In this session, Dr Piga discusses women’s active engagement and influential bottom-up contributions to key components of peacebuilding in the complex context of Ukraine, what a gender-just peace would look like in Ukraine, and the current state of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Ukraine.
Dr Graziella Piga talks about the role of Ukrainian women in peacebuilding efforts in the context of the war in Ukraine. Dr Piga is an international expert, researcher and practitioner with over 20 years of experience in gender equality, human rights, and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. She is a Research Fellow at the University of Surrey.
Interviewers: Camilla Braito and Giulia Panfilo - Russia Team
Dr Lauren Prather talks about the US internal political landscape, ongoing litigation over ballot access and redistricting, as well as debates over federal versus state control of elections and the effect on public trust, institutional legitimacy, and the broader stability of US democracy. Dr Lauren Prather is Associate Professor of Political Science at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy and co-Director of the Centre for Transparent and Trusted Elections.
In this session, Dr Lauren Prather analyses the complex US political landscape ahead of the 2026 midterms. During the interview, Dr Prather investigates people’s sentiments regarding the SAVE America Act and its impact on individuals who may not have access to proof of citizenship. She also addresses the possibility of President Trump postponing or influencing the election to keep control over the representative institutions and the effect of the current US-Israeli operations in Iran, claiming that if the US’s active involvement decreases or ceases, it will have no impact on the midterms.
Interviewers: Federico Sergio and Anurag Mishra - US Team
In this session, Mr. Kahlmeyer and Mr. Svendsen examine the war in Sudan through a European policy lens. They assess the international and European responses to the conflict, the political constraints shaping diplomatic engagement, and the challenges of accessing reliable information from the field, in the context of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with over 30 million people in need of assistance and more than 12 million displaced.
They explain that international efforts, led mainly by the UN and financially supported by the EU, remain focused on humanitarian aid, while repeated diplomatic initiatives and ceasefire attempts have failed. The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continues because neither side faces meaningful political or military costs for rejecting negotiations, and both benefit from sustained regional and international support.
Mr. Kahlmeyer and Mr. Svendsen warn that Europe is underestimating Sudan’s strategic relevance, particularly in relation to displacement and migration, Red Sea and maritime security, regional instability, and the spread of weapons and armed networks. They argue that meaningful leverage over a peace process lies primarily with regional actors, especially Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, and highlight how Sudan’s war economy, built on gold, oil, and gum, sustains the fighting.
The interviewees also explain how conflict monitoring and research are conducted despite access constraints. This is done through the triangulation of conflict event data, satellite and remote-sensing analysis, displacement statistics, and trusted local civil society networks. Finally, Mr. Kahlmeyer and Mr. Svendsen argue that Europe’s dominant humanitarian framing obscures the political and economic drivers of the war and the role of Sudanese communities as local conflict-management actors. They call for a stronger European debate on political accountability, civilian governance, and long-term conflict prevention alongside humanitarian assistance.
André Kahlmeyer and Kristian Svendsen are senior experts at Conflict Management Consulting (CMC), an independent Brussels-based consultancy working with the EU, UN, bilateral donors, and NGOs on conflict analysis, monitoring, and evaluation in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
André Kahlmeyer is the founder and CEO of CMC and an expert in governance, evaluation, and humanitarian programming, with more than twenty years of experience across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, including extensive field experience in Sudan.
Kristian Svendsen is Lead on PeaceTech and Senior Researcher at CMC, specialising in tech-enabled monitoring and analysis of hard-to-reach crises, with a particular focus on the Horn of Africa and Sudan.
Interviewers: Camilla Cormegna, Leonardo Pesci, and Angelo Saad - Africa Team
In this session, Maria C. Werlau discusses the relationship between Cuban and Venezuelan security and intelligence in light of the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro by US forces. She unpacks the historical collaboration between Cuba and Venezuela and how this could change moving forward with increased US involvement.
Maria C. Werlau is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Free Society Project/Cuba Archive, and the author of the book “Cuba’s Intervention in Venezuela: A Strategic Occupation with Global Implications.”
Interviewer: Sarah Toubman - Central & South America Team
Professor Rohan Gunaratna is Professor of Security Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technology University, in Singapore. He has over 30 years of academic, policy, and operational experience in national and global security and has held senior research positions and fellowships at institutions such as the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.
In this session, Prof. Rohan Gunaratna explores the evolving threat of terrorism in Africa, drawing on insights from his newly co-edited volume The Palgrave Handbook of Terrorism in Africa.
He traces the roots of modern terrorism on the continent back to 1991, when Osama bin Laden relocated to Sudan, training fighters from across North and West Africa. From there, jihadist networks expanded into East Africa, West Africa, and the Sahel. Today, the threat is moving deeper into the continent and southwards, with growing implications for the Indian Ocean region.
Prof. Gunaratna identifies the Sahel—particularly Mali—as the current epicentre of global terrorism, driven largely by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). He explains how JNIM has drawn inspiration from groups such as the Taliban, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and Al-Shabaab, showing how the trajectories of other terrorist groups provide tactical and organisational lessons. By forging alliances with Tuareg and Fulani communities, JNIM has expanded its influence and now surrounds Bamako, while also competing with Islamic State–linked groups across the region.
Warning that JNIM’s ambitions extend beyond Mali, Prof. Gunaratna calls on African leaders and the international community to recognise the scale of the threat and strengthen regional cooperation to counter it.
Interviewer: Camilla Cormegna - Crime, Extremism and Terrorism Team
Thomas Nilsen talks about the current geopolitical dynamics in the High North, and counters the growing media narrative around the 'inevitable' conflict in the Arctic, clarifying realities on the ground. This video podcast also discusses whether Russia has a military advantage over NATO in the Arctic, and considers how any future peace in Ukraine could reshape Arctic geopolitics.
Thomas Nilsen is the Editor of the Barents Observer, a journalist-owned online newspaper covering the key trends and developments in the Euro-Arctic region and northern Russia, publishing in both English and Russian. Its news-desk is located in Kirkenes, a Norwegian Arctic town situated a few kilometres from the borders of Russia and Finland in Norway’s northernmost county – Finnmark.
Interviewers: Will Quilter and Marco Dordoni - Arctic Desk
In this episode, Dr. Julie Norman speaks about her recent co-authored book (with Maia Carter Hallward), Gaza: The Dream and the Nightmare, where they explore the Gaza Strip's history, current situation, and future, through local Gazans’ voices, experiences, and hopes. Dr. Julie Norman is an Associate Professor of Politics & International Relations at University College London, and a Senior Associate Fellow on the Middle East at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
In the interview, Dr. Norman addresses the modern history of the Gaza Strip, the story of its population, the Strip’s vibrant life even during times of crises, which include entrepreneurship, solidarity, and militancy. Dr. Norman talks about the Hamas-Fatah rivalry and the 2006 elections – the first and last democratic elections to take place in the Gaza Strip – the role Hamas plays in the Gazans’ daily life, and how local Gazans view life under Hamas. And, of course, she discusses the October 7, 2023 attack and the Israel-Hamas war that has followed.
With a PhD from the European University Institute and extensive expertise in foreign policy analysis, EU-Russia relations, democratisation, and European security, Dr Giusti sheds light on how cultural heritage is being weaponised in the war in Ukraine. The discussion covers Russia’s policies before and after the invasion, deliberate targeting of heritage sites, the trafficking of stolen cultural items, their use in sanctions evasion, and strategies to counter these hybrid threats.
Interviewers: Julia Hodgins and Francesco Pagano - Culture, Society & Security Desk
Dr. Kenneth Schultz talks about Trump's transactional diplomacy approach to conflict resolution and its effectiveness in addressing complex international conflicts. He analyses how Trump's use of the "peace through strength" doctrine and deal-focused methodology impacts sustainable peacemaking efforts across multiple global conflicts. Dr. Kenneth Schultz is the distinguished William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a leading expert on international conflict and conflict resolution.
Specifically in this session, Mr. Schultz examines the limitations of Trump's transactional approach to peacemaking, particularly how focusing on immediate deals without sustained follow-through may undermine long-term stability. He explores the challenges of Trump's alignment with stronger military actors in conflicts and the complications this creates for genuine compromise and lasting peace agreements.
Interviewers: Clémence Van Damme and Pedro Mendes - US Desk
In this espisode, Dr. Simona Grano discusses the geopolitical implications of Chinese and Taiwanese influence in Southeast Asia and Oceania, and how this influence is being perceived and addressed by regional actors.
This podcast analyses how China is applying its strategic initiatives to influence infrastructure development and economic integration in Southeast Asia and Oceania examining Taiwan's counterbalancing efforts. It also investigates how regional nations navigate their relations with both China and Taiwan, the function of regional organisations, and the security ramifications of China's growing military might and a potential AUKUS alliance during the Trump era.
Dr. Grano is a distinguished expert in China and Taiwan issues. Dr. Grano serves as the Senior Fellow on Taiwan at the Asia Society Policy Institute's (ASPI) Center for China Analysis (CCA). She is also currently a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Taiwan Studies Project at the University of Zurich.
Interviewer: Kristina Kovalenko - Southeast Asia & Oceania Desk
