Best World View The Foreign Affairs Podcast Podcasts (2024)

1
Does the Republican Party Have a Foreign-Policy Vision? 50:16

5h ago50:16

50:16

The Republican Party is clearly divided on Ukraine, as recent votes in Congress have underscored. But beyond that, is it more united on foreign policy than we imagine? A new book argues just that. Matthew Kroenig is an FP columnist and a co-author of We Win, They Lose: Republican Foreign Policy and the New Cold War. He joins FP Live to discuss what…

1
How The New American Aid Package for Ukraine Will Impact the War 26:22

1d ago26:22

26:22

American aid is on its way to Ukraine. This week, Congress passed a $95 billion foreign aid bill that includes about $60 billion for Ukraine. This aid had been stalled for months, mostly due to Republican intransigence in the House of Representatives. But now, the funding is being released, and according to my guest today, it will have a significan…

1
Can A United Nations Treaty to Curb Plastic Pollution Make it to the Finish Line? 25:56

5d ago25:56

25:56

Diplomats are gathering in Ottawa this week for the latest round of negotiations on a treaty to end plastic pollution. Back in 2022, 175 countries agreed to develop a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution by 2024. This meeting in Ottawa is the penultimate round of negotiations and a critical moment in the long effort to curb the environmen…

1
Israel Strikes Iran 28:01

7d ago28:01

28:01

Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel last weekend accelerated concerns of a widening Middle East crisis. Israel’s response on Friday was limited and appeared to heed calls for caution by Western allies. What does this mean for the conflict in Gaza as well as the region? Ravi Agrawal is joined by Iran expert Suzanne Maloney and Israeli journalist R…

1
Iran, Israel and A Perilous Moment in the Middle East 31:35

9d ago31:35

31:35

On April 1st, Israel launched airstrikes on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus, killing seven Iranian officials, including a very senior general. Iran responded with a massive drone attack on Israel, marking the first time that Iran directly attacked Israeli soil. All this is happening, of course, in the context of the conflict in Gaza. My …

101
Inside Narendra Modi’s India 42:43

9d ago42:43

42:43

Why is Narendra Modi so popular? As India begins voting this week, FP Live host Ravi Agrawal discusses his essay “The New Idea of India” with executive editor Amelia Lester. The two take subscriber questions on how India is changing under Modi and what New Delhi’s foreign policy will look like in the future. Suggested reading: Ravi Agrawal: The New…

1
Sudan's Most Horrible Year 27:11

12d ago27:11

27:11

On the one year anniversary of the outbreak of civil war, Sudan is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world today. On April 15, 2023, fighting spread from Khartoum to other parts of the country, including Darfur, where the conflict took on ugly ethnic dimensions, potentially leading to genocide. Over 8 million people have been displaced, and th…

1
The Crisis in Haiti 47:31

14d ago47:31

47:31

The largest security crisis in the Western Hemisphere—the ongoing violence in Haiti—is severely underreported. Tens of thousands of people are fleeing the capital. Aid organizations are warning of an impending famine. What should be done? FP Live host Ravi Agrawal is joined by Miami-based journalist Jacqueline Charles and Jake Johnson, the author o…

1
Can The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees Survive? 30:36

16d ago30:36

30:36

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, better known as UNRWA, was established in 1949 to support Palestinians displaced during the first Arab-Israeli war. Today, it provides services and humanitarian relief to nearly 6 million Palestinians in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and of course Gaza. There has always been some tension between I…

1
Turkey's Surprising Election Results Puts Erdogan on Notice 23:57

19d ago23:57

23:57

On March 31st, Turkey held local elections across 81 provinces. These elections took place less than a year after national elections cemented President Erdogan and his AK Party's hold on power, which he had been consolidating for nearly 20 years through democratic backsliding. But these elections were different -- very different. Erdogan's AKP suff…

1
The Return of Great Powers 44:48

21d ago44:48

44:48

CNN’s chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto sits down with FP Live to share insights from his new book, The Return of Great Powers. What does a growing alliance between Russia and China mean for U.S. influence abroad? How does this moment differ from past historical instances of great-power competition? And how could this all shift with…

1
Colombia's Largest and Richest Criminal Armed Group is Getting Stronger 26:30

23d ago26:30

26:30

The Gaitenistas, otherwise known as the Gulf Clan, are Colombia's largest and richest criminal armed group. They formed nearly 20 years ago but have gained considerable strength since Colombia's landmark 2016 peace agreement with the Leftist FARC guerrilla group. Today, The Gulf Clan controls much of Colombia's Atlantic coast and is a key player in…

1
How "Xi Thought" Shapes Chinese Foreign Policy 32:51

26d ago32:51

32:51

Xi Jinping has dramatically reshaped China since coming to power in 2012. He is now effectively a leader for life, and throughout his time in power, he has molded Chinese politics and society to his own ideological predilections. Understanding this ideology, known as "Xi Thought," is crucial for comprehending how China perceives its role in the wor…

1
The Geopolitics of English 23:50

30d ago23:50

23:50

Podcast guest Rosemary Salomone is the Kenneth Wang Professor of Law at St John's University School of Law and author of the book "The Rise of English: Global Politics and the Power of Language." The book takes readers around the world to show the political, social and cultural implications of English having been firmly established as the Lingua Fr…

1
Is the World Prepared for More Terrorism? 40:10

1M ago40:10

40:10

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the recent attack in Moscow that killed at least 139 people. It was the country’s deadliest terrorist attack in more than a decade. Why did the Islamic State choose Russia as a target? And what does this mean for terrorism globally? Counterterrorism analyst and regular FP contributor Colin P. Clarke shar…

1
What New Legislation to Ban Tik Tok Tells Us About US-China Relations Today 25:49

1M ago25:49

25:49

In Mid-March the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would effectively ban Tik Tok in the United States. Tik Tok's parent company, Byte Dance, is Chinese. This bill would force Byte Dance to sell Tik Tok to an American buyer or else the app would no longer be available in the United States. President Biden has said he’d …

1
Why Gender Equality Advocates Are Playing Defense at the UN Commission on the Status of Women 24:39

1M ago24:39

24:39

The Commission on the Status of Women concludes this week at the United Nations. CSW, as it is known, is one of the major annual events at UN headquarters, second only to the opening of the UN General Assembly in September. But unlike UNGA, it rarely gets much media attention, at least not the kind of attention commensurate for a diplomatic gatheri…

1
How the Campaign Trail Impacts Foreign Policy 43:11

1M ago43:11

43:11

Foreign policy is not typically a priority for the American voter. And yet, the outcome of the upcoming U.S. election will have an outsized impact on world affairs. How are allies and adversaries alike weighing the 2024 election? Former diplomat Richard Haass joins Ravi Agrawal to discuss. Richard Haass is president emeritus at the Council on Forei…

1
Why Haiti is Descending Deeper into Crisis 33:57

1M ago33:57

33:57

The security and humanitarian situation in Haiti has gone from bad to worse over the last several days. The country, ensnared in an enduring crisis following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, now faces a critical juncture as violence led by gang coalitions escalates and state authority wanes. Amid this chaos, Prime Minister Ariel H…

1
The View From the Middle East 43:56

1M ago43:56

43:56

Negotiators failed to reach a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war that would have paused hostilities before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. How does the rest of the Middle East view this breakdown in negotiations? For the United States in particular, how will this shape its standing in the region, and what does it mean for the conflict moving forw…

1
How to Limit the Threat of "Killer Robots" and Autonomous Weapons That Are Changing Warfare 25:01

1M ago25:01

25:01

Artificial Intelligence is changing warfare. Fully autonomous weapons that can make their own decisions about what to target or whom to kill are already in limited use today. But the pace of development of AI suggests that these so-called "Killer Robots" may become more and more common in future armed conflicts. Meanwhile, the speed at which new AI…

1
Why Confiscating Russian Assets is Key to Financing Ukraine's Reconstruction 28:22

2M ago28:22

28:22

Western countries have seized hundreds of billions of dollars of Russian assets following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. Since then, the question of what to do with those assets has loomed large over debates about Ukraine. Vladimir Milov is a Former Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation and now a Russian opposi…

1
Susan Glasser on Biden’s State of the Union 41:42

2M ago41:42

41:42

President Biden’s tenure has been marked by numerous foreign-policy flash points: the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the war in Ukraine, and the conflict in the Middle East. Public perception of how he has handled these challenges could have a direct effect on his chances for reelection—a factor he tried to influence in his annual State of the U…

1
The Untold Story of a CIA Plot to Kill Congo's First Elected Leader, Patrice Lumumba 30:20

2M ago30:20

30:20

Stuart Reid is the executive editor of Foreign Affairs and author of the new book "The Lumumba Plot: The Secret History of the CIA and a Cold War Assassination." The book tells the story of Congo's liberation from Belgium in the 1950s and 60s and the rise to prominence of Patrice Lumumba, Congo's charismatic independence leader. Believing Lumumba t…

1
From Afghanistan to Ukraine to Gaza: Politico's Alexander Ward on How Biden's Foreign Policy Evolved 27:55

2M ago27:55

27:55

Alexander Ward ia national security reporter for POLITICO and author of the book "The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy After Trump." We discuss the implications of Mitch McConnell stepping down as the leader of the Senate Republicans and delve into the key themes and insights from Ward's important new book. We explore…

1
Is America Becoming Isolationist? 46:48

2M ago46:48

46:48

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ annual survey of American voters shows that for the first time in nearly 50 years, a majority of Republicans prefer an isolationist approach to foreign policy. Before the Trump presidency, the Republican Party was more likely to support an active U.S. presence in the world. Former U.S. ambassador to NATO and t…

1
Are We Facing a Global Development "Traffic Jam?" 30:39

2M ago30:39

30:39

There is a global development pileup on the horizon. In 2024 and 2025, about a dozen funding pools that support global development and global health are due for replenishment. These replenishments are essentially fundraisers for entities like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization…

1
Why Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Are Leaving ECOWAS 28:25

2M ago28:25

28:25

On January 28th, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger jointly announced they were leaving the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS. This is a regional economic and political union of most countries in West africa. Citizens enjoy free movement across borders of ECOWAS member states and many of its members share the same currency. ECOWAS also se…

1
Anders Fogh Rasmussen on a Grim Anniversary for Ukraine 41:24

2M ago41:24

41:24

Feb. 24 marks two years since Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine. The conflict has changed the face of Europe and set off a protracted war that has had ramifications reaching far beyond its borders. Could Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strategy of waiting out the West prove successful, or can Western leaders rally to continue supporting a drawn…

1
Two Years On, The Ukraine War is at a Turning Point 23:21

2M ago23:21

23:21

Last week, the United States Senate passed a foreign aid bill that included about $60 billion for Ukraine's defense. The vote was overwhelmingly bi-partisan, but the ultimate fate of continued American aid for Ukraine now depends on action in the House of Representatives, where the outcome is unknown. Mounting uncertainty around America's commitmen…

1
What Indonesia's Election Results Mean for Foreign Policy 28:57

2M ago28:57

28:57

Indonesia is the third largest democracy in the world, and on February 14th national elections were held including to replace the extremely popular outgoing president Joko Widodo. The current defense minister Prabowo Subianto won those elections and will be Indonesia's next president. He's a controversial figure who has been credibly accused of hum…

1
Gita Gopinath on the Global Economy 42:52

2M ago42:52

42:52

Economics is sometimes called the “dismal science.” But the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has a surprisingly positive outlook for the U.S. economy—even if public sentiment hasn’t yet caught up. Host Ravi Agrawal discusses the state of the global economy with Gita Gopinath, the IMF’s first deputy managing director. The two begin with Gopinath’s …

1
2024 is a Key Year for Democracy in Africa 27:22

2M ago27:22

27:22

2024 is an important year for African democracy. At least 19 national elections scheduled to take place this year. Not all of these elections will be free or fair-- let alone competetive. Some of these elections will serve to ensconce leaders for life like Rwanda's Paul Kagame. Others may serve to consolidate power following a coup. But genuine mul…

1
The View From Iran 25:36

2M ago25:36

25:36

To understand any country's foreign policy you need to understand domestic political dynamics. So what is driving Iranian decision making right now? Negar Mortazavi is a journalist, host of the Iran Podcast and senior fellow at the Center for International Policy. I reached out to her for this interview because it seems that lost in much commentary…

1
‘We Do Not Have an Iran Plan’ 48:46

3M ago48:46

48:46

James Stavridis, a former NATO supreme allied commander and retired four-star admiral, sits down with Ravi Agrawal to share his insight on how Washington is navigating conflicts across two continents. Suggested reading: Thomas L. Friedman: A Biden Doctrine for the Middle East Is Forming. And It’s Big. Keith Johnson: The Houthis’ Next Target May Be …

1
A Milestone in the Fight Against Malaria 22:25

3M ago22:25

22:25

On January 25th, a milestone was reached in humanity's long fight against Malaria. For the first time ever, a Malaria vaccine was included in a country's routine childhood vaccinations program. Cameroon rolled out a new Malaria vaccine for children and other countries will soon follow. This comes after years of successful trials in Kenya, Ghana and…

1
Is Kim Jong Un Readying for War With South Korea? 26:45

3M ago26:45

26:45

On January 15, Kim Jong Un formally declared South Korea to be an enemy state. This is significant for the fact that since the end of the Korean War, the line from Pyongyang was more or less that South Korea was like a wayward relative and would ultimately be reunified with the North. But now, according to Kim and changes he's enacting to the North…

1
What Is Tehran Thinking? 47:57

3M ago47:57

47:57

A drone strike by an Iran-backed militant group, which resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members, threatens to push the Middle East into a wider regional conflict. Iran has distanced itself from the attack, while President Biden has said that the U.S. will respond. Middle East experts Vali Nasr and Sanam Vakil join Ravi Agrawal to discus…

1
The Promise and Potential of The UN's Summit of the Future 31:14

3M ago31:14

31:14

The United Nations is hosting the Summit of the Future in September during the annual opening the UN General Assembly. If all goes according to plan, world leaders will endorse a so-called "Pact for the Future" that will serve as a vehicle for enacting meaningful reforms to the United Nations. In late January, negotiations began in earnest over wha…

1
A ‘Red Line’ for Biden? 47:56

3M ago47:56

47:56

Geopolitical analyst Ian Bremmer joins Ravi Agrawal to forecast the world ahead in 2024. From expanding conflict in the Middle East and a potentially partitioned Ukraine to a more optimistic take on the rise of artificial intelligence, listen in to hear his predictions. Suggested reading: Jack Detsch: 3 Options for How Biden Could Respond to Iran J…

1
Can a Famine Be Averted in Gaza? 28:27

3M ago28:27

28:27

The UN has not declared a famine in gaza--not yet at least. But the World Food Program has said there are "pockets of famine" in Gaza. In December, the UN released its most comprehensive assessment of food security in Gaza and estimated that over half a million people are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity inside Gaza. For comparison's s…

1
How America is Viewing Taiwan’s Election 37:52

3M ago37:52

37:52

Taiwan’s recent election resulted in the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party retaining power, prompting China-watchers to wonder how Beijing might respond. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the ranking Democrat on the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, shares his insights with host Ravi Agrawal. Suggested reading: Hal Brands a…

1
The Geopolitics of Fish 24:38

3M ago24:38

24:38

Climate change is impacting the migratory patterns of fish around the world. And in some cases, the changing location of fish stocks is heightening the risk of armed conflict. My guest today, Johan Bergenas, is Senior Vice President for Oceans at the World Wildlife Fund. Late last year, the World Wildlife Fund launched a platform called Oceans Futu…

1
A New Crisis Between Iran and Pakistan 27:23

3M ago27:23

27:23

On Tuesday January 16th, Iran launched airstrikes in Pakistan targeting a terrorist group it claimed carried out attacks in Iran. Two days later, Pakistan responded with its own strikes in Iranian territory, targeting a separatist group that has carried out attacks against Pakistan. These attacks were notable for both their scale--these were major …

1
FP at Davos: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis 37:17

3M ago37:17

37:17

Host Ravi Agrawal sits down with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for a special one-on-one conversation at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Suggested reading: The Economist’s Country of the Year for 2023 Elisabeth Braw: In the Red Sea, the Royal Navy Is BackBy Foreign Policy

1
FP at Davos: The Year the World Votes 48:37

3M ago48:37

48:37

The rise of artificial intelligence, and its potential risk to the democratic process, is top of mind in a year of record elections. From mis- and disinformation to deepfake videos, this emerging technology could dramatically shape election outcomes. How should policymakers and tech companies work together to combat this threat? Host Ravi Agrawal m…

1
Taiwan's Elections and the Future of Relations With China 22:35

3M ago22:35

22:35

Taiwan held elections for President and the Legislature on January 13. These elections were highly anticipated for the fact that the leading candidates have differing views on how to manage Taiwan's relationship with China. The current vice President, Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party won the elections and is considered to be more pr…

1
Israel-Hamas War: 100 Days Later 1:06:02

3M ago1:06:02

1:06:02

Jan. 15 marks 100 days since the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people. Israel then retaliated by launching a ground invasion of Gaza. More than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, and numerous others face a dire humanitarian crisis. After months of conflict and mounting international pressure, Israel announc…

1
Why Airstrikes in Yemen Won't Stop Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea 27:21

3M ago27:21

27:21

Since mid-November, the de-facto authorities in most of Yemen, the Houthis, have launched dozens of attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis say they are doing this in response to Israel's war in Gaza and these attacks have severely disrupted a key global shipping lane. The United States and the United Kingdom have launched missile s…

1
10 Conflicts to Watch in 2024 46:52

4M ago46:52

46:52

With wars in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, the world begins the new year on high alert. Comfort Ero, the president of the International Crisis Group, joins Ravi Agrawal to share her analysis of the state of the world, building on her annual essay in Foreign Policy. Suggested reading: Comfort Ero and Richard Atwood: 10 Conflicts to Watch in 2…

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