
The Foreign Desk 2025 in review
12 snips
Dec 20, 2025 Quentin Peel, former foreign editor of the Financial Times, discusses the enduring strategies of Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. Yossi Meckleberg, a senior fellow at Chatham House, highlights Israel's ambiguous military aims in Gaza and strategic challenges in the region. Julie Norman, an expert on international relations, emphasizes the resilience of Ukraine amidst shifting diplomatic landscapes and the humanitarian crises in Sudan. The panel also delves into Europe's evolving defense strategies while unpacking the unpredictable landscape of global politics under a potential second Trump term.
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Tactics Don't Deliver Strategic Security
- Tactical battlefield gains haven't translated into long-term security for Israel.
- Yossi Mecklberg argues that without addressing root causes, violence will breed more radicalisation.
Force Without Diplomacy Perpetuates Conflict
- Military strikes on Iran and proxies reduced immediate capabilities but left diplomatic gaps.
- Yossi warns that without transformative diplomacy, bombing risks perpetuating Middle East conflict.
Ukraine's Endurance Exceeded Expectations
- Ukraine's resistance has exceeded expectations and preserved statehood.
- Julie Norman sees continuing value in supporting Ukraine despite diplomatic noise from the US.




