The Art of Diplomacy in an Age of Dictators: Ambassador Paul Johnston

The Art of Diplomacy in an Age of Dictators: Ambassador Paul Johnston

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499050/fan_mail/new]  In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, I speak to Paul Johnston, one of Britain's most experienced diplomats, whose 35-year career placed him at the center of some of the defining security crises of the modern era.  From the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo to NATO, the United Nations, Brexit and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he has helped shape British foreign policy at the highest level. We discuss when diplomacy must be backed by military force, the lessons of the Balkans, Putin's challenge to the rules-based international order, the future of NATO, European rearmament, China's ambitions towards Taiwan, and whether democracies can still work together in an increasingly authoritarian world.  We also explore what life is really like as an ambassador, how negotiations are conducted behind closed doors, and why institutions like NATO and the United Nations still matter despite their flaws.  Drawing on decades of experience at the heart of British diplomacy, Johnston offers a candid assessment of the challenges facing the West and explains why diplomacy remains an essential tool in defending democracy, even in an age of authoritarian resurgence.  Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/DictatorsvDemocrats]

Russia's Neo-Imperialism in Africa | Philip Obaji Jr. | Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499050/fan_mail/new] Russia's war against democracy does not end in Ukraine. Award-winning Nigerian investigative journalist Philip Obaji Jr. joins Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight to expose how Russia's Wagner Group, now operating as Africa Corps, has expanded its influence across Africa through violence, resource extraction, disinformation and political interference. Drawing on years of frontline reporting, Philip explains how Russian-backed forces have exploited instability, committed human rights abuses and used African countries as a platform for wider campaigns against Europe. Philip also recounts his own experiences investigating Wagner's operations, including being arrested and tortured while reporting in the Central African Republic. He discusses why he continues this dangerous work, the future of democracy across Africa and what Europe must do if it wants to counter Russian influence. Support Philip's work  [https://www.gofundme.com/f/philip-obaji-uncover-russian-atrocities-africa] In this episode we discuss: • The rise of Wagner and Africa Corps in Africa • Russian resource extraction and "new colonialism" • Coups, democracy and military juntas • Disinformation targeting Africa and Europe • Migration as a geopolitical weapon • China's role compared with Russia's • Reporting from conflict zones and surviving detention • Why democracy remains worth fighting for If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, subscribe and share the episode. Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight is a podcast exploring the struggle between democracy and authoritarianism through conversations with the people on the front lines: journalists, dissidents, soldiers, academics and political leaders. Subscribe for new episodes every week (if I have a guest!) Democracy is non-negotiable. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/DictatorsvDemocrats]

China, Democracy and Africa's Information Battlefield | Emeka Umejei

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499050/fan_mail/new] How is China shaping Africa's media landscape? Are Western democracies making strategic mistakes across the continent? And what happens if Africa becomes the next major battleground in the global struggle between democratic and authoritarian models of governance? In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We speak with scholar, journalist, policy analyst and author Emeka Umejei about misinformation, media influence, China-Africa relations and the future of democracy in Africa. Drawing on decades of experience across journalism and academia, Umejei explains how China uses media partnerships, journalist training programmes and influence networks to advance its interests in Africa, while arguing that Western governments often misunderstand both African priorities and their own shortcomings. The conversation explores the growing threat of AI-driven misinformation, the competition between China and the West for influence on the continent, the future of internet freedom, and why Africa's leaders must ultimately take responsibility for building democratic resilience and economic independence. Topics discussed: * China's media strategy in Africa * Misinformation and AI-generated propaganda * The future of democracy across the continent * Digital sovereignty and internet fragmentation * Journalism, accountability and democratic culture * Why Western policymakers misunderstand Africa * China's economic influence and African manufacturing * Freedom, human dignity and political pluralism Guest: Emeka Umejei is an academic, journalist, policy analyst and entrepreneur whose work focuses on journalism studies, misinformation, digital rights, data governance, China-Africa relations and the future of the internet in Africa. He is the author of Chinese Media in Africa: Perception, Performance, and Paradox and China in African Media: Between Influence Operations and Decolonization. Follow Emeka Umejei * Website: Blenders & Dealers * Latest book: China in African Media: Between Influence Operations and Decolonization Follow Dictators v Democrats * YouTube: @DictatorsvDemocrats * X: @TheoAMullis * Substack: tamullis.substack.com Democracy is non-negotiable. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/DictatorsvDemocrats]

Bellingcat Founder Eliot Higgins on Truth, Disinformation & Democracy

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499050/fan_mail/new] From identifying the suspects behind the Salisbury poisonings to exposing Russian involvement in MH17, Eliot Higgins helped pioneer a new era of open-source investigation. But in a world of algorithms, conspiracy theories, AI-generated content and collapsing trust, can truth still hold power? In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we sit down with the founder of Bellingcat to discuss how a man with no formal journalism background built one of the world's most influential investigative organisations from his home in Leicester. They explore the origins of Bellingcat, the MH17 investigation, information warfare, social media radicalisation, AI-generated misinformation, and why Higgins believes democracy depends on three pillars: verification, deliberation and accountability. This is a conversation about truth, power, technology, and the future of democracy itself.  Topics Covered *  The birth of Bellingcat and open-source intelligence  *  Investigating MH17 and Russian disinformation  *  Online radicalisation and conspiracy theories  *  Social media algorithms and democratic decline  *  AI, deepfakes and the future of verification  *  Why trust in institutions is collapsing  *  How democracy can survive the digital age  *  Advice for the next generation of investigative journalists Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/DictatorsvDemocrats]

Europe Must Prepare for War | General Dominique Trinquand | Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499050/fan_mail/new]  This week on Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We sit down with former French General Dominique Trinquand — one of Europe’s leading military voices on NATO, Russia, Ukraine and the future of European defence.  Drawing on decades of experience in NATO, the United Nations, the Balkans and Lebanon, General Trinquand explains why Europe is rapidly rearming, whether NATO can survive a weakening American commitment, and why he believes Europeans must prepare to defend themselves independently. The conversation explores: *  Europe’s military weaknesses after decades of underinvestment  *  Lessons Western armies are learning from Ukraine  *  France’s long-standing push for strategic independence from the United States  *  The future of NATO and whether a “European army” is realistic  *  Germany’s evolving role in European defence  *  Drone warfare, AI and the transformation of modern combat  *  Putin, Trump and the pressure reshaping Europe  *  Democracy, national identity and what younger generations are losing faith in  General Trinquand also reflects on his family’s history in the French Resistance, his lifelong military service, and why he still believes democracy will endure despite rising authoritarianism. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/DictatorsvDemocrats]