World Focus from Brussels

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World Focus from Brussels

Sveinn Helgason

44 episodes

7 months ago

Today 29 March, is the fourth anniversary of World Focus from Brussels. Looking back the world has changed dramatically since the first episode went on line 29 March 2021. However, one thing has not changed. The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is still in power and has only tightened his grip, brutally repressing Belarusians and holding elections that are neither free or fair. Those who are fighting for democracy in Belarus are either in prison or in exile. One of the exiled is Vita...

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News Commentary

All content for World Focus from Brussels is the property of Sveinn Helgason and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Today 29 March, is the fourth anniversary of World Focus from Brussels. Looking back the world has changed dramatically since the first episode went on line 29 March 2021. However, one thing has not changed. The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is still in power and has only tightened his grip, brutally repressing Belarusians and holding elections that are neither free or fair. Those who are fighting for democracy in Belarus are either in prison or in exile. One of the exiled is Vita...

Show more...

News Commentary

Episodes (20/44)

World Focus from Brussels

Fighting for Freedom in Belarus - An interview with Vitaliy Molchanov

Today 29 March, is the fourth anniversary of World Focus from Brussels. Looking back the world has changed dramatically since the first episode went on line 29 March 2021. However, one thing has not changed. The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is still in power and has only tightened his grip, brutally repressing Belarusians and holding elections that are neither free or fair. Those who are fighting for democracy in Belarus are either in prison or in exile. One of the exiled is Vita...

7 months ago

25 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

European Unity on Defence - Crucial Challenges and Political Will - An interview with Rainer Wenning

Leaders of the European Union meet in Brussels on 20 March to discuss security and defence, following the introduction of a White Paper on European Defence - Readiness 2030. Many allied military leaders are also meeting today in Northwood HQ in the UK. In Germany the incoming new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz is wasting no time to implement his plans on boosting defence. In this episode I interview Rainer Wenning, a Lt. Colonel in the reserves of the Germany military, Bundeswehr. He has a long e...

7 months ago

33 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Greenland Votes in the Global Spotlight – An Interview with Vilborg Ása Guðjónsdóttir

Greenlanders voted for a parliament on 11 March. This tiny nation living on the largest island in the world has been pushed into the global spotlight following Donald Trump's repeated comments that he wants to make the country a part of the United States. Greenland was a colony of Denmark for 300 years, currently has self-rule but is still part of the Kingdom of Denmark. In this episode I interview Vilborg Ása Guðjónsdóttir, an Icelandic expert in international affairs who was in Greenl...

8 months ago

25 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Deadly Drone War in Ukraine - An interview with Ole Kværnø Director of Danish Drone Centre

Drones have become increasingly important on the battlefields of the Russia-Ukraine war, as three years have recently passed from Russia's full-scale invasion. In this episode I interview Ole Kværnø, a retired Danish Brigadier General now the director of the Danish Centre for Defence Robotics and Autonomy. He says we are witnessing a military revolution, adding that innovation, matched with mass productions of drones, will be the deciding factor in who wins or loses this war on the frontlines...

8 months ago

36 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

The Role of Military AI and the Resort to Force - Discussing Crucial Questions in a Copenhagen Conference

In war zones of the world Artificial Intelligence already guides drones, is used in target selection, intelligence and surveillance, just to name a few examples. But how can AI affect decisions by political and military leaders to use military force in the first place? In this episode I continue to focus on the conference "Military AI and the Resort to Force" in Copenhagen on 27 February which brought together legal academics, ethicists, members of the military, IR scholars and the wide...

8 months ago

17 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Military AI is Shaping Modern Warfare and Posing Tough Questions - An interview with US Ret. Lt. General Jack Shanahan

Military Artificial Intelligence is already shaping the character of modern warfare, for example in the battlefields of Ukraine and Gaza. The episode focuses on this new arms race and key challenges we face. I attended “Military AI and the Resort to Force,” a conference organized by Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen on 27 February. Multiple speakers grappled with crucial military, ethical, legal and political questions on the use of Militar...

8 months ago

23 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Ukraine still stands and fights - Marking three years from Russia's full scale invasion - Special Edition

Allied leaders from Europe and Canada, have been in Kyiv today, 24 of February, demonstrating support for Ukraine at a Summit with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Three years have passed since the full scale invasion of Russia into this sovereign state in the heart of Europe. At the same time the US Trump administration seems to be embracing Russia, the aggressor, and President Donald Trump has called President Zelensky, “a dictator.” US leaders are not in Kyiv today. America’s supp...

8 months ago

56 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

The Frozen Conflict of Abkhazia and Everyday Geopolitics – An interview with Dr. Görkem Aydemir-Kundakci at KU Leuven University

Russia’s war on Ukraine has left death and destruction in its trail, as we approach three years from Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. This is very much a “hot-war.” However, around the world multiple frozen and often forgotten conflicts are also impacting people’s daily lives, without getting into the global headlines. One of these conflicts evolves around Abkhazia in the South-Caucasus, which Russia and a handful of its closest Allies have recognized as an independent ...

8 months ago

21 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

A New Munich Moment for the World - NATO Ukraine Trump and Putin - News analysis

The Munich Security Conference started today 14 February in Germany, two days after US President Donald Trump pushed for peace in Ukraine by talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a 90 minutes phone call. In Brussels US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth told NATO Allies and Partners supporting Ukraine, that it is unrealistic to return to the prewar borders from 2014 between Ukraine and Russia. He added that Ukraine’s membership in NATO would not be included in security guarantee...

9 months ago

38 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

The UK in NATO and Defending Europe - Keir Starmer visits Brussels - An interview with Russia and defence expert Keir Giles

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, met with Mr. Mark Rutte Secretary General of NATO in Brussel on the 3 of February. They discussed defence spending and ongoing support for Ukraine, as we are approaching three years from Russia’s full scale invasion into Ukraine. The two leaders also participated in an informal meeting with leaders of the European Union member states, in Brussels, to discuss European defence. Mr. Starmer also attended a dinner in Egmont Palace ...

9 months ago

34 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Russia at War – An interview with Félix Krawatzek, expert on Russia and comparative politics

Russia’s war on Ukraine rages on and soon three years have passed since the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Experts on Russia gathered in Brussels on 27 January at a conference headlined: “Russia and Europe in Wartime.” In this episode I interview one of the speakers, Félix Krawatzek, Senior Researcher at the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS), in Berlin. He says that despite Western sanctions Russia will not run out of money to finance the war effo...

9 months ago

17 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Trump is back - Is Europe ready? - News analysis and interview with Brussels Correspondent Björn Malmquist

Donald J. Trump is back in the White House, after being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on 20th of January. In his inaugural address Trump said that America will “be respected again all over the world." Leaders of other NATO Allies and the European Union have been bracing themselves for a second Trump presidency and how that will affect transatlantic relations. President Trump takes office at a time when the global security environment is very challenging. The ...

9 months ago

18 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Sound advice from a military leader - Admiral Rob Bauer's term as the Chair of the NATO Military Committee

On 17 January, Admiral Rob Bauer from the Netherlands finished his term as Chair of the NATO Military Committee, after serving for three and a half years as NATO’s senior military official. His successor is Admiral Cavo Dragone from Italy. This episode focuses on Admiral Bauer’s time in this important post. He was the senior military spokesperson for the Alliance on all military matters and the principal military adviser to the NATO Secretary General, first Jens Stoltenberg ...

9 months ago

27 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Icelandic town of Grindavík threatened by seismic activity and potential eruption - Interview with geophysicist Ari Trausti Guðmundsson

Massive seismic activity has led to the evacuation of close to 4000 inhabitants from the fishing town of Grindavík, on the south coast of the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland. I speak to my fellow Icelander, geophysicist Ari Trausti Guðmundsson, who explains the immense forces at work. Geoscientists still think it is likely that an eruption might start, close to or even in Grindavík itself. Already earthquakes, sink holes and other activity have caused huge damage to houses and infrastru...

1 year ago

30 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

France in the World - Perspective from Paris on Geopolitics and Defence - An interview with dr. Élie Tenenbaum

France plays a major role in Europe as one of the leading nations of the European Union, plus being a founding member of NATO and a key Ally. Nevertheless French governments have often been critical of the Alliance through the years. French President Emmanuel Macron has focused on strengthening the influence and status of France on the global stage, while also emphasizing the importance of Europe's strategic autonomy. For this episode I travelled to Paris and interviewed dr....

2 years ago

1 hour 3 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

The role and influence of the European Union on the global stage - An interview with Sven Biscop

Major conflicts are raging in different parts of the world. The war in Ukraine continues and since early October, a war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, following Hamas terrorist attack on Israel - adding a new chapter to the violent and complicated history of that region. Leaders of the European Union member states met in Brussels late last week to discuss these two conflicts and other pressing matters. In this episode I interview Belgian professor Sven Biscop, an expert at the Egmont Insti...

2 years ago

38 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

EEAS report on targeting LGBTIQ people by foreign threat actors - Analysis to protect human rights and diversity

Targeting LGBTIQ+ people is one tool that the Kremlin and other foreign threat actors use to manipulate the information space, in order to sow discord and weaken democracy, aiming to achieve their own political and even military objectives. The most prominent anti-LGBTIQ+ disinformation narrative, asserts that the West is trying to destroy everything that is good, normal, and moral by actively pushing ‘the LGBTIQ+ agenda.” The European External Action Service – the diplomatic service of...

2 years ago

35 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Vicious cycle of violence and war - Israel retaliates after Hamas attack. - An interview with Erlingur Erlingsson

US President Joe Biden met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 18 October, in a high-stake visit to Israel, trying to break the latest cycle of violence in the region or at least prevent the current conflict from escalating even further. On 7 October the Hamas organization launched a horrific terrorist attack on Israel across the border from it’s bases in Gaza. Israel has retaliated with massive air strikes on the Gaza strip, also cutting fuel, water and other supplies to this densely ...

2 years ago

35 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

War in Ukraine has long-term geopolitical implications - An interview with Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen

NATO ministers of defence meet in Brussels today 11 October and tomorrow to discuss the war in Ukraine as almost 600 days have passed since the full-scale invasion by Russia on 24 February last year. Volodymyr Zelensky President of Ukraine was welcomed to NATO's headquarters this morning by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, In this episode I speak to top Danish defence and miltary expert Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen, a professor in political science at the University of Copenhagen.&nb...

2 years ago

39 minutes

World Focus from Brussels

Global Military Power in the Making - the Chinese PLA - An interview with Ole Kværnø

China’s military – the People’s Liberation Army – aims to be world class by mid century, equal to the United States military. The PLA has already added massive capabilities, such as enlarging the navy and is also preparing for intelligentized warfare through developing and analyzing AI – Artificial Intelligence. Brigadier General Ole Kværnø, was a contributor to a conference on 2 October organized by the Centre for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen, about the Chinese mili...

2 years ago

20 minutes