The Art of Diplomacy in an Age of Dictators: Ambassador Paul Johnston

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, I speak to Paul Johnston, one of Britain's most experienced diplomats, whose 35-year career placed him at the center of some of the defining security crises of the modern era. From the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo to NATO, the United Nations, Brexit and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he has helped shape British foreign policy at the highest level. We discuss when diplomacy must be backed by military force, the lessons of the Balkans, Putin's challenge to the rules-based international order, the future of NATO, European rearmament, China's ambitions towards Taiwan, and whether democracies can still work together in an increasingly authoritarian world. We also explore what life is really like as an ambassador, how negotiations are conducted behind closed doors, and why institutions like NATO and the United Nations still matter despite their flaws. Drawing on decades of experience at the heart of British diplomacy, Johnston offers a candid assessment of the challenges facing the West and explains why diplomacy remains an essential tool in defending democracy, even in an age of authoritarian resurgence. Support the show