Putin’s plans for Ukraine, Chile’s presidential election and the German coalition

A massive build-up of Russian troops and military infrastructure on the Ukrainian border has the US and Nato worried that President Vladimir Putin may be planning an imminent new invasion of the country. Jeremy Cliffe and Ido Vock in Berlin are joined by Emily Tamkin in Washington, DC to discuss the escalating crisis and the future of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Meanwhile, Chile’s presidential election heads to a runoff. The tight race between far-right José Antonio Kast and left-wing Gabriel Boric has been characterised as a battle of two extremes. The team discuss the election and the polarised political landscape in Latin America. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether the foreign or economic ministry is more valuable for the German Greens in their efforts to shape foreign policy. Further reading: Bruno Maçães on if Vladimir Putin is preparing for war. Ido Vock on how Russia’s military build-up at the border with Ukraine is testing the West’s resolve. Jeremy Cliffe on whether Covid-19 will mean another lost decade for Latin America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.