Ex-Diplomats Debate: Should We Embrace Chequebook Diplomacy?

This week Dmitry and John debate whether the West needs to stop faffing around and start splashing cash if it wants to keep up with the unromantic investment diplomacy of its geostrategic adversaries.

Also on the show:

• President Biden abruptly cancels his visit to the Asia Pacific in order to deal with the debt ceiling crisis at home;

• The Wagner Group's Prigozhin was allegedly in talks with the Ukrainian intelligence; and

• A roundup of some fascinating elections and election results from Turkey to Thailand.

About the show:

Intrigue Explained is a show where two former diplomats (Dmitry Grozoubinski and John Fowler) and the people they know break down the big stories in international news.

The show is based on reporting from International Intrigue's free daily newsletter. Sign up to receive the world's news in a format you'll love and at a length you can digest over coffee.