ECFR ON AIR

A seismic shift in Europe's outlook on Ukraine reveals a complex web of diplomacy, resilience, and strategic ambiguity. As the Ukraine conflict enters its fifth year, the question isn't just about battlefield gains—it's about what comes next. Are European leaders ready to explore backchannel talks, or is open negotiation still a distant dream? If you've been wondering how Europe is balancing stead...

Europe stands at a pivotal moment in its security future — public support is higher than ever for investing in defence, yet deep challenges threaten to undermine that momentum. Are European leaders ready to capitalise on this rare window of opportunity before elections, economic crises, and geopolitical tensions redirect attention elsewhere? In this four episode series, Making Defence European Aga...

Exploring the current state of European security, NATO's future, and the evolving role of the United States in protecting Europe. Experts from the European Council on Foreign Relations share their perspectives on threats, alliances, and strategic autonomy. In this four episode series, Making Defence European Again, four of our ECFR fellows discuss analysis and advice on the future of European secu...

The future of Europe may be shaping up to look very different—and far more unpredictable. As France stands on the brink of a potentially historic election, experts reveal the high stakes and hidden risks that could reshape European unity, security, and global influence. If a far-right candidate like Jordan Bardella or Marine Le Pen takes power, what does that mean for NATO, European integration, a...

Moldova is often held up as an EU enlargement success story. Beneath the reform headlines lies a country shaped by decades of economic pressure, Russian interference—and politics driven as much by survival as ideology. Jessica Hendrick speaks with Dumitru Alaiba , Moldova’s former deputy prime minister and minister of economic development and digitalisation, and Maia Machavariani , director of pro...

Jessica Hendrick welcomes Sophie Gueudet , research fellow at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies working on the RE-ENGAGE project, and Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze , Ukrainian member of parliament and chair of the Parliamentary Committee on EU Integration to explore how external crises and internal fractures—from oil price surges triggered by the Iran conflict to Hungary’s veto politics inside...

Yemen is once again in a shifting geopolitical landscape: amid the increasing risk of military conflict between the US and Iran, rising tensions between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and mounting instability across the Red Sea. In this episode of the WOMENP podcast, ECFR visiting fellow  Cinzia Bianco  welcomes  Yasmeen Al-Eryani , co-executive di...

In this episode of ECFR’s WOMENP podcast, Ellie Geranmayeh  welcomes Aslı Aydıntaşbaş ,   associate senior policy follow at ECFR,  Dina Esfandiary, Middle East geoeconomics lead at Bloomberg Economics and Yasmine Farouk, Gulf and Arabian Peninsula project director at International Crisis Group, to discuss regional perspectives around the current turmoil in Iran, following deadly pro...

In the EU’s enlargement debate, attention usually centres on Brussels—legal benchmarks, progress reports and diplomatic bargaining. But in countries hoping to join the bloc, politics is often decided via informal power networks, fragile institutions and the everyday effort of navigating uncertainty.  This week, The Neighbourhood shif...

Ellie Geranmayeh speaks with Syrian minister Hind Kabawat about the country’s turbulent first year after Assad, the challenges ahead, and her push to bring more women into leadership during Syria’s reconstruction. In the latest episode of the WOMENP podcast series, Ellie Geranmayeh welcomes Hind Kabawat, Syria’s minister of social affairs and labour. Almost a year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad...

Donald Trump’s controversial 28-point plan to end the war in Ukraine has rattled Western capitals and could jeopardise Ukraine’s sovereignty. In this episode of Ukraine inside out, Leo Litra and Lesia Ogryzko are joined by Eric Ciaramella , senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Jana Kobzova , co-director of ECFR’s European Security...

This week, The Neighbourhood shifts from the “why” of enlargement to the “how”—specifically, how reforms are unfolding on the ground and what drives progress or stagnation. The 2025 Enlargement Package presents a mixed picture: Ukraine and Moldova are racing ahead, while Serbia and Georgia are lagging. The EU itself is struggling with internal divisions and reform fatigue. Jessica is joined by Tia...

Ukraine’s battlefield has transformed since the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022: from hobby quadcopters to drone and robot units in almost every brigade. In this episode, Lesia Ogryzko and Leo Litra speak with Lyuba Shupovich , CEO and co-founder of Dignitas Fund, and Gustav Gressel , a former ECFR senior policy fellow. Together, they discuss how technology, like drone and electroni...

This week,  Leo Litra  and  Lesia Ogryzko welcome Élie Tenenbaum , director of the Security Studies Center at the French Institute for International Relations, and Oleksandr Sushko , executive director of the International Renaissance Foundation in Kyiv and long-time observer of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, to explore if—and what—the recent NATO summit delivered for Ukr...

Amid much speculation surrounding Ukraine’s future—including ceasefires, peace talks and broader geopolitical shifts—ECFR has launched a new podcast mini-series that brings Ukrainian perspectives to the forefront.   In this opening episode, hosts  and Lesia Ogryzko welcome Fredrik Wesslau , distinguished policy fellow at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies, and Volodymyr Ye...

In the latest episode of the WOMENP podcast series, Ellie Geranmayeh welcomes Dina Esfandiary, Middle East geoeconomics lead at Bloomberg; Yasmine Farouk, Gulf and Arabian Peninsula project director at International Crisis Group; and Dania Thafer , executive director at the Gulf International Forum. Together, they discuss how Arab Gulf monarchies used Trump’s latest visit to demonstrate their regi...

In this episode of the WOMENP podcast series, ECFR’s Ellie Geranmayeh speaks with Dr. Manal Radwan, advisor to the Saudi foreign minister and long serving diplomat. Together they unpack the impact of Donald Trump’s election for the wars in the Middle East and considers how Riyadh will position itself. Will the kingdom be able to push for a ceasefire in Gaza? What's the end game in Lebanon? Can the...

China is becoming ever more important to global affairs. But political and geopolitical challenges, as well as the covid-19 pandemic, have diminished Europeans’ ability to engage with Chinese thinkers and understand their views and ideas about the world. In this mini-series, Mark Leonard , Janka Oertel , and Alicja Bachulska try to change that by engaging in conversations with some of the best Chi...

Europe’s Africa policy was greatly affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, especially as energy and food supply became weaponised as a Russian tool of aggression. In response, stronger bilateral, regional, and multilateral cooperation is needed between African organisations and countries and Western actors. Both parties should continue to accelerate existing objectives, like the 2030 Agenda, deb...

xThe green transition requires massive investments in energy, digital, and transport connectivity to fill the gap in developing countries. At the same time, infrastructure projects are becoming weaponised by rival powers seeking to extend their influence abroad through the construction of railways, undersea cables, or renewable energy plants. China has been the pioneer in this effort, through its...

The rise of AI has shaken national debates on regulations and security, pushed the European Union towards an unprecedent legislative measure, the AI Act, and driven competition between great and emerging powers. AI had also the potential to be a pandora’s box for new risks and challenges, especially amid the unstable geopolitical environment. Based on the results of the Hiroshima AI process, the f...

Two years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the international community remains deeply divided on how to react to Putin’s aggression. Disagreements have characterised the European position, prompting strong criticism about the European Union’s incapacity to react, act, and lead with a strong and united position. In the United States, measures to support Ukraine have also been blocked because o...

How has the war impacted the way Russians think about their identity and their future? Are some signs of major change already visible? What are the possible scenarios for change and what would trigger them? ECFR’s podcast on Russia, “Under the Overcoat”, explores the deeper trends beneath the surface of daily politics. To explore how the war has transformed Russia's society and political culture a...

China is becoming ever more important to global affairs. But political and geopolitical challenges, as well as the covid-19 pandemic, have diminished Europeans’ ability to engage with Chinese thinkers and understand their views and ideas about the world. In this mini-series, Mark Leonard and Janka Oertel try to change that by engaging in conversations with some of the best Chinese academics, resea...

How can we understand current-day Russia against the background of history? Is the monopolisation of power and lack of checks and balances on a level unique to Russia? Was Russia’s foreign policy trajectory predestined and if not, what were the crucial turning points that brought it to where it is today? And is Russian foreign policy changing irreversibly?    ECFR’s new podcast on R...