The Debate

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.

Election Day has arrived. Polls are open across the United States, the culmination of a divisive and gruelling presidential campaign. All eyes are on the seven swing states likely to decide whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris wins the presidency. We bring you a special edition of The Debate from Washington.

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati, Annarosa Zampaglione, Ilayda Hapib.

On the eve of Election Day, The Debate focuses on the US presidential candidates' final messages and the state of the vote. Charli James's panel breaks down the biggest issues on the minds of voters and discusses when Americans may know the results.

The planet's predominant superpower prides itself on its rules-based order and a constitution that codifies and sets in stone the transfer of power through the ballot box; a model and values that the United States tries to impose on the world scene. But for all the laws, all the rules, there is also Mao's line about political legitimacy, that "political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."

With the election of Donald Trump and the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol, America deviated from the traditional left versus right divide. Now, five days out from an election that's too close to call, could that model change again?

We ask about the security and legitimacy of a process that has already begun, with 60 million ballots cast in early voting.

Could the model of governance really change inside the nation that's home to Wall Street and Silicon Valley, that has kept the peace inside NATO, that defends South Korea and patrols the Pacific? If so, what's the plan for the rest of the planet?

Produced by Rebecca Gnignati, Elena Colonna and Ilayda Habip.