The Inside Story Podcast

Joseph Kabila, who ruled DR Congo for almost two decades, is making a comeback. He will lead the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a political-military alliance with M23 fighters that opposes President Felix Tshisekedi's government in Kinshasa. Several attempts at a peace deal between government forces, rebels and armed groups have already failed, and many fear the move will worsen the fighting in eastern DR Congo. Is this coalition likely to escalate the conflict? In this episode: Henry-Pacifique Mayala, Co-ordinator of the Kivu Security Tracker at Ebuteli institute Ovigwe Eguegu, Policy Analyst at Development Reimagined, specialising in African geopolitics and great power competition Vincent Rouget, Head of Political Risk for Africa at Control Risks, a global consultancy Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

NATO says it is ready to fight as it unveils a new defence strategy using low-cost drones, artificial intelligence and rapid strikes to deter potential attacks. With the US planning to withdraw thousands of troops from Europe and concerns growing over Russia, European leaders are increasing military spending. Will NATO’s new strategy be enough to address the perceived Russian threat and protect its members? In this episode: Ray Wojcik, Senior Research Fellow at The Saratoga Foundation Marina Miron, Researcher in Defence Studies at King’s College London Alexander Bratersky, Political analyst specialising in Russian foreign policy Host: Rishaad Salamat Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

US President Donald Trump has announced a deal to bring Russian diesel into the United States, a move welcomed by the Kremlin. He's accused Ukraine of ignoring his calls to halt strikes on Russian refineries. Ukraine insists it will only stop striking Russian refineries if Moscow ceases attacks on its energy facilities. With Washington and Europe diverging further on Ukraine, how long can European leaders continue their economic and military support for Kyiv? In this episode: Lisa Yasko, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament Andrey Kortunov, Russian affairs analyst John Lough, Head of Foreign Policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre Host: Rishaad Salamat Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Zionism should be treated as any other form of racism. That's what members of the Green Party have agreed on at their annual conference in the UK. Israel has condemned the decision, calling it antisemitic. So, what's the motivation? And what impact will the Greens' new policy have on British politics and beyond? In this episode: Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London Yossi Beilin, former Israeli Justice Minister Jonathan Lis, Journalist and Broadcaster Host: Neave Barker Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Voters in Bosnia and Herzegovina go to the polls for the 10th time since the end of the war more than three decades ago. They're electing more than 500 members of a complex government structure. But deep political and ethnic divides remain. So, how will it play out, both in Bosnia and in the region? In this episode: Jahja Muhasilovic, Assistant Professor at the International University of Sarajevo Nina Sajic, Professor in the School of Political Science at the University of Banja Luka  Bodo Weber, Senior Associate at the Democratization Policy Council Host: Sami Zeidan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube