Episode description

Since the start of the war in Ukraine last year, there has been a strong focus on the China-Russia relationship – and on whether Xi Jinping might be preparing to distance himself from Russia, or, as Emmanuel Macron hopes, to pressure Putin to end the war. That debate intensified after Xi’s visit to Moscow in March.

Ido Vock and Jeremy Cliffe in Berlin, along with Katie Stallard in Washington DC, discuss the history of the two countries’ relations, what message the recent visit was intended to send, and where the areas of tension lie.

Next, we turn to Turkey whose citizens will head to the polls on 14 May for what are expected to be the closest elections for decades. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has ruled Turkey in one form or another for 20 years, could lose to a united opposition. The team discuss the opposition parties’ chances – and what might happen if they win.

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Read more:

Europe lost Turkey once, writes Jeremy. It cannot afford to make the same mistake again.

Katie on the world according to Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

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