The World Stage

New forms of cooperation are emerging, and countries are increasingly turning to smaller, more flexible alliances to navigate uncertainty. In this new landscape, partnerships between like-minded actors matter more than ever, and the relationship between the European Union and Japan is a key example of this.As global governance continues to evolve, this episode asks: how can the EU and Japan not only adapt to change, but actively shape it?This episode of The World Stage is in collaboration with the podcast Making sense of EU by the Université libre de Bruxelles. In the episode we explore how the EU and Japan are adapting to a more fragmented and unpredictable world. Together with Professor Akiko Fukushima (Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research) and Dr Wrenn Yennie Lindgren (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs), we unpack the evolving balance between multilateralism and so-called “smaller clubs” – from ASEAN to the Quad – and what this means for global governance. We also discuss where the EU and Japan can act together to shape new rules, relying as much on trust and dialogue.This episode is hosted by Alix Bullman (Univerisité libre de Bruxelles). It is also a part of the NUPI-led project “NAVIGATOR” which receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the grant agreement ID: 101094394. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the liberal international order coming to an end, and what follows the era of American hegemony? In this episode of The World Stage, Senior Research Fellow Wrenn Yennie Lindgren (NUPI) sits down with Manjeet Pardesi, Associate Professor of International Relations at Victoria University of Wellington, to explore the shifting foundations of global politics.Drawing on his award-winning book, Divergent Worlds, co-authored with Amitav Acharya, Pardesi introduces the concept of a "multiplex world order". Unlike traditional hegemonic or multipolar systems, a multiplex order is defined by its complexity, where non-great powers exercise significant agency and order is shaped by both material power and diverse ideas.The discussion delves into how history can provide a roadmap for our uncertain future. Pardesi contrasts the ancient Mediterranean, a paradigmatic case of hegemonic order under Rome, with the ancient Indian Ocean, which flourished as a non-hegemonic, pluralistic trading system.Key highlights of the episode include:The Rise of India: An analysis of India’s grand strategy, its "status anxiety" regarding China, and its quest to recover its historical standing as a global power.Southeast Asia as pluralistic order: Pardesi points to Southeast Asia as an example of a pluralistic regional order today, with no single center. As he states: "The region is a mix of democracies and non-democracies that engage with each other. It is a plural world that seems viable despite having no core".The Power of Small States: How countries like Norway and New Zealand can act as "connector states," spearheading high-quality trade agreements and navigating complex international identities.Variable Geometry: Understanding the "messiness" of modern international relations and why a decentered, pluralistic world might actually be a good thing.Join us for a deep dive into global history and contemporary geopolitics to understand how the world is being reshaped beyond the Western-dominated era.The World Stage is a global politics podcast from the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). This episode is produced in collaboration with the Norwegian Center for Geopolitics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a conversation on European security in a time marked by war, nuclear threats, and growing strategic uncertainty.Against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rising doubts about US security guarantees, Research Fellow Gine Lund Bolling (NUPI) examines Emmanuel Macron’s recent address on French nuclear policy. The French president’s remarks signal the most significant shift in the country’s nuclear posture in decades.In this episode of The World Stage, we explore what these changes to France’s nuclear strategy entail, and what implications they may have for European security. A central question is what it actually means for France to “build up” its nuclear arsenal: is it about numbers, capabilities, doctrine – or a combination of all three? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the World Stage podcast, host Ole Jacob Sending (The Norwegian Centre for Geopolitics, NUPI) sits down with Alex Cooley (Columbia University) and Taylor St. John (NUPI) to discuss the shift toward transnational kleptocracy in US foreign policy. Drawing on a recent Foreign Affairs article, the guests explore how the second Trump administration is dismantling long-standing anti-corruption frameworks, such as restricting the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), to facilitate a system where public power is leveraged for private gain.In the podcast, the three participants discuss several examples of transnational kleptocracy. One specific example recently reported in the Wall Street Journal involves US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the President's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who have been in active talks with Kirill Dmitriev head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund. The discussions center on using a portion of frozen Russian assets—which were widely expected to be designated for Ukraine's reconstruction—to instead create what Cooley terms "slush funds" for joint American-Russian investment projects.From the role of unofficial, "nebulous" advisors to the potential pressure on allies like Norway to politicize their sovereign wealth funds, this episode provides a deep dive into how international power is being exercised, bought, and shielded in an era of "kleptocratic populism". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How are enlargement reforms unfolding on the ground and what drives progress or stagnation? The 2025 Enlargement Package presents a mixed picture: Ukraine and Moldova are racing ahead, while Serbia and Georgia are lagging. The EU itself is struggling with internal divisions and reform fatigue.This episode of The World Stage is part of The Neighbourhood series from the NUPI-led project Re-engage, produced by ECFR and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. In this episode, ECFR's Jessica Hendrick is joined by Tiago Antunes, senior policy fellow with ECFR’s European Power programme, Leo Litra, visiting fellow at ECFR and senior fellow at Kyiv’s New Europe Center and Engjellushe Morina, senior policy fellow with ECFR’s European Security programme. Together, they discuss what this year’s enlargement report says about political will, institutional resilience and the everyday impact of enlargement.How can the EU make conditionality more credible? Are EU reforms changing behaviour in governments, institutions and people’s lives? And how can Brussels keep the reform energy alive?This episode was recorded on November 12th 2025. iIt's the second episode from the RE-ENGAGE podcast series The Neighbourhood, which unpacks how countries hoping to join the EU navigate political change and outside pressure, and what that means for Europe’s democracy and security. The podcast series is produced by ECFR, and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. The RE-ENGAGE project is led by NUPI, and is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132314. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EU enlargement is back at the top of the EU’s political agenda as Russia’s war against Ukraine has transformed it from a bureaucratic process into a matter of European security.In this episode, Mark Leonard speaks with Lykke Friis, co-chair of ECFR’s council, director of the Danish think-tank Europa, and former Danish minister, as European leaders gather for the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen. Together they discuss why Denmark has shifted to advocating for enlargement and why Europe’s future security may depend on bringing Ukraine and Moldova closer.Is the EU ready for a new wave of member countries? Can enlargement be both geopolitical and merit-based? And what role will Denmark play in defining the EU’s next chapter?Bookshelf:Strength in members: How to rally EU enlargement for defence by Gustav Gressel, Nicu PopescuNew report on EU enlargement and integration by Piotr Buras with Lykke Friis, Engjellushe Morina and Iben SchackeDeutschland 1946: Das Wunder beginnt by Rüdiger Barth, Hauke FriederichsIndignity: A Life Reimagined by Lea YpiThis episode was recorded on October 2nd, 2025. The episode marks the launch of ECFR’s new RE-ENGAGE podcast series: The Neighbourhood, which will unpack how countries hoping to join the EU navigate political change and outside pressure, and what that means for Europe’s democracy and security. The podcast series is produced by ECFR, and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. The RE-ENGAGE project is les by NUPI, and is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132314. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does the new Norwegian High North strategy situate Norway and its northernmost countries in Arctic and global politics? What are the new priorities and signals in the strategy? And how will they be realized in practice in Norwegian foreign policy?In this episode of the NUPI podcast The World Stage, NUPI researcher Elana Wilson Rowe sits down with State Secretary (MFA) Maria Varteressian, and NUPI colleague Karsten Friis to discuss the new High North strategy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come Back Alive and other volunteer organisations is an underappreciated, but important factor in Ukraine's fight against Russia. They are a vital part of Ukraine’s resilience as the war enters its fourth year. Come Back Alive enjoys high trust, legitimacy and cooperates closely with the brigades in the field and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.Volunteer organisations show how popular mobilisation works in practice when the whole society wants to contribute to the war effort. As such, they also have important lessons for the Norwegian total defence concept. In this podcast episode we explore the role Come Back Alive and similar organisations are playing, how Norway and other states can increase their support, and what lessons they can hold for the Norwegian total defence concept.  In the studio are Kate Leschyshyn from Come Back Alive, and NUPI researchers Øyvind Svendsen and John Karlsrud. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Mali, and in larger sense UN Peacekeeping, a canary in the coal mine for international cooperation? What can it tell us about geopolitical tensions and cooperation among key powers? And what does the future hold for Mali and the Sahel? In this episode of the NUPI podcast The World Stage, Research Professor at NUPI John Karlsrud sits down with Arthur Boutellis to discuss the UN Peacekeeping mission in Mali, and Boutellis’ new book titled The UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA): Caught in the Geopolitical Crossfire.Arthur Boutellis is a non-resident Senior Adviser at the International Peace Institute (IPI) and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and Sciences Po. He has worked in Mali with the UN, supported policymakers in New York with research as the head of the Brian Urqhart Centre for Peace Operations at the International Peace Institute.  John Karlsrud is a Research Professor and Head of the Research group on peace, conflict and development at NUPI. He has extensive experience as a researcher in the field of peacekeeping, peacebuilding and humanitarian issues. He previously served as Special Assistant to the United Nations Special Representative in Chad and as part of the UNDP’s leadership programme LEAD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System for UN Peacekeeping Operations (CPAS) with Kym Taylor who is the chief of the evaluation team within the Division for Policy, Evaluation and Training of the Department of Peace Operations, and Hans Sachs who is programme management officer in the same team. Host of the episode is Research Professor at NUPI Cedric de Coning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How big of a multilateral actor is China? How is it working to influence issues ranging from artificial intelligence to the war in Ukraine? Courtney Fung (Macquire University) sits down with Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr (NUPI) to discuss noticeable changes happening around China and the multilateral governance system in this episode of The World Stage.The episode includes discussion of the various global governance initiatives that China has made in recent years, its position on the war in Ukraine. and its work across the expanding digital technology governance agenda. Courtney Fung is an associate professor at Macquire University (Australia) and has written extensively on China and the UN and related global security governance issues.Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr is a Senior Researcher at NUPI, specializing in Chinese politics.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we understand the African Union’s evolving position in a changing global order from its role in the G20 and its peace initiatives in Somalia and Sudan?In this episode of The World Stage, Solomon Dersso (Amani Africa) and Cedric de Coning (NUPI) discuss this topic.Solomon Dersso is the founding director of Amani Africa, an independent pan-African policy research, training and consulting think tank with expertise on the African Union’s policy processes, including especially the work of the Peace and Security Council.Cedric de Coning is Research Professor in the research group on peace, conflict and development at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.