This series was created by Harry Verschaffel, jurist, podcaster and international relations enthusiast, with the support of Simon Van Hoeymissen, a researcher at the Centre for Security and Defence Studies (CSDS).
Episode 1: Taïwan
Taiwan: 23 million inhabitants, world leader in advanced chip manufacturing, and at the epicenter of a very tense region: the South China Sea.
In this podcast, China expert Sara Van Hoeymissen of the Royal Military Academy in Brussels tells us everything about the geopolitical stakeholders in this corner of our earth: Taiwan, China, the USA and its Asian allies.
Episode 2: Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has completely shifted the geopolitical dynamics of the European continent and has been escalating ever since its start almost three years ago.
In this podcast, researcher Simon Van Hoeymissen of the Royal Higher Institute for Defense in Brussels tells us everything about the geopolitical stakeholders in this corner of our earth: Ukraine, Russia, Europe and the USA.
Episode 3: Israel
Through the lens of political personalities and national interests, Didier Leroy Middle-East expert of the Royal Higher Institute for Defence in Brussels tells the most nuanced story one can get on the Hamas- Hezbollah-Israel conflict.
Also covered:
– The military developments since October 7, 2023
– Iran’s influence via its militias, also known as the “Six Armies of Tehran”
– The position of the EU and Belgium in the ongoing conflict
Episode 4: Sahel
Completely neglected by the media, the Sahel is one of the poorest, most drug-infested and climate change-affected regions in the world.
The region has also seen political instability like nowhere else.
In this podcast, Colonel Eric Kalajzic of the Royal Higher Institute for Defense in Brussels, former head of private office to the MINUSMA Force Commander in Mali, tells us everything about this topic.
While initially successful in stabilizing parts of the region, the Sahel has since descended once again into political turmoil, marked by a series of coups d’état.
Episode 5: French Nuclear Shield
The French Nuclear Shield:
In the 1980s, people protested nuclear weapons production and the arms race.
The 1990s followed, marked by a gradual reduction in nuclear arsenals.
In 2025, however, we are in a period of increasingly aggressive rhetoric.
In this podcast, Alain De Neve of the Royal Higher Institute for Defence in Brussels discusses the geopolitical stakes surrounding nuclear deterrence and the recent technological developments in this field.