ECFR ON AIR

The rise of AI has shaken national debates on regulations and security, pushed the European Union towards an unprecedent legislative measure, the AI Act, and driven competition between great and emerging powers. AI had also the potential to be a pandora’s box for new risks and challenges, especially amid the unstable geopolitical environment. Based on the results of the Hiroshima AI process, the final declaration on AI from Japan’s G7 presidency, prime minister Giorgia Meloni has prioritised the issue of AI in Italy’s 2024 presidency.In this episode of our ‘Meloni goes multilateral’ podcast series, Maria Rosaria Taddeo, professor of digital ethics and defence technologies, programme director at the Oxford Internet Institute, and ethics fellow at the Alan Turing Institute, together with Gabriele Carrer, journalist and former ECFR visiting fellow, discuss how to tackle such challenges.This podcast was recorded on 3 June 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the international community remains deeply divided on how to react to Putin’s aggression. Disagreements have characterised the European position, prompting strong criticism about the European Union’s incapacity to react, act, and lead with a strong and united position. In the United States, measures to support Ukraine have also been blocked because of bipartisan division; China still sends weapons-related exports to Russia; and many countries take strong pro-Russia positions. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s support to Ukraine has surprised many observers who did not believe in her commitment to a free and sovereign Ukraine. As the war becomes one of attrition, she should use her G7 presidency to harmonise and expand its role, not only in condemning Russia, but also on supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction.In this episode, Arturo Varvelli, who heads the Rome office at ECFR, and Lesia Ogryzko, an ECFR visiting fellow and head of the International Cooperation Department of the RISE Ukraine Coalition and a fellow at the Centre for Defence Strategies, discuss what to expect from Meloni on support to Ukraine.This podcast was recorded on 9 May 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How has the war impacted the way Russians think about their identity and their future? Are some signs of major change already visible? What are the possible scenarios for change and what would trigger them?ECFR’s podcast on Russia, “Under the Overcoat”, explores the deeper trends beneath the surface of daily politics. To explore how the war has transformed Russia's society and political culture and outline possible scenarios for its medium to long term political trajectory, our host Kadri Liik is joined by ECFR visiting fellows Mikhail Komin, Ksenia Luchenko, and Kirill Shamiev.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Zhang, an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Hong Kong and an expert in Chinese tech regulation, dives into the intricacies of how China controls its big tech companies. She discusses the government's tumultuous relationship with firms like Alibaba and the implications for global tech governance. Angela compares Chinese tech regulation with that of the US and EU, shedding light on China's unique pyramid model. Additionally, she examines the impact of COVID-19 on policy changes and explores the competitive dynamics in the US-China tech rivalry.

How can we understand current-day Russia against the background of history? Is the monopolisation of power and lack of checks and balances on a level unique to Russia? Was Russia’s foreign policy trajectory predestined and if not, what were the crucial turning points that brought it to where it is today? And is Russian foreign policy changing irreversibly?   ECFR’s new podcast on Russia, “Under the Overcoat”, explores the deeper trends beneath the surface of daily politics. To look at the history of Russia’s foreign policy and what its future might be, our host Kadri Liik is joined by ECFR visiting fellow Kirill Shamiev and Sergey Radchenko, Wilson E. Schmidt distinguished professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In September 2024, the United Nation’s Summit of the Future is set to take place – a crucial moment to mend “eroded trust” between peoples, countries, and generations. Europe's role on the world stage is constantly adapting to the fluidity of the global geopolitical space. Traditional views of multilateralism are being rethought, and Europe is exploring its role in fostering meaningful international cooperation on many global issues.  In this final episode of Europe Listens, ECFR’s Rafael Loss and Jana Puglierin welcome Richard Gowan, UN director at the International Crisis Group and Arancha González Laya, former Spanish foreign minister and current dean of the Science Po Paris School of International Affairs. They revisit previous discussions of the Europe Listens series and, looking ahead, ask how the European Union can continue playing a meaningful role on the global stage. This podcast was recorded on 19 March 2024. Other episodes of this show: Europe Listens – seasons 1-3 Further reading: Pact for the Future: Zero draft by Germany and Namibia as co-facilitators of the UN Summit of the Future Multilateral values: European ideals under pressure by Richard Gowan How the World Lost Faith in the UN by Richard Gowan Trump-proofing Europe: How the continent can prepare for American abandonment by Arancha González Laya et al. Multilateral Matchmaker by Carla Hobbs, Rafael Loss, Jana Puglierin, and Pawel Zerka  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To achieve the ambitions of the European Green Deal, the European Commission insists that healthy oceans and a sustainable maritime economy are crucial. With rising demand for minerals from various sectors, including to advance the green transformation, many expect we are on the brink of the biggest gold rush in history – deep beneath the ocean surface. In this episode of Europe Listens, ECFR’s Rafael Loss and Jana Puglierin welcome Pradeep Singh, environmental lawyer and fellow at the Research Institute for Sustainability in Potsdam. What are the key resources in the seabed? Is deep seabed mining more of an opportunity or a risk? How can the European Union and its global partners help to guard against the known and unknown dangers of deep seabed mining?  This podcast was recorded on 4 March 2024. Other episodes of this season: Episode 1: Protecting the high seas with Essam Yassin MohammedFurther reading: The European Union and seabed mining by Pradeep A. Singh, Virginie Tassin Campanella, and Frank Maes A “deadline” expires: Quo Vadis, International Seabed Authority? By Pradeep Singh The country with nothing left to lose by Christina Lu Resolution on Norway’s recent decision to advance seabed mining in the Arctic by the European Parliament  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Around 70 per cent of our planet is covered by the ocean, of which two-thirds fall beyond national jurisdiction. After decades of discussions and negotiations, states adopted the so-called High Seas Treaty in September 2023. The treaty aims to increase the governance of the world’s oceans and tackle common challenges such as environmental degradation, illegal fishing, and preserving our marine resources sustainably.   To kick off the third season of Europe Listens, ECFR’s Rafael Loss and Jana Puglierin welcome Essam Yassin Mohammed, director general of WorldFish and senior director of aquatic food at CGIAR, a global partnership that unites international organisations engaged in research about food security. What are the most pressing challenges when navigating the realm of ocean governance? What other developments or multilateral initiatives in ocean governance are on the horizon for the European Union and its allies?This podcast was recorded on 28 February 2024. Other episodes of this season: Episode 2: Exploring the deep seabed with Pradeep SinghFurther reading: 2024: A turning point for transforming aquatic food systems by Essam Yassin Mohammed A momentous milestone for the ocean and global biodiversity by the High Seas Alliance Protecting the ocean, time for action by the European Commission Multilateral Matchmaker: Outer-space and maritime security governance by Rafael Loss  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the mood in Russian society after two years of war? How can we understand what is happening? Expressing meaningful dissent can land Russians in jail, yet a huge number of people attended the funeral of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, taking huge personal risk. In this episode, we discuss public opinion in Russia in the run-up to the presidential election and after Navalny’s death.     ECFR’s new podcast on Russia, “Under the Overcoat”, explores the deeper trends beneath the surface of daily politics. To examine public opinion in Russia, our host Kadri Liik is joined by Ksenia Luchenko, ECFR visiting fellow, and Alexei Levinson, head of the sociocultural research department at the Levada Center.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we delve into how the Russian economy transitioned into a wartime economy. What does the structure of the Russian economy and the 2024 state budget reveal about Putin's strategy? Does the Kremlin possess sufficient resources for a long war? Will Russia persist in gradually nationalising remaining foreign assets? Will the government seize the assets of Russian business figures who have not explicitly endorsed the war? How does this affect the sentiment of large and small businesses in Russia? ECFR’s new podcast on Russia, “Under the Overcoat”, explores the deeper trends beneath the surface of daily politics. To dive deeper into Russia’s economy during war, our host Kadri Liik is joined by Mikhail Komin, ECFR visiting fellow, and Andrei Yakovlev, economist and fellow at German research institute Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.