Roundtable

Europe has endured a brutal summer of extreme heat, from destructive wildfires to record droughts that are damaging parts of the continent’s economy. River levels have fallen to historic lows, disrupting shipping on major trade routes including the Rhine and Danube. Crops are suffering, while extreme temperatures are beginning to reshape when and where tourists travel. So how much is climate chang...

Donald Trump is taking aim at America’s biggest oil companies, accusing them of making ‘too much money’ as the Iran war drives energy prices higher. Oil giants have reported astronomical profits for the last quarter, with the world’s big five oil giants making $48 billion in just three months. Just months ago, Trump was happy that the Iran war was pushing up energy prices saying on X ‘when oil pri...

The Russia-Ukraine war is entering a new phase. While fierce fighting continues on the ground, Ukraine is deploying newly designed drones deeper inside Russian territory. This week, a refinery in Tatarstan was targeted, while Ukrainian drones destroyed a huge warehouse belonging to Russia’s equivalent of Amazon in Yekaterinburg, around 2,000 kilometres from Ukraine. Ukraine claims fresh successes,...

In the three months since ending Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule, Hungary’s new Prime Minister Peter Magyar has launched a sweeping campaign dubbed Operation Purgatory to dismantle what he describes as Orban’s illiberal system. The speed and scope of these moves have sparked a fierce backlash. Orban has denounced them as “tyranny” and pledged “resistance by all peaceful means,” while far‑right allies...

In an unprecedented breach of Spain's border, more than 70,000 migrants swam and stampeded their way into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. For some, the journey was deadly with least 75 migrants losing their lives in the crossing. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has blamed human traffickers for the crisis, while other European Union states have accused him of being ‘soft’ on migrant...

Europe's push to become less reliant on imported fossil fuels has resulted in the growth of solar power with a record 25% of the EU’s electricity being generated by solar in June. Germany, Spain and Poland have been at the forefront of this rapid expansion which accelerated after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Renewable energy sources have become even more important as the US-Israeli war on I...

Missed flights and delays at borders, the EU's new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) has caused travellers big issues at some European airports as they struggle to The EU rejected calls from airports and airlines to temporarily suspend the system, insisting the technology is working as intended despite cases of delays. The new digital border entry applies to non-EU citizens requiring them to have th...

Reform UK's Nigel Farage will compete against a record 33 candidates in the Clacton by-election in August in a political gamble for the politician after he resigned as an MP amid controversy over his finances. Farage is facing an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over an undeclared £5 million gift from a crypto investor. The Reform UK leader is also facing scrutiny over...

Kurt Volker, former US Special Representative for Ukraine, talks exclusively to TRT World's Roundtable about his decades of experience in US diplomacy, from the war in Ukraine to conflict in the Middle East. The former US diplomat gives his insights into Trump's relationship with President Putin, saying he has finally realised the Russian leader has been lying to him and Putin will continue the wa...

Deadly wildfires have sparked by the extreme heat, dry ground and strong winds have been spreading across Europe as it bakes in hot weather. Thousands have been evacuated from France's south-western coast due to blazes while Spain has been battling wildfires close to Madrid while more than a dozen died recently in the southeastern province of Almeria. What is causing the risk of wildfires to incre...

The UK’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham is promising to ‘bring back hope’ to the country. He is the seventh person to hold the office since 2016, taking over from Keir Starmer. Burnham has pledged to oversee the biggest changes in the UK for four decades and bring back political stability. He has assembled a cabinet of trusted allies, appointing John Healey as Chancellor, Ed Miliband as Foreign S...

The close friendship between President Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has turned into a bitter war of words. Despite sharing a warm moment on camera at the G7 Summit in France, days later Trump told Italian TV that Meloni had "begged" him for a photo. The Italian PM quickly fired back on social media with a defiant message: "ITALY AND I NEVER BEG!” After months of disagreements ov...

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen will run for President in France’s 2027 election after an appeals court shortened her ban from public office. Le Pen, who transformed the National Rally into one of France's most popular parties, was convicted for embezzling European Parliament funds. She has vowed to fight her conviction at France's top civil court. With opinion polls placing the National Rally well...

Europe has been baking in extreme heat, with temperatures soaring above 40°C in parts of France, Spain, Italy and Germany. More than 1,300 deaths have been linked to the extreme heat sweeping across the continent. As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, can Europe adapt? Joining Enda Brady for this discussion: Margaret Harris Former World Health Organization Spokesperson Jonathan Stone Envi...

Andy Burnham is the favourite to replace Keir Starmer as the new UK Prime Minister after he resigned. Despite winning a landslide victory less than two years ago, Labour has been trailing Nigel Farage's Reform UK in the polls for months. Starmer's policy U-turns, falling popularity and decision to appoint Epstein-linked Peter Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the US all contributed to his downfall. La...

The UK voted to leave the European Union ten years ago in a shock result which led to the resignation of then Prime Minister David Cameron. The leave campaign promised economic growth, control over Britain's borders and more funding available for the UK's health service. But ten years on, how did the Brexit vote change the UK and its place in the world - and were there any benefits to Brexit? Join...

The state of UK's defence has been exposed after its minister resigned over insufficient funds being allocated. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has demanded allies produce 'credible' spending plans at next month's summit in Ankara With Nato demanding greater military investment and UK borders facing new tests, will the government's defence investment plan be enough to keep the UK safe and keep N...

Relations between Poland and Ukraine have become strained after President Zelenskyy named a military unit after controversial World War Two fighters, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Although regarded as heroes in some parts of Ukraine, in Poland they are remembered for massacring one hundred thousand ethnic Poles in what is now Ukraine. The UPA also collaborated with the Nazis during World War...

El Nino weather patterns have officially begun and scientists warn it could unleash a new wave of record extreme heat across the globe. Forecasters suggest this could be one of the strongest El Nino events on record, raising concerns over the impact on food production and economies. Climate change means the world is significantly hotter since the last 'super' El Nino case in 1998 - so how is this...

France is expanding its nuclear deterrence strategy to protect Europe against Russian aggression amid doubts over the United States' commitment to the continent. Nine European allies, including the UK, Germany and Poland have agreed to join the plan, signalling a major shift in Europe's defence strategy. With Norway the latest country to sign up, France is positioning itself as a central pillar of...

Finland's economy has lagged behind other EU countries in recent years weighed down by high unemployment, a housing downturn and rising public debt. Real GDP has still not fully recovered from the 2008 financial crisis with further setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine. But the first quarter of this year has seen signs of its economy improving. Could Finland now be emerging from d...

The United States is sending an additional 5,000 troops to Poland after President Trump overruled the Pentagon and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who had announced plans to ditch the deployment. President Trump cited his strong relationship with the Polish President Karol Nawrocki who he endorsed when he ran for office last May. The move to send more troops to Poland comes as the US reduces it...

Oil prices have been fluctuating since start of the US-Israeli war on Iran three months ago, hitting a four-year high of $126 in April. How long before prices return to normal or are they at the 'point of no return'? The partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict in the middle east has severely disrupted global oil and gas supplies. Governments are burning through emergency reserv...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been wooing his European counterparts to expand trade and economic ties with the West. The six-day tour comes a few months after the EU and India penned a free trade agreement, lifting tariffs on a large amount of exports. This time the green transition, technology, and energy security were at the centre of discussions. Modi’s visit began in the Netherlands,...

The Kentucky Republican primary was the most expensive in US political history, with around $32 million spent, much of it backed by pro-Israel lobbying organisations. Congressman Thomas Massie was defeated by Trump ally Ed Gallrein as the race evolved beyond a local political contest into a broader struggle over the direction and identity of the Republican Party. Massie had openly opposed military...