In this episode of The Big Picture, host Roger Moorhouse is joined by Polish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Radek Sikorski for an in-depth discussion on European security, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the evolving threat posed by Moscow.

Minister Sikorski assesses how the conflict has reshaped NATO’s eastern flank and forced Europe to confront years of strategic complacency, he addresses the realities of Russia’s military capabilities and hybrid warfare tactics, the challenges facing Ukrainian refugees, and the delicate path towards EU integration.

Sikorski also offers a frank perspective on historical memory between Poland and Ukraine, the credibility of NATO’s Article 5 under a changing political landscape in Washington, and why Europe must urgently build its own core defence capacity.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com

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Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast

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Hosts Patrick Bishop and Roger Moorhouse take a look at the latest shifting political dynamics surrounding US-Ukraine relations. They unpack the recent White House meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the potential transactional nature of future US support, and the growing role of Ukraine’s defence industry.

Then, Belgian journalist Arnaud De Decker joins the show for an extended interview to share his eyewitness perspective on the war. Returning from an embed with an FPV drone unit in the Donbas, Arnaud offers a vivid account of the reality inside the "kill zone", the rapid integration of ground drones and fibre-optic tech, and a harrowing close encounter with a Russian drone. He also breaks down the domestic fallout from high-level Ukrainian military shake-ups, the stark realities facing soldiers on the front lines, and briefly discusses his recent reporting on the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

Key Topics Covered:

• US-Ukraine Political Thaw: Analysing Trump and Zelenskyy’s recent meeting, potential visits by US envoys, and the transactional framework of prospective peace and reconstruction deals.
• Kyiv Military Shake-Up: The public backlash and protests following the dismissal of Defence Minister Fedorov, the replacement of Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi with General Drapaty, and how leadership rivalries impact frontline operations.
• Inside the Kill Zone: Arnaud De Decker's firsthand experience embedded with the "Signum" drone unit in the Donbas, dodging fibre-optic Russian FPV drones, and relying on ground drones for logistical supplies.
• The "Uber" for Drone Pilots: A look inside the operations of the "Birds of Magyar" unit and how long-range, low-cost B2 strike drones are targeting multi-million-dollar Russian air defence systems.
• Frontline Reality vs Strategy: The widening gap between high-level strategic/mid-range strike successes and the deteriorating, high-pressure situation for ground troops and civilians near Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
• Spotlight on Sudan: Arnaud shares insights from his reporting in Khartoum and Darfur, detailing the immense destruction, geopolitical influence, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com

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Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this installment of Battleground: The Big Picture, host Saul David sits down with Al Carns—Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, former Royal Marines colonel, SBS veteran awarded the Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order, and former Minister for the Armed Forces.

Carns opens up about his transition from a stellar 24-year military career into politics, driven by the realization that modern technology—specifically AI, low-cost drones, and data integration—has fundamentally transformed the character of warfare.

Drawing direct lessons from the battlefield in Ukraine, the former Defence Minister makes a compelling case for why Western defence forces must pivot away from slow, expensive, traditional hardware procurement and towards scalable, tech-enabled mass.

The discussion also dives deep into:

• The Defence Funding Gap: Why Carns resigned from his post as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces over budget shortfalls and the urgent need for military transformation.
• Reforming Veterans' Policy: His perspective on the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill and why a single, empowered truth-and-reconciliation body is required.
• National Resilience: Why true national defence relies on industrial capacity, supply chain security, and societal unity rather than just frontline troop numbers.
• Hybrid Threats & Propaganda: How foreign adversaries use social media and asymmetric tactics to sow division within Western democracies.
• The Trajectory of the Ukraine Conflict: Insights into recent leadership reshuffles in Kyiv, the tactical reality of drone saturation on the front lines, and the strategic dilemmas facing Putin’s war-driven economy.

Tune in for an unvarnished, highly knowledgeable perspective on modern warfare and the hard choices facing defence policy today.

Coming up next: Look out for Friday's extended interview with Belgian war correspondent Arnaud De Decker on modern drone units in Ukraine, followed by Roger Moorhouse interviewing Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski next week!

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com

Follow us on:

X - @PodBattleground

Instagram - podbattleground

Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.