Ukraine extra: burner phones and lost children

Gabriel Pogrund's 'The Fall of the House of Putin' investigates the networks, personalities, and corrupt practices underpinning Vladimir Putin's regime, drawing on interviews and reporting to reveal tensions within Russia's elite. The book explores how power is exercised and maintained in contemporary Russia, including the role of oligarchs, security services, and political insiders. Pogrund analyses the cumulative effects of corruption and policy decisions on Russia's domestic stability and international behavior. He also considers the implications for Western policy and how knowledge of inner workings could inform diplomatic and strategic responses. The book contributes to understanding the vulnerabilities and contradictions within Putin's system.

In this book, Henry Kissinger provides a sweeping history of diplomacy, focusing on the 20th century and the Western World. He discusses the concepts of balance of power, Realpolitik, and the differences in national styles of diplomacy. Kissinger draws from his own experiences as a key figure in U.S. foreign policy, including his negotiations with leaders such as de Gaulle, Nixon, Chou En-lai, Mao Tse-tung, Reagan, and Gorbachev. The book critiques various diplomatic approaches, including collective security and self-determination, and argues for a return to European-style realpolitik in U.S. foreign policy after the Cold War.