Worlds Apart

Mole or troll? Greg Treverton, former chairman of the National Intelligence Council

Oleg Smolenkov – a high-flier in the Kremlin who personally heard Putin give orders to interfere in the 2016 US election, or a mid-ranking clerk fired before he had the chance to ever interact with the Russian president? The curious case of an alleged US spy in Moscow has once again highlighted the difference in assessments made by the US and Russian intelligence agencies. Could it be that he took both sides for a ride? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Greg Treverton, former chairman of the National Intelligence Council and currently professor of the practice of international relations and spatial sciences at the University of Southern California. Treverton’s book ‘Truth to Power: A History of the U.S. National Intelligence Council’ was published in June 2019.

Proxy peace? Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross

The war in Syria may be winding down and the level of violence has subsided dramatically, but a return to normal life still looks like a pipe dream. After almost a decade of proxy war, is Syria now doomed to years of proxy peace? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Charm not harm? Hamidreza Azizi, assistant professor of regional studies at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran

Iranian diplomacy has never been particularly soft-spoken or insipid; condemnations of ‘the Great Satan’ and thinly veiled threats have long been part of its vernacular. But with Trump in office, Tehran has changed its tack, embarking on a global charm offensive. Has it been helpful in mitigating the effects of the maximum pressure policy pursued by the Americans? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Hamidreza Azizi, assistant professor of regional studies at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran. Azizi is an expert at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club.

Committee of hope? Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy, former deputy special envoy of the UN secretary-general for Syria

The formation of a constitutional committee for Syria has been billed as a sign of hope for the country’s long-suffering people, the people whose hopes for peace have been dashed too many times throughout this eight-year conflict. Is there a reason to believe that this time around, things will be different? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy, former deputy special envoy of the UN secretary-general for Syria.

Make America -gate again? Dmitry Suslov, deputy director at the Center for Comprehensive European and Intl. Studies at HSE

According to Karl Marx, history repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce, but in the case of American politics, it’s fast turning into a sitcom in which the characters and even the situations remain invariably fixed. With yet another -gate (now Ukraine-gate) taking over Washington, is there any hope for moving ahead with any of the world’s pressing problems? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Dmitry Suslov, deputy director at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics.

When two Sundays meet? Amir Taheri, chairman of the Gatestone Institute in Europe

Hopes for a US-Iranian summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly deflated as promptly as they had appeared, giving way to the carnival of impeachment proceedings against President Trump. But while the spotlight has now moved to Washington, the security situation in the Gulf remains perilous and open to manipulation. Is it likely to get even worse now that Trump’s attention is diverted elsewhere? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Amir Taheri, chairman of the Gatestone Institute in Europe.