, whether the Trump administration can get genuine concessions out of Russia and the prospect of European troops in Ukraine. They assess the role of France in Europe and debates around extending its nuclear umbrella to eastern Europe. They also discuss whether the Trump administration’s unorthodox diplomacy might bear fruit in the Middle East. For more, check out our report “Ukraine and Beyond: Shaping Europe’s Security Future” and our Europe & Central Asia Program page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
War and Peace is a podcast series from the International Crisis Group. Olga Oliker and Elissa Jobson interview experts about all things Europe and its neighbourhood from Russia to Turkey and beyond. Their guests shed new light on everything that helps or hinders prospects for peace. A podcast member of the EuroPod production network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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