The Return of Power Politics - Dragonbear and the West

The Return of Power Politics - Dragonbear and the West

From IAF Continued Conversations by FNF - International Academy for Leadership (IAF)

October 21, 2025 · 1h 9m · Episode 40

About this episode

The episode discusses the pressures on the liberal world order and the implications of shifting power dynamics between Russia and China.

The liberal world order is under pressure. Geopolitics is not making a comeback — it was never gone. In this episode of IAF Continued Conversations, hosts Bettina Solinger and Sven Gerst talk with geopolitical strategist Velina Tchakarova about shifting power dynamics, strategic uncertainties, and what the “bifurcation” of the global order really means. From the “Dragonbear” axis between Russia and China to Europe’s strategic hesitation, this conversation explores how liberal democracies can respond to a more competitive, fragmented world.

People in this episode

Hosts: Bettina Solinger, Sven Gerst

Guest: Velina Tchakarova

Topics covered

  • geopolitics
  • power dynamics
  • global order
  • liberal democracies
  • strategic uncertainties
  • Dragonbear axis

Keywords

  • liberal world order
  • geopolitics
  • power politics
  • Dragonbear
  • strategic hesitation
  • bifurcation
  • global order

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Russia, China, Europe

More episodes of IAF Continued Conversations

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the IAF Continued Conversations podcast page.