The rules-based international order is under unprecedented stress. From escalating hostilities in the Middle East to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the global balance of power is shifting. But are we simply heading toward intensified great power competition, or toward something else entirely?

We’re joined by Ionela Maria Ciolan, Research Officer in Foreign Policy, Security and Defence at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, to unpack the rise of transactional geopolitics, the decline of multilateralism, and the blurred lines between competition and cooperation.

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Can Democracy survive the 21st Century

(00:00) - Introduction 

(03:48) - Great power competition today

(20:41) - The Axis of Upheaval 

(36:30) - The Fractured West – Strategic Drift and the Future of NATO

As journalism faces mounting challenges, from political pressure and economic constraints to the rise of social media and public distrust, we explore its future and its role in global affairs. Joining us are John Holland , a veteran journalist who reported for CBS News and CNBC, and Andreas Grassl, a prominent digital creator reporting on international politics. Together, we reflect on the evolution of journalism and what it will take to safeguard truth in a rapidly changing media landscape.

Explore John Holland’s work in public speaking and media consulting and make sure to follow Andreas Grassl on your favourite social media platform.

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-Can democracy survive the 21st Century?

-Grassl & Matei (Politics and IR in German)

(00:00) - Introduction

(04:15) - A brief history of contemporary journalism

(16:05) - The rise of digital media & its dangers

(50:38) - The future of quality journalism

🇨🇳🇹🇼 China has recently increased its military drills to test its ability to "seize power" in Taiwan.

These actions come shortly after Lai Ching-Te was sworn in as Taiwan's new president. Chinese officials stated that the drills were a direct response to Lai's inauguration, as they perceive him as a dangerous separatist.

In this episode we talk with Marie Mortas to discuss the future of Beijing-Taipei relations. Could a war break out? How could this change the world?

Recommended episodes:

• China's Long Game

• The South China Sea Dispute

• Russia - China: An Axis to Rule the World

🇮🇳 India is hosting the world's largest election, with over 968 million registered voters set to decide the nation's future. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP seek a third consecutive term, we talk with Sheetal Joshi to discuss India's political landscape, Modi's leadership, and the country's strategic progress on the global stage.

Recommended episodes

• India's Geopolitical Maneuvering⁠

🇹🇷 🇬🇷 Amidst the waves of the Eastern Mediterranean, tensions surge between NATO allies, Greece and Türkiye. In this episode, we talk with Joanna Nestorides about their struggle to control these waters.

Why are the two countries at odds with each other? Why do they fail to resolve their tensions? What are the future prospects of the Greek-Turkish relationship?

Latin America has seen major upheavals recently, from the emergence of figures like Milei in Argentina to turmoil in Ecuador, from democratic challenges in Guatemala to the erosion of checks and balances in El Salvador. 

In this episode, we discuss these key events and trends with Michael Shifter, former president of the Inter-American Dialogue, providing valuable insights into the region's political landscape.

Recommended episodes:

• Peru in turmoil
• Bukele in El Salvador (ESP)
• Ecuador: Descent into Chaos (ESP)

🇪🇺 At first glance, Brussels may not seem as significant as cities such as Paris, Berlin, or London. However, it stands as arguably the most influential capital in Europe.

What is it like to live in Brussels? Who are its most powerful actors? And what is the future of the city? Discover the answers to these questions and more in our latest episode.

Recommended Episodes:

• 2024: The year the world voted
• ⁠Russia-China Axis⁠
• Hungary vs. Brussels (Spanish)

In the first episode of Season 3, we welcome Valeria de la Fuente as our new host to analyse the seismic shifts that will unfold globally in this unprecedented “election year“.

More than 3.5 billion people are set to vote in 2024! We discuss how super powers try to use these events to shape international politics in their favour. Furthermore, we look at generative AI and explore the risks as well as the opportunities of new technologies.

Recommended episodes:

• Global Surveillance and Digital Privacy
• The Future of Information Warfare

At the beginning of the year, we asked for our listeners’ help to predict the potential winners, losers, and disruptors for the upcoming year. Now, as 2023 draws to a close, we go back to those predictions, assessing their accuracy and using them as a lens to analyse the unfolding dynamics of international politics throughout the year.

Moreover, we also offer a glimpse into the future with a couple of predictions for what may transpire in 2024.

Thank you, Warriors, for your unwavering support throughout 2023. With this episode, we bring Season 2 of WD English to a close. We are looking forward for some exciting prospects that lie ahead in the next season!

🇨🇳 🇷🇺 In recent decades, the US-led liberal order has been challenged by rising powers. In this episode, we delve into the deepening relationship between China and Russia, and their “no limits” partnership, announced just before the invasion of Ukraine. Tune in for a conversation with Oleskii, Warrior Diplomacy’s correspondent in Ukraine, about the strengths and weaknesses of the so-called “Beijing-Moscow Axis” and its ramifications for global geopolitics. Do you like our content? Follow us on: IG, X, Linkedin

Since the Second World War, global powers have been fighting over the so-called “information space“, aiming to establish their realities as common facts. Due to the rise of social media, this battle has reached another level with potential consequences beyond our imagination. 

In this episode, we engage in a discussion about “Information Operations” with Carl Miller, an award-winning book author as well as the co-founder & Research Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media, the UK‘s first think tank dedicated to this field.

Carl's book and socials

• The Death of the Gods
• LinkedIn
• Twitter/X

Follow WD on Social Media

• Instagram
• Twitter/X
• LinkedIn

Will Iran be able to develop nuclear weapons? How can the international community prevent it? Why would the Iranian elite pursue nuclear weapon capabilities in the first place?

Tune in to the latest episode of Warrior Diplomacy, where we talk with Tanja Maier to discuss about her experience with the organisation of the talks to revive the Nuclear Deal and many other issues regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions.

In an age of rising autocrats and weakened institutions, democracy faces its toughest test yet. In this episode, we speak with Luis V. Villaherrera, founder of TRACODA, an organisation dedicated to transparency, democracy, and the rule of law to explore what happens when institutions bend and leaders break the rules.

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-The future of information warfare

-The great global democratic fatigue (spanish)

(00:00) - Introduction

(04:05) - Democratic erosion: from El Salvador to Turkey

(22:15) - Digital Dictatorships: Technology as a double-edged sword

The "father of the atomic bomb" & theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer's changed his stance on nuclear weapons when he became aware of their catastrophic impacts subsequent to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of WW2.

How close are we to another nuclear attack? What actions are taken to prevent such scenario? And what about the growing nuclear arsenal of China? Tune in to our latest episode featuring ⁠Vanda Prošková, distinguished as one of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs' #Leaders4Tomorrow and a fervent advocate for Nuclear Disarmament.

In this episode, we delve into the intricate issue of China's territorial claims in the region and the ongoing disputes with neighboring countries.

Joining us as a guest for this episode is Syasya Roslan, a Policy and Communications Consultant who tunes in from Malaysia, offering us a valuable local perspective on this complex geopolitical matter.

Wagner's rebellion serves as an example of the emerging vulnerabilities within Putin's regime. In this episode, we are joined by Ivan Kliuchnikov, an exiled Russian political scientist, to analyse the mutiny's repercussions and the situation of those who oppose Putin and his unrelenting pursuit of an unjustifiable war.

Basic liberties that many have taken for granted are becoming contested issues again, as the foundations of a liberal world are shaken by a global surge of right-wing culture wars. In this episode, we speak with Yannick Shetty, MP of the Austrian Parliament and LGBTIQ spokesperson, to discuss the rise of the Far Right in Europe, Latin America, the US, Africa & beyond and its impact on civil rights and freedoms.

If you like Warrior Diplomacy, do not forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

For more content about U.S. politics, do not hesitate to listen to the America Explained Podcast

Due to the takeover of the Taliban, millions of people in Afghanistan are living in extreme poverty, women have lost their basic freedoms and terrorist groups are increasingly gaining power.

In our latest episode, we ask: Was intervening in Afghanistan and removing the Taliban from power an ill-fated decision? Why did the US-led intervention fail? and what are the lessons learned for the future? Check out our latest episode of Keeping up with the Warriors to learn more.

Due to its colonial legacy & resources, West Africa has always been a contested region among super powers. In recent years, tensions have risen as China and Russia seek to increase their influence at the expanse of France and other Western powers. Our latest episode, with the help of ⁠Tonny, we try to shed a light on these developments and delve into the recent elections in Nigeria as well as the country's dominant role in West African politics

On International Women’s Day, we would like to amplify the voices of the courageous activists fighting against the oppressive rule of the Taliban. In our latest episode, Husna Jalal, an Afghan women’s right activist living in exile, tells us about her experiences and helps us to understand the dire situation that many women face in her country. Don't hesitate to check out Husna's Association or her Instagram for more information.

How can you help women in Afghanistan? 

1. Support the international campaigns for women’s right and education online.  

2. Take part in protests. 

 3. Pressurize your governments and politicians to take immediate actions.

 4. Pressurize the civil society organizations in your countries to not stop the aid. 

5. Facilitate online classes for Afghan women. 

The protests against the Iranian regime are protagonists in the international arena. However, do we really understand how hundreds of thousands of Iranian women must feel in such a repressive system? In this episode Fabio talks to Mahta, an Iranian woman who tells us about her experience with the moral police and the restrictions that women face in Iran.

In this episode, Aramis, Tania and Fabio nominate different global leaders, countries, and other international actors for categories such as

• Winner of the year
• Loser of the Year
• Disruptor of the year

And many more...

Warrior Diplomacy listeners will vote for their favourite nomination for each category, and at the end of 2023 we will review the results.

How has the war in Ukraine affected the geopolitical panorama? Has Macron been the face that the EU, so desperately needed in a Post-Merkel era? How has the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan been doing? In our last english episode of the year we discuss the main events of the international politics of 2022.

🇵🇰 With 240 million inhabitants, 1 million troops and nuclear weapons, Pakistan is a geopolitical heavyweight. Yet, its fate is rarely a prominent topic in international media. But beneath the surface lies a nation shaping the future of South Asia - and beyond.

In this episode, we talk with Calvin Nixon, to unpack Pakistan’s foreign policy, its role in South Asia, and the key dynamics shaping its future.

Recommendations

• ​Modi’s India
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• ​Geopolitical Outlook 2025

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:26) - Historical context & Pakistan’s domestic politics

(17:01) - Pakistan’s role in the great power competition: West vs East

(26:52) - Road ahead & conclusions

In Warrior Diplomacy’s new segment: “Keeping up with the Warriors” we talk about International Politics, Economics and Society in a more free and open way. In the first “Keeping” in English, Aramis and Fabio start talking about their first involvement with IR and then the conversation shifts towards International Maritime Law and China’s expansionism in the South China Sea.

Let us know what you think about this new segment. Also, do not forget follow then new Instagram page exclusive for English content.

The spotlight is back again on digital platforms after Musk's acquisition of Twitter. However, in these past years we have seen how social media, digital surveillance and data protection are continuously on the headlines.

In this episode, Aramis, Tania and Fabio discuss about the different angles of the digital realm and its effect on policy, economy and society. In the second block we go deeper into the topics with help from Arnika Zinke, a digital policy advisor in the European Parliament.

We don't know for how long Twitter will remain afloat, but you can still follow us in the platform!

Make sure to follow our new Spotify and Instagram channels dedicated only to English content. Finally, you can also visit our website for more information on the Podcast.

Warrior Diplomacy English is back. Aramis, Chris and Fabio, alongside our new host: Tania, introduce the new dynamics and features of this second season and talk about the most pressing issues in today's international agenda, such as: The Brazil elections, nuclear tensions in Ukraine and the new governments in Europe.

Make sure to follow our new Spotify and Instagram channels dedicated only to English content.

Visit our website for more information on the Podcast.

In “Warrior Diplomacy English” Season one Finale we talk about a key player in Middle East geopolitics and global oil markets: Saudi Arabia, and its special relationship with the U.S.

Along Chris, Aramis, and Fabio, Sergio Vallejo (the cohost of the Spanish version of the podcast) takes us through a historical journey of the region and why Saudi Arabia is an important player in global politics.

Make sure to listen all the way to the the third block for a special cameo of our one and only Nicolás Pan-Montojo.

India finds itself at the intersection of traditional geopolitical challenges and emerging regional and global trends such as the rise of China, the reassertion of Russia, the reordering of US global priorities, and the breakdown of the post-Cold War global political order which have opened up unprecedented challenges and opportunities.

In this India Focused Episode, Sheetal S. Joshi,our episode’s guest, helps us to touch on several topics of prime importance to understand the dynamics in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.

In a conference, former U.S. State Secretary, Kissinger claimed that Ukraine should cede territory to make peace with Russia and become a neutral buffer state instead of a European frontier. In our latest episode our hosts and Oleksii Otkydach, direct from Ukraine, debate about Kissinger’s statements and many other elements of this current conflict.

Do you know how is the international community fighting against illegal movements of money from one country to another?

In our last episode in English our hosts talk with Daniel Gonzales about his experience in the United Nations working with topics of financial accountability and transparency. Listen to this episode if you are interested on finding out a bit about tax heavens, cryptocurrencies and many other elements of Illicit Financial Flows.

COVID-19 has shown us the necessity of concrete global health governance, but has the world learned the right lessons from the pandemic? In our latest episode in English, our guest Joséphine Mosset helps us to have a better grasp on the efforts to improve Global Health initiatives and the implications for the international system

Bearing in mind the harsh consequences, many experts said it was unthinkable that Russia will ever launch a full-scale invasion into Ukraine. Putin decided to ignore the warnings, cross red lines & go forward nevertheless

But what‘s next? Will Putin continue to disrupt the world order? Does he plan to invade even more countries? And what are the implications of this invasion for the Russian state, might this be the beginning of Putins downfall?

In our latest episode, with the help of our guest Oleg Lukin, we will provide you with answers to those questions & much more

In this episode, we dive into the events, challenges, and evolving geopolitical trends that will define 2025. From forecasting winners and losers to spotlighting key countries, elections, and conflicts to watch for.

Don’t miss out—join the conversation on Instagram stories to share your predictions and cast your votes!

Recommendations:

• The Coming Climate Change Wars
• The South China Sea Dispute
• The Struggle for Power in the Middle East

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:33) - Winner, Loser & Disruptor of the year

(35:53) - Elections, Countries & Conflicts to watch for

What lies ahead for the Middle East? Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel are set to play decisive roles in shaping the region’s destiny. In this episode, we explore the shifting power dynamics among these key players.

Joining us is Alissa Pavia, Associate Director at the Atlantic Council, to explore Israel’s recent campaigns, the Saudi-Iranian rivalry, and the broader implications of Syria’s evolving landscape for the future of the Middle East.

We recommend: 

• ​WD: Iran’s nuclear ambitions
• ​WD: The shifting sands of Saudi Arabia

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:14) -  Israel and the ongoing hostilities

(08:51) - Saudi Arabia - Iran rivalry

(16:44) -  The fall of Assad in Syria

🇺🇸 With the U.S. presidential election just a few days away, the world is on edge. In this episode, we explore the stark contrasts between Donald Trump's and Kamala Harris's foreign policy visions and their potential impacts on global events.

Joining us is Dr. Andrew Gawthorpe, Lecturer at Leiden University and host of "America Explained", who will help us unpack how each candidate’s approach could shape America's role in the world. 

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:16) - Road to the Elections

(17:50) - Harris' & Trump's foreign policy visions

(33:37) - The US role in today’s global conflicts

Recommendations

• America Explained newsletter / podcast
• WD: The year the world voted
• WD: Liberal order under siege

⚡️🌍 Which energy sources will power the the lives and economies of the future? Can renewables replace fossil fuels across the world? Join us in our latest episode to explore these questions as we unpack the evolving landscape of global energy & the power struggles it ignites.

(00:00) - Introduction

(08:47) - How to decarbonise our energy systems?

(14:03) - Geopolitical Dimension

(29:02) - Conclusions

⁠Recommendations⁠

• Oppenheimer's Nuclear Legacy

Can climate change lead to more armed conflicts in the coming years? In this episode, we explore past, current, and potential conflicts where climate change has played a major role. Join us as we delve into the ways climate change influences geopolitical tensions and what this means for the future of global security.

Chapters

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:57) - The melting of the Arctic

(10:43) - Water-related conflicts

(21:15) - Loss of arable land

Recommendations

Russia and China: An axis to rule the world?

In this episode, we delve into the pivotal elections and political shifts that are shaping global dynamics in 2024. Join us as we explore significant developments in Mexico, India, the EU, and beyond.

Recommendations

• 2024, The year the world voted, part I
• Latin America's Political Guide
• Modi's India