Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes

This week's Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit makes tangible the existence of an alternative international community. Featuring leaders from Russia, China, and India it is the organisation's first face-to-face meeting since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There is a clear goal at the core of the discussions: power politics and the race to multipolarism as an alternative to Western liberalism. In this week’s episode, Jeremy Shapiro joins an all-star ECFR panel of experts to discuss the summit's geopolitical implications. How is SCO “dialogue partner” Turkey using the Ukraine war to get the best of both worlds? How much will Iran's imminent membership advance its security? And finally, what would be the implications for Beijing if Putin were to lose power, and how can China support the Kremlin? This podcast was recorded on 16 September 2022. Further reading:Rogue NATO: The new face of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, by Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, Marie Dumoulin, Ellie Geranmayeh & Janka Oertel: https://buff.ly/3xuLMOaBookshelf - “Jamais Frères? Ukraine Et Russie: Une Tragédie Postsoviétique" by Anna Coulin Lebdevev - “The Rest Is Politics” podcast by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. - “Die beste aller möglichen Welten” by Michael Kempe - “The Ministry for the Future” by Kim Stanley Robinson - “The Found and the Lost: The Collected Novellas of Ursula K. Le Guin” by Ursula K. Le Guin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As fundamental freedoms are being challenged worldwide, the very idea of open societies is being questioned. The crisis of liberalism and the decline of the West, together with increased disinformation and polarisation, have revealed inequality and the need for critical public debate as a central issue for the advancement of open societies. In this week’s podcast, Leonard Benardo, executive vice president for the Open Society Foundations, joins Mark Leonard to discuss the great challenges open societies are currently experiencing. What role do identity politics play when thinking about solidarity and social cohesion? How can the digital revolution impact electoral democracy? And finally, how can we ensure that Ukraine as an open society is retained? This podcast was recorded on 6 September 2022.Bookshelf:- "Against Decolonisation. Taking African Agency Seriously" by Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò - "Know Your Enemy" podcast hosted by Matthew Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell - Follow @samagreene and @rochowanski for food for thought and debates on the Eurasian space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global crises – from the covid-19 pandemic and climate change to Russia's war on Ukraine have challenged the core tenets of the globalised world. Europe has been at the centre of this upheaval. And the continent now faces tough decisions on its energy markets, trade partnerships, and supply chains. In this special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the European Forum Alpbach in Austria, Mark Leonard is joined by co-chair of ECFR, Carl Bildt, Austrian federal minister for the EU and constitution, Karoline Edtstadler, and non-resident fellow at Bruegel, Thomas Wieser. Together, they discuss how to strike the right balance between the need for sovereignty and the benefits of globalisation. What are the biggest threats to the European market economies and what are the opportunities? Will Europeans learn from Russia’s weaponisation of energy when it comes to its dependencies on China? And is there a way to ‘disarm’ connectivity? This podcast was recorded live at the European Forum Alpbach on 1 September 2022.Bookshelf: - The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig- Dunkelblum by Eva Menasse- History of the Adriatic: A Sea and Its Civilization by Egidio Iveticpicture (c) Hans Hofer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his recent book “Another World Is Possible”, Geoff Mulgan – professor of collective intelligence, public policy, and social innovation at University College London – identifies a crisis that does not usually feature prominently in threat assessments: an absence of political imagination. This deficit has not only distorted policymakers’ sense of the past and present but also weakened their ability to make future-proofed decisions in various areas. In this week’s episode, Mulgan joins Mark Leonard to explore the causes and consequences of this crisis. They discuss how to restore imagination and harness creativity to solve current and future problems. Why does the idea of utopia matter? How can we harmonise competing narratives about the future? And where do China and India come in to all this?This podcast was recorded on 6 July 2022.Further readingAnother World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination by Geoff Mulgan: https://buff.ly/3A1xUgd The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley RobinsonBookshelf: The Trial by Sergei Loznitsa Babi Yar. Context by Sergei Loznitsa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany's ‘traffic light’ coalition has ushered in a new age of German politics – and a new generation of political figures. Last year, in a departure from the staid Merkel era, German citizens elected a parliament that is less ‘pale, male, and stale’ than ever before. The new cabinet reflects this change – in terms of youth and gender at least. In this week’s episode, Mark Leonard, interviews the German author and journalist, Anna Sauerbrey. They discuss her latest book, “Machtwechsel” (Change of Power), in which she analyses how this diverse intake is challenging the status quo of German politics. But how does Chancellor Olaf Scholz fit in? What is a ‘Zeitgenosse’? And what do white sneakers have to do with anything? This podcast was recorded on 6 July 2022. Further reading - Machtwechsel by Anna Sauerbrey: https://buff.ly/3Spm5au - War and Indignation by Jürgen Habermas in Süddeutsche Zeitung: https://buff.ly/3BCQKvb - A Millennial considers the new German Problem after 30 Years of Peace by Ulrike Franke in War on the Rocks: https://buff.ly/3xhFCz3 Bookshelf: - East West Street by Philipp Sands - The Economic Weapon: The Rise of Sanctions as a Tool of Modern War by Nicholas Mulderpicture (c) picture alliance / EPA | SASCHA STEINBACH / POOL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As blistering heatwaves and raging forest fires sweep across Europe, climate change is once again back on the agenda. But Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the consequent reduction in energy supplies to Europe has greatly complicated Europe’s green transition. Some observers argue that a cold-turkey withdrawal from Russian fossil fuels will speed up the transition to renewable energy, but others predict that climate goals will fall by the wayside as European leaders turn to coal and whatever else is available to make up for the lack of Russian oil and gas. In this week’s episode, Jeremy Shapiro, ECFR’s research director seizes the reins of power as host from a vacationing Mark Leonard and talks to Susi Dennison, director of ECFR’s European Power programme, and Simone Tagliapietra, senior fellow at Bruegel about these competing narratives. Will Europe manage to maintain unity as winter approaches? What does this mean for its efforts in climate diplomacy? This podcast was recorded on 19 July 2022. Further reading - Green peace: How Europe’s climate policy can survive the war in Ukraine by Susi Dennison: https://buff.ly/3NqrHxw- Own coal: Why Europe could lose its green transition by Susi Dennison: https://buff.ly/3R2QuL7- Circuit breakers: Securing Europe’s green energy supply chains by Agatha Kratz, Charlie Vest, and Janka Oertel: https://buff.ly/3w67gABBookshelf: - How the World Really Works: A Scientist’s Guide to Our Past, Present and Future by Vaclav Smil - Violetta by Isabel Allende - The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ian Bremmer wrote his latest book before Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine. Yet, ‘The Power of Crisis’, which went into press on 26 February 2022, identifies three transformational global challenges besides the war: public health emergencies, the technological revolution, and climate change. In today's podcast, Bremmer joins Mark Leonard to discuss the concept of a “goldilocks” crisis, the effects of the covid-19 pandemic, and Europe’s role in global upheavals. How can Europeans learn to survive and even thrive during current and forthcoming crises? And how can countries cooperate effectively in an age of great power competition?This podcast was recorded on 13 June 2022.Further reading- The Power of Crisis by Ian Bremmer https://buff.ly/3uKRbzdBookshelf - The Body Scout by Lincoln Michel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In July, Mark Leonard launched the newly released paperback edition of his book - "The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity Causes Conflict" (Penguin) - with a brand-new essay on the war in Ukraine and its geopolitical impact. Together with Fiona Hill, senior fellow at Brookings, and Jason Cowley, editor-in-chief of the New Statesman, he discusses a new way of looking at the origins of the war in Ukraine, the way it is being conducted and the implications for global (geo-)politics. Is the “Age of Unpeace” just another term for a cold war? And will global challenges – like climate change – in the end still bind us together? Or does the “Unpeace” era make us even less able to tackle those? The material for this podcast was recorded on 8 July 2022. Available here: https://buff.ly/3RAyiZCLearn more about “The Age of Unpeace”: - https://soundcloud.com/ecfr/age-of-unpeace - https://www.politico.eu/article/welcome-to-the-age-of-unpeace-geopolitics-conflict/ Bookshelf - There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century by Fiona Hill - Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin by Jason Cowley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s visit to Teheran in June was meant to revitalise negotiations around the Iran nuclear deal. But the talks, which recently resumed in Doha, remain mired in mistrust and intransigence from both sides. For this week’s podcast, Mark Leonard has assembled a team of Iran experts to take stock of the negotiations in Qatar: ECFR senior policy fellow, Ellie Geranmayeh; former Iranian diplomat and security and nuclear policy specialist at Princeton University, Hossein Mousavian; professor of Middle East studies and international affairs, Vali Nasr; and the director of International Crisis Group's Iran project, Ali Vaez discuss the latest developments and evaluate different possible outcomes and their consequences. Is there any chance of breaking the stalemate without escalation? And what will be the impact of the upcoming midterm elections in the US? This podcast was recorded on 1 July 2022. Further reading:- Borrell in Tehran: How to overcome three obstacles to the Iran nuclear deal By Ellie Geranmayeh Bookshelf:- Iron net: Digital repression in the Middle East and North Africa by James Lynch - Born in Blackness by Howard W French - Master of the Game by Martin Indyk - Republics of Myth by Hussein Banai, Malcolm Byrne, And John TirmanCover image: EU High Representative Josep Borrell visits Iran · Image by European Union, 2022 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NATO members emerged from their summit in Madrid this week having reached consensus on a new Strategic Concept, Sweden’s and Finland’s accession, and increased readiness capabilities on the eastern flank. This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Nick Witney, senior policy fellow at ECFR and former chief executive of the European Defence Agency; Jana Puglierin, head of ECFR’s Berlin office; and Tara Varma, head of ECFR’s Paris office, to evaluate the summit’s outcomes, especially regarding European defence. How can Europeans coordinate increased military expenditure? What is the European Defence Union? And was Nick Witney right to describe the summit as “the most promising conjunction of planets”? This podcast was recorded on 1 July 2022.Further reading:- NATO’s new Strategic Concept - The EU’s Strategic Compass Bookshelf:- The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope - Au café de la ville perdue by Anaïs Llobet - The NATO summit is chance to wean Europe off US military might- Machtwechsel by Anna SauerbreyCover image: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, takes part in the NATO summit last Wednesday in Spain · Image by European Union, 2022 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.