The Delegates Lounge – Details, episodes & analysis

Join us as we sit down with Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide to discuss the emerging significance of the Arctic region in today's geopolitical landscape. He asks the crucial question: What if the melting Arctic ice could reshape global power dynamics? From the creation of new sea routes to the evolving strategic challenges in the Arctic, Minister Eide offers an in-depth look at the interplay between environmental change and international diplomacy. J. Alex Tarquinio, our host in The Delegates Lounge, sat down with Norway’s foreign minister during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's 75th Anniversary Summit in Washington. 

With the accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO, the Russian Federation is now the only Arctic state that’s not a member of NATO. But Moscow has more military bases within the Arctic Circle than the NATO members overall. For its part, China has declared itself a “near Arctic nation,” a claim that Norway’s foreign minister brushed aside.

Speakers:

J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Espen Barth Eide, Norway’s Foreign Minister (guest). @EspenBarthEide of @NorwayMFA on X, formerly known as Twitter.

References:

Espen Barth Eide, during his first term as foreign minister, invited NATO members to the Arctic in 2013.

https://www.nato.int/docu/review/articles/2013/05/06/the-changing-arctic-how-involved-should-nato-be/index.html

Russia's military bases inside the Arctic Circle outnumber NATO’s.

https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ARCTIC-SECURITY/zgvobmblrpd/

The United States, Canada, and Finland announced the trilateral Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or “ICE Pact."

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/11/biden-harris-administration-announces-new-polar-partnership-ice-pact-alongside-finland-and-canada/

For more on the sanctions, refer to the U.S. Treasury and State Department press releases.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2546

https://www.state.gov/new-measures-to-degrade-russias-wartime-economy/

The United Nations published its latest sea-level rise report in August.

https://www.un.org/climatechange/reports/sea-level-rise

The conversation included a discussion about the influence of the Norwegian political thriller TV series set in the near future "Occupied."

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4192998/

Credits: 

Sound: Ivory Gull, a near threatened Arctic bird, by Stewart D. MacDonald; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library. Recording July 8, 1970, Ellesmere Island; Grise Fjord, Nunavut, Canada.

Music: Adobe Stock

Photo: NATO Multimedia, from the 3:15-mark of a video of the Finnish Army’s Jaeger Brigade training in the Finnish Lapland on February 4, 2024. 

Hear directly from the defense minister of Estonia and the foreign ministers of Spain and Czechia. We caught up with these high-level ministers on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s 75th Anniversary Summit in Washington, D.C. this summer. Our conversation highlights the urgency for NATO allies to increase military spending and support Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia. Delve into the significance of past NATO summits on U.S. politics and the growing security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region, showcasing the interconnectedness of global threats and the importance of transatlantic solidarity.

In this episode, we’ll explore NATO’s southern and eastern flanks in exclusive interviews that J. Alex Tarquinio, our host in The Delegates Lounge, held with Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, and Czechia’s Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský. Each of the ministers emphasized the global nature of security threats today, and how what happens in the Middle East and even as far off as the Indo-Pacific region affects the security of the Transatlantic alliance. We also spoke about the use of sanctions. 

Speakers:

J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s Defense Minister (guest). @HPevkur of @MoD_Estonia on X, formerly known as Twitter.

José Manuel Albares, Spain’s Foreign Minister (guest). @jmalbares of @SpainMFA on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Jan Lipavský, Czechia’s Foreign Minister (guest). @JanLipavsky of @CzechMFA on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

References:

The NATO Washington Summit Declaration referred to the People’s Republic of China as a “decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine” and to Ukraine’s “irreversible” path towards NATO membership.

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_227678.htm

This year, NATO estimates that 23 of the 32 member states will reach the goal of spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product on defense.

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_226465.htm

A few days before attending the NATO Washington Summit, Japan announced that it would work with Cambodia on a project to bolster Ukraine’s training and equipment for demining operations.

https://apnews.com/article/japan-cambodia-demining-ukraine-278a7c572b93ee3e9b4d1aa4c912a672

On August 23, the United States imposed new sanctions on around 400 companies and individuals — both inside and outside of Russia — that Washington accuses of enabling the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine by supporting Moscow’s military-industrial base. 

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2546

https://www.state.gov/new-measures-to-degrade-russias-wartime-economy/

Credits:

Music: Intro and Outro: Adobe Stock. Background: The Delegates Lounge LLC, recorded at the Media Center of the NATO Washington Summit July 9 - 11, 2024.

Photo: NATO. The first NATO stamp issued by the United States in 1952.

Welcome to a new world affairs podcast! When world leaders descend on New York in September, they’ll gather for a “Summit of the Future,” an eleventh-hour attempt to make the United Nations system more credible in the public eye. Ahead of that high-level debate, join us in The Delegates Lounge as we delve deep into the world body’s response to the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine; the great power rivalries between China, Russia and the United States; the potential impact of the upcoming U.S. election on multilateralism; and the challenges to reforming the Security Council as the UN debates its own future.

J. Alex Tarquinio chats with Richard Gowan, our guest in The Delegates Lounge and a familiar face around the UN hallways here in New York after 20 years of monitoring the global institution. He’s the UN Director at the International Crisis Group, an independent nonprofit, non-governmental organization committed to preventing and resolving deadly conflict. He oversees the global NGO’s advocacy work at the UN, liaising with diplomats and officials in New York.

Speakers:

J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Richard Gowan (guest). @RichardGowan1 of @crisisgroup on X, formerly known as Twitter.

References:

The host mentioned Martin Griffiths, who was the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator until the end of June 2024. In his final press briefing on June 4, well before the recent pause in UN aid deliveries to Gaza, Griffiths spoke about the challenges of providing security for aid deliveries to Gaza. He specifically addressed the issue of the stolen trucks at several points in his final press briefing, including at the 14-minute, the 26:30-minute, and the 44-minute marks in the following video. 

https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16fjab6eu

The host mentioned that the UN “was not very present” at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Bürgenstock, Switzerland in June 2024. The UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo attended the summit as an observer.

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/fdfa/aktuell/dossiers/konferenz-zum-frieden-ukraine.html

The host and guest discussed the U.S. financial contributions to the UN system. These are explained in the following “backgrounder” article by the Council on Foreign Relations, “Funding the United Nations: How Much Does the U.S. Pay?”

https://www.cfr.org/article/funding-united-nations-what-impact-do-us-contributions-have-un-agencies-and-programs

Credits:

Music: Adobe Stock

Photo: The Delegates Lounge LLC/J. Alex Tarquinio; the United Nations Security Council emergency session to address the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel on Sunday, April 14, 2024; 5:30 p.m. on a Galaxy S23 Ultra, ISO 200.

Join us for a succinct conversation with Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, as she shares her deep views on the Pact for the Future straight from the United Nations General Assembly Week. Minister Valtonen emphasizes the pressing need for equitable funding access for developing countries and the critical role of public-private partnerships and transparent tax systems in achieving economic stability in the Global South. We also delve into the repercussions of sanctions on Russia, examining their complex influence on Russia's inflation and interest rates.

Speakers:

J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Elina Valtonen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland (guest). @elinavaltonen of @Ulkoministerio on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

References:

Alex, our podcast host, wrote the United Nations General Assembly curtain raiser for Foreign Policy, and in it, she explains the Pact for the Future. Here's a gift link for nonsubscribers.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/09/23/unga-summit-united-nations-dysfunction-guterres-russia/

The Pact for the Future is explained on this site about the Summit of the Future.

https://www.un.org/en/summit-of-the-future/pact-for-the-future

We spoke about the high interest rates in Russia and Central Bank of Russia Chief Elvira Nabiullina. 

https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/12/11/russia-central-bank-chief-ukraine-war-ruble-value/

Credits:

Music: Adobe Stock

Photos: Adobe Stock/valeriyap - stock.adobe.com. Statues holding spherical lamps at Helsinki Central railway station in the Kluuvi part of central Helsinki. Night view in winter. Headshot (in some layouts): Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland.

Listen in on our conversation with Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, as he explains the intricate connections between global diplomacy and digital innovation. We caught up with Estonia's foreign minister during the United Nations General Assembly week. Our discussion touched on the Pact for the Future and Estonia's leadership in digital innovation and cybersecurity, exploring his take on the delicate balance between fighting Artificial Intelligence-driven disinformation and preserving freedom of speech.

This segment also highlights how digital voting has boosted voter participation in Estonia, especially among younger and mobility-challenged populations, and the critical role of providing objective information to support democratic debates and informed decision-making. Finally, he described his views on the relationship between the conflicts in the Middle East and in Ukraine and explained what he thinks "it" means when talking about victory for Ukraine.

Join us for this episode that navigates the complexities of international diplomacy, cybersecurity, and AI.

Speakers:

J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of delegateslounge on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia (guest). @Tsahkna of @MFAestonia on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

References:

Alex, our podcast host, wrote the United Nations General Assembly curtain raiser for Foreign Policy, and in it, she explains the Pact for the Future, and quotes Ambassador Robert Wood along with other UN experts. Here's a gift link for nonsubscribers.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/09/23/unga-summit-united-nations-dysfunction-guterres-russia/

The Pact for the Future is explained in this site about the Summit of the Future.

https://www.un.org/en/summit-of-the-future/pact-for-the-future

Our guest spoke about Estonia's role in the Freedom Online Coalition.

https://freedomonlinecoalition.com/

Credits:

Music: Adobe Stock

Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia

Join us as we sit down with Ambassador Robert Wood, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, for an exclusive conversation about the effort to get the Pact for the Future approved and the expectations from it to include the critical need for Security Council reform to make the UN system more effective and legitimate.

As we shift focus to some of the world's most urgent conflicts, we navigate the dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan and the ongoing situation in Ukraine. We also analyze Iran's destabilizing actions in the Middle East and their nuclear advancements. Don't forget to tune in and connect with us on social media to stay updated on world affairs.

J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Ambassador Robert A. Wood, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations (guest). The U.S. Mission to the United Nations can be found at @USUN on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

References:

Alex, our podcast host, wrote the United Nations General Assembly curtain raiser for Foreign Policy, and in it, she explains the 'Pact for the Future,' and quotes Amb. Wood along with other UN experts. Here's a gift link for nonsubscribers.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/09/23/unga-summit-united-nations-dysfunction-guterres-russia/

The Pact for the Future is explained in this site about the Summit of the Future.

https://www.un.org/en/summit-of-the-future/pact-for-the-future

In recent remarks to the Council on Foreign Relations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, discussed the U.S. commitment and vision for reforming the United Nations Security Council.

https://www.cfr.org/event/conversation-us-ambassador-united-nations-linda-thomas-greenfield

Credits:

Music: Adobe Stock

Photo: UN Photo/Evan Schneider; August 30, 2023, 3:16 p.m. At the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Mali, a view of delegates in conversation with Robert A. Wood, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of August, 2023.

While at the NATO 75th Anniversary Summit in Washington, D.C. in July we had the good fortune to cross paths with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian opposition in exile. In our exclusive interview, she highlighted the moral duty of democratic nations to support both Belarus and Ukraine. Sviatlana frames this commitment as a crucial investment in global security.
 
We asked her how she saw the future in Belarus after Lukashenko. The conversation also brought into the light the significant role of Belarusian volunteers fighting in Ukraine and the profound risks they and their families face. Tune in for this riveting conversation on the future of Belarus and the broader battle for democracy around the world.

Speakers:

The host is J. Alex Tarquinio. @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Our guest is Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. @Tsihanouskaya on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

References:

The Washington Post opinion article by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and former U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/07/09/nato-putin-lukashenko-pelosi-tikhanovskaya/

The Foreign Policy article about the election between Belarus and Slovenia for a seat on the United Nations Security Council by our podcast host J. Alex Tarquinio.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/09/belarus-slovenia-russia-united-nations-security-council-rotating-seat/

Credits:

Music: Adobe Stock

Photo: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Discover why the traditional military doctrines are being upended as we engage with Dave Smith, a former major in the Canadian Armed Forces who made the extraordinary leap to volunteer as a fighter in Ukraine. Listen to Dave's compelling narrative about leaving a secure military career to join the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment, a unit of Belarusian Partisans opposing Alexandr Lukashenko and fighting to defend Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

J. Alex Tarquinio and Frank Radford, our hosts in The Delegates Lounge, spoke from New York, while Dave spoke from Ukraine via web conference. This is Part 1 of our conversation, which began in July with Dave's account of his journey and his insights into the war up until that point. He was about to go on a major operation. Tune in next week for Part 2. We followed up with Dave as he was ending his latest rotation on Ukraine's Eastern Front in October. As he relates his battlefield experiences, listeners will catch a rare glimpse into how international policies directly impact those on the front lines.

References: 

Dave Smith co-authored the following article in Real Clear Defense with Julian Spencer-Churchill:

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2024/07/03/a_view_from_the_trenchline_1041979.html

Dave’s recent articles in Merion West:

https://merionwest.com/2024/08/29/a-portrait-of-a-stubborn-ukrainian/

https://merionwest.com/2024/10/06/the-origins-of-a-partisan/

Dave joined the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment of Belarusian volunteers fighting in support of Ukraine.

https://kalinouski.org/en/

Dave mentioned the “Leeroy Jenkins” battle cry from this video game meme.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLyOj_QD4a4

Credits:

Music: Adobe Stock

Photo: Dave Smith

Join Dave Smith, a former major in the Canadian Armed Forces, fighting alongside Belarusian Partisans for Ukraine. From the intense battlegrounds North of Kharkiv to the life-saving professional efforts within its hospitals, Dave offers a raw and authentic soldier's viewpoint of what it is to fight up close on the line of engagement - the Zero Line.

The conversation sheds light on the grim realities of capturing Russian conscripts and subsequent efforts at prisoner exchanges, exploring the stark differences in how Ukrainian and Russian forces handle detainees.  Dave provides insights on how compromised platforms like Telegram play a crucial role in the information war. He offers a fascinating look at the North Atlantic Fella Organization (NAFO), an internet meme movement that supports Ukraine. Dave's candid reflections, paint a vivid picture of the way in which humor enables both young and old to cope with the stresses of war.

J. Alex Tarquinio and Frank Radford, our hosts in The Delegates Lounge, spoke from New York, while Dave spoke from Ukraine via web conference. Part 1 of this conversation began in July with Dave's account of his journey and his insights into the war up until that point. This took place before his regiment was deployed to fight North of Kharkiv. For Part 2, we spoke with Dave in October, after intense combat with Russian conscripts on the Zero Line and his recent stay in a hospital in Kharkiv. He also described how soldiers use social media on the frontlines. As he relates his battlefield experiences, listeners will catch a rare glimpse into how international policies directly impact those on the front lines.

References: 

Alex mentioned an essay that she wrote for Foreign Policy about soft power which included the NAFO fellas Internet meme.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/08/06/russia-ukraine-soft-power-culture-diplomacy-fellas-nafo/

Dave related a story about standing in a trench and watching a video of that same position being hit two days earlier in a social media video. He graciously shared a video of that experience with us, and here are the links on Instagram and X.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCKDdJLJql4/

https://x.com/alextarquinio/status/1855287497288266063

Dave joined the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment of Belarusian volunteers fighting in support of Ukraine.

https://kalinouski.org/en/

Credits:

Music: Adobe Stock

Photo: Dave Smith

Join us for a firsthand account of life on and near the battlelines in Eastern Ukraine by Dave Smith, a former Canadian infantry officer who resigned to fight for Ukraine. This is the third episode in our multi-part series where Dave explores the evolving tactics and motivations that define the conflict. He offers listeners a deep dive into the experiences of soldiers and citizens that’s brimming with insights into how the geopolitical climate —including the election of former American President Donald Trump and the arrival of North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region — shape Ukrainian optimism despite the war weariness.

J. Alex Tarquinio (https://x.com/alextarquinio) and Frank Radford, our hosts in The
Delegates Lounge, (https://x.com/delegateslounge) had three conversations with Dave Smith. The hosts spoke from New York, while Dave spoke from Ukraine via web conference in July and October, and from London in November.

References
In a background briefing by the U.S. Department of Defense in October, the Pentagon estimated that Russia had sustained at least 600,000 casualties, including killed and wounded, since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Some estimates range much higher.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3932364/a-senior-
defense-and-military-official-host-a-background-briefing-on-russias-wa/

The Pentagon estimated in November that 11,000 North Korean troops had moved into Russia’s Kursk region.
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3968230/north-korean-troops-enter-kursk-where-ukrainians-are-fighting/

Radio Free Europe published an article last year citing some Russian contract soldiers and their families claiming that the state hadn’t honored payments or pardons promised in their contracts. A Reuters photo in the article was reminiscent of the Squid Games drama.
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-systema-investigation-contract-soldiers-pay-pardons-promises-broken/32676712.html

We shared some of our guest’s bylines with listeners in the show notes for the first
episode in this mini-series. Here is his latest essay about his life in Kharkiv for the online magazine Merion West.
https://merionwest.com/2024/11/27/at-home-in-the-war/

Credits:

Music: Adobe Stock

Photo: Dave Smith