About this episode
Mark Leonard discusses his book 'Surviving Chaos' and the implications of a changing geopolitical landscape with notable guests.
This week in London, Mark Leonard introduced his new book Surviving Chaos: Geopolitics When the Rules Fail and reflected on what it means to navigate a world in which old assumptions about rules-based order, power and international cooperation no longer hold. ECFR’s new weekly accompaniment podcast series “Surviving Chaos” will introduce the most interesting and controversial thinkers to explain the current period. The first episode brings together a conversation between Mark and Carl Bildt , former prime minister and former foreign minister of Sweden; Ivan Krastev , chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies; and Helle Thorning-Schmidt , former prime minister of Denmark, moderated by Gideon Rachman , chief foreign affairs commentator at the Financial Times . Opening the discussion, EU ambassador to the UK Pedro Serrano highlighted the importance of a strong and united Europe in defending peace, prosperity and democratic values, before the panel explored how policymakers can move from rigid grand strategies to more “artisan” approaches to power. They also considered whether the current moment represents a temporary crisis or a deeper rupture—and the impact on Europe’s security…
People in this episode
Host: Mark Leonard
Guests: Carl Bildt, Ivan Krastev, Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Topics covered
- geopolitics
- international cooperation
- European security
- transatlantic relationship
- global instability
- policy strategies
Keywords
- geopolitics
- rules-based order
- European decision-makers
- policy approaches
- global instability
- transatlantic relationship
- Ukraine
- AI surveillance
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: ECFR, Centre for Liberal Strategies, Financial Times
Places: Sweden, Denmark, Europe, UK
More episodes of Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes
- How progress ends · June 12, 2026 · 29 min
- The age of hyperpolitics · June 5, 2026 · 32 min
- The rise of populism · May 29, 2026 · 37 min
- Iran nuclear monitor: Month by month · May 22, 2026 · 22 min
- The future of liberalism · May 15, 2026 · 41 min
- Rethinking democracy · May 8, 2026 · 37 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes podcast page.