The Debate FRANCE 24 English

You know you've got a reclusive regime when an outside world hungry for clues salivates at the prospect of a visit by Vladimir Putin. Putin is on his first visit to North Korea in 24 years. We ask our panel what they’ve parsed from reviews of honour guards, official communiqués and hagiographic state media coverage. More broadly, do these images project strength or weakness?

There has been no ceasefire in Gaza since November. And just as tensions were subsiding a little, fears are now growing over Lebanon. We ask, in light of the latest border incidents, whether initial fears of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah could still prove true.

To Americans who complain that their election campaigns drag on for far too long, welcome to France where it is indeed a sprint, not a marathon. 

What are summits about? Most of the time, minions and sherpas have long before agreed on policy points before the red carpet has even been rolled out. Arguably most important in a summit are the photo ops: a chance for politicians to show they are at the helm, helping to rule the world in a spirit of cooperation. So what does this lot rule over? Dateline the Puglia resort of Borgo Egnazia on Italy’s Adriatic coast. 

Let's start with the good news for Ukraine. Long-range weapons from the West have finally arrived, with more on the way, and the Russian offensive of the past month seems to be stalling. Now for the not-so-good news. As Volodymyr Zelensky lobbies a repair and reconstruction conference in Berlin, his country might be on borrowed time.

When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, everyone knew war would follow. But few probably expected it to last eight long months in one of the world's most densely populated areas. Will the latest hopes of a truce once again be dashed? Critics contend that for leaders on both sides, managing a war is easier than ending it. After all, they run the risk of being held to account once it's over.