The Global Agora

Andrej Matisak
  • 3.7 (3)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The Global Agora

This is the podcast about foreign policy, international relations, politics, security, defense... My name is Andrej Matišák. I'm a journalist, deputy head of foreign desk in Slovak daily Pravda. So far this is mostly a small side project. Maybe it will grow. I'll see. Anyway, I hope that you will like it and you will support it by listening, sharing and subscribing. Of course, there are gazillions of projects like this but I think that this is the only one from Slovakia. :-)

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

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

    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," Tom told me. He is a staff writer at The Atlantic and a contributor to the Atlantic Daily newsletter. He is a professor emeritus of national-security affairs at the US Naval War College, where he taught for 25 years, and an instructor at the Harvard Extension School. We discussed why the US voted alongside Russia and North Korea against a UNGA resolution that was supported by American allies, Trump's approach to Ukraine negotiations, and the presidential purge of the armed forces. And why does Tom say Vladimir Putin is one shining star in Trump's world? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak

    31 min

  2. FEB 22

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

    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 and a retired Australian Army major general. This time, we talk about the most pivotal moments of the war and what Ukrainians and Russians are doing militarily. Do you want to know why my guest thinks Russian leader Vladimir Putin is probably smiling these days, and what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has that US President Donald Trump will never have? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak

    26 min

  3. FEB 14

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

    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 talked about Donald Trump's plan for negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Ukraine, the role of Europeans in all of this, and what America means to the EU these days. An ally, friend, partner, rival? An adversary, even? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak

    19 min

  4. FEB 7

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

    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 Deutschland - AfD)? Alexander Clarkson, a lecturer in German, European, and International Studies at King's College London, answered my question about the potential collaboration between the German centrist-conservative right and the far-right. We also discussed what the AfD represents, how it fits into Donald Trump's world, and what we can expect from Merz. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak

    36 min

  5. JAN 31

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

    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 towards Western Europe. These are the main findings of the report titled Russian sabotage operations in Europe since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Bart Schuurman, a Professor of Terrorism and Political Violence at Leiden University, is the lead author of the study. We discussed not only what is happening, but also how Europe should or could respond to the rising number of Russian sabotage operations. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak

    25 min

  6. JAN 20

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

    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 Uncertainty. This presented a great opportunity to discuss what, aside from unpredictability, we might expect from the second Trump administration in terms of foreign policy. Is this the end of the world as we know it? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak

    28 min

  7. JAN 17

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

    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 our conversation. This time, we discussed what gives her hope for the future and what her biggest concerns are for 2025. Naturally, this led us to debate Donald Trump and his presidency. But we also discussed Slovak PM Robert Fico's visit to Moscow and Joe Biden's legacy regarding Ukraine. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak

    25 min

  8. JAN 9

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

    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. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak

    26 min
See All (218)

Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

This is the podcast about foreign policy, international relations, politics, security, defense... My name is Andrej Matišák. I'm a journalist, deputy head of foreign desk in Slovak daily Pravda. So far this is mostly a small side project. Maybe it will grow. I'll see. Anyway, I hope that you will like it and you will support it by listening, sharing and subscribing. Of course, there are gazillions of projects like this but I think that this is the only one from Slovakia. :-)

Information

  • Creator
    Andrej Matisak
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    218
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Andrej Matisak
  • Show Website
    The Global Agora

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