Showing posts with label #ChinaRussia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #ChinaRussia. Show all posts

Ukraine at War - Donnacha Ó Beacháin on Russia, Drones & Aughinish

 What is life really like in Ukraine after more than four years of Russia’s full-scale invasion? And how is the war changing on the ground?

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, Neil O’Sullivan speaks with Professor Donnacha Ó Beacháin, (X: @DonnachaDCU) Professor of Politics at Dublin City University and author of Unfinished Empire: Russian Imperialism in Ukraine and the Near Abroad, following his recent visit to Ukraine.


Donnacha shares his observations of life in Ukraine and the mood among ordinary Ukrainians as the war continues. The discussion includes Ukraine’s increasingly important drone warfare, Russia’s ability to sustain its war effort, and the challenges facing Ukraine as the conflict enters another year.


The conversation also turns to an issue much closer to home: Ireland’s Aughinish Alumina refinery and its links to Russia.


How is the Aughinish controversy being perceived in Ukraine? What does it say about Ireland’s relationship with Russia and its commitment to supporting Ukraine? And what can Ireland and the European Union learn from how other countries have dealt with Russian demand for alumina?


We also explore the significance of China’s support for Russia, the different elements of that support and much more.


A wide-ranging conversation about Ukraine, Russia, Ireland, economic pressure, sanctions, drones and the geopolitics of the war — with a particular focus on the view from Ukraine itself.


Listen to Perspectives with Neilo for conversations that go beyond the headlines to examine how foreign influence, economic pressure and political fear shape modern democracies.


This episode was recorded on the sidelines of the 2026 MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co. Donegal.


Date of Recording: July 24th, 2026.

The thumbnail shows Russian President Vladimir Putin on the left with Rusal owner Oleg Deripaska on the right. The background is blue and yellow in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Lower down in the picture is a horizon outline of the Aughinish Alumina plant in Limerick in a dark red hue. Drones fly in the yellow sky above.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Rusal owner Oleg Deripaska (R)



DIVE DEEPER:

Additional information on the topics covered in this episode:


Podcasts you might also like



Audio Credits
Sound Soul (This Logo Reveal) by Diamond_Tunes via Pixabay 

EU-China Trade Tensions - Interview with Finbarr Bermingham

The European Union’s trade deficit with China has doubled over the past decade, fueling growing frustration in Brussels over what officials describe as a flood of low-cost Chinese products into the EU. 


Beijing’s continued support for Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is also a major sticking point. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas called China the “key enabler” of Putin’s war and urged Beijing to halt its support to Russia’s military-industrial base. In response, China has indicated that it does not want to see Russia lose the war.

It was not surprising then that a summit in Beijing between top EU and Chinese leaders at the end of July produced few tangible results.

 

Just ahead of the summit, I spoke with Finbarr Bermingham (X:@fbermingham), Europe Correspondent for the South China Morning Post, to explore what’s really driving the tensions in EU–China trade. We discussed the growing trade imbalance and how China’s rare earth export controls and unwavering support for Russia are reshaping the relationship.


Date of Recording: July 18th, 2025.




Picture shows Chinese President Xi Jinping on the left with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the right. Both leaders pictures are in black and white set against the background of their regions flags which are in colour. Listen to Perspectives at www.pwneilo.com
Chinese leader, Xi Jinping (L) and
EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen (R)


DIVE DEEPER:


Additional information on the topics covered in this episode:


    Podcasts You Might Also Like:


    #ChinaEU, #TradeTensions, #GeopoliticsPodcast, #Geopolitics, #RareEarths, #UkraineWar, #EUForeignPolicy, #ChinaRussia, #EUChinaSummit, #IPI, #FSR, #ForeignSubsidiesRegulation, #EU-ChinaNews, #rareearthminerals, #rareearthmineralschina


    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)