The podcast that discusses global current affairs with women leaders!
Ilana Bet-El chats with wonderfully qualified women experts from around the world in informal but in-depth conversations that explain, analyse and highlight events of the day.
Women Leaders brings incredibly well-informed perspectives to world events: not the news, but what the news means! From geopolitics to security, defence and wars, and from economics to journalism, media and disinformation, we bring context and insight to the rapid changes in the world.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The podcast that discusses global current affairs with women leaders!
Ilana Bet-El chats with wonderfully qualified women experts from around the world in informal but in-depth conversations that explain, analyse and highlight events of the day.
Women Leaders brings incredibly well-informed perspectives to world events: not the news, but what the news means! From geopolitics to security, defence and wars, and from economics to journalism, media and disinformation, we bring context and insight to the rapid changes in the world.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
While the eyes of many have been on the US, Ukraine, Russia, Iran, Israel, Gaza, the wider Middle East and much more, the southern Caucasus, that collection of states composed of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, have been roiling between order and disorder - and attracting the attention of many power players. In Georgia, the Russia-backed government is cracking down on opposition leaders, while Armenia is in political disarray following Azerbaijan’s military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.
Traditionally the playground of Russia - either as the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union - all three states are currently in flux, attracting the attention of Turkey, the US and the EU. Russia, on the other hand, immersed in its insane war on Ukraine, has lost its grip. Apparently insignificant states and regions have a nasty habit of suddenly coming to the fore, dominating the agenda and changing geopolitical focus. The southern Caucuses may be ripe for such a twist, not least as the war in Ukraine drags on, dragging Russia ever further away from prosperity and regional domination.
To understand these fascinating dynamics, Ilana Bet-El is joined by the excellent Tinatin Japaridze, Eurasia analyst at the Eurasia Group. With fascinating insights into each state and the region as a whole, she helps clarify why Russia is on a losing pitch in the South Caucasus, the West is on the up, democracy does not always deliver, and peace is necessary - if elusive.
This episode was recorded 10 July 2025 and we will be back in September after a short summer break!
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Production: Florence Ferrando
Music: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.