The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 17th. He’s accused of being responsible for the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. But in practical terms, what does that warrant really mean for Putin? Guests: Toby Cadman International Criminal Law specialist and Co-head of Guernica 37 Chambers Thomas Warrick Senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Chris Nineham Author of ‘The People v. Tony Blair’ Roundtable is a discussion...

Under the umbrella of the so-called AUKUS partnership, Australia will acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, and combine forces with America and Britain. The aim is to counter any perceived threat from China in the Pacific, but could it actually increase the chances of conflict? Guests: Klaus W. Larres Professor of History & International Affairs Peter Roberts Senior Associate Fellow at RUSI Alice Politi EU-China Relations Analyst Roundtable is a discussion programme with...

First, Silicon Valley Bank collapsed. Then, Switzerland’s Credit Suisse had to be rescued in a buyout from its biggest rival. Now, there are rumors other institutions are staring into the abyss. But Europe insists its banking system is not at risk. How can it be so sure? Guests: Ann Pettifore Economist & Director PRIME Economics Ross Clarke, Writer, The Spectator Cornelia Meyer, Economist & CEO of Meyer Resources Roundtable is a discussion programme with an edge. Broadcast out...

Thousands took to the streets of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi when the government proposed a ‘Foreign Agent’ bill. Critics described the law as Russia-style, and the show of public anger led to it being withdrawn. On the face of it, the demonstrations appeared to highlight the country’s political fault lines. A pro-Russia elite versus a pro-EU public. But is it really as straightforward as that? Guests: Manana Kochladze Democratisation and Human Rights Lead at CEE Bankwatch Network Tornike...

20 years ago, after months of diplomatic wrangling at the UN, a US-led coalition invaded Iraq. The opening salvoes were described as ‘shock and awe’, and the invading countries claimed to want to remove Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction, change the regime, and spread democracy to the Middle East. So what happened? Guests: Abdulrazzaq Al-Saiedi Technical expert on Iraq at Physicians for Human Rights Oula Kadhum Postdoctoral Fellow in Lund University and Fellow in International...

Academics from Oxford University have a dire warning: If Artificial Intelligence is not regulated in the same way as nuclear weapons, it could kill every human and there’s nothing we could do about it? Is this an exaggeration, or something we should be taking much more seriously? GUESTS: Michael Cohen Researcher in AI Safety at University of Oxford Mary-Ann Russon Technology Reporter Christoph Lutge Director of the Institute for Ethics in AI at Technical University of Munich Roundtable...

When former England footballer turned BBC TV host Gary Lineker condemned the government’s illegal immigration bill on Twitter, the broadcaster removed him from fronting the country’s biggest sports show. Lineker refused to take back his comments, and the BBC was accused of hypocrisy and lacking impartiality. Who was in the right? Guests: Femi Oluwole Political commentator for the Independent Petros Iosifidis Professor of Media & Communication Policy at City University of London....

China published a plan to end the conflict in Ukraine, yet at the same time it is widely seen as a close ally of Russia and critic of western policy towards Kiev. So, can Beijing be a credible peace broker? Guests: Theresa Fallon Director of the Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies (CREAS) Hanna Shelest Director of Security Programmes at “Ukrainian Prism” Matej Simalcik Executive Director at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies Roundtable is a discussion programme with an...

One year since Russia invaded Ukraine, there are few signs of any kind of ceasefire. In fact, all the indications are that the fighting is about to get worse. So, how will this conflict end? Guests: Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze Chair of Ukrainian Committee of EU Integration Anthony Brenton Former British Ambassador to Russia William Courtney Former US Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Georgia and Senior Fellow at the Rand Corporation Roundtable is a discussion programme with an edge....

President Emmanuel Macron declared French interference in Africa was over during a recent four nation tour to the continent. He was there with the aim of resetting relations based on mutual respect. Will his new approach work, or does colonial resentment just run too deep? GUESTS: Emmanuel Dupuy President of Institute for European Perspective & Security Garba Moussa African policy analyst Alex Vines Director of Africa Programme at Chatham House Roundtable is a discussion programme...

In recent weeks Moldova has accused Russia of trying to destabilise it politically. There have been warnings of potential conflict, and there were even reports of a Russian missile flying through Moldovan airspace. What exactly is going on in Transnistria - and is it all linked to the war in Ukraine? Guests: Anna Matveeva Visiting Senior Research Fellow at Russia Institute, King’s College London Wilder Alejandro Sanchez President of Second Floor Strategies Lucia Scripcari Analyst on...

Shamima Begum left Britain as a schoolgirl to join the terrorists of Dayesh in Syria. As a result, the British government cancelled her citizenship and told her never to return. So exactly who is responsible for bringing her to account? And is cancelling someone’s citizenship ever acceptable? Guests: Rebecca Butler Barrister Andrew Drury Journalist and filmmaker Yasmine Ahmed UK Director of Human Rights Watch Roundtable is a discussion programme with an edge. Broadcast out of London...

Traditional trade relations destroyed, soaring energy prices, and the threat of severe global food shortages. How has Russia’s conflict with Ukraine changed the global economy? Guests: Yuri Poluneev Former Member of the Ukrainian Parliament and Former Deputy Head of the Supervisory Board of the National Bank of Ukraine Arnaud Petit Executive Director of the International Grain Council Alicia García Herrero Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis and Senior Fellow at...

Russia thought it could take Kyiv in a matter of days, some Western analysts thought the same. But Ukraine is still standing. This conflict has had one foot in the past and one foot firmly in the future. There’s been First World War style massed artillery and infantry storming trenches on the one hand, but unmanned drones and ultra-modern missiles on the other. So has Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II changed how wars are fought? Guests: Roderic Lyne Former British Ambassador to...

200 asylum seeking children in Britain have gone missing from government care. The UK’s Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, linked their disappearance to ‘a criminal network’, and accused the government of ‘completely failing to stop them’. The authorities say they are trying to find the children, but is there any chance they will be found, and how could they be lost in the first place? Guests: Bharti Patel Former CEO of Every Child Protected Against Trafficking Neil...

The demolition of a village in Germany to allow the expansion of a coal mine has, unsurprisingly, turned out to be hugely controversial. Police clashed with climate change activists trying to stop the bulldozing of Lützerath. Government ministers argue that with gas supplies from Russia now cut off because of the conflict in Ukraine, coal power is needed to ensure the lights stay on. But are there no other alternatives? Guests: Andris Piebalgs Former European Commissioner for Energy Sulti...

At the Davos meeting of the World Economic Forum this year, the heads of global politics and finance wrestled with the question of whether the era of globalisation is coming to an end. The conclusion? It depends on who you ask. Guests: Inderjeet Parmar Professor of International Politics Stella Ladi Queen Mary University of London James Mittelman Professor Emeritus, American University Roundtable is a discussion programme with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by...

Britain’s government is responding to record levels of strikes by passing laws aimed at restricting the right of workers to walk out. Trades unions accuse the Conservative government of acting like “a dictator” and carrying out a “horrific attack” on workers’ rights. Ministers say the legislation is essential to maintaining public safety. But is the government simply trying to ban strikes? Guests: Tim Skeet Member of the UK Conservative Party Pollyanna Ruiz Author of ‘Articulating...

The British museum says it's negotiating what it calls a ‘cultural exchange’ with Greece to return the Elgin Marbles. Also known as the Parthenon sculptures, the ancient works of art have been on display in London for more than 200 years. However, their presence is a diplomatic flashpoint, amid claims and counterclaims about how Britain got hold of them in the first place. So are the Elgin Marbles heading home, and should cultural artefacts always be sent back to their place of...

Germany’s new defence minister has little military or ministerial experience, and takes up the job at a historic crunch point. Boris Pistorius has already overseen a decision which has seen Germany relent and agree to send main battle tanks to Ukraine. But can he survive in such a toxic job in the long term? GUESTS: Alim Baluch Lecturer in German Politics and Society at University of Bath Domitilla Sagramoso Senior Lecturer at King's College London Glen Grant Military analyst at the Baltic...

The arrest of Andrew Tate in Romania for suspected rape and sex offences has intensified the controversy about the social media superstar. He’s an icon to schoolboys and young men, with his playboy lifestyle and macho advice on how to strike it rich - and attract women. His opponents see him as a dangerous misogynist who boasts of abusing women and making a fortune by radicalising young men. So how is this notorious so-called ‘moral entrepreneur’, and others like him, able to exert so much...

The French are rebelling at government plans to raise the retirement age. President Emmanuel Macron says pension reforms are “essential and vital” to balance the budget. Trade union leaders are promising what they’re calling 'the mother of all battles' using strikes and protest rallies. That threatens a repeat of the chaos of last year when petrol stations ran dry during weeks of industrial action at oil refineries. So can Macron push his plan through this time, or has he lost...

Britain is sending Challenger Two tanks to Ukraine, and Poland plans to send a company of its German made Leopard 2 tanks. Berlin is now under severe political pressure to follow suit and send its own Leopard 2’s, amid severe criticism that it is failing to help Kiev fight back against Russian forces. So, if those tanks arrive, can they change the face of the conflict in Ukraine, and why is Germany so reticent? Guests: Klaus Larres Professor of History and International Affairs Wojciech...

The visit by a far-right Israeli government minister to the third-holiest site in Islam has caused an international outcry. However the European Union’s response has remained curiously muted. The Palestinian leadership denounced Itamar Ben-Gvir for “deliberate and unprecedented provocation” at the Al Aqsa mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem. Arab allies including the UAE and Egypt backed calls for action at the United Nations, as well as Turkiye and even more notably China. But the...

Covid-19 infections in China are rampant. 90% of people in Hunan province alone are thought to be carrying the virus. Some European countries have responded by demanding negative tests from anyone arriving from China. France, Italy and Spain have already imposed their own rules. China’s government says the restrictions are both ‘unreasonable and unacceptable’. So, is the EU’s Covid crackdown justified? Or, alternatively, does it perhaps not go far enough? Guests: Andy Mok Senior Research...