Six months after Giorgia Meloni, leader of the post-fascist Fratelli d’Italia party, became prime minister, Megan Gibson speaks to the historian and author David Broder about how Meloni has governed. They discuss whether she has confounded expectations, her relationship with other conservative movements around the world, and Silvio Berlusconi's legacy. Read more The making and meaning of Giorgia MeloniThe struggle for ItalyEurope’s far-right parties are learning from one anotherLetter from Italy: attending a gathering of ultra-conservatives in Rome Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine last year, there has been a strong focus on the China-Russia relationship – and on whether Xi Jinping might be preparing to distance himself from Russia, or, as Emmanuel Macron hopes, to pressure Putin to end the war. That debate intensified after Xi’s visit to Moscow in March. Ido Vock and Jeremy Cliffe in Berlin, along with Katie Stallard in Washington DC, discuss the history of the two countries’ relations, what message the recent visit was intended to send, and where the areas of tension lie. Next, we turn to Turkey whose citizens will head to the polls on 14 May for what are expected to be the closest elections for decades. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has ruled Turkey in one form or another for 20 years, could lose to a united opposition. The team discuss the opposition parties’ chances – and what might happen if they win.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Read more: Europe lost Turkey once, writes Jeremy. It cannot afford to make the same mistake again. Katie on the world according to Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly three weeks ago Russia arrested the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, accusing him of spying. Ido Vock speaks to Pjotr Sauer, a reporter on Russia for the Guardian who worked with Gershkovich at the Moscow Times, about the arrest, what this means for media freedom in Russia, and what might happen to him now.Read More:Vladimir Putin knows that hostage taking works Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Returning from a trip to Beijing, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, attracted international criticism when he told reporters that when it comes to Taiwan, Europe should resist becoming “America’s followers”.Megan Gibson in London and Ido Vock in Berlin discuss Macron’s attempt to distance Europe from the US on Taiwan, why his comments have been so inflammatory, and the potential risk to European security.Then they turn Northern Ireland, where Joe Biden touched down this week for a four-day visit to the island of Ireland. The US president was there to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The team discuss Biden’s strategy of mixing the personal – he has often talked about his Irish roots – and political, as well as US relations with Ireland and the UK.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Read more:Rachel Wearmouth asks will Joe Biden’s Northern Ireland visit achieve anything?Ido on why Emmanual Macron’s vision for Europe still doesn’t match reality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week Tsai Ing-wen, president of Taiwan, and Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, met in California. Katie Stallard speaks to Paul Huang, a research fellow at the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation and a journalist, based in Taipei, about the politics of the encounter. They discuss the calculations behind the response of China, which claims Taiwan as its own; how that could play into Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election; and the pace of Taiwan’s military reforms and how the self-ruling democracy is preparing to defend itself. Read more: Letter from Kinmen: Taiwan is already under attackThe diplomatic battle for Taiwan Asia’s dangerous new arms race Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, the former US president Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, amid allegations that he orchestrated hush-money payments to two women before the 2016 election.  Katie Stallard in Washington DC, Megan Gibson in London and Ido Vock in Paris discuss what Trump’s arrest and trial could mean for the 2024 presidential race.  Next, the team turn to Finland where Prime Minister Sanna Marin conceded defeat on Sunday. The right-wing National Coalition Party claimed victory in a tightly fought contest. They discuss what the loss tells us about Finnish politics – and the way the rest of the world see some national leaders. Then in You Ask Us a listener asks why China is so angry about the meeting of Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen with the US House speaker Kevin McCarthy.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Read more: Megan on the meaning of Sanna Marin’s defeat. Katie on the diplomatic battle for Taiwan. Katie writes on how Taiwan is already under attack. Katie asks whether Donald Trump’s indictment will help him win the Republican nomination? Charlotte Kilpatrick on the unexpected folly of prosecuting Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Ukraine war continues, one of the strongest supporters of Vladimir Putin has been Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Katherine Kelaidis, author of a new book on the Church, joins Ido Vock to discuss its history, the Church's split with Ukraine, and the influence it holds over Russian politics.Read more: The invasion of Ukraine forces a reckoning for the Orthodox world Putin believes he is defending Orthodox Christianity from the godless West Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, after protests swept the country and trade unions threatened major strikes, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced that he was delaying his controversial judicial reforms package. Netanyahu said he was doing this “to avoid civil war”.Ido Vock in Berlin and Megan Gibson and Alona Ferber in London discuss the response to Netanyahu’s announcement in Israel and abroad, as well as how far the crisis could go.Next, the team turn to Russia, where Vladimir Putin has announced that tactical nuclear weapons will be stationed in Belarus as early as this summer. They discuss why Putin wants these weapons in Belarus, how likely this is to happen and the possible consequences.Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether the Finnish prime minister, Sanna Marin, will lose the next election.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Read more:Alona on why this could be the end of Benjamin Netanyahu.Alona on how we are watching Israel build an authoritarian government in real time.Ido on Belarus and Vladimir Putin’s continued use of nuclear blackmail.Lawrence Freedman on why a “strategic nuclear exchange” would offer Putin zero gains.Megan on Magdalena Andersson and Sanna Marin’s fight against far-right misogyny. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Protests continue in Israel and many trade unions have called immediate strikes over Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed reforms to the judiciary, which critics say will turn the country into a dictatorship. Over the weekend the defence minister was sacked for calling for the plans to be withdrawn but there’s growing expectation that the prime minister will have to back down.Ido Vock speaks to Alona Ferber, Spotlight editor, about what’s behind the protests, why Netanyahu is so desperate to pass the reforms and how Palestinians are still missing from the discussion.Read more:This could be the end of Benjamin NetanyahuWe are watching Israel build an authoritarian government in real time Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement in Moscow promising to deepen their strategic partnership and stressing the importance of “settling the Ukraine crisis through dialogue”. Megan Gibson in London and Katie Stallard in Washington DC discuss how Xi has attempted to frame his visit as a “journey for peace” and what really sustains his relationship with the Russian president.Next they turn to the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq and the lessons that have – and have not – been learned from the catastrophe, as well as enduring political legacy of the conflict.Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks: “If Donald Trump is arrested, how will it affect his 2024 presidential campaign?”Read more:Xi Jinping’s desperate gamble on Vladimir PutinChina’s hollow peace plan for UkraineThe poisoned peacemaker: why China can’t abandon PutinAfter Iraq: the great unravellingThe US is readying itself for another moral crusade, this time against ChinaThe long shadow of the Iraq WarDonald Trump’s indictment would be a gift to Ron DeSantis  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.