Battle Lines
The Telegraph
Battle Lines is The Telegraph’s foreign policy, geopolitics and global conflict podcast. It offers expert analysis and on-the-ground reporting everywhere from China and the United States to the Middle East and Europe.Twice a week, veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you on-the-ground dispatches from the world’s most volatile regions and informed analysis from world-class experts.Whether it’s the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Gaza conflict, Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, tensions between India and Pakistan, or the civil war in Sudan, Battle Lines covers the world’s most critical flashpoints with depth and clarity.When will China invade Taiwan? Can Donald Trump bring peace to the Middle East? What should Europe do to help Ukraine beat Russia? Is Iran building a nuclear bomb? What is the point of NATO? Can the United Kingdom still defend itself? Created by David Knowles, Battle Lines answers all these questions and more, bringing together the best of The Telegraph’s international, geopolitical, and conflict reporting in one place.Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs.Telegraph subscribers get early access to bonus episodes of Battle Lines and its sister podcast, Ukraine: The Latest. You can subscribe within The Telegraph app, or tap on ‘Already a subscriber’ at the top of this page to log in to link your existing subscription, for more information click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 26, 2025 • 40min
The Rise and Fall of the 'Trump of the Tropics' & Moldova's existential election
One of the darling's of the global populist movement, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has recently been sentenced to over 27 years in prison in his native country. So what does that tell us about the possible fortunes for other political leaders of the same ilk across the globe, and where does the South American country go from here?Roland hears from the Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfield, who has just returned from Brazil, about his meeting with Bolsonaro's wife and the extraordinary phenomenon of one of the world's largest Catholic majority countries being set to become majority Evangelical Christian in the coming years.Also in the programme, Roland speaks to Moldovan policy analyst Andrei Curăraru about the country's historic parliamentary elections this Sunday, and how Russia is trying to influence the result.Read Adrian Blomfield's interview with Mrs Bolsonaro: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/24/michelle-bolsonaro-rise-like-lioness-husband-languish-jail/https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphantSign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 22, 2025 • 40min
Why the UN is in crisis, plus the death of the two-state solution
Is the UN still relevant? The organisation faces numerous unresolved conflicts, a cash crisis, deep polarisation among its members, a bloated bureaucracy and the waning interest of its biggest backer, the US.Venetia Rainey speaks to Richard Gowan, veteran UN watcher and UN director for the US think tank International Crisis Group. He says the body is “rotting from the top” and questions if parts of it will survive another 10 years.Plus, a wave of Western countries including the UK, Canada, France and Australia have recognised the state of Palestine in the hope of preserving the two-state solution. But that option is long dead, according to The Telegraph's chief foreign affairs commentator, David Blair.Read David Blair's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/20/starmers-middle-east-madness-in-recognising-palestine/https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 19, 2025 • 52min
Why Trump supporters are predicting an English civil war
What links Elon Musk, Steve Bannon and Tommy Robinson? They all believe England is on the cusp of civil war. As US President Donald Trump wraps up his second state visit to the UK, hosts Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant examine the darker side of the transatlantic “special relationship” — from American support for the British far-right to the spread of populist extremism across borders.They’re joined by Rob Crilly, The Telegraph’s chief US correspondent, who explains MAGA-world’s obsession with the idea of British decline, Trump’s surprisingly friendly ties with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and what the president’s visit means for US-UK relations and the defence industry.They also discuss Musk’s speech at Robinson's "free speech" rally in London, Steve Bannon’s influence, and the rise of political violence in America following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.Read Roland's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/17/conservative-america-turn-britain-musk-vance-charlie-kirk/Read Rob's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/09/18/trump-inspects-troops-war-brewing-at-home/Credits: X/@TRobinsonNewEra; National Conservatism via YouTube; Charlie Kirk via YouTube; White House via YouTubehttps://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 17, 2025 • 37min
Why the UN thinks Israel is committing genocide in Gaza
In a bombshell report, the UN has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza for the first time. Chris Sidoti, one of the report's authors and a human rights law expert, explains why on this bonus episode of Battle Lines. Speaking to host Venetia Rainey and Telegraph reporter Lilia Sebouai, he delves into the report's findings, how his team reached their conclusions, and concrete examples of Israeli genocidal acts and genocidal intent in Gaza. They also discuss criticisms of the report, its authors and the UN at large - including Israel's allegations of anti-Semitism. https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 15, 2025 • 37min
'This will escalate': What next after Charlie Kirk's assassination
The assassination of Charlie Kirk marks more than a shocking act of political violence - it is a symptom of America’s accelerating era of violent populism, and it will continue to escalate without intervention. That's according to Robert Pape, one of the world’s foremost experts on political violence, terrorism, and national security and director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats.Roland speaks to Pape about what next after Kirk's murder, the deeper forces driving America’s unrest and what lessons other countries in the West should take from it. Plus, Venetia speaks to The Telegraph's Samaan Lateef about the historic protests in Nepal and how Gen Z demonstrators overturned a government by using new online technology such as Discord and Chat GPT.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 12, 2025 • 49min
A day at UK’s largest arms fair, plus Qatar and Poland attacks
It's been a week of big developments, with Nato planes scrambled after Russia sent more than a dozen drones into Polish airspace, and Qatar on high alert after Israel bombed a Hamas negotiating team in the centre of Doha. Roland and Venetia unpack the significance of the events and what might happen next. Plus, the team spends a day at DSEI, one of the world's largest arms fairs, to look at how the UK is getting its armed forces ready for the next war. They catch up with a veteran British tank commander on the pros and cons of the upcoming Challenger 3, the managing director of Ukrspecsystems, Ukraine’s largest drone manufacturer, on why they’re investing in the UK, and Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on chemical warfare and the importance of good defensive kit.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphantImage: Petty Officer Joel Rouse © Crown copyright 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 8, 2025 • 44min
Kim Jong Un: the underestimated dictator and his teen protege
For three generations the Kim dynasty has ruled North Korea with ruthless precision. Now Kim Jong Un appears to be grooming his 12-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his heir—a bold move in a country where women have never held power. At the same time, reports surface of a disastrous US Navy SEALs mission to bug Kim’s communications, ending in civilian deaths. So what does all this tell us about the Hermit Kingdom’s future, its ties to China and Russia, and the grip of one family dynasty? We are joined by leading North Korea analyst Rachel Minyoung Lee to cut through the mystery, the propaganda, and the paranoia.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphanthttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/04/kim-jong-un-daughter-kim-ju-ae/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 5, 2025 • 55min
'A mole blew our CIA cover': The spy couple who found love on the frontline
Andrew and Jihi Bustamante aren’t your average married couple — they met inside the CIA and their romance played out under the shadow of espionage. In this gripping conversation, they reveal how they fell in love during training, the reality of life inside America’s most secretive agency, and how a mole within the CIA blew their cover. Love, lies, and life on the frontline of the new spy war.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphantAndrew’s CIA book ‘Shadow Cell’: https://geni.us/ShadowCellBookIf you want to hear more from Andrew, you can follow him on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Andrew-Bustamante Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 snips
Sep 3, 2025 • 38min
Axis of upheaval: Inside China's military parade with Russia, North Korea and Iran
Sophia Yan, a former China correspondent now based in Istanbul, shares her insights on China's largest military parade to date. The event showcased advanced weaponry and featured Xi Jinping flanked by Putin and Kim Jong-Un, signaling a shift towards an authoritarian alliance. The discussion dives into how these displays serve as a distraction from domestic issues like youth unemployment, and what this means for the global geopolitical landscape. Yan also analyzes the implications of China's growing military ambitions and its strategic messaging to the West.
6 snips
Sep 1, 2025 • 33min
The battle for Darfur + Chinese weapons in Sudan
Mohammed Adam Hassan, head of the Darfur Human Rights Network, shares his harrowing personal story after fleeing Darfur, shedding light on the ongoing humanitarian crisis there. He discusses the brutal actions of the Rapid Support Forces, including allegations of genocide against non-Arab communities. Brian Castner from Amnesty International reveals the role of the UAE in supplying advanced Chinese weapons to the RSF, raising ethical concerns about the arms trade amid escalating violence. The urgent need for international intervention and support for the affected populations is a key focus.
