Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes

Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes

Author: ECFR Language: English Episodes: 100
Each week, Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes cuts through the noise of global headlines to explore the deeper forces at play. Curated by Mark Leonard, who directs the European Council on Foreign Relations, this ECFR podcast brings together leading thinkers, policymakers, and analysts from across Europe and the wider world. Their conversations move beyond the day's news to debate the underlying policies, strategic ideas, and geopolitical shifts that are actively shaping our future. The focus is consistently on understanding Europe's place in a complex international landscape, examining how it responds to crises and where it can exercise influence. Recognized for its quality with PolicyLab's 2019 award for best podcast on EU politics, this series delivers concise, substantive dialogue that fits into a busy schedule. As part of the EuroPod network, it offers a vital perspective for anyone looking to grasp not just what is happening, but why it matters. Tune in for a regular dose of informed discussion that connects the dots between events, decisions, and their long-term consequences.
Episodes
Indignity with Lea Ypi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:20
Mark Leonard is joined by Lea Ypi, ECFR council member and professor in political theory at the London School of Economics, to discuss her latest book Indignity: A Life Reimagined, which asks how individuals can maintain…
Europe-Africa relations in 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:42
Mark Leonard is joined by Africa experts Nathalie Delapalme, CEO of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation and ECFR council member, Carlos Lopes, honourary professor at the University of Cape Town who has occupied prominent positions…
The EU-India mega-deal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:46
In an emergency podcast episode, Mark Leonard welcomes James Crabtree, ECFR distinguished visiting fellow and former Mumbai bureau chief for the Financial Times, to discuss the long-awaited EU-India trade deal. The agree…
Live from Davos with Alexander Stubb [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:49
In this episode, Mark Leonard sits down with Finnish president, Alexander Stubb, in Davos for a conversation about Donald Trump’s view of Ukraine, Greenland, the world and Europe’s place in it. They explore the clash bet…
Will Trump bomb Iran? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:49
Protests across Iran have entered their third week and Donald Trump is said to be considering a military intervention against the Khamenei regime. According to human rights organisations, its brutal crackdown against dem…
The world in 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:40
Following on from January 2nd’s prediction episode, Mark Leonard hosts Julien Barnes-Dacey, ECFR’s Middle East programme director, Alex Vines, ECFR’s Africa programme director, Andrew Small, ECFR’s Asia programme directo…
Trump attacks Venezuela [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:31
On January 3rd, the US military struck Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro. Trump has declared that America will now “run” the country, shifting from a narrative which had focused on the US fighting a wa…
Predictions and Reckonings: From 2025 to 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:16
This week Mark Leonard is joined by Jeremy Shapiro, research director at ECFR, for their annual end-of-year tradition: marking last year’s predictions and making ten bold forecasts for the year ahead. They look at how th…
Made in China: How Europe can tackle economic coercion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:22
China’s tightening of export controls on rare earths and related technologies across 2025 marked a turning point in Europe’s economic security. Even with Beijing’s partial and momentary rollback after talks with Washingt…
After Doha: What’s next for the Arab world? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:50
This week, Mark Leonard welcomes Ellie Geranmayeh, senior policy fellow and deputy head of ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme, and Hugh Lovatt, senior policy fellow with ECFR’s MENA programme and chairman of t…