Deep Dish on Global Affairs

Mercenaries from the Wagner Group have been in the headlines recently for their alleged role in war crimes in Ukraine. But the Kremlin-linked paramilitary group has been active in Africa for several years, where it provides a wide range of services to governments across the continent. For this week's Deep Dish , the Council's Elizabeth Shackelford is joined by Federica Saini Fasanotti of the Insti...

With richly fertile soil and easy access to international markets, Ukraine has been called the breadbasket of Europe. Following Russia's invasion, the country's grain exports have plummeted, leading to worldwide food price increases of 23 percent and hundreds of thousands facing starvation in the Middle East and Africa. As a global hunger crisis soars, food security experts Ertharin Cousin and Ter...

Last week, China's foreign minister Wang Yi met with ten Pacific nations to propose a sweeping trade and security agreement. China's intensifying diplomacy in the Pacific demonstrates the region's growing geostrategic importance. China experts Patrick Cronin and Bonnie Glaser join  Deep Dish  to discuss China's strategy in the Pacific, and how the US should respond.  We'd love to know your thought...

If the United States overturns Roe vs. Wade later this year, it would be a stark policy shift 50 years after the landmark Supreme Court decision on women's rights. The World Health Organization's Bela Ganatra and the Center for Reproductive Rights' Katherine Mayall join Deep Dish to look at global trends on reproductive rights and how the US compares.

This week Ukrainian forces pushed the Russians out of their second largest city, Kharkiv, a triumph that most military analysts would have considered unthinkable two months ago. With Putin's concerns about his legacy, experts believe we could be heading into a dangerous stalemate. Former National Security Council official Fiona Hill joins  Deep Dish  to analyze Putin's motivation for the war, his...

This week political dynasty heir and TikTok star Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. brought his corrupt family back to power in the Philippines 36 years after his father was ousted in a public revolution. The Washington Post's Regine Cabato joins Deep Dish to explain how Filipinos lost faith in democracy, why disinformation works so well in the Philippines, and whether the new administration will bri...

Russian state TV aired a chilling propaganda video showing nuclear destruction in the United Kingdom this week, echoing bluster from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on nuclear escalation over Ukraine. Former US Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller, who negotiated the New START treaty with Russia, joins Deep Dish to explain how Russia's action...

China's latest economic data show the lowest GDP growth expectation in 30 years, rising unemployment, and slowing industrial production in part due to strict COVID-19 lockdowns. Victor Shih joins  Deep Dish to explain how inflation and the war in Ukraine will compound this decline, what it means for the Chinese Communist Party and Xi Jinping's leadership, and whether Xi's demand for China to match...

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan falsely blamed a United States-led conspiracy for his removal from office last week, feeding anti-American sentiment among his supporters. Brookings' Madiha Afzal returns to  Deep Dish  to unpack the ways Pakistan's political instability interacts with geopolitical competition involving China, Russia, and the United States, and explains why it's time for...

In response to Russia's war on Ukraine, the European Union hopes to decrease its dependence on Russian energy by two-thirds within a year. The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies' James Henderson joins  Deep Dish  to look at Europe's options, how to achieve them, likely effects on energy markets and global politics, and implications for green energy and climate change. Like this episode? Leave us...

Shocking images and accounts emerged from Bucha over the weekend, providing more evidence of Russian atrocities in their war on Ukraine. Forty-one countries, including the United States, have now referred Russia to the International Criminal Court for prosecution. Karen Alter and Rebecca Hamilton join Deep Dish to look at the system for prosecuting war crimes, its record of success and limitations...

India's choice to remain neutral on the Ukraine war aligns with their historic foreign policy choices and current security interests, Tanvi Mandan and Srinath Raghavan argue. They join Deep Dish host Brian Hanson to explain the long-term relationship between Delhi and Moscow, why the United States shouldn't pressure India to choose sides, and where China fits in India's calculations.  Don't forget...

New technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and social media have transformed the intelligence community and given the United States' adversaries new tools to observe and influence global politics. The Hoover Institution's Amy Zegart joins  Deep Dish  to discuss her new book  Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence  and why she warns that,...

For the last three weeks, people around the world have been watching the war in Ukraine unfold on their phones, intimately observing live footage of the conflict's devastation alongside rampant fake news from Russia claiming the war isn't real. Disinformation experts Bret Stephens and Julia Davis join Deep Dish to examine why Putin's narrative isn't working outside Russia, how long it can dupe the...

Around the world, authoritarianism is rising and women's rights are declining—and it's not a coincidence that's happening at the same time. Valerie Hudson and Zoe Marks join Deep Dish to explain how sexism undermines national security, why autocrats are afraid of women, and why progress on gender equality is essential for democracy, prosperity, and stability.   LIke the show? Leave us a review!

The United States, the European Union, and a host of other countries (even Switzerland!) are hoping to stop Putin's war on Ukraine by placing Russia under the most extreme sanctions package ever enacted on a single country. But will it make a difference? The New York Times ' Matina Stevis-Gridneff and sanctions expert Nicholas Mulder join  Deep Dish  to explain how sanctions work, what they mean f...

In a fiery speech on Monday, Russia's President Putin laid out a stark, politically motivated, and false account of Ukraine's history to justify his full-scale invasion. His main argument? Ukraine is historically not a sovereign nation, but a long-lost part of Russia. A part Russia wants—and will take—back. Historian Kathryn David joins host Brian Hanson on  Deep Dish  to explain the real history...

A sharp rise in attempted coups in the last year—more than in the last five years combined—emphasizes democracy's global decline. Coup d'état experts Jonathan Powell and Erica De Bruin join the Council's Elizabeth Shackelford on Deep Dish to explore the issues driving coups around the world and how to stop them.  Don't forget to give the show a rating and leave a review wherever you get your podca...

Looking for quick, smart takes on top global affairs news stories each week? This week we're introducing you to a new podcast from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, World Review with Ivo Daalder. In this episode, Karen DeYoung, Peter Spiegel, and Giles Whittell join Ivo to dive into the latest on Ukraine, from war prep to efforts at diplomacy. Then, they unpack the death of ISIS leader Abu Ib...

North Korea's long-range missile launch this week—already the seventh test in 2022—has the potential to reach the US territory of Guam and destabilize regional alliances. Former National Security Council leaders Victor Cha and Sue Mi Terry join Deep Dish to explain why North Korea appears to be acting with impunity and why the United States can't afford to ignore the situation. Reading The Last Ch...

Afghanistan is in on the brink of the worst humanitarian crisis in recent memory: the economy is in a tailspin, famine is looming, food prices are skyrocketing, formal sector jobs have disappeared, and cash is scarce. The International Crisis Group's Laurel Miller and former US Ambassador to Afghanistan P. Michael McKinley join Deep Dish to explain what led us here after the abrupt US exit five mo...

At least 164 people are dead and thousands are imprisoned after mysterious instigators overtook Kazakhstan's peaceful protests and Russian troops brutally cracked down on demonstrators. Journalist Joanna Lillis and researcher Nargis Kassenova join  Deep Dish  to unpack the domestic politics driving civil society action and whether Kremlin interference is the new norm in a critically important coun...

One year after the attack on the United States Capitol, 64 percent of Americans believe US democracy is "in crisis and at risk of failing," an NPR/Ipsos poll revealed this week. Democracy expert Larry Diamond joins Deep Dish to explain why democracy has been declining around the world for the last 15 years and offer urgent solutions to stop its retreat.   If you're a Deep Dish subscriber, don't fo...

A major Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border has the international community concerned about the possibility of an invasion. The Atlantic Council's Melinda Haring and George Washington University's Maria Snegovaya join Deep Dish to explain the factors driving Russia's threats against Ukraine, what's going on in Putin's mind, and why this conflict matters for the world. Share your feedback...

Russia's aggression towards Ukraine is dominating headlines, but another crisis looms in Eastern Europe: the Balkans. Bosnia and Herzegovina experts Jasmin Mujanović and Patrice McMahon join Deep Dish to explain why the risk of conflict is so high and how Europe and the United States can help ensure more than a decade of peace continues.