War & Peace

This week on War & Peace, Olga speaks with Sabine Fischer, senior fellow at SWP, about her book “The Chauvinist Threat: Russia’s War and the West’s Response”, how imperialism, sexism and autocracy have shaped Russian politics, its society and its war against Ukraine.

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Sabine Fischer, senior fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), to discuss her book “The Chauvinist Threat: Russia’s War and the West’s Response”. They unpack how chauvinist politics – defined as a combination of imperialism, sexism and autocracy – have shaped Russian society and politics under President Vladimir Putin and helped pave the way for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They examine how the war has accelerated chauvinism in Russia, including through pressure on women to have children, rising domestic violence and the repression of feminist and LGBTQI+ activism, while also raising the war’s complex effects on gender relations in Ukraine. They also consider how different outcomes to the war could shape Russia’s future and politics across Europe, what guardrails liberal democracies, including those in the process of re-arming, have against chauvinist shifts, and whether and how chauvinist politics might be reversed.
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In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Galip Dalay, senior research fellow at Chatham House, to discuss Türkiye’s evolving relations with NATO and with the EU ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara in July. They examine what Ankara hopes to get from the summit and prospects for greater recognition of Türkiye’s role in European security. They discuss Türkiye’s expanding defence industry, its potential place in its allies’ rearmament plans, and the constraints imposed by EU debates over how far those efforts should involve non-EU members. They also unpack how Türkiye views its NATO membership and how closely Ankara is aligned with other allies, including when it comes to the war in Ukraine. They examine the aftermath of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran and how it could shape Türkiye’s regional standing, diplomatic role, security partnerships with Gulf states and place in emerging trade routes. Finally, they consider what President Erdoğan might seek from bilateral discussions with Trump at the summit.

For more, check out our Türkiye and Europe pages.

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In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Zsuzsanna Végh, Program Officer with the German Marshall Fund, to discuss the aftermath of Hungary’s elections, which saw Péter Magyar’s Tisza party decisively defeat Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz after more than 16 years in power. They talk about the factors behind Tisza’s victory and what might come next for Orbán and Fidesz. They discuss Magyar’s foreign policy priorities and how Hungary’s relations with Ukraine, Russia and the EU might change under his leadership. Finally, they assess what Orbán’s defeat might mean for far-right movements in Europe and the U.S., with which Fidesz had fostered close ties, and what lessons anti-autocratic movements can draw from Magyar’s win.

For more, check out our Europe page.
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In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Crisis Group’s head of EU affairs, Lisa Musiol, to take stock of how the EU and European capitals have responded to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. They discuss how coordinated this response has been, the balancing act of trying to preserve the transatlantic relationship while avoiding being drawn directly into the conflict, and what lessons can be drawn for further dealings with a U.S. administration that continues to flout international law. They also examine the fallout of the war for Europe, including energy shocks and pressure on support for Ukraine, and the structural constraints that make it hard for the EU to shape major crises rather than simply react to them. Finally, they explore what role the EU and European capitals might play in post-ceasefire diplomacy with Iran, whether closer cooperation with Gulf Arab states is likely, and why, despite its limitations, the EU still matters in many crises around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Gabriella Gricius, Senior Fellow at the Arctic Institute and Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Konstanz, to speak about Arctic security and how great power competition is playing out in the High North. They examine U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, whether there is any logic behind the idea that the U.S. needs to own the island, and if the issue could re-emerge. They discuss NATO’s plans for a greater presence in the High North and the rationale behind its new mission, Arctic Sentry. They explore Russia’s priorities in the Arctic, how its posture is shifting with Finland and Sweden joining the alliance, as well as China’s interests in the region. Finally, they discuss the dilemma European capitals face in responding to unpredictability from both Washington and Moscow in the Arctic and identify where space for cooperation in the region remains.

For more, check out our Hold Your Fire! episode “The Greenland Showdown and Board of Peace at Davos”, as well as our Europe & Central Asia page.
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