The former British Army colonel and chemical weapons expert tells Venetia Rainey about <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/01/11/bashar-al-assad-syria-middle-east-war-isis-iraq-damascus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">his recent trip to Syria, </a>his optimism about the country’s future, and the efforts to find the evidence of Assad’s use of chemical weapons. Plus: Can negotiators get a Gaza ceasefire deal over the line before Donald Trump’s inauguration next Monday?  Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

The former British Army colonel and chemical weapons expert tells Venetia Rainey about his recent trip to Syria, his optimism about the country’s future, and the efforts to find the evidence of Assad’s use of chemical weapons. Plus: Can negotiators get a Gaza ceasefire deal over the line before Donald Trump’s inauguration next Monday? Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former British Army colonel and chemical weapons expert tells Venetia Rainey about <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/01/11/bashar-al-assad-syria-middle-east-war-isis-iraq-damascus/" rel="noopener noreferrer">his recent trip to Syria, </a>his optimism about the country’s future, and the efforts to find the evidence of Assad’s use of chemical weapons. Plus: Can negotiators get a Gaza ceasefire deal over the line before Donald Trump’s inauguration next Monday?&nbsp; Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk&nbsp;@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on Syria’s new leader, Russia’s quick exit and chemical weapons

Battle Lines is The Telegraph’s foreign policy, geopolitics and global conflict podcast. It offers expert analysis and on-the-ground reporting from China and the United States to the Middle East and Europe. Twice a week, veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you on-the-ground dispatches from the world’s most volatile regions and informed analysis from world-class experts.Whether it’s the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Gaza conflict, Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, tensions between India and Pakistan, or the civil war in Sudan, Battle Lines covers the world’s most critical flashpoints with depth and clarity. When will China invade Taiwan? Can Trump bring peace to the Middle East? What should Europe do to help Ukraine beat Russia? Is Iran building a nuclear bomb? What is the point of NATO? Can the United Kingdom still defend itself?&nbsp; Created by David Knowles, Battle Lines answers all these questions and more, bringing together the best of The Telegraph’s international, geopolitical, and conflict reporting in one place. Plus, every Friday, the podcast delves into the seismic impact US President Donald Trump is having on the world - from peace talks to tariffs to migration policy.&nbsp; Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs. Telegraph subscribers get early access to bonus episodes of Battle Lines and its sister podcast, Ukraine: The Latest.&nbsp;You can subscribe within The Telegraph app, or tap on ‘Already a subscriber’ at the top of this page to log in to link your existing subscription, for more information click <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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Battle Lines is The Telegraph’s foreign policy, geopolitics and global conflict podcast. It offers expert analysis and on-the-ground reporting from China and the United States to the Middle East and Europe. Twice a week, veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you on-the-ground dispatches from the world’s most volatile regions and informed analysis from world-class experts. Whether it’s the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Gaza conflict, Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, tensions between India and Pakistan, or the civil war in Sudan, Battle Lines covers the world’s most critical flashpoints with depth and clarity. When will China invade Taiwan? Can Trump bring peace to the Middle East? What should Europe do to help Ukraine beat Russia? Is Iran building a nuclear bomb? What is the point of NATO? Can the United Kingdom still defend itself?  Created by David Knowles, Battle Lines answers all these questions and more, bringing together the best of The Telegraph’s international, geopolitical, and conflict reporting in one place. Plus, every Friday, the podcast delves into the seismic impact US President Donald Trump is having on the world - from peace talks to tariffs to migration policy.  Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs. Telegraph subscribers get early access to bonus episodes of Battle Lines and its sister podcast, Ukraine: The Latest. You can subscribe within The Telegraph app, or tap on ‘Already a subscriber’ at the top of this page to log in to link your existing subscription, for more information click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Battle Lines is The Telegraph’s foreign policy, geopolitics and global conflict podcast. It offers expert analysis and on-the-ground reporting from China and the United States to the Middle East and Europe. Twice a week, veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you on-the-ground dispatches from the world’s most volatile regions and informed analysis from world-class experts.Whether it’s the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Gaza conflict, Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, tensions between India and Pakistan, or the civil war in Sudan, Battle Lines covers the world’s most critical flashpoints with depth and clarity. When will China invade Taiwan? Can Trump bring peace to the Middle East? What should Europe do to help Ukraine beat Russia? Is Iran building a nuclear bomb? What is the point of NATO? Can the United Kingdom still defend itself?&nbsp; Created by David Knowles, Battle Lines answers all these questions and more, bringing together the best of The Telegraph’s international, geopolitical, and conflict reporting in one place. Plus, every Friday, the podcast delves into the seismic impact US President Donald Trump is having on the world - from peace talks to tariffs to migration policy.&nbsp; Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs. Telegraph subscribers get early access to bonus episodes of Battle Lines and its sister podcast, Ukraine: The Latest.&nbsp;You can subscribe within The Telegraph app, or tap on ‘Already a subscriber’ at the top of this page to log in to link your existing subscription, for more information click <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>. Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on Syria’s new leader, Russia’s quick exit and chemical weapons

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on Syria’s new leader, Russia’s quick exit and chemical weapons

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