Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes

Trump’s new National Security Strategy

America has published its new National Security Strategy (NSS)—and it contains worrying rhetoric about the EU, European values and the transatlantic relationship. Russia, however, is never described as a threat or competitor. In fact, Moscow has welcomed the document as being “largely consistent with Russia’s vision”. In this week’s episode, Mark Leonard welcomes Gladden Pappin, president of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, co-founder and deputy editor of American Affairs journal, and co-founder of the online magazine Postliberal Order, and Majda Ruge, senior policy fellow in ECFR’s US programme and long-time observer of the American right’s foreign policy. Together, they break down what’s behind the NSS and what its real impact on Europe might be. What are the NSS’s ideological roots? How seriously should Europeans take the strategy and possible threats coming from the US? And what does the NSS mean for the future of the transatlantic relationship?   Bookshelf: Reading Trump’s National Security Strategy: Europe through a distorted lens [https://ecfr.eu/article/reading-trumps-national-security-strategy-europe-through-a-distorted-lens/] by Carl Bildt It’s time Europe got to grips with the MAGA challenge, writes Mark Leonard [https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2025/12/08/its-time-europe-got-to-grips-with-the-maga-challenge-writes-mark-leonard?taid=69399457f061200001554ee2&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter] by Mark Leonard Europeans can’t let Trump define what it means to be European [https://ecfr.eu/article/europeans-cant-let-trump-define-what-it-means-to-be-european/] by Pawel Zerka This episode was recorded on December 11th 2025 ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

China's technological dominance

China’s rise has long fascinated policymakers, economists and technologists. But few observers have studied the country’s technological ambitions as closely as Dan Wang, research fellow at the Hoover History Lab at Stanford University and author of Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future. This week, Mark welcomes Dan to discuss the ideas behind his book, including the dichotomy between China’s “engineering state" and the West’s “lawyerly” societies. Together, they unpack what China is getting right—and where its model is lagging. What is the Chinese government getting wrong? Is the Chinese model now coming under strain? What would it take for Europe to remain competitive in the 21st century? And how is China projecting its model across Africa and South-East Asia? Bookshelf:  Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223736214-breakneck] by Dan Wang  Allies at War: How the Struggles Between the Allied Powers Shaped the War and the World [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218695920-allies-at-war] by Tim Bouverie  This episode was recorded on November 21st 2025  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

ECFR at 18: Has European foreign policy come of age?

The European Council on Foreign Relations turned 18 in November 2025. This milestone offers a unique moment to reflect on the world in which ECFR was founded—and how dramatically it has changed. In 2007, Europe had the world’s confidence: democracy seemed secure, globalisation was a force for opportunity, EU enlargement was reshaping the continent, and peace felt almost guaranteed. So how did Europe move from the hopeful 2000s to a world of power blocs and war? This week, Mark Leonard is joined by ECFR co-chairs Carl Bildt, former prime and foreign minister of Sweden, Lykke Friis, former Danish minister of climate, energy and gender equality, and Norbert Röttgen, member of the German parliament, to take stock, 18 years after ECFR began. They assess what Europe misunderstood then; what it must confront now; and what the next two decades might look like. Why did Europe need a pan-European foreign policy think-tank like ECFR in 2007? Why does it still need one today? And how has ECFR has helped shape debates and policies over the past 18 years? Bookshelf: Waves of ambition: Russia’s military build-up in Crimea and the Black Sea [https://ecfr.eu/publication/waves-of-ambition-russias-military-build-up-in-crimea-and-the-black-sea/] Why Crimea matters [https://ecfr.eu/article/commentary_why_crimea_matters/] European Security [https://ecfr.eu/europeansecurity/] This podcast was recorded on November 24th 2025. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Trump's 28-point plan for Ukraine

In this emergency podcast episode, Mark Leonard welcomes Jana Kobzova, co-director of ECFR’s European Security Programme, and Jim O’Brien, former US assistant secretary of state for Europe and ECFR distinguished policy fellow, to dissect the leaked 28-point US-Russia framework for ending the Ukraine war.   Kyiv has rejected the proposal as a capitulation and Europeans are insisting on a seat at the table. Together, Mark, Jana and Jim examine the feasibility of the plan’s core demands, given Ukraine’s battlefield resilience and Europe’s pushback. What does the plan reveal about the Trump administration’s approach? Can Europe shape a settlement that safeguards Ukraine’s sovereignty? Or will Ukraine be coerced into a deal on Russia’s terms?   This podcast was recorded on November 21st, 2025.   Bookshelf: Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55643282-drunk] by Edward Slingerland Algorithms for the People [https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1073217032] by Josh Simons ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The future of European air defence

Europe’s most ambitious defence project is in deep trouble. Europe’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS), presented as the crown jewel of Franco-German cooperation, was meant to deliver a next-generation defence system ready to meet the demands of an increasingly dangerous world. Instead, the FCAS showcases diverging visions of European air power and raises questions about the continent’s strategic autonomy. This week, Mark is joined by Ulrike Franke, ECFR senior policy fellow and expert on defence, security and drones. Together, they explore why FCAS keeps running into dead ends—from persistent rifts between Dassault and Airbus to political disagreements between Paris and Berlin. What do the developments around the FCAS reveal about the strength of the Franco-German motor in the EU? What happens if the project collapses? And what would it mean for Europe’s quest for strategic autonomy? Bookshelf: Char de combat: obsolescence ou renaissance? [https://www.ifri.org/fr/etudes/char-de-combat-obsolescence-ou-renaissance] by Léo Péria-Peigné The ideas letter [https://www.theideasletter.org/] curated by Leonard Benardo This episode was recorded on November 19th 2025 ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.