In this episode, hosts Bogdan Radu and Anca Sinea engage in an insightful dialogue with Professor Jeffrey Sommers, drawing on his expertise in post-Soviet transitions to explore shifts in global power dynamics amid a multipolar world.
The conversation examines continuities and disruptions in U.S. foreign policy from Clinton's unipolar era to recent recalibrations under Obama, Biden, and Trump, focusing on declining hegemony, China's rise, and economic tools like tariffs and industrial policies to address deindustrialization in key sectors such as microprocessors and green technologies.

The discussion also analyzes the future of NATO amid debates on financial commitments and military independence, and the EU's push for strategic autonomy against transatlantic tensions and divisions between "old" and "new" Europe. Special emphasis is placed on Russia's assertive actions in Ukraine, the Middle East (e.g., supporting Assad), and Afghanistan (e.g., recognizing the Taliban), highlighting their impact on European unity and global stability.
This episode provides rigorous analysis of post-Soviet legacies, geopolitical rivalries, and challenges to the liberal international order.

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#InternationalRelations #USForeignPolicy #NATO #EuropeanUnion #RussiaUkraine #PoliticalEconomy #postsoviet

About the Guest and Hosts:
Professor Jeffrey Sommers is a professor of political economy and public policy at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM). He is also a Senior Fellow at UWM’s Institute of World Affairs. He has received multiple Fulbright Fellowships from the U.S. Department of State for work in Eastern Europe. In addition, he has served as a guest expert for new U.S. ambassadors accredited by the State Department in Washington, D.C. He has worked with investors, ministerial and government leaders, including at the prime minister level. In addition to his academic work, he has published in outlets such as the Financial Times, The New York Times, Project Syndicate, The Guardian, The Nation, Social Europe, and others.

Bogdan Radu is a senior lecturer in Political Science and the coordinator of the Master’s program in International Development. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine, and a master’s degree in European Politics from the University of Manchester. His research interests bring together comparative politics and international relations, especially from the point of view of the influence of political values on support for political regimes. More recently, he has been researching the role of public opinion in international relations and public support for foreign aid.

Anca Sinea is a Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, FSPAC, Babeș-Bolyai University, where she teaches Political Transitions, Public Diplomacy, and EU Governance. She holds a PhD in Political Science at UBB, an MA in International Relations from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and the University of Vienna, building on bachelor’s degrees in International Relations and Political Science at Paris-10. Her research bridges International Relations and energy studies. She is Co-Chair of the Romanian Energy Poverty Observatory. Since 2024, she has been a Member Alternate of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), contributing to energy, climate, and social affairs, a World Bank expert, and is extensively involved in policy processes at both national and European level. Her academic and policy work is reflected in numerous publications and contributions to the governance of the energy transition.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction and Guest Background
5:00 U.S. Foreign Policy: Continuity from Clinton to Trump
15:00 Economic Shifts: Tariffs, Industrial Policy, and China
25:00 The Future of NATO and the EU
35:00 Russia's Role in Global Conflicts