Sponsored by
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
Taiwan’s China problem
As Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te embarks on his first international tour, we explore this delicate moment for an island that China still claims as a rogue province. Will China really try to reclaim Taiwan? And how would the island – and its allies – go about its defence? Andrew Mueller…
Is Europe ready for war?
This week, households in Sweden received a government pamphlet entitled ‘In Case Of Crisis Or War’, while similar manuals were published across Scandinavia. Some European nations are evidently preparing for war, but are they ready? Andrew Mueller is joined by Monocle’s Gunnar Gronlid to speak with Richard Shirreff, the former…
Trump’s doctrine: the sequel
Following Trump’s first cabinet appointments, we consider what his second term might mean for tensions between international powers. Andrew Mueller speaks with Amy Mackinnon, national security reporter for ‘Foreign Policy’; John Herbst, former US ambassador to Ukraine; Stephen Young, former ambassador to China; and Aaron David Miller, a former Middle…
Trump returns: what now?
As the dust settles on what was a shocking election result for some, we ask how Trump’s decisive victory happened and what it means for the US and the world. Andrew Mueller speaks to ‘The Atlantic’ staff writer Tom Nichols, the US’s former deputy assistant secretary of state for European…
US election counterintuitives
Trump the peacemaker, Obama the deporter, George W Bush the foreign aider. Ahead of the election, we interrogate the counterintuitive positions candidates have taken against their party’s (and their own) image, once in office. Why do so many US presidents campaign in one direction and govern in another? Andrew Mueller…
How the war in Ukraine has reshaped Asian foreign policy
The war in Ukraine and Russia has affected East Asian foreign policy in more ways than you might expect. We explore North and South Korea’s involvement in the conflict with former UK ambassador John Everard, China’s watchful eye with Oriana Skylar Mastro and the pivotal forthcoming elections in Japan with…
Artificial intelligence: Scourge or saviour?
We explore the effects of artificial intelligence and the governments that are desperately trying to keep up with the technology. Are we all doomed or is there hope for mankind? Andrew Mueller speaks with Slovenia’s president, Natasa Pirc-Musar; Digital Europe director-general Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl; and CEO of Mission Control AI, Ramsay…
Strange borders
With arbitrary borders and conflicts becoming more fashionable of late, we explore three of the world’s stranger borders: Norway-Russia, Spain-Gibraltar and the Beaufort Sea between the US and Canada. Plus: Jonn Elledge author of ‘A History of The World in 47 Borders: The Stories Behind The Lines On Our Maps’
Reflections on 7 October and the future
We look back on Hamas’s brutal attack, Israel’s deadly retaliation and the international community’s hopeless response. One year on, do we have any idea how this ends? Andrew Mueller speaks with Mairav Zonszein in Tel Aviv and Mina Al-Oraibi of ‘The National’ in Abu Dhabi. Plus: a roundtable with two…
Where does Hezbollah go from here?
The Foreign Desk is live in the immediate hours after Israel announced the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Andrew Mueller speaks with David Wood of the International Crisis Group in Beirut, and analysts Lina Khatib and Yossi Mekelberg of Chatham House. Plus: we hear from Hezbollah scholar Aurélie Daher.
