Dr. Alan O'Sullivan

These are Asian banks, the Asian institutions that were created perhaps to challenge the Western influence because we know so much of the United States' influence is structural in nature, vetoes of 17% when you need an 85% majority.

This stuff, you know, but the paradox that he talks about is that a lot of these new institutions have the same level of control

from China this time as opposed to the U.S., so there is a bit of a contradiction there.

He talked about two speeches at Davos this year.

Trump's speech was this pre-rambling nonsense, divisive, and we had Mark Carney, who is very impressive, obviously, a clever guy, a former central banker, knows his brief.

But he spoke about the middle powers and how it's up to the middle powers to perhaps be a guiding light but use a more practical, pragmatic form of politics.

And he had a negative view on technology as a destructive force in terms of creating mistrust.

And it wasn't really a very... I have the book, I haven't read it yet, but it wasn't really a very uplifting...

picture he painted.

But it's time, really, we took the blinkers off.

I think it's time we realized that it is a very precarious position that we're in.

This week on the podcast, we have, as I said, Professor Donika O'Bachwine and a fascinating interview.

He's a leading Irish scholar of post-Soviet politics, international relations.

He's known for his incisive analysis of Russia's influence across its near abroad.

That near abroad is a special place.

which we talk about.

He's based in Dublin City University, serves senior roles within the School of Law and Government.

His work combines rigorous field research with a keen eye for the political dynamics of contested and unrecognised states and...

His particular form, his research focused on Eurasian geopolitics, democratic backsliding and the complex realities of de facto states.

So he's very recognisable for people, you know, he appears regularly on TV, Beyond Academia.