What does President Putin want now?
The Inquiry
BBC
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 15 April 2025
⏱️ 23 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
For Russia’s President Putin, the return of President Donald Trump to the White House ushered in a new world order. This has created new diplomatic space for Russia, as Trump’s world view seems more closely aligned with Moscow’s ambitions. Support for Ukraine has diminished, peace talks have been floated, and speculation has grown about a lasting ceasefire.
While the relationship between Washington and Moscow appears to be warming, recent tensions show how unpredictable diplomacy between the two leaders can be.
Putin’s ambition for Russia as an influential superpower remains but with shifting global alliances how much potential leverage does Putin have to reshape the international order?
Contributors: • Kadri Liik, Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations • Maria Snegovaya, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies • Ivan Klyszcz, Research Fellow, International Centre for Defence and Security • Mark Galeotti, Director, Mayak Intelligence; Honorary Professor, University College London
Presented by Victoria Uwonkunda Produced by Louise Clarke Researched by Katie Morgan Technical producer James Bradshaw Production Co-ordinator Liam Morrey Editor Tara McDermott
Image credit GAVRIIL GRIGOROV via Getty Images
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi Curios, I'm Dara Brien. |
| 0:03.5 | And I'm Hannah Frye. |
| 0:04.5 | And we are back for another series of curious cases. |
| 0:07.6 | Where we investigate the scientific mysteries sent in by you. |
| 0:10.9 | I would like to know if anything in the universe is truly invisible. |
| 0:14.7 | Why do we lie? |
| 0:16.1 | What happens to our brains when we fall in love? |
| 0:19.2 | We tackle the mysteries of the universe through audacious experiments and expert insight. |
| 0:23.8 | Curious cases. |
| 0:24.8 | Listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:28.2 | Welcome to the Inquiry and Victoria Oonghunda. |
| 0:31.7 | Each week, one question, four expert witnesses and an answer. |
| 0:40.8 | It's over three years since Russia had launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. |
| 0:46.4 | The offensive was quickly condemned. |
| 0:49.2 | Many countries came together and pledged support for and to Ukraine, |
| 0:54.7 | much to the relief of Ukrainians and their president, Volodmil Zelensky. |
| 0:59.8 | And Donald Trump, campaigning for a second term in the White House, |
| 1:03.5 | was making promises. |
| 1:05.9 | I will get the problem solved, and I will get it solved in rapid order. |
| 1:12.5 | And it will take me no longer than one day. |
| 1:15.3 | Fast forward to the first 100 days of his second presidency and the Ukraine war is still very much on. |
| 1:23.8 | But there have been strides. |
... |
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