Donald Trump has launched fresh talks with Iran to negotiate a new nuclear deal, vowing that there will be “all hell to pay” if Tehran does not agree to disarm. As foreign reporter Akhtar Makoii tells Venetia Rainey, it comes amid a major buildup of American military assets in the Middle East. Israel has repeatedly pushed for a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, would the US go through with it if Iran refuses to compromise? Meanwhile, China recently completed some surprise live-fire drills aro...
Apr 14, 2025•34 min
What began as Donald Trump’s sweeping trade war against much of the world has sharpened into a tense standoff between two global giants: the United States and China. While Trump eased or delayed tariffs on many countries, China remained the outlier — and the economic tensions have only intensified. In this episode, we trace how the trade war has evolved, why China is still firmly in the firing line, and what the economic implications could be for both nations. We’ll hear from Kelly Ann Shaw, who...
Apr 11, 2025•42 min
Can Trump bring peace to the Middle East? Should the UK recognise Palestine as a state? Should the West work more closely with China? Is the FCDO doing enough to help citizens detained abroad? Known for being straight-talking and forthright, Emily Thornberry is chair of the influential Foreign Affairs Committee and the long-serving Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury. She joins Venetia Rainey for a special bonus episode of Battle Lines to answer all those questions and more. She discusses...
Apr 09, 2025•29 min
A newly released video casts doubt on Israel’s initial account of the deadly attack on a convoy of ambulances and a fire truck in Gaza, leaving 15 rescue workers dead. Roland Oliphant speaks with co-host Venetia Rainey about the footage and the broader implications of the collapse of the ceasefire. Plus, we turn to Sudan, where the Sudanese Armed Forces have regained control of Khartoum from the Rapid Support Forces. Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator David Blair explains why the ongoing conflict...
Apr 07, 2025•21 min
In this episode, we dive into the controversial decision surrounding the Chagos Islands, with Donald Trump reportedly signing off on a deal to return them to Mauritius. Venetia Rainey sits down with Associate Political Editor Tony Diver to discuss the potential security implications for the UK, US, and Asia, and why Trump might have suddenly backed this move. We also explore the possibility of Trump serving a third term, as political expert Bruce Peabody breaks down the legal options that could ...
Apr 04, 2025•35 min
Myanmar is reeling from a major earthquake that has hit residents who are already struggling to survive amid a brutal four-year civil war. Venetia Rainey speaks to Asia correspondent Sarah Newey about her recent reporting trip from inside the country about how this will affect the junta’s grip on power and why things are likely to go from bad to worse. Plus, we look at a major debate underway in Australia about the growing risk posed by China after Beijing sent an unprecedented naval ...
Mar 31, 2025•36 min
This week, we discovered that recent US airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen were coordinated over the unsecured Signal messaging app, where officials accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor of The Atlantic, to the group chat. This astonishing security lapse offered a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into America’s top national security figures as they make high-stakes decisions. So, what did we learn? Plus: As Vice President J.D. Vance visits America’s air base in Northern Greenland fo...
Mar 28, 2025•52 min
Turkey and Israel: two Middle Eastern democracies in crisis. Venetia Rainey talks to Süddeutsche Zeitung journalist Raphael Geiger in Istanbul about why President Recep Tayyep Erdogan's arrest of the city's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has sparked rare protests, and what might happen next. Henry Bodkin, our correspondent in Israel, explains how the sacking of Ronen Bar, the head of the internal security agency Shin Bet, has sparked fears that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is consolidating unpr...
Mar 24, 2025•31 min
Canadians are angry, very angry. US president Donald Trump is not backing down from his annexation plans - and this week he even called the country "nasty". On last week's episode, we looked at a small minority of Canadian separatists who said they would welcome Trump's plan to turn Canada into the 51st state. It caused quite a stir among our Canadian listeners. So on today's episode, we go back to Canada and look at the majority's view on Trump's expansionist plans and how the current crisis is...
Mar 21, 2025•32 min
After just two months of a shaky ceasefire deal, the Israel Hamas war has restarted. On Tuesday morning, Israel launched a series of what it described as "extensive strikes" right across the entire Gaza Strip. The death toll currently stands at more than 400, including many children, with nearly 600 more people wounded, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. That number is expected to rise as more bodies are pulled from the rubble. A spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Mini...
Mar 18, 2025•11 min
Over the weekend, the United States launched what it called 'powerful and decisive' airstrikes against the Houthis, the Iranian backed rebel group that controls much of Yemen. The Houthis say the death toll so far stands at 53, including two children. American officials said the strikes aimed at the Houthi leadership and came in response to the group's threat to resume strikes on shipping in the Red Sea. But it's not just about Yemen. On Monday afternoon, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that ...
Mar 17, 2025•36 min
Donald Trump has long expressed a desire to make Canada the 51st state of the US, with tensions rising as the two countries engage in a trade war. Canada has implemented retaliatory tariffs against Trump’s policies, and outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused Trump of trying to weaken the Canadian economy to make annexation easier. Polling suggests 90% of Canadians say they would oppose becoming part of the US, but not everyone shares that view. Telegraph foreign correspondent Memphis...
Mar 14, 2025•39 min
On this Bonus episode, Roland Oliphant speaks with Reza Pahlavi, the son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran who was overthrown in 1979. The Crown Prince has lived in exile ever since, but he now believes the regime could be heading for collapse and is positioning himself as the potential figurehead of a democratic transition. We asked him why he thinks Iran is headed for a revolution like the one that overthrew his father, why he believes he could lead such a change, and what he thinks W...
Mar 12, 2025•53 min
As Iran carries out military drills with Russia and China, Venetia Rainey chats to Telegraph reporter Akhtar Makoii about the country's attempts to build up its army with new weapons and new capabilities. They also discuss Iran's renewed attempts to strike a nuclear deal, and why Donald Trump's threatening letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei might backfire. Plus: The war in Sudan continues to rage with no sign of resolution. The Telegraph's global health reporter Lilia Sebouai and photographe...
Mar 10, 2025•35 min
This week, following unsuccessful attempts by Volodymyr Zelensky to repair the damage done during last week's Oval Office row, Donald Trump cut all American military aid to Ukraine. It was a huge move that made clear once and for all that Zelensky is no longer in favour in Washington. The decision divided America, provoked widespread criticism in Europe, and was heartily cheered by Russia. So what has led to this? Trump's apparent dislike for Zelensky has not come out of nowhere, nor has h...
Mar 07, 2025•33 min
Following President Trump and JD Vance's public row with Volodymyr Zelensky, Sir Keir Starmer hosted the Ukrainian leader and vowed to put together a coalition of 'the willing', saying we are at a 'crossroads in history'. So what must Britain do now to survive in Trump’s new world order? The Telegraph's David Blair, former foreign policy speech writer at No10, talks us through the six steps the British Prime Minister should take to adapt. Plus: As the first stage of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire ex...
Mar 03, 2025•39 min
As US President Donald Trump reshapes the Pentagon, Roland Oliphant speaks with Missy Ryan, National Security Correspondent at The Washington Post, to uncover the reasons behind the dismissal of top military officers and the potential impact of an 8% Pentagon budget cut. Plus: The Telegraph's Jerusalem correspondent, Henry Bodkin, talks us through the controversial AI-generated video envisioning "Trump’s Gaza." Contact us with feedback or ideas: [email protected] @venetiarainey @...
Feb 28, 2025•33 min
Today marks three years since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine began. As Europe prepares to boost its defence in preparation for a future possible war with Russia, we ask: what has the British army learned from the Ukraine war? To find out, Venetia Rainey went to visit one of the host camps for Operation Interflex, a mammoth operation that has seen the UK and 13 partner nations train up tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers since June 2022. Plus: James Rothwell brings us the elect...
Feb 24, 2025•37 min
This week a very public spat erupted between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Vlodomoyr Zelensky after Washington took the unprecedented step of starting peace negotiation talks with Moscow - but without Kyiv. After Zelensky accused Trump of disinformation, Trump retorted by branding Zelensky a dictator, something that has been roundly condemned by European leaders. So why has Trump turned against Zelensky, what is behind his embrace of Russia and is his view shared by ...
Feb 21, 2025•36 min
As the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire-hostage deal enters its final weeks, the region is on tenterhooks to see what will happen next. Will the rest of the hostages be released and aid continue to enter Gaza? Or will the deal be blown up and fighting restart? And as we mark 500 days since the October 7th massacre, we’ll be asking to what extent Israel has achieved its original war aims. Plus, we go behind the scenes at the most dramatic Munich Security Conference yet, and l...
Feb 17, 2025•34 min
In a recent address to NATO in Brussels, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the U.S. is no longer "primarily focused on Europe's security." He emphasised that the U.S. would not send troops to Ukraine and would 'no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependency'. With the American commitment to global peace since 1945 now over, what does this shift mean for European security? Can Europe defend itself without American troops, funding, and intelligence suppor...
Feb 14, 2025•38 min
USAID is dead. From Ukraine to Vietnam, the knock-on effect from Donald Trump and Elon Musk's dramatic shuttering of one of the largest aid agencies in the world is being felt around the world. Why has it been shuttered and what does it mean for American soft power? Roland Oliphant speaks to Sera Koulabdara, CEO of Legacies of War, about the halt of de-mining work in southeast Asia and why it is essential for American influence in China's backyard. Plus he talks to The Telegraph’s senior f...
Feb 10, 2025•35 min
In a shock announcement this week Donald Trump said he would ‘take over’ Gaza, ‘own’ it and called for Palestinians to be 'resettled' in neighbouring countries, prompting concerns over ethnic cleansing. Venetia Rainey catches up with The Telegraph’s woman in Washington Katie O'Neill about it and asks military expert Linda Robinson about the feasibility of Trump’s proposed plan. Plus: The Telegraph’s former Beijing correspondent Sophia Yan explains why China retaliated to US tariffs and what less...
Feb 07, 2025•39 min
Amid news of Iran developing new ballistic missiles and unveiling an underground missile city, we look at the truth behind this show of force. With its axis of resistance across the Middle East in tatters and ongoing internal issues over women's rights, the economy and the environment, we ask - can the Iranian regime survive 2025? Plus: We catch up with exiled Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof about his new film The Seed of the Sacred Fig and ask what he thinks will happen to the Iranian regime...
Feb 03, 2025•46 min
US President Donald Trump has called Chinese AI company DeepSeek a "wake up call" - and he's right. As shock waves continue to reverberate through the US tech industry, The Telegraph’s AI and cybersecurity expert Gareth Corfield explains why a new AI Cold War is developing and what it means for Western security. Plus, we speak to a Doomsday Clock scientist about why AI means humanity is closer to disaster than ever before, and look at what the Trump administration's approach will be to the...
Jan 31, 2025•40 min
New Middle East correspondent Henry Bodkin talks to Venetia Rainey about his recent trip to Syria where he went out on the road with ruling party Hayat Tahrir al-Sham looking for former Assad regime loyalists. He also discusses the stories behind the biggest headlines from the Middle East, including what the latest hostage release tells us about Hamas’ remaining strength in Gaza and why one Israeli woman was left off the list. Plus, Roland Oliphant explains why Congo's foreign minister has...
Jan 27, 2025•37 min
As Donald Trump returns to the White House, the world braces for what comes next. Every Friday, Battle Lines will turn its focus to the US and look at how Trump’s foreign policy decisions are reshaping the world. On today’s episode, we look at Donald Trump's first week in office. Roland Oliphant is joined from Washington by The Telegraph's Katie O'Neill to get the latest, and speaks with the author and historian Robert Merry about the 19th century President William McKinley, who appears to...
Jan 24, 2025•46 min
As the Hamas-Israel ceasefire deal comes into effect, we speak with Jotam Confino to hear why he thinks the deal is unlikely to hold and why Israelis are angry with Netanyahu’s government. We also hear from Rosalia Bollen, UNICEF Communications Specialist, who describes the scale of the humanitarian challenge in the Gaza strip where 1. 8 million people are in urgent need of emergency shelter, food and essential household items. Plus: on Donald Trump's first day back in the White House, Brussels ...
Jan 20, 2025•41 min
Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey discuss the Gaza ceasefire, how the deal happened and what it means for Israel, Hamas, and the world. Plus: reactions from Ruwaida Amer on the ground in Gaza and from Gil Dickmann, the cousin of Carmel Gat, one of the hostages killed by Hamas. Contact us with feedback or ideas: [email protected] @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 17, 2025•38 min
The former British Army colonel and chemical weapons expert tells Venetia Rainey about his recent trip to Syria, his optimism about the country’s future, and the efforts to find the evidence of Assad’s use of chemical weapons. Plus: Can negotiators get a Gaza ceasefire deal over the line before Donald Trump’s inauguration next Monday? Contact us with feedback or ideas: [email protected] @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...
Jan 13, 2025•43 min
