Best Andrej Matišák Podcasts (2025)

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Why authoritarians are no longer on the defensive – and how they are reshaping world politics 30:55

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4d ago30:55

30:55

If authoritarians seek to dictate the global agenda while liberal democracies at least partly resist, could this lead to conflicts or even wars? This was one of my questions for Alexander Cooley, Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University, and Alexander Dukalskis, Associate Professor in the School of Politics and Interna…

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Do the ICC warrants for Putin and Netanyahu still matter? 25:35

13d ago25:35

25:35

Some people welcome the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, yet criticize the same procedure when applied to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What does Hugo Slim – Director of the Las Casas Institute for Social Justice and Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University, who studies ethics, war, …

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Can anyone govern France or will the political instability continue? 26:37

19d ago26:37

26:37

When President Emmanuel Macron dissolved parliament in June 2024, he gambled that new elections might restore his control or expose the far right as unfit to govern. Instead, France has been stuck in a political stalemate – no clear majority, a restless opposition, and a public growing weary of the political chaos. To help us make sense of it all, …

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Tomahawks for Ukraine? Trump wants to hand over the war to the Europeans 23:20

27d ago23:20

23:20

Does American President Donald Trump really see the Russian war against Ukraine at least partly differently compared to, for example, six months ago, when he was still regularly berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy? This was my question for a military analyst, Franz-Stefan Gady. His response? "I think the major mistake that we are makin…

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Who is Andrej Babiš? He wants to run the state like a business, but he won't visit Putin after the elections 28:21

1M ago28:21

28:21

Who is Andrej Babiš? Who is the real Babiš? The best kind of handle we can get on this is what he said early on about how he wants to run the country like a firm. Clearly, he wants centralized power. He doesn’t like checks and balances. That’s how Seán Hanley, Associate Professor in Comparative Central and East European Politics at University Colle…

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Moldova's elections: What will happen if pro-Russian forces win? 24:15

1M ago24:15

24:15

Is it accurate to describe the upcoming elections in Moldova, scheduled for September 28, as a duel between the pro-EU and pro-Russian camps? Has Russia been at least partly successful in influencing a significant number of Moldovan voters? And what might happen if pro-Russian forces win? I discuss these questions, and more, with Denis Cenusa, an A…

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Are Russia, China and Trump's America global disruptors and what can the EU do about it? 25:07

1M ago25:07

25:07

Are Russia, China, and Donald Trump's America global disruptors, and what can the EU do about it? And how to live in a world full of anxiety where drones fly over our heads, we feel economic pressure, and the wars are nearby. Join me as I speak with Paweł Świeboda, Senior Visiting Fellow and Co-Director of the Brussels Economic Security Forum at th…

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About MAGA propaganda and Superman: Does Trump weaken America’s position on the global stage? 25:32

2M ago25:32

25:32

What does MAGA propaganda represent in American politics? And what does Superman represent? To unpack these political symbols, I speak with Nicholas Cull, Professor of Communication at the University of Southern California, a pioneer scholar and educator in the field of public diplomacy and a historian of the role of mass communication in foreign p…

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How likely is direct US military action against Venezuela? 24:36

2M ago24:36

24:36

Washington has sent warships, submarines, and thousands of Marines into the Caribbean, raising questions about America’s intentions toward Venezuela. The Trump administration says it is targeting narco-terrorists linked to Nicolás Maduro’s regime – but how accurate is that picture, and what does it mean for regional stability and security? There wa…

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Hope, fairness, leadership, and coercion: How to turn climate concerns into policy support 23:21

2M ago23:21

23:21

In this episode of my podcast, The Global Agora, Niklas Harring, Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, discusses the complex relationship between public concern over climate change and actual support for climate policies. While surveys consistently show that Europeans overwhelmingly view climate…

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Security guarantees and territorial negotiations: Ukraine’s path toward peace? 25:27

2M ago25:27

25:27

A very different kind of meeting took place between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. It was a stark contrast to their previous encounter at the end of February, which many described as an ambush. What has changed in the past six months on both the Ukrainian and American sides? And what do thes…

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Can Europe face a fentanyl epidemic similar to the US? 31:54

3M ago31:54

31:54

Vanda Felbab-Brown is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and we discuss how the fentanyl crisis has become the most lethal drug epidemic in United States history. She examines the factors contributing to it, including the high potency of synthetic opioids and the role of criminal organizations in their distribution. Vanda also offers her…

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When Trump says jump, every Republican asks: How high? But is he weaker than he appears? 26:43

3M ago26:43

26:43

When President Donald Trump says jump, every Republican asks: How high? But is he weaker than he appears? Trump plays the hegemon, and many are afraid of him, from his party to the media, law firms, and universities. But at one moment, he will be a lame duck, and he is old. I discussed the current state of the GOP and the Democratic Party with Stev…

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Russia and China versus the West: Is a war on two fronts a realistic scenario? General (Ret.) Mick Ryan explains 20:13

3M ago20:13

20:13

Is there a real risk of coordinated aggression by China and Russia that could lead to simultaneous attacks on Taiwan and NATO countries? Both the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte have mentioned this scenario. So, should we be seriously worried about something that could resemble a glo…

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Will Trump try to arrest Obama? And how would America react? 30:29

3M ago30:29

30:29

Is everything a distraction from the Epstein files? But when Donald Trump accuses Barack Obama of treason, what's next? Can the current US President try to arrest and prosecute his predecessor? And how would America and its institutions react to it? "At this point, we can't rule anything out," Professor of Public Policy at the University of Michiga…

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Russia wants to shut them down. The Barents Observer journalists fight back 21:16

4M ago21:16

21:16

The Norwegian newspaper The Barents Observer is taking the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office to court for declaring the media outlet a so-called undesirable organization. "I think that the Russian authorities are very, very afraid of independent media. We publish in Russian, so we do have an audience inside the country," said Barents Observer pub…

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Does Trump want Ukraine to surrender? Professor Phillips O'Brien weighs in 20:46

4M ago20:46

20:46

Phillips P. O'Brien is the Head of the School of International Relations and Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews. Does he think that what we're seeing from the Trump administration could amount to a kind of deliberate strategy – to restrict funding and weapons for Ukraine, in the belief that Kyiv will interpret this as a …

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Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that’s ours. Is Putin preparing for forever war? 25:30

4M ago25:30

25:30

Vladimir Putin recently announced that Russia plans to cut military spending starting next year. This statement came after the Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov, warned that the country’s economy is teetering on the brink of recession. Yet Putin also declared: Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that’s ours. So, regardless of hi…

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Why is politicologist Cas Mudde optimistic about America (even though he's not really that optimistic)? 20:21

4M ago20:21

20:21

Cas Mudde is a Dutch political scientist – or, as he prefers to call himself, a politicologist – one of the foremost scholars on the far right in Western democracies and a professor at the University of Georgia. After a few phone discussions, I finally met him in person at the GLOBSEC conference in Prague. We talked about Donald Trump's America, wh…

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How should NATO deal with Trump and spend 5 percent of GDP on defense? General (Ret.) Ben Hodges explains 20:33

5M ago20:33

20:33

The NATO summit takes place on June 24-25 in The Hague. How should the North Atlantic Treaty Organization deal with American President Donald Trump? Can NATO work in a mode of pleasing and not provoking him? How should the Alliance spend 5 percent of GDP on defense? And what to do with Russia? At the GLOBSEC conference in Prague, I spoke with ⁠Ben …

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How nervous is Hungary's PM Viktor Orbán about Péter Magyar's Tisza Party? 28:03

5M ago28:03

28:03

Can Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party lose next year’s election? What might he do to prevent that? How nervous is Orbán about Péter Magyar's Tisza Party, which is currently leading in the polls? And with the potential win of Andrej Babiš in the Czech elections and with recent Karol Nawrocki's victory in Poland's presidentia…

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Can World War three start in the Indo-Pacific? 18:48

5M ago18:48

18:48

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un recently suffered a public embarrassment. He wanted to show off his new destroyer, but it was damaged. „The destroyer program of North Korea has suffered a setback. But Kim Jong-un has no intention of stopping the development of it,“ Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a Professor of International Relations at King's College Lond…

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How to resist recession of democracy in America (and globally)? My conversation with Larry Diamond 31:02

5M ago31:02

31:02

I don't think Larry Diamond needs much of an introduction – but here we go. He is a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and the Mosbacher Senior Fellow in Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University. For decades, his research has focused on democratic trends and conditions around the w…

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How to negotiate with Putin and does he feel empowered by Trump? 23:17

5M ago23:17

23:17

How to negotiate with the Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, and does he feel empowered by his American counterpart, Donald Trump? „One very big misperception of the world and the US, especially President Trump, about the Russians is that they are very powerful. And this is very wrong,“ Leonid Litra told me. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the New Eur…

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Would Lithuanians fight if they were attacked by Russia? Ex-FM Landsbergis weighs in 22:58

6M ago22:58

22:58

Gabrielius Landsbergis served as Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from December 2020 until November 2024. Interestingly, 20 years ago, I also interviewed his grandfather, Vytautas Landsbergis. But we live in a very different world now – one in which the Baltic countries, including Lithuania, have closed their airspace to Slovak Prime Ministe…

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Is the new German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, ready to face Trump and Putin? 28:33

6M ago28:33

28:33

What should we expect from the new German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, in terms of foreign, security, and defense policy? Is he prepared to face US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin? Would Germany defend its allies in the event of a Russian attack, especially in a scenario where US support is uncertain? I discussed these quest…

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When authoritarianism rises and America and China collide, will you take part in revolution? 30:11

6M ago30:11

30:11

Is this the novel of our times? In fact, You Must Take Part in Revolution is a graphic novel, one for a new generation that likely prefers more images and fewer words, and it explores a near-future dystopia shaped by a US–China war, in which America has become a proto-fascist state. Timely, isn’t it? You Must Take Part in Revolution comes from Emmy…

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Is a drawdown of US forces from Europe all but certain and what would it mean? 27:39

6M ago27:39

27:39

John Deni is a Research Professor of Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) Security Studies at the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute. He just wrote an article for Foreign Policy titled: A Drawdown of U.S. Forces in Europe Is All but Certain. As this is a very hot topic, I wanted to know more about it. So …

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Greenland and Ukraine: Is Denmark squeezed between Trump and Putin? 28:08

7M ago28:08

28:08

How much does Denmark feel squeezed between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, as the Russian ruler wages a war in Europe, and the US President says he wants to take over Greenland? What does this mean for Denmark's threat perceptions? These were some of the questions I asked Anders Puck Nielsen, a military analyst and researcher at the Royal Danish …

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When will it fly? Will it be better than the Chinese project?: What do we know about the F-47 program? 26:37

7M ago26:37

26:37

Aaron Mehta is the editor-in-chief of Breaking Defense, but above all, he's a dear friend. We met almost a decade ago on NATO's eastern flank, in Poland. The result? I introduced Aaron and a bunch of other colleagues to the "mad dog" drink. If you don't know what it is, google it and give it a try! But this is not just a free ad for a drink and fri…

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Can Trump's trade wars lead to real wars? 32:15

7M ago32:15

32:15

American President Donald Trump has just announced that the US is imposing tariffs on everyone, including the islands inhabited by penguins. Russia is the only major economy excluded. Why? And can trade wars escalate into real wars? I discussed these topics and more with David McCuan, a Political Science Professor at Sonoma State. Listen to our con…

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Ukraine and Canada: Do Putin and Trump see the world alike? 22:18

7M ago22:18

22:18

Seva Gunitsky is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto. Yes, I asked him how worried he is that Donald Trump's America might militarily attack Canada. According to him, it's very unlikely, but... "I teach introduction to international politics, and when I talk about countries' war plans, I used to use the Canada-A…

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Ukrainian expert: Europe will suffer if there is no long-lasting and just peace in Ukraine 25:48

8M ago25:48

25:48

Victoria Vdovychenko is the joint program leader of the Future for Ukraine Project at the Center for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge, and holds a PhD in Foreign Policy and World History. I first met her in Bratislava in 2022, just a few months after Russia's large-scale invasion, and it's great to have her on my podcast. Victoria has a stark w…

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Can Trump really make Europe great again? 32:25

8M ago32:25

32:25

How far do you think American President Donald Trump could go in his adversity toward the European Union? Let's say on a scale from zero to ten, where 10 is the worst scenario akin to the EU being at war with the US. "I think probably somewhere like 8,5," Minna Ålander said to me. She is a Non-resident Fellow with the Transatlantic Defense and Secu…

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If America had to choose, would it defend Estonia or Taiwan? 34:59

8M ago34:59

34:59

If America had to choose, would it defend Estonia or Taiwan? Can Europe still count on the US to come to its defense? If necessary, does Europe have enough troops available for long-term deployment to Ukraine? What should European Union leaders do to strengthen European security in the short term, at least? I discussed these pressing topics and mor…

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Tom Nichols: Trump betrays everyone, but Putin is one shining star in his world 31:24

8M ago31:24

31:24

The first time I interviewed Tom Nichols was in 2016 in Bratislava, just before the US presidential elections. At that time, he was still a Republican, but he had already rejected Donald Trump. Of course, he no longer identifies with the party. "I never thought I would see the party of Ronald Reagan making excuses for a dictator in the Kremlin," To…

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Zelenskyy has something Trump will never have. But Putin is probably smiling. My conversation with General (Ret.) Mick Ryan 25:36

8M ago25:36

25:36

Ukraine has faced Russian aggression since 2014, and the large-scale invasion began three years ago, on February 24th, 2022. If you listen to my podcast The Global Agora, you know that I regularly discuss the war with Mick Ryan, as we try to assess what is happening on the battlefield as well as in the political realm. He is a military strategist a…

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What is Trump's America to the EU? An ally, friend, partner, rival? An adversary, even? 18:58

9M ago18:58

18:58

I know my question may seem too apocalyptic — or even crazy — but I had to ask: Is the EU's war with the US or Russia more likely? And as strange as it may sound, Nathalie Tocci provided a very interesting answer. So, welcome to my discussion with the Director of the Italian Istituto Affari Internazionali (Institute of International Affairs). We ta…

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How does AfD fit into Trump's world? And what about Friedrich Merz? 36:12

9M ago36:12

36:12

The elections in Germany will be held on February 23rd, and the Christian Democrats alliance of CDU/CSU, led by Friedrich Merz, is currently leading the polls. Everything suggests that Merz will be the next Chancellor. But with whom will he form a coalition? Can CDU/CSU cooperate with the extremist Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschla…

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Europe is increasingly being targeted by Russian sabotage. Where is the response? 25:23

9M ago25:23

25:23

The analysis shows that Russia is escalating its efforts to destabilize European countries. While previous operations mainly focused on disinformation and cyberattacks, recent activities demonstrate a shift towards hybrid warfare, including physical sabotage and political assassinations. Another striking pattern is the shift in Russian operations t…

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Trump's era is here. What might he do about Ukraine? Is Putin happy about him and what about the US allies? 27:50

10M ago27:50

27:50

Donald Trump's era is here. What might he do about Ukraine? Is Russian leader Vladimir Putin happy about him, and what about the US allies? Charly Salonius-Pasterak, a leading researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, has co-authored a report titled Four Lenses for Observing the Second Trump Administration: Reflecting Uncertaint…

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Hope and concerns. What advice would Ukrainian expert Maria Avdeeva give Trump before meeting with Putin? 25:04

10M ago25:04

25:04

The hardest but also most inspiring year. Heading into the new year with hope. This is what Maria Avdeeva, a Ukrainian security expert, wrote on Bluesky just before the New Year. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she has been covering what's happening in her country. And she also has time to talk to me, so this is another round of ou…

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What is Poland’s primary defense objective amid Russia's war against Ukraine? 26:22

10M ago26:22

26:22

How much is Poland currently spending on defense? Can Warsaw afford it? Is Poland considering reinstating mandatory military service? And what is Poland’s primary defense objective amid Russia's war against Ukraine? About this and much more, I talked to Marek Świerczyński, head of the security and international affairs desk in Polityka Insight. Lis…

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Destabilization of democracy? What to expect in 2025 30:15

10M ago30:15

30:15

What might be the main and most important political trends that will shape the year 2025? This was my first question for Professor Erik Jones, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute. Erik joined my podcast to discuss predictions for the upcoming year, as well as to reflect on what happened in…

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What's next for 007, and do we live in an era of Bond villains? 33:20

10M ago33:20

33:20

This is not my first podcast about James Bond. When No Time to Die hit theaters in 2021, I had a two-part conversation with Martin D. Brown, bondologist, Professor of International History at Richmond American University in London, and co-author of the book The Bondian Cold War: The Transnational Legacy of a Cultural Icon. Martin is back on my podc…

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Is Slovak PM Robert Fico pro-Russian? 27:52

11M ago27:52

27:52

Could Slovak politics have been "TikTok-ed" in a similar way to Romania, where the far-right candidate Calin Georgescu won the first round of the presidential election? Is Slovak PM Robert Fico pro-Russian? And why is his government relatively fragile only one year into its rule? My podcast guests usually discuss global events, but if you're intere…

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It looks like a form of oligarchy. Will Trump really run the administration? 23:49

11M ago23:49

23:49

Jennifer Mercieca is a Professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at Texas A&M University and the author of the book Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump. So we talked about Trump. Is he an existential threat to American democracy? Is he truly willing to use the Justice Department, the FBI, and other state…

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Does Russia want far-right Calin Georgescu to become president of Romania? 29:27

11M ago29:27

29:27

Does Russia want far-right Calin Georgescu to become president of Romania? "My guess is Russia is satisfied even with the current level of disarray in Romania," Oana Popescu-Zamfir told me. She is the director of the GlobalFocus Center and we discussed the current political situation in her country between the parliamentary elections and the second…

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Does Putin think he can not lose the war in Ukraine? 25:11

11M ago25:11

25:11

Does Vladimir Putin think he can not lose the war in Ukraine? Do the Russians believe this? I talked to political analyst Anton Barbashin, an editorial director of Riddle, a website about Russia I can only recommend. Anton just wrote an article titled Will Russia Use Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine? Do you want to know what are Russia's real red lines? …

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What's next for Ukraine? War is not linear but there is a high chance it will be bad 24:07

12M ago24:07

24:07

Ukraine is losing the war after 1,000 days of the Russian large-scale invasion. Why are the defenders in such a situation? Due to the lack of personnel and weapons, or hesitation of its Western allies, or the relative strength of Russia? Or is it everything combined? I talked to the military analyst Gustav Gressel. Listen to our conversation. And i…