The Geopolitical Pickle

Evolution of the Arms Industry during the war in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has signified a massive shift in European defence thinking as well as the arms industry required to defend the EU and NATO in the eventuality of a war on the continent. In this episode we interview Tomáš Kopečný, Deputy Minister for Defence Industrial Cooperation, Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic.
He gives us insights on the military aid given to Ukraine from the West in the wake of the Russian invasion and how it has developed. We also touched upon the use of drones in modern warfare, the global position of the arms industry and potential spill-overs that the war in Ukraine may have.
Lastly, as always, we asked him about his career development, in the hoped that it might inspire you to follow your own. 
Recorded 02/11/2022
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Disclaimer: All views of the interviewees are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of this channel.
 
The Geopolitical Pickle jar included:
Ronan Wordsworth - @ronanwords : Co-host and research
Juan Francisco Muñoz - @jacom95JF : Co-host and research

Is there a far right populist wave sweeping across Europe?

After the elections in Italy and Sweden, many media outlets and people in general have raised their concerns about the far-right gaining quotas of power in the EU. Some analysts are seeing these and other electoral results, as well as certain public speeches all over the EU, as a far-right wave that might threaten the current established system. 
Today we debate about this, and we pose several questions: What is Populism? What characterizes the far-right in the EU? Are these parties a homogenous force? And finally, is there actually a far-right wave in Europe?
 
As always get in touch at: https://linktr.ee/thegeopoliticalpickle

What role does Political Islam play in Middle East and Africa?

We are back with Hussein Solomon, Head of the Department of Political Sciences of the University of the Free State and author of numerous books and articles on Political Islam and jihadist groups.
This is part two of our conversation, so we recommend you listen to part one before this one.
We move the focus onto the role Political Islam in the current power struggle for the Middle East, as well as the impact of this power struggle in Africa and beyond.
 
The conversation isn't just about politics, as Prof. Solomon shares with us his career development and leaves us with some nice advice for the future.
 
Recorded 19/09/2022
 
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Instagram: @thegeopoliticalpickle
Twitter: @thegeopickle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGeoPickle
 
 
The Geopolitical Pickle jar included:
Ronan Wordsworth - @ronanwords : Co-host and research
Juan Francisco Muñoz - @jacom95JF : Co-host and research
Alex Perry - @yrrepxxela : Research

The growing threat of Jihadist groups across Africa

We are back with Hussein Solomon, Head of the Department of Political Sciences of the University of the Free State and author of numerous books on jihadism and Political Islam.
 
Today, we look at different jihadi groups across West Africa in Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso, as well as other groups operating in Somalia and Mozambique.
 
Recorded 19/09/2022
 
Follow as on every platform!
Instagram: @thegeopoliticalpickle
Twitter: @thegeopickle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGeoPickle
 
 
The Geopolitical Pickle jar included:
Ronan Wordsworth - @ronanwords : Co-host and research
Juan Francisco Muñoz - @jacom95JF : Co-host and research
Alex Perry - @yrrepxxela : Research

How will winter look for Ukraine and Russia?

Today we take a deep dive into Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine with geopolitical insights into the current situation. Winter is fast approaching in Ukraine which is traditionally characterised by freezing temperatures and plenty of snow. How will the war evolve through this period? We make some predictions which we can look back on early next year to see how accurate (or inaccurate!) we both were.
Let us know how you see the conflict developing by getting in touch here.
Recorded 24th October 2022

How has Russias Invasion of Ukraine been felt across Africa

This episode is the second part of our interview with International Crisis Group's Senior Southern African correspondent @PiersPigou so if you haven't listened to part 1, we recommend you do that first.
Today we talk about the current political situation in Zimbabwe in the lead up to 2023 elections as well as the fallout from Russia's war in Ukraine across Africa. Some countries have shown an unwillingness to condemn Russia in UN resolutions - why?
The interview was first recorded in July 2022.
Let us know your thoughts!

ISIS in Mozambique, PMCs, and the role of International Crisis Group

Today's episode is the first of two parts where we spoke with International Crisis Group's Senior Southern African correspondent Piers Pigou. We cover a range of topics including the organisation's mission, Private Military Contractors across Africa and the current security situation in Mozambique and more widely, the African continent. 
You can find Piers on Twitter @PiersPigou to follow the latest updates. Part 2 of the interview will be out next week

Turkey’s unique position in the world

In today's episode, we discuss Turkey's position as a land bridge between Europe and the Middle East and its natural geographic advantages. Turkey plays a prominent role in the international arena as a geopolitical actor.
We debate the countries motives, strengths and weaknesses and Erdogan's attempt at positioning the country under his leadership.
 
We are joined by Milos Dangubic @mdang44 and Federico Capari @federicocaprari 
 
As always get in touch and let us know what you think about Turkey's actions at:
https://linktr.ee/thegeopoliticalpickle

Africa’s forgotten country - Western Sahara

In this episode, we talk to the Ambassador of Western Sahara (or Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic - SADR) to South Africa on the current geopolitical situation of the territory from their own perspective. 
Ambassador Mohamed Yeslem Beissat explains the views of the Saharawi people and their fight for international recognition and the ongoing disputes with neighboring Morocco.
Join us for this fascinating discussion on a lesser known geopolitical topic.
For more information on the Geopolitical Pickle and to get in touch, find us on all major social media platforms at: linktr.ee/thegeopoliticalpickle

Sweden and Finland in NATO - A good thing?

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland, two historically neutral Scandinavian countries, both moved quickly to apply to join NATO. Listen in for a background on why, and join the debate as we list some pros and cons of the two countries accession bids.
 
Let us know if you agree or disagree by getting in touch at:
https://linktr.ee/thegeopoliticalpickle