The Debate

With just two months to go until Donald Trump’s anticipated return to the White House, tensions are rising on multiple fronts amid the war in Ukraine. The Biden administration, in its final stretch, has eased restrictions on Ukrainian use of Atacms long-range missiles, approved the provision of landmines to Ukraine, and announced $4.7 billion in debt forgiveness for Kyiv. Meanwhile, Russia is ramping up nuclear threats. Although Washington has downplayed Ukrainian claims of Moscow's first-ever use of intercontinental ballistic missiles, the US was alarmed enough to briefly shut its embassy in Kyiv this week. 

The unease extends beyond Ukraine. Suspicions of sabotage to critical data cables in the Baltic Sea coincide with Finland and Sweden distributing war preparedness guides to their citizens. Is this all spiralling out of control, or is it a calculated lead-up to hard bargaining? And if the US steps back, is this the last opportunity to shape realities on the ground before borders are redrawn for good? 

Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Guillaume Gougeon and Mélissa Kalaydjian.

Is it all part of a bigger plan, or has Donald Trump simply decided that cabinet picks no longer matter? What to make of a TV host for defence secretary, a vaccine sceptic for health secretary, an ex-pro wrestling executive for education chief and a Putin-friendly conspiracy theorist to head intelligence services? Not to mention a now former congressman under investigation to head the Justice Department.

Our panel tries to rise above the outrage du jour over conflicts of interest and competence issues to ask if the US president-elect is simply tapping into a deeper rage: rage against the establishment; rage among many voters that earned him a return to the White House. Do Americans now actually want the gutting of the institutions that run the world's most powerful nation?

And how far does that rage against the system go on this side of the Atlantic? For those who like the welfare state, it's all about coming up with answers fast. 

Will history remember Rio as the swansong gathering of the US-led world order as we now know it? The curtain is coming down on Joe Biden's last G20 summit – his last big global gathering before the return of Donald Trump to the White House. The outgoing US president, who turns 82 on Wednesday, is slightly older than the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund; all institutions that evolved on Washington’s watch. The neoliberal rules of the global game are often referred to as the Washington consensus.

But already there are clubs to rival that consensus, including the BRICS, whose most recent summit was in Russia, and bids to bypass the US dollar as the world's currency. Trump himself is a convert to crypto and is vowing to ratchet up tariffs. Are we seeing the end of an era? 

Amid foreboding in Rio, we ask about the G20's bid to frontload financing on global poverty and climate change. Can the rest of the world "Trump-proof" common rules to rein in the excesses of globalisation? 

Major escalation or final gesture? Nine weeks before handing over power to Donald Trump, US President Joe Biden has approved the use of American-made long-range missiles by Ukraine inside Russian territory. The decision comes in response to Russia's deployment of North Korean troops to the front lines in the Kursk region. Will the missiles be limited to this area, and what will US policy look like after Inauguration Day on January 20?

On the eve of the decision, Ukraine’s president acknowledged that, as his forces lose ground, 2025 could be the year his country sits down at the negotiating table. With NATO-skeptic Donald Trump on the horizon, how will the next few weeks shape the situation? Will countries like France and the UK continue to follow the US lead on the use of long-range missiles? Europe remains far from the strategic autonomy championed by Emmanuel Macron. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has warned of “a rise in tensions,” a familiar refrain whenever the West crosses its red lines in Ukraine. Will this time be different?

Ukraine is at a crucial point in its existential fight against the full-scale Russian invasion launched by Vladimir Putin in February 2022. US president-elect Donald Trump is said to want to accelerate the timetable to a truce. Ukraine wants guarantees against any future Russian invasion before any discussion of talks.

And there is the question over Ukrainian territory now occupied by Russia. Kursk could be a major bargaining chip for Volodymyr Zelensky if it ever comes to that stage.

Our panel discusses how the war in Ukraine might evolve between now, Trump's inauguration in January and beyond.

A football match in Paris is raising concerns over potential clashes between Jewish and Palestinian sympathisers. Security measures have been heightened following last week's violence in Amsterdam, where Israeli supporters clashed with both local men of Arab origin and Dutch fans. Tensions fuelled by the Gaza conflict have brought emotions to a boiling point. We ask our special panel: can we still say that sport and politics don't mix?

Produced by Mark Owen, Théophile Vareille, Guillaume Gougeon and Ilayda Habip.

Gaza's humanitarian crisis is worsening. We’re joined by a humanitarian who has witnessed the devastation firsthand. Is a solution in sight? Will the US follow through on its threat to cut military support if Israel doesn’t restore aid access to levels NGOs deem essential?

Produced by Mark Owen, Rebecca Gnignati, Guillaume Gougeon and Ilayda Habip.

Watch moreGaza felt like 'some movie out of Stalingrad', head of Norwegian Refugee Council says

In Baku, the UN climate conference is underway. The stakes could not be any higher. 2024 is set to be the hottest ever year on record. The damage caused to human life and habitat by the effects of climate change are still being counted in Spain in the wake of deadly floods that claimed over 200 lives.

The reconstruction costs in the worst affected areas around Valencia are still being assessed. Meanwhile, three major hurricanes have hit the US state of Florida this year: Milton, Debby and Helene. The damage caused in the path of the latter became an issue in the US presidential election.

However, the biggest typhoon so far this year struck in Southeast Asia: Yagi swept across China, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and, most severely, Vietnam. With a climate change denier now elected president of the United States, the outlook for global warming and its worldwide effects could not be more concerning.

Produced by Théophile Vareille, Rebecca Gnignati and Ilayda Habip. 

Donald Trump has been elected US president for a second time on an America-first agenda. We know from his first term that he is not afraid to break norms on the world stage. So what can we expect from Trump's foreign policy agenda this time around? Charli James puts the question to her panel.

After Donald Trump's historic victory in the US presidential election, we bring you a special edition of The Debate live from Washington. François Picard's panel of guests and FRANCE 24 correspondents break down the factors that contributed to Trump's triumph and discuss what this landmark result means for America.