Peace Matters - A Podcast on Contemporary Geopolitics and International Relations

InternationaI Institute for Peace in Vienna
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‘Peace Matters’ is a podcast on contemporary geopolitics and international relations. Focusing on current developments around the world, it brings you in-depth analysis from leading experts in Europe and beyond. Hosted by Vienna-based International Institute for Peace, it discusses the most pressing global challenges with decision-makers, academics, diplomats, civil society activists and other stakeholders. Tune in to discussions on issues and threats that concern us all! Since this is a truly global but also Austrian podcast, some episodes are released in English, others in German.

  1. Democratizing Security in Europe. Teresa Coratella and Tomasz Kowalik

    JAN 29

    Democratizing Security in Europe. Teresa Coratella and Tomasz Kowalik

    In this episode of Peace Matters, we examine the growing challenges facing European security. As defence budgets rise, U.S. priorities shift, and crises stretch from Ukraine to the Arctic and beyond, security decisions are increasingly made under pressure—and often at a distance from public debate. Drawing on perspectives from Europe’s Eastern Flank as well as EU governance and democratic accountability, the discussion explores whether Europe is emerging as an independent security actor, how defence trade-offs are communicated to citizens, and where democratic legitimacy fits into rapid crisis decision-making. From NATO burden-sharing and sanctions to threat perceptions, internal divisions, and public trust, the episode asks a central question: how can Europe defend itself while remaining democratically accountable in an age of uncertainty? Guests: Teresa Coratella is Deputy Head and a Policy Fellow of the Rome office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, a pan-European think tank. She works on Italian foreign policy, European populists and Eurosceptics parties, disinformation and hybrid threats. Half Italian and half Polish, she also follows closely Polish foreign politics as well as the Visegrad group. She is a College of Europe and IVLP Alumna as well as mentor of Women in International Security Italy. Brigadier General Tomasz K. Kowalik is the Deputy Chief of Staff Support at NATO’s Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin, Poland. A career officer in the Polish Armed Forces since 1993, he has held senior roles across Poland’s Ministry of National Defence, the Polish General Staff, and NATO Headquarters in Brussels, where he served as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. He previously directed Poland’s Department of Military Foreign Affairs, overseeing bilateral defence relations and defence attachés worldwide. A graduate of West Point, with a PhD in pedagogy, Brig. Gen. Kowalik is also a published author on NATO security and defence transformation. Moderation: Gjergj Loka, Project Assistant at the IIP The episode was recorded on 28 January 2026.

    57 min
  2. Austria and Europe: Neutrality in Question. Ralph Janik and Christoph Schwarz

    12/18/2025

    Austria and Europe: Neutrality in Question. Ralph Janik and Christoph Schwarz

    In this episode of Peace Matters, we explore Austria’s neutrality—its legal foundations, historical origins, and evolving role in today’s geopolitical landscape. What does neutrality entail, and how is it perceived by Austrian society and political elites? We discuss public support for neutrality and examine whether Austria’s stance is compatible with its EU membership—not just legally, but politically. As the EU faces challenges to integration and foreign policy unity, we ask whether Austria’s neutrality is an asset or an obstacle and how other EU countries view Austria’s position.Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on Austria’s neutrality and its future in Europe.Guests:Ralph Janik teaches international law at Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna, the University of Vienna, Andrassy University Budapest, and Universität der Bundeswehr München. His research focuses on armed conflicts, human rights, and the interplay of international law and international relations. He studied law and political science at the University of Vienna and the Universidad Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), followed by an LL.M. in European and International Law at the University of Amsterdam.Christoph Schwarz, MSSc., is a Senior Research Fellow at the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy. His work explores key questions of Austrian and European foreign and security policy, with a particular emphasis on the evolving role of neutrality in the 21st century. His current focus lies in analysing how Austria’s neutral status is being affected by European integration and shifting dynamics in international affairs.Moderation:Marylia Hushcha, Researcher and Project Manager at the IIPThe episode was recorded on 17 December 2025 with the support of the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria.

    1h 2m
  3. 30 Years After Dayton: Bosnia & Herzegovina Today. Ferenc Nemeth & Dennis Miskic

    11/29/2025

    30 Years After Dayton: Bosnia & Herzegovina Today. Ferenc Nemeth & Dennis Miskic

    In this episode of Peace Matters, we examine Bosnia and Herzegovina thirty years after the Dayton Agreement - a moment marked by uncertainty and international attention. The recent elections in Republika Srpska have reopened debates about public sentiment in the entity, the resilience of ethno-political divisions, and whether new leadership signals real change or continued dominance by entrenched elites.We explore how Bosnia’s institutions have evolved since Dayton and whether the country remains locked in a cycle of political deadlock sustained by patronage, constitutional rigidity, and competing nationalisms. At the same time, we look outward: how the United States, the European Union, Russia, and neighboring states such as Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary are shaping the country’s trajectory through sanctions, diplomacy, and strategic alliances - raising the question of what Bosnia’s future might look like if international supervision were strengthened, reformed, or removed altogether.Guests:Ferenc Németh is a Western Balkans expert and a PhD Candidate at the Corvinus University of Budapest. Most recently, Ferenc was a Visiting International Graduate Student at the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies at the University of Toronto (2025) and conducted research at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (2024-2025). He was a Denton Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (2024) and participated in the Transatlantic Security Initiative of the International Republican Institute (2025). Ferenc was a Research Fellow at the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (2019-2024) and worked at EULEX Kosovo (2019). Dennis Miskić is a freelance journalist based in Vienna. He studied Political Science in Melbourne, Leiden, and Vienna and focuses on Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. He works for German-speaking media and covers Politics, Migration, European Integration and Human Rights issues. He also works as a Project Assistant at the IIP. Moderation: Gjergj Loka, Project Assistant at the IIPThe episode was recorded on 28 November 2025 in collaboration with Political Capital (supported by Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans).

    47 min
  4. Cyprus Divided – Fifty Years of Stalemate and the Search for Peace. Ahmet Sözen

    10/17/2025

    Cyprus Divided – Fifty Years of Stalemate and the Search for Peace. Ahmet Sözen

    Nearly fifty years after the island of Cyprus was split between its Greek and Turkish communities, the conflict remains one of the most enduring in Europe. Once a British colony and now home to one of the UN’s longest-running peacekeeping missions, Cyprus stands as a symbol of both the possibilities and the limits of international diplomacy. In this episode of Peace Matters, we speak with Professor Ahmet Sözen, a leading scholar from the Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta, about how the island became divided, why efforts to reunify it have repeatedly failed, and what prospects—if any—exist for change. We explore the evolving roles of Türkiye, the EU, and the UN, shifting demographics, the militarization of the island, and how ordinary Cypriots perceive the division today. From climate change to regional power politics, we ask: what would it take for peace to finally return to Cyprus? Guest: Ahmet Sözen is a professor of Political Science with conflict resolution and peace-building as his main areas of expertise. He was recently a Guest Professor in the Unit of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. His experience over the last three decades includes participating in peace-negotiations from the first-track in Cyprus as a member of the official Turkish Cypriot negotiation team in the UN-led peace negotiations and active involvement in second-track peace initiatives. He is a policy expert of DIPLOMEDS (Council of Mediterranean Diplomacy). Some of his recent publications: "The Cyprus–Türkiye maritime boundary" Constantinos Yiallourides and Ahmet Sözen (2025) Swisspeace Policy Brief "Renewing hope for Cyprus peace: a novel approach to reconcile the negotiation positions of the Turkish Cypriot side and the Greek Cypriot side" Ahmet Sözen & Devrim Şahin Accompanied by: Marylia Hushcha, Researcher and Project Manager at the IIP. The episode was recorded on 14 October 2025.

    51 min
  5. Ethiopia – The Fabric of Ethiopia under Stress. Moges Zewdu Teshome

    09/30/2025

    Ethiopia – The Fabric of Ethiopia under Stress. Moges Zewdu Teshome

    This episode takes a deep dive into Ethiopia and the wider Horn of Africa. We unpack the controversies surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the cycles of civil war in the country, and how these conflicts shape national identity, sovereignty, and political culture. The conversation also explores regional spillovers, humanitarian challenges, and the role of international and regional actors - from the African Union to global powers - in responding to one of the world’s most turbulent regions. Guest: Moges Zewdu Teshome is a doctoral candidate in Interdisciplinary International Studies at Vienna School of International Studies/ University of Vienna. Moreover, he is the host of a podcast known as የሀሳብ ገበታ-a Buffet of Ideas. Previously, he served as a Lecturer in Law at Haramaya University. He holds LLM in International Criminal Justice and Human Rights from University of Dundee, and Master of Advanced International Studies from Vienna School of International Studies. Accompanied by: Gjergj Loka, Project Assistant at the IIP The episode was recorded on 26 September 2025.

    40 min
  6. Israel/Iran – Wie der Nahostkonflikt die internationale Politik herausfordert. Heinz Gärtner & Adham Hamed

    07/11/2025

    Israel/Iran – Wie der Nahostkonflikt die internationale Politik herausfordert. Heinz Gärtner & Adham Hamed

    Israel/Iran – Wie der Nahostkonflikt die internationale Politik herausfordert In dieser Folge des Podcasts Peace Matters werden die aktuellen Entwicklungen angesichts des 12-Tage dauernden Krieges zwischen Israel und dem Iran im Juni 2025 beleuchtet. Wie lassen sich die komplexen Dynamiken im Nahen Osten und deren globale Auswirkungen – von regionalen Machtverschiebungen zwischen Iran, Israel und den USA bis hin zu Fragen des Völkerrechts, der Menschenrechte und des Multilateralismus einordnen? Was sind aktuelle Entwicklungen, historische Zusammenhänge und wie waren die internationalen Reaktionen?  Was bedeutet diese Eskalation für Frieden im Nahen Osten auch angesichts des Krieges in Gaza und seinen katastrophalen humanitären Folgen? Wie steht es um die Sicherheit Israels und was ist vom iranischen Atomprogramm in Zukunft zu erwarten? Diese und andere Themen werden von Heinz Gärtner und Adham Hamed diskutiert? Dabei stehen nicht nur sicherheitspolitische Aspekte im Fokus, sondern auch die Rolle Europas, die Glaubwürdigkeit internationaler Normen und die Herausforderungen globaler Diplomatie. Moderiert wird die Diskussion von Stephanie Fenkart. Gäste: Prof. Heinz Gärtner unterrichtet am Institut für Politikwissenschaft an der Universität Wien. Desweitern erhielt er mehrere Fulbright-Professuren und hatte den österreichischen Lehrstuhl an der Stanford Universität inne. An der Johns Hopkins Universität in Washington DC war er Fellow der Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation. Derzeit leitet er den Beirat des International Institute for Peace (IIP) und sitzt dem Strategie- und Sicherheitspolitischen Beirat des Österreichischen Bundesheeres vor. Davor war er wissenschaftlicher Direktor des Österreichisches Instituts für Internationale Politik. Prof. Dr. Gärtner publiziert zu zahlreichen Themen wie internationale Sicherheit, transatlantische Beziehungen, Rüstungskontrolle und mittlerer Osten. Er erhielt den Bruno-Kreisky-Preis für das politische Buch. Er ist Träger des Militär-Verdienstzeichens des österreichischen Bundesheeres.   Adham Hamed ist Leiter der Forschung am ACP und Lektor an der Universität Wien am Institut für Politikwissenschaft. Er ist Diplomat, Friedens- und Konfliktforscher und war zuvor im Auswärtigen Amt in Berlin tätig, wo er als Referent für den Schutz von Journalist*innen, Medienmacher*innen und Verteidiger*innen der Meinungsfreiheit in Krisen und Konflikten arbeitete. Moderation: Stephanie Fenkart, Direktorin des IIP. Diese Folge wurde am 10. Juli 2025 aufgezeichnet. Partner: Zukunftsfonds der Republik Österreich, Cluster Konflikt-, Friendens- und Demokratieforschung - Bundesministerium Bildung.

    49 min
  7. Schutzschirm und Schattenseiten – Europas nukleares Dilemma. Alexander Kmentt & Gustav Gressel

    06/13/2025

    Schutzschirm und Schattenseiten – Europas nukleares Dilemma. Alexander Kmentt & Gustav Gressel

    Schutzschirm und Schattenseiten – Europas nukleares Dilemma beleuchtet die Rückkehr der Atomwaffen in die sicherheitspolitische Debatte Europas. Angesichts der katastrophalen humanitären Folgen eines Atomwaffeneinsatzes, wachsender Proliferationsgefahren, russischer Drohungen und eines möglichen Rückzugs der USA steht Europa vor einer politischen und moralischen Zerreißprobe: Braucht Europa mehr nukleare Eigenverantwortung – oder weniger Atomwaffen weltweit?Mit dem Militärexperten Gustav Gressel und dem Abrüstungsdiplomaten Alexander Kmentt sprechen wir über Abschreckung und Abrüstung, über Sicherheit und Verantwortung. Der Podcast will keine einfachen Antworten liefern, sondern Raum schaffen für eine offene, kritische und ausgewogene Diskussion – strategisch, ethisch und gesellschaftlich. Denn gerade in Zeiten wachsender Spannungen ist es wichtiger denn je, die komplexen Zusammenhänge hinter der nuklearen Debatte zu verstehen und differenziert zu reflektieren.Gäste:Alexander Kmentt ist Direktor der Abteilung für Abrüstung, Rüstungskontrolle und Nichtverbreitung im österreichischen Außenministerium. Er gilt als einer der zentralen Architekten des Atomwaffenverbotsvertrags (TPNW) und war federführend bei der Wiener Konferenz 2014 über die humanitären Folgen von Atomwaffen. Kmentt war u. a. österreichischer Botschafter bei der Politisch-Sicherheitskomitees der EU, leitete mehrfach die österreichische Delegation bei internationalen Abrüstungsgremien und war Präsident der ersten Staatenkonferenz zum TPNW im Juni 2022. Er wurde mehrfach international für sein Engagement in der Abrüstung ausgezeichnet, darunter als „Arms Control Person of the Year 2014“. Kmentt hat in Wien und Cambridge Völkerrecht und internationale Beziehungen studiert.Gustav Gressel ist Militärexperte mit Schwerpunkt Osteuropa, Sicherheitspolitik und Militärstrategie. Er absolvierte dieOffiziersausbildung an der Theresianischen Militärakademie und war anschließend im österreichischen Verteidigungsministerium in den Bereichen Strategie und internationale Sicherheit tätig. Gressel promovierte in Strategischen Studien und arbeitet seit 2014 beim European Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. Seit 2025 forscht er an der Landesverteidigungsakademie in Wien. Er ist regelmäßig als Experte in Medien wie Die Welt, ZDF oder NDR präsent und betreibt seit 2022 den Podcast Ostausschuss zum Ukrainekrieg und osteuropäischen Themen.Moderation:Stephanie Fenkart, Direktorin des IIP.Diese Folge wurde am 12. Juni 2025 aufgezeichnet.

    57 min
  8. Foreign Policy and Domestic Power: Understanding Turkey Today. Cengiz Günay & Sabine Kroissenbrunner

    05/19/2025

    Foreign Policy and Domestic Power: Understanding Turkey Today. Cengiz Günay & Sabine Kroissenbrunner

    This episode explores Turkey’s evolving foreign policy under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—from assertive moves in the Middle East to its complex ties with NATO and the EU. Is Ankara driven by neo-Ottoman ambition or pragmatic regional strategy? We also look at how domestic politics—like the protests over Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s arrest and the recent dissolution of the Kurdisch Workers' Party (PKK) —are shaping its international posture ahead of the 2028 elections. Guests: Cengiz Günay is Director of the Austrian Institute for International Affairs –OIIP– and Lecturer at the Department of Political Sciences, the Department of Near Eastern Studies and the Department of International Development and the University of Vienna. In 2018/19 he was a visiting fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute at the Paul H. Nietze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC. He is the author of the monographies “Die Geschichte der Türkei. Von den Anfängen der Moderne bis heute”, Wien: Böhlau, UTB, and “From Islamists to Muslim Democrats?” Saarbrücken: VDB. His regional focus lies on Turkey and the MENA region. His research interests are:• Democracy and the rise of new forms of authoritarian governance• Neoliberal Interventions und their effects on state and statehood• European Neighbourhood Policy• Islamism Sabine Kroissenbrunner is Secretary General of the Bruno Kreisky Forum for international Dialogue, Vienna, since August 2024. In 2000, she joined the Austrian Foreign Ministry and served as a career diplomat in Berlin, Ankara, Belgrade and Cairo. Between 2007 and 2011 she established and headed the Task Force for Dialogue of Cultures and Religions in the Austrian Foreign Ministry. Before joining the cabinet of the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs as her advisor on EU affairs and the Federal Chancellery in 1995, Sabine Kroissenbrunner worked as a researcher, mediator and consultant. Her research publications cover topics related to Turkey, the Middle East, Islam in Europe , religious and political networks related to migration and integration. She studied political science at the University of Vienna, the Bosphorus University in Istanbul and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. Moderation: Marylia Hushcha, Researcher and Project Manager at the IIP. The episode was recorded on 14 May 2025 with the support of The Austria Future Fund.

    48 min
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About

‘Peace Matters’ is a podcast on contemporary geopolitics and international relations. Focusing on current developments around the world, it brings you in-depth analysis from leading experts in Europe and beyond. Hosted by Vienna-based International Institute for Peace, it discusses the most pressing global challenges with decision-makers, academics, diplomats, civil society activists and other stakeholders. Tune in to discussions on issues and threats that concern us all! Since this is a truly global but also Austrian podcast, some episodes are released in English, others in German.

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