12 Minutes With - The Europe Interview

President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock joins 12 Minutes with at a time when the organisation is facing mounting problems. She responds to criticism of what critics perceive as the institution's weakness, its planned reform and why a united EU is key to the UN's success. 

UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher joins 12 Minutes with as the Middle East conflict enters its third week. He discusses the anticipated spillover of refugees to Europe, why he does not see the Board of Peace as a threat to the UN, and the precarious task facing peacekeepers.

Former French ambassador to the US, Gérard Araud, joins 12 Minutes With to explain why he thinks Trump will "chicken out" on Iran, criticism of Commissioner President Ursula von der Leyen exceeding her mandate on the conflict and the EU's divided response.

He has been hailed as the world's leading expert in counterinsurgency warfare. Former CIA Director and retired US Army General David Petraeus joins 12 Minutes With to discuss the US' objectives in the Iran war, the chances of a pragmatic leader emerging from the Iranian regime and the "catastrophically bad" decisions made in Iraq at the start of the century.

Her country is one of Ukraine’s main allies, contributing some €12 billion to Kyiv since the invasion in 2022.Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard joins 12 Minutes With to discuss another Hungarian veto to block support to Ukraine, Europe's plan to fast-track Ukraine’s membership and her country’s decision not to join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.

He is leading efforts to bring down his country’s budget deficit — the highest in the EU. Romanian Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare joins 12 Minutes with to discuss joint debt to boost innovation, his support for a push to buy European and more.