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The Foreign Desk
Monocle’s global-affairs show with Andrew Mueller. Expert guests, in-depth analysis, and sharp commentary on major geopolitical issues.
Latest Episodes
2025 in review
Andrew Mueller and our expert panel look back at the world events that shaped 2025.
Explainer 498: Belarus’s balloon offensive
Lithuania has been beleaguered by balloons drifting into its airspace from neighbouring Belarus. What are the military advantages of this seemingly whimsical mode of transportation? And how severe is the threat? Andrew Mueller explains.
Could Taiwan draw the US, China and Japan into war?
Japan prime minister Sanae Takaichi’s assertion that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be a threat to her nation’s survival has spurred a crisis between Tokyo and Beijing. Can de-escalation be achieved?
Explainer 497: The art of (stopping) the coup
Benin has become the latest West African state to face a coup. Andrew Mueller explains how the region’s history of upheavals gave president Patrice Talon the tools to stop the attempt.
One year on from the toppling of the Assad regime, how far has Syria’s revolution come?
One year on from the spectacular toppling of the Assad regime, has the Syrian revolution achieved its aims? How well is President al-Sharaa governing and remaking his image? Will global intervention help or hurt the state?
Explainer 496: Is Hegseth in deep water?
Self-styled US “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth is facing criticism for striking boats off the coast of Venezuela, killing more than 80 people. But will there be any consequences?
Powering Purpose
A special episode in association with Hitachi Energy, recorded at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels. Andrew Mueller discusses the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition with a panel of experts from Hitachi Energy, GE Vernova and Aurora.
What do Russians really think of Putin?
How many Russians support President Putin’s worldview? Does real opposition exist? Leading dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza outlines how Russia and the West must prepare for the post-Putin era, and why those efforts must begin now.
Explainer 495: What’s the deal with the Ukraine peace deal?
Does Ukraine stand to gain anything from the US-brokered peace deal? And does Russia even want the war to end?
Stranger than fiction?
Many politicians and diplomats serve during incidents that feel stranger than fiction. Veep writer David Quantick and former UK ambassador John Everard discuss how entertainment and politics interact.
