Best Andrej Matišák Podcasts (2025)

1
When authoritarianism rises and America and China collide, will you take part in revolution? 30:11

20h ago30:11

30:11

Is this the novel of our times? In fact, You Must Take Part in Revolution is a graphic novel, one for a new generation that likely prefers more images and fewer words, and it explores a near-future dystopia shaped by a US–China war, in which America has become a proto-fascist state. Timely, isn’t it? You Must Take Part in Revolution comes from Emmy…

1
Is a drawdown of US forces from Europe all but certain and what would it mean? 27:39

9d ago27:39

27:39

John Deni is a Research Professor of Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) Security Studies at the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute. He just wrote an article for Foreign Policy titled: A Drawdown of U.S. Forces in Europe Is All but Certain. As this is a very hot topic, I wanted to know more about it. So …

1
Greenland and Ukraine: Is Denmark squeezed between Trump and Putin? 28:08

16d ago28:08

28:08

How much does Denmark feel squeezed between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, as the Russian ruler wages a war in Europe, and the US President says he wants to take over Greenland? What does this mean for Denmark's threat perceptions? These were some of the questions I asked Anders Puck Nielsen, a military analyst and researcher at the Royal Danish …

1
When will it fly? Will it be better than the Chinese project?: What do we know about the F-47 program? 26:37

25d ago26:37

26:37

Aaron Mehta is the editor-in-chief of Breaking Defense, but above all, he's a dear friend. We met almost a decade ago on NATO's eastern flank, in Poland. The result? I introduced Aaron and a bunch of other colleagues to the "mad dog" drink. If you don't know what it is, google it and give it a try! But this is not just a free ad for a drink and fri…

1
Can Trump's trade wars lead to real wars? 32:15

1M ago32:15

32:15

American President Donald Trump has just announced that the US is imposing tariffs on everyone, including the islands inhabited by penguins. Russia is the only major economy excluded. Why? And can trade wars escalate into real wars? I discussed these topics and more with David McCuan, a Political Science Professor at Sonoma State. Listen to our con…

1
Ukraine and Canada: Do Putin and Trump see the world alike? 22:18

1M ago22:18

22:18

Seva Gunitsky is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto. Yes, I asked him how worried he is that Donald Trump's America might militarily attack Canada. According to him, it's very unlikely, but... "I teach introduction to international politics, and when I talk about countries' war plans, I used to use the Canada-A…

1
Ukrainian expert: Europe will suffer if there is no long-lasting and just peace in Ukraine 25:48

2M ago25:48

25:48

Victoria Vdovychenko is the joint program leader of the Future for Ukraine Project at the Center for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge, and holds a PhD in Foreign Policy and World History. I first met her in Bratislava in 2022, just a few months after Russia's large-scale invasion, and it's great to have her on my podcast. Victoria has a stark w…

1
Can Trump really make Europe great again? 32:25

2M ago32:25

32:25

How far do you think American President Donald Trump could go in his adversity toward the European Union? Let's say on a scale from zero to ten, where 10 is the worst scenario akin to the EU being at war with the US. "I think probably somewhere like 8,5," Minna Ålander said to me. She is a Non-resident Fellow with the Transatlantic Defense and Secu…

1
If America had to choose, would it defend Estonia or Taiwan? 34:59

2M ago34:59

34:59

If America had to choose, would it defend Estonia or Taiwan? Can Europe still count on the US to come to its defense? If necessary, does Europe have enough troops available for long-term deployment to Ukraine? What should European Union leaders do to strengthen European security in the short term, at least? I discussed these pressing topics and mor…

1
Tom Nichols: Trump betrays everyone, but Putin is one shining star in his world 31:24

2M ago31:24

31:24

The first time I interviewed Tom Nichols was in 2016 in Bratislava, just before the US presidential elections. At that time, he was still a Republican, but he had already rejected Donald Trump. Of course, he no longer identifies with the party. "I never thought I would see the party of Ronald Reagan making excuses for a dictator in the Kremlin," To…

1
Zelenskyy has something Trump will never have. But Putin is probably smiling. My conversation with General (Ret.) Mick Ryan 25:36

2M ago25:36

25:36

Ukraine has faced Russian aggression since 2014, and the large-scale invasion began three years ago, on February 24th, 2022. If you listen to my podcast The Global Agora, you know that I regularly discuss the war with Mick Ryan, as we try to assess what is happening on the battlefield as well as in the political realm. He is a military strategist a…

1
What is Trump's America to the EU? An ally, friend, partner, rival? An adversary, even? 18:58

3M ago18:58

18:58

I know my question may seem too apocalyptic — or even crazy — but I had to ask: Is the EU's war with the US or Russia more likely? And as strange as it may sound, Nathalie Tocci provided a very interesting answer. So, welcome to my discussion with the Director of the Italian Istituto Affari Internazionali (Institute of International Affairs). We ta…

1
How does AfD fit into Trump's world? And what about Friedrich Merz? 36:12

3M ago36:12

36:12

The elections in Germany will be held on February 23rd, and the Christian Democrats alliance of CDU/CSU, led by Friedrich Merz, is currently leading the polls. Everything suggests that Merz will be the next Chancellor. But with whom will he form a coalition? Can CDU/CSU cooperate with the extremist Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschla…

1
Europe is increasingly being targeted by Russian sabotage. Where is the response? 25:23

3M ago25:23

25:23

The analysis shows that Russia is escalating its efforts to destabilize European countries. While previous operations mainly focused on disinformation and cyberattacks, recent activities demonstrate a shift towards hybrid warfare, including physical sabotage and political assassinations. Another striking pattern is the shift in Russian operations t…

1
Trump's era is here. What might he do about Ukraine? Is Putin happy about him and what about the US allies? 27:50

3M ago27:50

27:50

Donald Trump's era is here. What might he do about Ukraine? Is Russian leader Vladimir Putin happy about him, and what about the US allies? Charly Salonius-Pasterak, a leading researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, has co-authored a report titled Four Lenses for Observing the Second Trump Administration: Reflecting Uncertaint…

1
Hope and concerns. What advice would Ukrainian expert Maria Avdeeva give Trump before meeting with Putin? 25:04

4M ago25:04

25:04

The hardest but also most inspiring year. Heading into the new year with hope. This is what Maria Avdeeva, a Ukrainian security expert, wrote on Bluesky just before the New Year. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she has been covering what's happening in her country. And she also has time to talk to me, so this is another round of ou…

1
What is Poland’s primary defense objective amid Russia's war against Ukraine? 26:22

4M ago26:22

26:22

How much is Poland currently spending on defense? Can Warsaw afford it? Is Poland considering reinstating mandatory military service? And what is Poland’s primary defense objective amid Russia's war against Ukraine? About this and much more, I talked to Marek Świerczyński, head of the security and international affairs desk in Polityka Insight. Lis…

1
Destabilization of democracy? What to expect in 2025 30:15

4M ago30:15

30:15

What might be the main and most important political trends that will shape the year 2025? This was my first question for Professor Erik Jones, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute. Erik joined my podcast to discuss predictions for the upcoming year, as well as to reflect on what happened in…

1
What's next for 007, and do we live in an era of Bond villains? 33:20

4M ago33:20

33:20

This is not my first podcast about James Bond. When No Time to Die hit theaters in 2021, I had a two-part conversation with Martin D. Brown, bondologist, Professor of International History at Richmond American University in London, and co-author of the book The Bondian Cold War: The Transnational Legacy of a Cultural Icon. Martin is back on my podc…

1
Is Slovak PM Robert Fico pro-Russian? 27:52

5M ago27:52

27:52

Could Slovak politics have been "TikTok-ed" in a similar way to Romania, where the far-right candidate Calin Georgescu won the first round of the presidential election? Is Slovak PM Robert Fico pro-Russian? And why is his government relatively fragile only one year into its rule? My podcast guests usually discuss global events, but if you're intere…

1
It looks like a form of oligarchy. Will Trump really run the administration? 23:49

5M ago23:49

23:49

Jennifer Mercieca is a Professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at Texas A&M University and the author of the book Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump. So we talked about Trump. Is he an existential threat to American democracy? Is he truly willing to use the Justice Department, the FBI, and other state…

1
Does Russia want far-right Calin Georgescu to become president of Romania? 29:27

5M ago29:27

29:27

Does Russia want far-right Calin Georgescu to become president of Romania? "My guess is Russia is satisfied even with the current level of disarray in Romania," Oana Popescu-Zamfir told me. She is the director of the GlobalFocus Center and we discussed the current political situation in her country between the parliamentary elections and the second…

1
Does Putin think he can not lose the war in Ukraine? 25:11

5M ago25:11

25:11

Does Vladimir Putin think he can not lose the war in Ukraine? Do the Russians believe this? I talked to political analyst Anton Barbashin, an editorial director of Riddle, a website about Russia I can only recommend. Anton just wrote an article titled Will Russia Use Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine? Do you want to know what are Russia's real red lines? …

1
What's next for Ukraine? War is not linear but there is a high chance it will be bad 24:07

5M ago24:07

24:07

Ukraine is losing the war after 1,000 days of the Russian large-scale invasion. Why are the defenders in such a situation? Due to the lack of personnel and weapons, or hesitation of its Western allies, or the relative strength of Russia? Or is it everything combined? I talked to the military analyst Gustav Gressel. Listen to our conversation. And i…

1
What could happen if Putin wins in Ukraine? German general explains 29:31

6M ago29:31

29:31

Retired Brigadier General Rainer Meyer zum Felde has vast experience regarding transatlantic security. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University. From 2013 to 2017, he was the Senior Defence Advisor at the Permanent Delegation of Germany to NATO and the German Representative in the NATO Defence Policy a…

1
Trump's reign: Could it be less bad than it looks? 27:09

6M ago27:09

27:09

What is your biggest concern related to Donald Trump's second term? This was my question for a Professor of History Seth Cotlar from Willamette University in Oregon. And his answer was almost... Optimistic? Could it be less bad than it looks? Do you want to know and what are the caveats here? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, …

1
Does Trump want to make America small (like Hungary)? 26:55

6M ago26:55

26:55

What can we expect from Donald Trump if he wins the presidential elections regarding foreign policy and Ukraine and Russia? Will he leave NATO? And why does it look like Trump wants to make America small like Viktor Orban's Hungary? I talked to a Russian and East European Studies Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Mitchell Orenstein. He is…

1
Will the US presidential election be followed by chaos? 29:52

7M ago29:52

29:52

Will chaos follow the US presidential election? The Sonoma State Political Science Professor David McCuan cannot exclude this scenario. We discussed the polls, swing states, particular counties in swing states, Kamala Harris's campaign, Donald Trump's plans, and, of course, who might win the election. Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy wh…

1
Can North Korea afford to send a large number of soldiers to Ukraine's battlefield to help Russia? 21:59

7M ago21:59

21:59

Can North Korea afford to send a large number of soldiers to Ukraine's battlefield to support Russia's aggression? Is Ukraine somehow a proxy war for Pyongyang? Does Kim Jong-un think or even believe it fights the West, the US? As there have been many discussions about how North Korea can help Russia fight Ukraine by sending its soldiers, I talked …

1
Could Ukraine repeat the Kursk operation in Transnistria? 25:48

7M ago25:48

25:48

Could Ukraine repeat the Kursk operation in Transnistria? What's the situation in Moldova before the presidential election that will take place on October 20? And why are politicians like Slovak PM Robert Fico talking about reestablishing standard relations with Russia? I talked to Denis Cenusa, an Associate Expert at the Eastern Europe Studies Cen…

1
Who is afraid of the October surprise? Kamala Harris or Donald Trump? 24:27

7M ago24:27

24:27

The Americans have one month to decide who they will vote for. Will it be a Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump? As this is a spooky season, I asked Professor of Political Science from North Carolina State University Steven Greene which candidate is more concerned about a possible October surprise. We all know that the polls are tight…

1
Would Australia join NATO if it could? 27:44

7M ago27:44

27:44

Would Australia join NATO if it could? How is Canberra looking at what's going on in Beijing and Moscow? What is the primary objective of the AUKUS alliance, and how does it contribute to Australia's security interests? Bryce Wakefield explains it all in my podcast. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Institute of International Affa…

1
The West doesn't have stomach to say: Russia is a terrorist state. Why? 26:18

8M ago26:18

26:18

Kacper Rekawek is a Senior Research Fellow and Current and Emerging Threats Programme Lead at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism in the Hague. He just published the report Russian State Terrorism and State Sponsorship of Terrorism. But it seems the West doesn't have the stomach to say that Russia is a terrorist state. Why is it so despi…

1
What keeps Enrico Letta awake at night when he thinks about European economy? 21:49

8M ago21:49

21:49

What keeps former Italian Prime Minister and current President of Jacques Delors Institute Enrico Letta awake at night when he thinks about the European economy? This was my first question for him and from there we went to a discussion about the European defense industry, EU competitiveness, demography, migration, austerity, and, of course, his rep…

1
What is Russia's most effective weapon in the war against Ukraine? General (Ret.) Phil Breedlove explains 19:36

8M ago19:36

19:36

What is Russia's most effective weapon in the war against Ukraine? You might be surprised by what Philip Breedlove thinks about this. He is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force who served as the commander of U.S. European Command, as well as the 17th Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) of NATO Allied Command Operations, f…

1
What kind of effect has the Kursk incursion on Putin's regime? Mark Galeotti explains 29:45

8M ago29:45

29:45

I don't think I need to introduce Mark Galeotti whose new book Downfall: Prigozhin, Putin, and the New Fight for the Future of Russia was just published and he is also a fellow podcaster so listen to his show In Moscow's Shadows. Mark is the director of the consultancy firm Mayak Intelligence, an Honorary Professor at UCL School of Slavonic & East …

1
Tom Nichols: I consider Trump an existential threat to American democracy 26:25

9M ago26:25

26:25

Tom Nichols is a staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic Daily newsletter. He is also a Professor Emeritus of national-security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, where he taught for 25 years. His books include The Death of Expertise and Our Own Worst Enemy: The Assault From Within on Modern Democracy. I am happy to have Tom …

1
What do we know about China's decision process for the use of nuclear weapons? 27:29

9M ago27:29

27:29

I can only recommend reading the report - Political Drivers of China’s Changing Nuclear Policy: Implications for U.S.-China Nuclear Relations and International Security - so I also wanted to talk to its author. Tong Zhao is a Senior Fellow with the Nuclear Policy Program and Carnegie China and I'm happy he agreed and what follows is our debate. Are…

1
Donald Trump is 78. Can he stop his presidential campaign like Joe Biden? 26:01

9M ago26:01

26:01

Donald Trump is 78. Do you think there is any chance he could follow Joe Biden's example and will stop his campaign? That was one of my questions for Professor Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha from the Department of Political Science at the University of North Texas as we discussed the current state of the US presidential campaign. Of course, we also talked a…

1
How is Russia moving oil through the Mediterranean and what to possibly do about it 28:41

9M ago28:41

28:41

This is a special episode of my podcast as I have more than one guest for the first time. And not two, but three. I talked to Alessio Armenzoni, an Associate Fellow at the London-based Open Source Centre, Giangiuseppe Pili, an Assistant Professor at the Intelligence Analysis Program at James Madison University and Gary Kessler, the president of Gar…

1
Paris Olympics: The main security threat is jihadi terrorism. And what about Russia? 17:51

9M ago17:51

17:51

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is the biggest sports event of the year. It will attract fans from around the world but, unfortunately, it also attracts terrorists of all kinds. So what are the main threats France is facing? I talked to Lucas Webber who is a Co-Founder of MilitantWire.com and a Research Fellow at the Soufan Center and he is mostl…

1
What's next for political violence in the US after Trump's assassination attempt? 26:34

10M ago26:34

26:34

"Let's hope that this is the end of the story of political violence in the 2024 election cycle. But my suspicion is it's not the end it's the beginning or the middle and we have more to come". This is what a Research Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Jacob Ware said to me when I asked him about what's next for the US after the assass…

1
From Ceausescu's Romania to NATO: How Oana Lungescu rewrote the history of the Alliance 18:29

10M ago18:29

18:29

We met many times, so I was really happy when Oana Lungescu agreed to the following interview. She is the longest-serving NATO Spokesperson, from 2010 to 2023, and the first woman and first journalist to hold the post. And, as she said, she was also the first person from the wrong side of the Iron Curtain in this position. We talked about her caree…

1
About NATO, Russia and why he stays optimistic about Ukraine even in the dark days. My conversation with General (Ret.) Mick Ryan 22:32

10M ago22:32

22:32

If you listen to my podcast The Global Agora you know Mick Ryan has been generous enough to appear on my show. He is a military strategist and retired Australian Army major general, so I again used this opportunity to talk about all things related to NATO and the Russian war against Ukraine. And while the days are dark, he says he stays optimistic.…

1
An electoral wipeout of Tories? All the things in the UK are now being seen as terrible 26:47

10M ago26:47

26:47

The United Kingdom general election takes place on July 4th. "All the things in the UK are now being seen as terrible," Professor Steven Fielding told me. He is an expert in British politics and modern political history and is currently writing a book analyzing the Labour Party since the 1970s. So is this going to be an electoral wipeout for the ru…

1
Early election in France: Is Macron's political maneuver foolish and shortsighted? 21:33

11M ago21:33

21:33

What's next for the European Union after the European Parliament election? Will Ursula von der Leyen continue as the President of the European Commission? And what to expect from France on the EU scene as President Emmanuel Macron announced the early election and it could lead to a far-right government? I talked to Professor Erik Jones, Director of…

1
Peace summit in Switzerland: What would be Ukraine's success? 20:17

11M ago20:17

20:17

On 15 and 16 June, Switzerland is organizing a Summit on Peace in Ukraine and about 90 countries and organizations will attend. Russia wasn't invited and Ukrainian analyst Julia Kazdobina explains why. She is a Visiting Fellow at The Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies and she heads the Ukrainian Foundation for Security Studies. So what w…

1
What is Putin afraid of? 21:32

11M ago21:32

21:32

What is Vladimir Putin afraid of? Should the West be concerned about Russian nuclear rhetoric? And what do current Putin's reshuffles and purges tell us about his regime? I talked to ⁠Andrei Soldatov⁠, a Russian investigative journalist, co-founder, and editor of Agentura.ru, a watchdog of the Russian secret services’ activities. He is also a nonre…

1
Is the junta in Myanmar losing? 17:05

11M ago17:05

17:05

I talked to Aung Myo Min, Minister of Human Rights in the National Unity Government of Myanmar. Our interview was conducted at the CEE-Asia Forum in Bratislava organized by the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (⁠CEIAS⁠) and Slovak Foreign Policy Association (⁠SFPA⁠). We talked about whether the junta in Myanmar is losing, the role of Rus…

1
What advice should Xi Jinping follow regarding Taiwan? 16:41

11M ago16:41

16:41

I just returned from a one-week-long visit to Taiwan and this podcast is one of the results of spending a few days there. I talked to Lev Nachman, a political scientist, Assistant Professor at National Chengchi University in Taipei, and a co-author of the book Taiwan: A Contested Democracy Under Threat. We discussed the domestic political dynamic a…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Andrej Matišák Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen