Beyond Pawns and Kings: A Map of the Global Chessboard

In a recent special WhoWhatWhy podcast, I spoke with Sam Ramani, an Oxford-trained geopolitical expert and associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. Ramani, one of the foremost analysts of Russian global strategy, has become a trusted adviser to policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic.Unlike mainstream analysis with its simplistic narratives, Ramani offers granular understanding built from years of meticulous research and on-the-ground insights. He reveals the hidden forces reshaping global power—from Trump-Zelenskyy tensions to Russia and China's strategic calculus—illuminating the intricate power dynamics, economic pressures, and strategic calculations that actually drive international relations. Get full access to Talk Cocktail Podcast at jeffschechtman.substack.com/subscribe