The Global Gambit

Summary In this conversation, Pyotr Kurzin speaks with Ankit Panda, about the deepening political crisis in South Korea and its wider regional implications. They discuss the impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk-yeol, the potential rise of progressive opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, and the resilience of South Korea’s democratic institutions. The conversation also explores North Kore...

Summary In this conversation, Pyotr Kurzin speaks with Wladimir van Wilgenburg, journalist at the Kurdish Chronicle, about the dramatic collapse of the Assad regime in Syria and the shifting power dynamics across the region. They discuss the rapid advances by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and other rebel groups, the fall of key cities including Aleppo, Homs, and Hama, and the surprising absence of interve...

Summary In this conversation, Pyotr Kurzin speaks with Marlene Laruelle about the ideological foundations of Vladimir Putin’s regime and Russia’s evolving identity under his leadership. They discuss the tension between restoring the Soviet Union versus the Russian Empire, the influence of strongman politics, and how Russia’s future may unfold amid growing friction with NATO and shifting U.S. leade...

In this conversation, Pyotr is joined by (ret) Colonel Bob Hamilton and now Head of Eurasia Research at FPRI to discuss the current situation in Ukraine, focusing on Zelensky's victory plan, public sentiment regarding the war, military strategies, and the implications of foreign support. We explore the complexities of defining victory, the role of NATO, and the technological adaptations in warfare...

Summary In this conversation, Pyotr Kurzin speaks with Richard Gowan, UN Director at the International Crisis Group, about the growing challenges facing the United Nations and the leadership of Secretary-General António Guterres. They discuss the contrasting messages delivered by world leaders at the UN General Assembly, including those from President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu, and explor...

Pyotr is joined by the esteemed Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College London. We focus on the war in Ukraine and the conditions for a negotiated settlement and the challenges in reaching any such agreement. We debate motivations behind Putin's actions and the implications for the use of military force in international relations including role of NATO and the conc...

Cyprus marked the 50th anniversary of Turkey's invasion to the north of the island on July 20th 1974. Since Cyprus and the Cypriot people have remained divided by a United Nations buffer zone to prevent further conflict, including the only remaining split capital city Nicosia. Despite diplomatic efforts between Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and even the UK that controls too strategic military bases, pros...

Israel and Hezbollah are on the brink of full-scale as the President Benjamin Netanyahu seriously considers sending the IDF into Lebanon. However, Hezbollah is not Hamas, being far more powerful and the flagship proxy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which could threaten escalating the war across the Middle East as the Ayatollah's don't want to lose such a military and strategic asset. This time l...

China thinks 'its their historical right to be' the world's foremost power, and the US 'doesn't have a moment to waste' in adequately preparing or responding to the flashpoint that could bring the 21st centuries largest powers to war: War over Taiwan. We truly are in a Cold War II and its time we stop kidding ourselves. That's according to Dmitri Alperovitch - Dmitri Alperovitch, Chairman of Silve...

Thanks to all who support my work on Patreon - you make this possible If you'd like bonus content, your own questions put to guests, and appreciate my efforts to bring diverse, nuanced conversations consider joining as a patron too or buying me a one-off coffee. Due to being MIA for so long - here is another episode! Normal service of the show will resume hereon-out, with 2 episodes a month. If yo...

Israel and Iran’s clashes over April 2024 has left the Middle East in state of permacrisis. While immediate threat of war escalation seems to have subsided, the long term geopolitical implications are unprecedented. Many consider this to be a new reality for the region and how we interpret developments. To explain why, Bilal Saab - professor at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service & Dr Sanam...

Since Oct 7th the world has been rocked by the Israel-Hamas War. That has caused a series if escalations, including the ongoing Houthi disruptions to maritime security and global commercial shipping. Its so severe, the US and UK have initiated airstrikes in Yemen, but has made little difference and if anything only emboldens the Houthis more and who say they wont stop until Israel ceases its opera...

South Asia - or the Indian subcontinent to others - is going through a concentrated set of shifts. Three of the main players - Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, all have major elections next year with each proposing potentially different directions - but which? Returning guest, Michael Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Program at the Wilson Centre sat down with me to outline, the challenges and d...

The United Nations Climate Change Conference - known to most as COP - and in this case, COP28, is the highest-level of international engagement and gathering to find collective solutions to the globe's greatest collective challenge. Yet, COPs have poor reputations, with little tangible products or outcomes occurring - other than an agreement of inaction. But, as l spoke to Nazanine Moshiri - senio...

2023 was a big year for multinational, multi-forum events, ranging from the G20 to BRICS to the annual UN General Assembly. But of these, the concept and symbolism of BRICS is often the one that captures the minds of people, especially those who tend to have anti-Western sentiments and desire for a multipolar order. But why this fascination, arguably infatuation for the BRICS? Is it purely about i...

Since the Oct 7th, the world has been rocked by events that many have always agonised and speculated - escalation and war between Israel and Gaza, specifically Hamas. From there, we have witnessed continued intensification, with a growing fear over the possibility of a regional war. Much of this rests on the near-inevitable ground operation the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) will undertake - the sev...

Context Since June 24th 2016, the UK has had its entire economy, society and political environment largely defined by a singular issue - Brexit. The word itself, before diving into anything at all, is a source of contention. Yet, very little to many, including myself, has changed. Certainly not in terms of improvements. Merely a country that is suffering an identity crisis as much as it is politic...

In late-July 2023, the country of Niger - a critical Western ally in Africa, and against the threats of Islamic Jihadism, experienced its 7th coup since WWII. The democratically elected President Bazoum was ousted, and there have been many claiming the role of Wagner/Russia or that this is positive for greater independence, autonomy from former colonial masters, France. But its not that clear cut,...

Over 2023 there has be an intensified number of clashes and tensions occurring within an area already heightened and swamped in tension: Serbia & Kosovo. Most notably, these led to rare and unsettling clashes between Serbia communities and members of KFOR - the NATO mission stationed to help address and ideally, prevent, these very scenarios. So what happened, and why? What about these clashes...

France has always been more strategically independent relative to other European such as the UK. But Macron's trip to China while important for French and European interests, caused a stir after he commented about the need for Europe to be more autonomous. Some, like Poland, took it as a snub to the US and transatlantic relations, while many other EU nations tacitly agreed. But which is right? Wha...

Its hard to overstate the importance of Turkey's election on May 14th. And as Gonul Tol, Founding Director of the Turkey Program at  @MiddleEastInstitute  , makes clear, its more than just about policies. It is about the very identity of Turkey; and whether it remains on the path towards democracy or authoritarianism. In this Part 1, of a mini-series, Gonul joined  @theglobalgambit&...

Context Ukraine continues to fight for not merely for its sovereignty and freedom, but arguably and in the eyes of some, values of many democratic, more specifically Western, values. While not everyone views the war as a case of David vs Goliath, with some believing it to be a typical proxy war, my guest this episode, Benjamin Tallis , certainly isn't one of them. Indeed, Benjamin is a firm a...

Context  The globe is experiencing even more instability, unpredictability and more - even more than ever, as we arguably enter a multipolar world, with alternative forms of currency, balance of power and so on.  Could the BRICS countries really create an alternative financial system to challenge or undermine the US-led order?  I put this question, and others such as the potential of cryptocurrenc...

💥 Global Gambit has a YOUTUBE! 💥 If you find value you in the podcast, check out the new GG channel. You can join an ever-growing community and find YouTube-only content. I'd love to see you there! 👉 Do so here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7-TPqKMViddKZeo4K2P2jg . Context Between Jan 28th-Feb 4th 2023, the world and especially the US were captivated by a UAP - unidentified ariel phen...

💥 Global Gambit has a YOUTUBE! 💥 So be sure to SUBSCRIBE for free and additional content not shared on the podcast! Subscribing really helps supports my work and seriously helps my content to be discovered by more people. 👉 Do so here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7-TPqKMViddKZeo4K2P2jg . Episode Outline More than ever, the UN has a lot on its plate in 2023. Top of this remains Ukraine and...