Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes

In his recently published book, Fareed Zakaria, television host, columnist, and chair of the recently established International Strategy Forum, outlines the main pillars, trends and fault lines of a post-pandemic world. He joins Mark Leonard to discuss the political, geopolitical, and geo-economic changes to the world order. How did the world react to the war on Ukraine? What are the reactions to these reactions? Will globalisation be replaced by fragmentation?This podcast was recorded on 21 June 2022.Further reading:- Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World by Fareed Zakaria: https://buff.ly/3tZQBgO - ECFR’s and Schmidt Futures’ International Strategy Forum: https://buff.ly/3nfeU6CBookshelf: - The Avoidable War — averting a conflict between the US and China by Kevin Rudd- Middlemarch by George Eliot- Dominion by Tom Holland

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New ECFR research captures European public opinion on Russia's war against Ukraine. It reveals that Europe's remarkable unity in the early days of the war is under threat from an emerging split – between those who want peace as soon as possible and those who favour justice for Ukraine.This week, senior policy fellow and head of ECFR's European Power programme, Susi Dennison, turns the tables on one of the report's authors, Mark Leonard, as he becomes a guest on his own podcast. They are joined by Leonard's co-author, ECFR founding board member and chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies, Ivan Krastev to discuss the results of the poll and examine what this means for the European response to the war. What should European leaders do to bridge the fault lines and maintain unity? And how important is Ukraine’s EU membership application?

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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 by Matt Continetti

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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

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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

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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

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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 Conundrum. Why the war necessitates a balancing act by Yan Xuetong in Foreign Affairs- SupChina podcast: Chinese international relations scholar Dingding Chen on Beijing’s position in the Russo-Ukrainian War- The deluge: The Great War, America and the remaking of the global order, 1916-1931 by Adam Tooze- Ist der Tod kein Meister aus Deutschland mehr? by Andreas Wirsching in Die Zeit

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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

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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

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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

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