PODCAST · news
Independent Thinking
by Chatham House
Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest international political issues.Independent Thinking gives listeners the opportunity to engage with the high level conversations hosted by Chatham House.
Episodes
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How will Ukraine get through winter after the Trump-Putin diesel deal?
President Trump and President Putin's back-door deal to release hundreds of thousands of tonnes of Russian diesel into international markets has revitalized the Kremlin's war effort and left President Zelenskyy incandescent. Is the US president sacrificing Ukraine in the hope that it will help…
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Europe, Brazil and beyond: Is the populist wave gathering momentum?
The rightward movement in democracies in Europe and beyond shows little sign of slowing. Germany has elected its first far-right regional government in Saxony-Anhalt. In France, voter anger with Emmanuel Macron puts the Rassemblement National's Marine Le Pen in pole position for the presidency.…
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Why the Houthis' Red Sea power play makes Iran even stronger
The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels' capture of Yemen's port city of Mocha means that Iran now effectively controls two crucial waterways in the region – the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the Red Sea and thus the Suez Canal, as well as the Hormuz Strait. Why has this simmering conflict exploded again?…
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China rising, America in decline? The Trump-Xi summit
President Donald Trump welcomes Xi Jinping to Washington with the US-China dynamic in a moment of historic flux. China is rising economically and militarily, while the US is mired in the Iran war, alienating allies and pursuing Trump's unpredictable trade and tariff disputes. What do the two...
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Artificial Intelligence, Real Fears: Is it time to slow down?
A call by leaders of the tech giants on the frontier of Artificial Intelligence to 'slow the pace' of its development has sparked debate over the risks associated with AI. Does AI represent an existential threat, and if so, how urgent are the warnings? Or can humanity harness this powerful...
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How did 9/11 shape the world we live in?
Twenty five years ago the deadliest terrorist attacks in human history, on 11 September 2001, saw 2,977 people killed in New York, Washington, and aboard the planes hijacked by 19 members of Al-Qaeda. An immediate response followed with the US-led 'war on terror', which saw Western forces occupy...
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What is the United Nations for?
The United Nations convenes for its 81st General Assembly next week amid turmoil around the world that it seeks to bring together. The conflicts in Iran, Ukraine and Gaza, and the US, China and Russia's undermining of the rules-based international order cast a shadow over UNGA. Can the…
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Iran, Gaza, Trump and Netanyahu: Understanding the Middle East's crises
It's been a tumultuous year in the Middle East – and it's far from over. Six months after the US and Israel launched their offensive against Iran, the conflict continues to disrupt trade, energy and food security. President Trump struggles to escape a deadlock that threatens to seriously damage…
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The summer of '26: A turning point for the climate crisis?
The climate crisis has seldom been dramatized so vividly as in the summer of 2026. Apocalyptic fires, widespread droughts and drained rivers in Europe made clear a worsening situation that even the most fervent denier can't wave away. But is there the necessary time, commitment and technology to...
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The foreign policy challenges Labour can't ignore
Britain's new prime minister Andy Burnham is not known for his interest in foreign affairs, but foreign affairs are eternally and often unforgivingly interested in Britain. What should Burnham and his new foreign secretary Ed Miliband prioritise on the global front? How can they balance the…
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Is the AI boom about to bust?
The $2.6 trillion spent on artificial intelligence, data centres and advanced chipmaking dwarfs the cost of previous infrastructure megaprojects. Yet AI has become a money pit for tech giants like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta, and the tech is failing to hit its stratospheric targets. Could…
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If Ukraine is winning the war, why did Zelenskyy fire his defence minister?
Ukraine's drone strikes deep into Russian territory coincided with one of Kyiv's biggest political and military convulsions of the war: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired the popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov only for his decision to spark protests across the country. Why did...
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Can Andy Burnham remake Britain at home and abroad?
Andy Burnham took over as UK prime minister with a vow to restore hope in British politics – and an early volley of voter-friendly policy promises. But are they quite as significant as billed? How much room to manoeuvre does Burnham really have? Will new chancellor John Healey release enough…
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Has Trump made the presidency too powerful?
The 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey may represent the pinnacle of soft power for the USA and a moment of global prestige for President Donald Trump. But at home, concerns are growing over his ever-expanding vision of presidential power. Is America now living with an 'imperial presidency'? Has...
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NATO in Ankara: Is Europe ready for a Russian attack?
This year's NATO summit brought together the leaders of all 32 member states in Ankara. President Donald Trump's return to the summit brought renewed controversy, with remarks on Greenland and Iran underscoring the geopolitical tensions that continue to test the unity and purpose of the...
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USA at 250: Soft power, hard power and the future of the American dream
The United States marks its 250th birthday at a moment of intense division and international uncertainty. At home, President Donald Trump is aggressively remodelling America's governance around expanded White House power and burning through firewalls intended to prevent presidential overreach and...
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Can Andy Burnham save Labour?
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves No.10 a decade since the Brexit referendum that began the UK's cycle of chaos, and Andy Burnham seems set to take over unopposed. Our experts discuss what the new regime will mean for Britain's future and its role in the world. Will attempts to bring the UK...
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It isn't easy being green: The UK's net zero trilemma
Can Labour's prized plans to decarbonize power generation by 2050 withstand growing demands for extra defence spending – an acrimonious argument that has already claimed two senior defence ministers? Or pressure to preserve and extend welfare benefits from the party's left and the unions, many of...
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Defence Investment Paralysis: Why the UK's defence minister quit, and what it means
A tumultuous week for Britain's faltering rearmament plans sees Defence Secretary John Healey resign from Keir Starmer's cabinet, saying the prime minister and the Treasury lack the will to properly fund the defence of the nation. Al Carns, the armed forces minister, also resigned saying the...
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Rules against power: Does the world need a new economic alliance to balance the US and China?
Would the world benefit from a new economic alliance to stop China and the US from undermining the global rules we all depend on – a new 'third pole'? That's the conclusion of a new Chatham House report published this week. How would an economic bloc like this work? Who could build it? And how...
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Ebola in DR Congo: A 'catastrophic collision of disease and conflict'
The major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's northeast is not just a public health emergency in an already impoverished and violence-beset region. Armed rebellion, fragile government and a collapse in public trust are combining to make outbreaks more frequent – and fostering...
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Could Britain really rejoin the EU?
Almost exactly ten years since Britain's seismic vote to leave the EU, the debate reopens thanks to early skirmishes in the fight for leadership of the Labour Party and thus the prime ministership. Could a credible bid to rejoin make its way onto Britain's political agenda? Are the drastically...
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The Trump-Xi summit: What does the US want from China and will Trump get it?
President Donald Trump brings a band of senior US business executives seeking trade deals to China for what is possibly the biggest bilateral summit of 2026. But what does the US hope to achieve? More sales of Boeings, beef and soybeans; an off-ramp from the US-Israel war on Iran; a sense of…
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Is Putin losing control of his war in Ukraine?
Is the initiative on the Ukraine war slipping out of Russian president Vladimir Putin's hands? And how has the US-Israel war on Iran affected Moscow? The economic crisis is tightening, and Moscow and St Petersburg are increasingly subject to lengthy internet and mobile blackouts. Fearing…
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King Charles in Washington: Did the royal visit save the 'special relationship'?
King Charles III's state visit to the US won acclaim as the monarch charmed President Donald Trump. But can it really rescue US-UK relations from their current dire state? The 'special relationship' – a term first voiced by Chatham House before becoming widely popularized by Winston Churchill –…
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Is the shock of the US-Iran war helping Europe come together?
EU expansion, energy shocks, and uneasy alliances: will the conflict in the Gulf – and other crises – force a more unified European strategy? This week's episode comes from the Delphi Economic Forum in Greece, where host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Grégoire Roos, director of our Europe, Russia…
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Iran, Pope, Economy: How many battles can Trump fight at once?
From Hormuz to Hungary and the Vatican to the Federal Reserve, it has been an unusually contentious week for the White House, even by the standards of President Trump's second administration. This week's podcast comes from the US, where our analysts assess the political and economic state of the…
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What lessons will China, India and other Asian nations draw from the Iran war?
China prepared in advance for a US attack on Iran. But many of its Asian neighbours have been hit hard because their economies were heavily reliant on energy imports from the Gulf. In the short-term, the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered rationing, and shortages of diesel, gas…
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Why are UK energy costs so high? And how to bring them down
An earlier than usual episode of the Independent Thinking podcast, ahead of the Easter break. In a one-on-one conversation, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox discusses energy with Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford, who has been advising governments and...
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Iran war: regional shock or global crisis?
One month on from the start of the US and Israeli war on Iran, governments worldwide are trying to assess the scale of its long-term impact on the global economy and political system. Much will depend on how long the conflict continues, and how long Iran blocks fuel exports and other cargo…
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Is Iran one crisis too many for Trump?
The US-Israel war on Iran is straining Trump's alliances, at home and abroad. Three weeks into exactly the kind of war of choice that he spent years decrying, US President Donald Trump is not getting the amount of international support that he seeks for his campaign of air strikes on Iran. There…
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AI wars: Anthropic battles the Pentagon as China plans ahead
The US military's AI provider Anthropic is feuding with the Pentagon after the company tried to impose 'red lines' over the use of its artificial intelligence products for lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of Americans. President Trump accused the US firm of being 'radical left' and...
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Iran: Will Trump declare early victory and risk leaving hardliners in charge?
What does President Trump hope to achieve in Iran – a quick show of force, or long-term regime change? The US and Israel's long-threatened air strikes on Iran have materialized, and the Middle East is facing widespread disruption and a mounting death toll as the war spills across borders. In this...
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Trump's tariffs: Are they here to stay?
The US Supreme Court ruled against President Donald Trump on his first justification for tariffs, but he says he will push them through by other means. On this week's Independent Thinking podcast, our experts analyse why Trump is wedded to tariffs as an economic and political tool, and what…
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As Ukraine peace talks stall, can Europe step up in its defence? Independent Thinking podcast
Negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war do not appear to have made significant progress. In the meantime, the focus of US President Donald Trump's 'lighthouse diplomacy' appears to have switched to Iran. Chatham House analysts discuss the state of the talks, and whether Europe will step up to...
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Rubio to Europe: A softer tone than Vance. But same message?
In a special edition of Chatham House's Independent Thinking podcast recorded at the Munich Security Conference 2026 over the weekend, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes, unpack the key issues that emerged from this...
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As the UK lurches from crisis to crisis, is it becoming ungovernable?
As Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer ploughs through crisis after crisis, his Labour Party faces multiple threats in upcoming local elections. Our Chatham House analysts examine whether having six prime ministers in a decade is a sign that Britain, like some of its neighbours, has more...
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Oil, regime change, and what's next in Trump's MAGA playbook?
After the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, our analysts discuss where in the Western Hemisphere US President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio may turn their attention to next. Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Laurel Rapp, director of Chatham House's US and North America...
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UK in China: Hard choices between rival superpowers
Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Ben Bland, head of our Asia-Pacific Programme, and Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China. They discuss the opportunities and risks of closer engagement between the UK and China, and why the opacity of Chinese elite politics makes them an unpredictable…
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Trump vs Carney at Davos - One summit, two visions
Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox joins the Independent Thinking podcast from the World Economic Forum in Davos. In London are guest host David Lubin, a Senior Research Fellow in Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Programme; and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and...
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Greenland in the cross hairs of Trump's bid for hemispheric dominance
Host Bronwen Maddox is joined in the studio by Laurel Rapp, Director of Chatham House's US and North America Programme; Marc Weller, Director of the International Law Programme and down the line by Juno Berthelsen, of Greenland's opposition Naleraq party, which favours independence. Read our...
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Does Venezuela usher in an era of might is right?
Bronwen Maddox is joined by Marc Weller, Director of Chatham House's International Law Programme; Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme; and Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America. They discuss the failure of regional diplomacy that preceded the 3 January 2026...
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Trump Year One – China's economic rivalry with the US is here to stay
In the last Independent Thinking podcast of 2025, host Bronwen Maddox is joined by David Lubin, Senior Research Fellow with Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Programme; Marion Messmer, Director of the International Security Programme; and Yu Jie, a senior research fellow on China in...
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What does Trump's national security strategy mean for Europe, China and Middle East?
This is a special edition of Chatham House's Independent Thinking international affairs podcast, recorded at the Doha Forum 2025. Many of the official and backroom discussions at Qatar's annual gathering of more than 5,000 world leaders, policymakers, dialogue, corporate and humanitarian...
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Europe scrambles to avoid being sidelined on Ukraine
How are Europe and Ukraine reacting after the US and Russia sought to strike their own deal, and Putin warned that Moscow – while not planning for war with Europe – is 'ready right now'. Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes;...
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Britain's budget – a recipe for growth or decline?
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves published her – widely leaked – budget this week. How does it leave her ruling Labour Party positioned in Britain? And what do the calculations look like from overseas, where other countries have adopted different solutions to the problems…
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Sudan – the internal and external forces tearing it apart
After the North Darfur capital El Fasher fell to the Rapid Support Forces, aid agencies and survivors talk of civilians being massacred in the streets. The international affairs podcast of Chatham House examines the human toll, and the dynamics of a war fuelled by regional powers and their…
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What does Ukraine need to get through the winter?
Nearly four years after Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian officials and analysts look at the prospects for a ceasefire, and at the military, economic and human cost that President Vladimir Putin's campaign has inflicted on the country. They discuss the Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy...
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Mamdani won in New York. For Trump, was it a setback or backlash?
Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York's mayoral race this week – and other electoral successes – energized Democrats in the US and left-wing parties worldwide. The new standard-bearer of the American left is hailed by progressives as a generational shift of leadership – at 34 he will be the first...
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Europe after the Dutch elections. Goodbye far right? Not so fast.
Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders suffered a setback on Wednesday's elections, with centrists poised to take back power. Rob Jetten, 38, leader of the centre-progressive Democrats 66 party, is set to become the Netherlands' youngest leader in modern history after running on the upbeat slogan...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest international political issues.Independent Thinking gives listeners the opportunity to engage with the high level conversations hosted by Chatham House.
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Chatham House
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Independent Thinking currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
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Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest international political issues.Independent Thinking gives listeners the opportunity to engage with the high level conversations hosted by...
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Independent Thinking has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Independent Thinking is created and hosted by Chatham House.
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