Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes

Our system is not fit to deal with the challenges of the 21st century. This has been laid bare not just by the covid-19 pandemic, but also by the increasing power competition between the US and China, and the blockage and weaponisation of the multilateral system and the current crisis of democracy. Could a new “concert of powers” possibly be the solution? This week, host Mark Leonard talks to Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University; Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US and the Americas programme and Dean of the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs at Chatham House; as well as Nicu Popescu, senior policy fellow and director of ECFR´s Wider Europe programme. In this episode, they discuss the idea of a “global concert of powers” to promote stability in a multipolar world. How would such a format be formed and who would be involved? And how does the future of the liberal order look after two centuries of Western domination? This podcast was recorded on 20 April 2021.Further reading:• “The new concert of powers. How to prevent catastrophe and promote stability in a multipolar world” by Richard N. Haass & Charles A. Kupchan in Foreign Affairs: https://buff.ly/2OYR5Co • "The liberal order begins at home. How democratic revival can reboot the international system" by Robin Niblett and Leslie Vinjamuri in Foreign Affairs: https://buff.ly/3sMLKfrBookshelf:• “Kill switch: The rise of the modern senate and the crippling of American democracy” by Adam Jentleson• “Mountains beyond mountains: The quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a man who would cure the world” by Tracy Kidder• “Why an internationalist foreign policy needs a stronger domestic foundation” by Charles Kupchan & Peter Trubowitz• “The heart is a lonely hunter” by Carson McCullers• “The bean trees” by Barbara Kingsolver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diplomacy and war have both been part of human history, but neither are stagnant concepts. Different conceptions of the global order influence policy decisions daily, while the notions of war equally shape nation-states and our lives. To get a deeper understanding of how both ideas impact geopolitics, host Mark Leonard talks to Margaret MacMillan, professor of history at the University of Toronto and author of the book “War: How Conflict Shaped Us”, Robert Cooper, distinguished British and European diplomat and author of “The Ambassadors: Thinking about Diplomacy from Machiavelli to Modern Times” and Gideon Rachman, British journalist and chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times. What are different models for thinking about global order? How do ideas about war shape what statesmen and -women do?This podcast was recorded on 14 April 2021.Bookshelf:• “The ambassadors: Thinking about diplomacy from Machiavelli to modern times ” by Robert Cooper• “War: How Conflict Shaped Us” by Margaret MacMillan• “Zero-Sum World: Politics, Power and Prosperity After the Crash” by Gideon Rachman• “Britain alone” by Philip Stephens• “The Greek Revolution: A Critical Dictionary” by Paschalis M. Kitromilides & Constantinos Tsoukalas• “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas• “Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain” by Sathnam Sanghera• “Ioannis A. Kapodistrias, the European diplomat and statesman of the 19th century” by Helen E. Koukkou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that the world is entering a new phase of fighting the covid-19 pandemic, there is a renewed chance for working better together - and the European Union could do much to set these frameworks. But how can Europe adapt its strategies for multilateralism in this competitive world and what would they look like? Moreover, with other big players like China making their intentions to shape the global community unmistakably known, what reactions can Europe expect from a new-found agenda for multilateralism? This week’s host Susi Dennison tries to find answers to these questions with the help of Anthony Dworkin, ECFR research director and senior policy fellow, and Janka Oertel, ECFR’s Asia programme director and senior policy fellow. Together, they take a closer look at the potential for further global cooperation, the role Europe could play and future challenges the multilateral world will face.This podcast was recorded on 8 April 2021.Further reading:· “Built to order: How Europe can rebuild multilateralism after covid-19” by Anthony Dworkin: https://buff.ly/3fu4ehF· “Climate superpowers: How the EU and China can compete and cooperate for a green future” Janka Oertel, Jennifer Tollmann and Byford Tsang: https://buff.ly/2JHm437Bookshelf:· “The bleak house” by Charles Dickens· “Summer” by Ali Smith· “China reveals co-operation with EU on green investment standards” by Selena Yi and Robin Yu· “Economic policy for a pandemic age: How the world must prepare” by Monica de Bolle, Maurice Obstfeld and Adam S. Posen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite the asymmetry in their size, population, and military prowess, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been engaged in a decade-long rivalry. This confrontation is not only feeding regional instability but is also deepening Europe’s divisions, making it more difficult for the European Union and its member states to develop a cohesive policy on the Mediterranean. This week, host Mark Leonard talks to Asli Aydıntaşbaş, ECFR´s Turkey expert, Cinzia Bianco, visiting fellow working on the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf region, as well as Julien Barnes-Dacey, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at ECFR. Together, they examine the origins of the rivalry, its impacts on the EU, as well as the arenas the rivalry outplays. Finally, they try to answer a most critical question: How can the EU prevent the Turkey-UAE rivalry from destabilising European security and foreign policy?This podcast was recorded on 31 March 2021. Further reading: • “Useful enemies: How the Turkey-UAE rivalry is remaking the Middle East” by Asli Aydıntaşbaş & Cinzia Bianco: https://buff.ly/3tuyQUd • “Mutual reassurance: Why Europe should support talks between Egypt and Turkey” by Matteo Colombo: https://buff.ly/35Fo43U• “Israel-UAE peace deal: Flipping the regional order of the Middle East” by Cinzia Bianco & Hugh Lovatt: https://buff.ly/3dnAQar Bookshelf: • “The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen, • “Desert Kingdoms to Global Powers: The Rise of the Arab Gulf” by Rory Miller• “The Orientalist: Solving the Mystery of a Strange and Dangerous Life” by Tom Reiss• “The Ambassadors thinking about Diplomacy from Machiavelli to Modern Times” by Robert CooperPicture (c) REUTERS/Umit Bektas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just over a year ago, a health crisis of proportions never seen in recent history captured the attention of the world. However, faced with the same threat, nations all over the globe reacted vastly differently to the covid-19 pandemic. To find out why, host Mark Leonard talks this week to Peter Baldwin, professor of history at the University of California and author of the new book “Fighting the first wave: Why the coronavirus was tackled so differently across the globe”. Together, they discuss why the approaches to handling the coronavirus differed so much even in countries normally considered rather similar, like the Nordics. Who succeeded initially and who did not and for what reasons? Looking back, what can we learn from the fight against the first wave of corona and what will the lasting impact be? This podcast was recorded on 15 March 2021. Further reading: - “Fighting the first wave: Why the coronavirus was tackled so differently across the globe” by Peter Baldwin: https://buff.ly/3rmsS66- “Leadership in a time of contagion” by Mark Leonard: https://buff.ly/3feDDVQ“Tracking European solidarity during covid-19: Lessons from the first wave” by Rafael Loss: https://buff.ly/3nfXAfOBookshelf: - “Failures of state: The inside story of Britain's battle with coronavirus by Jonathan Calvert & George Arbuthnott- “Unearthly powers: Religious and political change in world history” by Alan Strathern Alan Strathern- “The herd” by Johan Anderberg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The British government has outlined an overhaul of the UK's foreign and defence policies. The Integrated Review of the UK’s Defence, Security, Development and Foreign Policy, published this week, lays out a vision for the country’s role in the world over the next decade. Host Mark Leonard talks to Jo Johnson, a former Member of the British Parliament between 2010 and 2019 who held key ministerial offices in each of the last three Conservative governments, attending Cabinet as Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation. Together, they discuss the proposed Indo-Pacific tilt and the UK means by sovereignty in the context of the review. But most importantly, how does continental Europe fit into all of this? This podcast was recorded on 18 March 2021.Further reading:• Global Britain in a Competitive Age: the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-britain-in-a-competitive-age-the-integrated-review-of-security-defence-development-and-foreign-policy • “The China question. Managing risks and maximising benefits from partnership in higher education and research” by Jo Johnson et al. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute/assets/china-question.pdf•“Britain’s global pipe dream” by Nick Witney https://ecfr.eu/podcasts/episode/new-battlefields-the-uks-integrated-review/ •“Brexit Britain: The buccaneering begins at home” by Nick Witney https://ecfr.eu/article/brexit-britain-the-buccaneering-begins-at-home/ Bookshelf:•“China's quest for foreign technology. Beyond espionage” ed. By William C. Hannas & Didi Kirsten Tatlow Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In May 2020, China announced its new economic strategy which aims at cutting the country’s dependence on overseas markets and technology in the long-term. This “dual circulation strategy” was yet another result of the deepening rift with the United States. But what does this new economic policy mean for Europe? Host Mark Leonard is joined by Janka Oertel, director of the Asia programme at ECFR as well as Andrew Small, senior transatlantic fellow with the Asia programme at the German Marshall Fund of the United States as well as associate senior policy fellow at ECFR. What lies behind China’s dual circulation strategy? How will the EU approach all of this? And are European policy-makers really prepared to deal with this new challenge coming from China?This podcast was recorded on 4 March 2021.Bookshelf:· “The rise of industrial policy in China, 1978-2012” by Sebastian Heilmann and Lea Shih · Interview with Joe Kaeser in Handelsblatt [German] · “Decoupling - severed ties and patchwork globalisation” by the European Chamber of Commerce in China in partnership with MERICS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2020 Belarus made headlines when protests erupted in the aftermath of a fraught presidential election. Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for over 26 years, still clings to power today and has unleashed a crackdown on the protests and protesters with a level of brutality unseen in Europe for decades. Vessela Tcherneva, ECFR deputy director takes over the podcast this week to examine the subject of Belarus further. How did we actually get here? And what kind of implications do the developments in Belarus have for the wider neighbourhood and Europe? Andrew Wilson, ECFR senior policy fellow, Nicu Popescu, director of the ECFR Wider Europe Programme as well as Pavel Slunkin, ECFR visiting fellow from Belarus, discuss these questions.Further reading: https://ecfr.eu/topic/belarus/ This podcast was recorded on 3 March 2021.Bookshelf:•“Belarus – the last European dictatorship?” by Andrew Wilson • “American Oligarchs: The Kushners, the Trumps, and the marriage of money and power” by Andrea Bernstein •“Atlas shrugged“ by Ayn Rand • “The unwomanly face of war” by Svetlana Alexievich • “Secondhand Time: The last of the Soviets” by Svetlana Alexievich • “Pork Barrel Politics: How government spending determines elections in a polarized era” by Andrew Sidman • “Renaissance diplomacy“ by Garrett Mattingly • “The Ambassadors“ by Robert Cooper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On January 1, Portugal took over from Germany at the helm of the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency and the government set out three priorities for this presidency captured in its slogan “Time to deliver: a fair, green and digital recovery”. What is needed for a fair and inclusive climate and digital transition? What will the biggest short-term challenges be? And how can the Portuguese presidency strengthen European strategic autonomy? Mark Leonard is joined by Claudia Azevedo, CEO, Sonae, Teresa Gouveia, ECFR Board Member and former Portuguese Minister of Environment and of Foreign Affairs, and finally, Carlos Moedas, former European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, to discuss the prospects of the ongoing Portuguese Council presidency.This podcast was recorded on 24 February 2021. Further reading:"Crisis presidency: How Portuguese leadership can guide the EU into the post-covid era" by Susi Dennison & Lívia Franco: https://buff.ly/3mxp7cl - “Where Portugal can lead Europe in 2021” by Teresa Gouveia: https://buff.ly/2LHuuca - “Out of the south: Why Italy and Portugal should lead on climate change, health security, and multilateralism” by Teresa Coratella: https://buff.ly/2WC02BX- “Edge of the Atlantic: Portugal’s presidency of the EU Council” by Lívia Franco: https://buff.ly/3r3wY44Bookshelf:- “A Superpower, Like It or Not: Why Americans Must Accept Their Global Role” in Foreign Affairs by Robert Kagan- “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need” by Bill Gates- “The world faces a pandemic of human rights abuses in the wake of Covid-19” by António Guterres- “Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism” by Mariana Mazzucato- “Think Again” by Adam Grant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, former European Central Bank Chief Mario Draghi was sworn in as the country’s prime minister and the head of a unity government and put an end to weeks of political turmoil. His cabinet is the third administration that Italy sees in less than three years. But how stable will this government be? What are the first challenges Draghi will face in his country and in Brussels? Will he be able to stand on equal footing with Macron and Merkel? Host Mark Leonard talks to Lia Quartapelle, Italian parliamentarian of Partito Democratico, Alessandro Speciale, Bloomberg Italia director, and head of ECFR’s Rome office Arturo Varvelli about what the Draghi government will mean for Italy and Europe.This podcast was recorded on 17 February 2021. Bookshelf:•“Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World” by Laura Spinney •“The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories” by Susanna Clarke •“Passé, présent et futur de Mario Draghi : la carrière politique d’un technician” by Alessandro Aresu & Andrea Garnero in Le Grand Continent •“Mario Draghi l'artefice” by Jana Randow & Alessandro Speciale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.