Battle Lines

In a recent address to NATO in Brussels, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the U.S. is no longer "primarily focused on Europe's security." He emphasised that the U.S. would not send troops to Ukraine and would 'no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependency'. With the American commitment to global peace since 1945 now over, what does this shift mean for European security? Can Europe defend itself without American troops, funding, and intelligence support? Plus: is the Trump administration signalling a move towards a multipolar world, where global power is divided into three distinct spheres of influence?Roland Oliphant is joined by Ed Arnold, Senior Research Fellow for European Security at RUSI, and by Michael Ignatieff, the former leader of the Canadian Liberal Party and leader of the Opposition.Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

USAID is dead. From Ukraine to Vietnam, the knock-on effect from Donald Trump and Elon Musk's dramatic shuttering of one of the largest aid agencies in the world is being felt around the world. Why has it been shuttered and what does it mean for American soft power?Roland Oliphant speaks to Sera Koulabdara, CEO of Legacies of War, about the halt of de-mining work in southeast Asia and why it is essential for American influence in China's backyard. Plus he talks to The Telegraph’s senior foreign correspondent Memphis Barker about why Kyiv is especially worried and whether this might prompt a rethink of the international aid system.Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

In a shock announcement this week Donald Trump said he would ‘take over’ Gaza, ‘own’ it and called for Palestinians to be 'resettled' in neighbouring countries, prompting concerns over ethnic cleansing. Venetia Rainey catches up with The Telegraph’s woman in Washington Katie O'Neill about it and asks military expert Linda Robinson about the feasibility of Trump’s proposed plan.Plus: The Telegraph’s former Beijing correspondent Sophia Yan explains why China retaliated to US tariffs and what lessons were learned from dealing with Donald Trump in his first term.Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

Amid news of Iran developing new ballistic missiles and unveiling an underground missile city, we look at the truth behind this show of force. With its axis of resistance across the Middle East in tatters and ongoing internal issues over women's rights, the economy and the environment, we ask - can the Iranian regime survive 2025?Plus: We catch up with exiled Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof about his new film The Seed of the Sacred Fig and ask what he thinks will happen to the Iranian regime.Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

US President Donald Trump has called Chinese AI company DeepSeek a "wake up call" - and he's right. As shock waves continue to reverberate through the US tech industry, The Telegraph’s AI and cybersecurity expert Gareth Corfield explains why a new AI Cold War is developing and what it means for Western security. Plus, we speak to a Doomsday Clock scientist about why AI means humanity is closer to disaster than ever before, and look at what the Trump administration's approach will be to the conflict in Congo and the African continent at large.Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

New Middle East correspondent Henry Bodkin talks to Venetia Rainey about his recent trip to Syria where he went out on the road with ruling party Hayat Tahrir al-Sham looking for former Assad regime loyalists. He also discusses the stories behind the biggest headlines from the Middle East, including what the latest hostage release tells us about Hamas’ remaining strength in Gaza and why one Israeli woman was left off the list. Plus, Roland Oliphant explains why Congo's foreign minister has accused its neighbour Rwanda of declaring war and the role 'blood minerals' are playing in the conflict.Read:'On the road with Syria’s new ‘terrorist’ leaders' by Henry Bodkin:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/01/23/syria-young-rebels-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-justice-purge-hts/'The teeth and bones that hold the key to this century’s worst chemical weapons attack' by Henry Bodkin:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/01/11/teeth-bones-hold-key-centurys-worst-chemical-weapons-attack/Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

As Donald Trump returns to the White House, the world braces for what comes next. Every Friday, Battle Lines will turn its focus to the US and look at how Trump’s foreign policy decisions are reshaping the world.On today’s episode, we look at Donald Trump's first week in office. Roland Oliphant is joined from Washington by The Telegraph's Katie O'Neill to get the latest, and speaks with the author and historian Robert Merry about the 19th century President William McKinley, who appears to be the inspiration for Trump's new American expansionism. Plus: former soldier Chris Purdy tells us why many veterans are alarmed at Donald Trump's pick for Defense secretary Pete Hegseth.

As the Hamas-Israel ceasefire deal comes into effect, we speak with Jotam Confino to hear why he thinks the deal is unlikely to hold and why Israelis are angry with Netanyahu’s government. We also hear from Rosalia Bollen, UNICEF Communications Specialist, who describes the scale of the humanitarian challenge in the Gaza strip where 1. 8 million people are in urgent need of emergency shelter, food and essential household items. Plus: on Donald Trump's first day back in the White House, Brussels correspondent Joe Barnes examines just what he wants from the world, and whether he'll get it. Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey discuss the Gaza ceasefire, how the deal happened and what it means for Israel, Hamas, and the world. Plus: reactions from Ruwaida Amer on the ground in Gaza and from Gil Dickmann, the cousin of Carmel Gat, one of the hostages killed by Hamas.Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant