The State of It

French officials have played down speculation that President Emmanuel Macron will recognise a Palestinian state imminently. But he is co-chairing a summit in New York with Saudi Arabia, to discuss the future for Palestinians and a two-state solution to the conflict in Gaza. Former French ambassador Michel Duclos thinks France has to follow through on reports it is about to recognise a Palestinian state, or lose credibility on the world stage.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

Picture: Getty Images

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany’s intelligence chief has warned that Russia could test NATO’s resolve. Bruno Kahl thinks Vladimir Putin would do this by placing ‘little green men’ - in other words, plain-clothes soldiers - in Estonia like he did when he annexed Crimea in 2014. Emily Ferris, a Russia specialist from the RUSI think tank in London, examines how likely this is and looks at other ways the Kremlin might test NATO.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

Picture: Getty Images

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump thinks China is the US' main adversary on the global stage. It's a view that's been shared by senior Democrats and Republicans since Barack Obama's presidency. So is it time for a NATO-style alliance in the Indo-Pacific? Former Biden official Ely Ratner makes the case - and explains why it is different to NATO.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

Picture: Getty Images

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this extended Frontline conversation, intelligence analyst Malcolm Nance - who served in the US military and has worked in Ukraine - says Ukraine's attack on the Kerch Bridge in Crimea and its daring drone attack on Russian airfields shows Vladimir Putin can't win the war by simply grinding forward on the frontline.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this extended Frontline conversation, the Times' correspondent in Ukraine Maxim Tucker explores the fallout from Ukraine's daring drone attack on Russian airfields last weekend. He also explains why Ukraine's most prominent politicians are quarrelling during their country's moment of maximum peril.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany's new chancellor Friedrich Merz thinks his meeting with Donald Trump was a success - despite being one of the president’s more vocal European critics in Europe. It helps that Merz has heeded US calls for more European defence spending. The Times' Berlin correspondent Oliver Moody examines how he won Trump over - and how more military spending gives Germany new importance on the international stage.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

Picture: Getty Images

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has told NATO countries they need to agree to Donald Trump’s 5% defence spending target by the end of this month. So NATO has come up with some creative accounting to keep the US happy. It wants members to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence, plus another 1.5% on infrastructure on top of that. It's an attempt to placate Donald Trump - but will it be delivered fast enough? Former Pentagon official Jim Townsend explains why the new bridges it pays for may be as important as the new bombs.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

Picture: Getty Images

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nuclear weapons are regularly in the news. Ukraine’s drone attack on Russian nuclear bombers. The threat of North Korea and Iran. European countries rearming. If we are entering a new age of nuclear weapons, how is it different to the Cold War? Nuclear deterrence specialist Matthew Kroenig says the threat of China makes the superpower competition more dangerous than before.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

Picture: Getty Images

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is now more than 4 months since Donald Trump took office, and there is still no ceasefire in Ukraine. Another round of direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul has produced no major breakthrough. Kyiv and its allies say Vladimir Putin is dragging his heels in peace talks. So what levers can the US president pull to force Russia to negotiate? Russia specialist Dr Rasmus Nilsson, from University College London, explains why neither carrots nor sticks are likely to work.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

Picture: Getty Images

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the weekend, Ukraine launched an audacious drone attack deep inside Russian territory. After 18 months of planning personally overseen by Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine smuggled drones across the border and launched them from hidden containers with remote-controlled lids. Kyiv says it damaged a third of Russia’s strategic bombers. The Times’ World Affairs Editor Catherine Philp says it is an effective strategy as well as symbolism - and looks at how Russia will react.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

Picture: UNPIXS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.