If authoritarians seek to dictate the global agenda while liberal democracies at least partly resist, could this lead to conflicts or even wars? This was one of my questions for Alexander Cooley, Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University, and Alexander Dukalskis, Associate Professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin. Their new book, Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics, examines how authoritarian powers have grown more confident and assertive in challenging liberal norms. In our conversation – with Professor Cooley speaking first – we discuss what triggered this authoritarian resurgence, why today’s autocrats are no longer ashamed of their systems, and what role the West itself played in enabling this global shift. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Some people welcome the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, yet criticize the same procedure when applied to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What does Hugo Slim – Director of the Las Casas Institute for Social Justice and Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University, who studies ethics, war, and humanitarian aid in international relations – think about this? We discussed both Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the war in Gaza. The interview was conducted as part of the Ambrela Development Forum, organized in Bratislava by the Platform for Development Organizations – Ambrela. So, do the ICC warrants for Putin and Netanyahu still matter? Listen to our conversation.
When President Emmanuel Macron dissolved parliament in June 2024, he gambled that new elections might restore his control or expose the far right as unfit to govern. Instead, France has been stuck in a political stalemate – no clear majority, a restless opposition, and a public growing weary of the political chaos. To help us make sense of it all, I’m joined by Georgina Wright, Special Adviser to the President and Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund. We discuss why being Prime Minister might be the hardest job in France today, what this crisis means for Macron’s presidency and his legacy, whether Marine Le Pen's presidency is more or less inevitable, and how the instability in Paris could reshape Europe’s political landscape – from investor confidence to support for Ukraine. So, can anyone govern France, or will the political instability continue? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Does American President Donald Trump really see the Russian war against Ukraine at least partly differently compared to, for example, six months ago, when he was still regularly berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy? This was my question for a military analyst, Franz-Stefan Gady. His response? "I think the major mistake that we are making in Europe is constantly trying to assess what Trump is thinking about this or that. What we need to do is to get a clear understanding of what Ukraine really means for us," Franz said to me. Does he think that the US will provide Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine? How does he see the situation on the battlefield? And why does he say that Trump wants to hand over the war to the Europeans? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Who is Andrej Babiš? Who is the real Babiš? The best kind of handle we can get on this is what he said early on about how he wants to run the country like a firm. Clearly, he wants centralized power. He doesn’t like checks and balances. That’s how Seán Hanley, Associate Professor in Comparative Central and East European Politics at University College London, put it in our conversation. The elections in Czechia will be held on October 3rd and 4th, and Babiš’s ANO will probably get over 30 percent of the votes. Will the populist billionaire of Slovak origin become Prime Minister again? And will he, by cooperating with smaller radical parties, steer Czechia onto a path similar to Slovakia’s? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Is it accurate to describe the upcoming elections in Moldova, scheduled for September 28, as a duel between the pro-EU and pro-Russian camps? Has Russia been at least partly successful in influencing a significant number of Moldovan voters? And what might happen if pro-Russian forces win? I discuss these questions, and more, with Denis Cenusa, an Associate Expert at the Center for Geopolitics and Security Studies in Vilnius. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Are Russia, China, and Donald Trump's America global disruptors, and what can the EU do about it? And how to live in a world full of anxiety where drones fly over our heads, we feel economic pressure, and the wars are nearby. Join me as I speak with Paweł Świeboda, Senior Visiting Fellow and Co-Director of the Brussels Economic Security Forum at the European Policy Centre. He was Deputy Head and Head of Research of the European Political Strategy Centre at the European Commission. He is a member of the European Commission’s Expert Group on the Economic and Societal Impact of Research and Innovation. Our interview took place at the Europe Future Forum in Warsaw. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
What does MAGA propaganda represent in American politics? And what does Superman represent? To unpack these political symbols, I speak with Nicholas Cull, Professor of Communication at the University of Southern California, a pioneer scholar and educator in the field of public diplomacy and a historian of the role of mass communication in foreign policy. Does he believe that President Donald Trump acts like a wannabe dictator and has weakened America’s position on the global stage? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Washington has sent warships, submarines, and thousands of Marines into the Caribbean, raising questions about America’s intentions toward Venezuela. The Trump administration says it is targeting narco-terrorists linked to Nicolás Maduro’s regime – but how accurate is that picture, and what does it mean for regional stability and security? There was already an attack on an alleged drug trafficker's boat that killed 11 people. The State Secretary, Marco Rubio, explained that the strike was ordered personally by President Donald Trump. And while it would have been possible to stop the boat, the decision was made to destroy it, which raises questions about the legality of such an attack. To unpack the situation, I speak with Wilder Alejandro Sánchez, president of Second Floor Strategies in Washington, D.C., and an analyst specializing in defense, security, and geopolitics across the Americas and beyond. How likely is direct US military action against Venezuela? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
In this episode of my podcast, The Global Agora, Niklas Harring, Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, discusses the complex relationship between public concern over climate change and actual support for climate policies. While surveys consistently show that Europeans overwhelmingly view climate change as a serious threat and support ambitious climate goals, there remains a striking gap between this concern and acceptance of concrete measures such as carbon pricing or the removal of fossil fuel subsidies. Harring explains why fairness perceptions and political leadership are key to bridging this gap, how public experiences of climate impacts shape attitudes, and why hope and effective communication are essential for sustaining climate action in democratic societies. And what does he think about Greta Thunberg, and about the effect of the Donald Trump administration's actions on fighting climate change? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
A very different kind of meeting took place between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. It was a stark contrast to their previous encounter at the end of February, which many described as an ambush. What has changed in the past six months on both the Ukrainian and American sides? And what do these changes mean for the future of the Russian war, peace negotiations, and the security of Europe? I discussed these and other questions with Julia Kazdobina, the head of the Ukrainian Foundation for Security Studies. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Vanda Felbab-Brown is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and we discuss how the fentanyl crisis has become the most lethal drug epidemic in United States history. She examines the factors contributing to it, including the high potency of synthetic opioids and the role of criminal organizations in their distribution. Vanda also offers her insights into a recent decline in fentanyl-related deaths in the US and shares her concerns about the potential for a similar crisis to take hold elsewhere. So, does she see any signs that Europe could face a fentanyl epidemic similar to that in North America? Listen to our conversations. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
When President Donald Trump says jump, every Republican asks: How high? But is he weaker than he appears? Trump plays the hegemon, and many are afraid of him, from his party to the media, law firms, and universities. But at one moment, he will be a lame duck, and he is old. I discussed the current state of the GOP and the Democratic Party with Steven Greene, a Professor of Political Science at North Carolina State University. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Is there a real risk of coordinated aggression by China and Russia that could lead to simultaneous attacks on Taiwan and NATO countries? Both the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte have mentioned this scenario. So, should we be seriously worried about something that could resemble a global war? I spoke with Mick Ryan, a military strategist and retired Australian Army Major General, to find out. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Is everything a distraction from the Epstein files? But when Donald Trump accuses Barack Obama of treason, what's next? Can the current US President try to arrest and prosecute his predecessor? And how would America and its institutions react to it? "At this point, we can't rule anything out," Professor of Public Policy at the University of Michigan Donald Moynihan told me. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
The Norwegian newspaper The Barents Observer is taking the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office to court for declaring the media outlet a so-called undesirable organization. "I think that the Russian authorities are very, very afraid of independent media. We publish in Russian, so we do have an audience inside the country," said Barents Observer publisher Atle Staalesen to me. I met him in 2014 when I visited Kirkenes, the Norwegian town on the border with Russia. We talked about how The Barents Observer stands up to pressure from Russian officials – and also about how concerned Norway is about a potential Russian attack. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Phillips P. O'Brien is the Head of the School of International Relations and Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews. Does he think that what we're seeing from the Trump administration could amount to a kind of deliberate strategy – to restrict funding and weapons for Ukraine, in the belief that Kyiv will interpret this as a signal that it must eventually capitulate? How effective is Donald Trump in helping Vladimir Putin? And why is Professor O'Brien also highly critical of European leaders? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Vladimir Putin recently announced that Russia plans to cut military spending starting next year. This statement came after the Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov, warned that the country’s economy is teetering on the brink of recession. Yet Putin also declared: Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that’s ours. So, regardless of his words about the economy, is he preparing for a forever war? And can his regime survive without war? I discussed this – and much more – with Volodymyr Dubovyk, an Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at Odesa I. Mechnikov National University. Listen to our conversation? And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
Cas Mudde is a Dutch political scientist – or, as he prefers to call himself, a politicologist – one of the foremost scholars on the far right in Western democracies and a professor at the University of Georgia. After a few phone discussions, I finally met him in person at the GLOBSEC conference in Prague. We talked about Donald Trump's America, why he is optimistic about US democracy, though not really that optimistic, and also about what, if anything, politicians like Viktor Orbán, Robert Fico, Jarosław Kaczyński, and Andrej Babiš can actually change. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
The NATO summit takes place on June 24-25 in The Hague. How should the North Atlantic Treaty Organization deal with American President Donald Trump? Can NATO work in a mode of pleasing and not provoking him? How should the Alliance spend 5 percent of GDP on defense? And what to do with Russia? At the GLOBSEC conference in Prague, I spoke with Ben Hodges, a former commanding general, United States Army Europe. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
