Plagued by corruption and weakened on the battlefield, Ukraine now risks being beaten at the negotiating table, too. If it does not show that it is willing to talk peace, it risks losing American support. Why is Volodymyr Zelensky suddenly so vulnerable to pressure? What is the mood among Ukrainian soldiers? And what should Ukraine’s allies do now? Zanny Minton Beddoes, our editor-in-chief, and Edward Carr, deputy editor, dissect the latest peace plan. Along with our correspondent in Kyiv and other colleagues, they explain why—despite helping to soften an earlier Russia-friendly proposal—Europe is failing Ukraine in its hour of greatest need.

Nicolas Pelham, our Middle East correspondent, and Adam Roberts, our digital editor, are just back from a rare reporting trip to Tehran. They join our top editors in the studio to discuss what they learnt from an interview with Iran's foreign minister and consider the future of the Islamic Republic. After 46 years of theocracy and a brief but bruising war, where does power now lie? What are the regime’s nuclear ambitions? And with the prospects of a succession crisis, has Iran been permanently weakened—or is it storing up trouble?

This year President Donald Trump has demolished long-standing norms and upended decades-old institutions at breathtaking speed. The old world order is finished—and in 2026 the contours of what will replace it will emerge. In the week we publish our new edition of The World Ahead, our future-gazing guide to the coming year, our top editors consider what 2026 will reveal about the future of Western liberal democracies, the reshaping of global power structures, the outlook for the world economy and the impact of new technologies.

Xi Jinping’s bet that dramatic escalation is the way to win a trade war

Donald Trump insists that his tariffs are a triumph. These “beautiful” duties are going to make America richer, he says—but what is their real impact? Six months on from “Liberation Day”, Zanny Minton Beddoes, our editor-in-chief, and a panel of The Economist’s top editors weigh the consequences of Mr Trump’s trade war. Join them as they review the global response to the tariffs, explain corporate America’s reluctance to speak out and consider the lasting effects on global commerce and American prosperity. Zanny unpicked some of these issues with Mark Carney, Canada’s prime minister, in a recent interview. Highlights from their discussion will feature in this episode. Their complete conversation will be available to watch after the show.

Donald Trump insists that his tariffs are a triumph. These “beautiful” duties are going to make America richer, he says—but what is their real impact? Six months on from “Liberation Day”, Zanny Minton Beddoes, our editor-in-chief, and a panel of The Economist’s top editors weigh the consequences of Mr Trump’s trade war. Join them as they review the global response to the tariffs, explain corporate America’s reluctance to speak out and consider the lasting effects on global commerce and American prosperity. Zanny unpicked some of these issues with Mark Carney, Canada’s prime minister, in a recent interview. Highlights from their discussion will feature in this episode. Their complete conversation will be available to watch after the show.

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