The Geneva Convention protects people who have fallen victim to armed conflict, but there are more than four million military animals in service – so who looks out for them? Dr Josh Milburn explains the ethics of using animals in war.

Should world leaders make the tough decision to stop trading with Putin even if it stifles their own economies? Professor Jan Godsell, an expert in global supply chains, joins host Peter Warzynski to talk about the impact of trading with a despot.

0.00 - Welcome and introduction
3.45 - What is a supply chain
6.05 - What are we importing from Russia and Ukraine?
10.07 - The moral debate with sanctions
19.34 - How do we stop panic buying
21.35 - Interconnected nature of supply chains
32.11 - Stop importing Russian gas
35.52 - Has Brexit made us more self-reliant?
37.00 - Ethical considerations

To avoid direct military intervention in Ukraine, the West has turned to a range of financial and economic sanctions. But what has been done? What are the pluses and minuses? How will these work over the longer term? And can they be made to work better? Economist Professor Alistair Milne explains…
 
Time Stamps - 
 
0:33 – Introduction
1:20 – What is the point of sanction?
6:37 – Why does Putin want more roubles?
7:45 – Will the west sanction Russian gas and oil?
13:50 – Secret sanctions
16:16 – How long will the West keep sanctions in place

A number of Europe’s populist political figureheads are continuing to publicly associate themselves with Vladimir Putin, despite the grievous acts of violence he enacts on Ukraine. Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is one of those people. However, her popularity appears to be increasing. In this episode, Dr Gerhard Schnyder discusses why this might be the case.

Time Stamps - 

0:30 – Introduction
1:50 – You can’t explain populism
3:33 – The roots of populism
7:05 – What has populism achieved?
8:13 – How has the war aided populist politics in Europe?
11:25 – Hungary and Poland divided
14:44 – Implications for democracy
17:05 – The inevitable progression of populism

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has thrown Russian oligarchs and their extravagant wealth into the spotlight, but who are they, what do they do and how did they become so rich?

Time Stamps - 
00:45 – Introduction
2:10 – What are toxic assets
7:33 – McDonalds, Apple, Nespresso leave Russia
9:24 – How’s the Russian economy?
13:53 – Oil prices
15:25 – Can we stop using Russian gas?
17:00 – What would happen if we did?
18:11 – Gas stand off
18:58 – What is an oligarch?
20:56 – Who are they?
22:50 – How will sanctioning the oligarchs hurt Putin?

More than 10 million people have left their homes because of fighting in Ukraine.
But what greets them on the other side of the border?

Explaining more about the biggest human migration event since the Second World War is Dr Michelle Richey.

Time Stamps - 

0:00 - Welcome. Michelle Richey background
3:00 - Global displacement
4:30 - Who are the Ukrainian refugees?
8:42 - Lessons from WWII migration
15:31 - Breaking down barriers for refugees
19:46 - Increased sympathy for refugees?
26:20 - Opening your home to a Ukrainian family
29:00 - Goodbye

Putin’s war has been driven by his desire to reclaim Russian dignity. He sees the Western expansion of NATO as a threat to sovereignty and is pushing back. Dr Afzal Ashraf explains Putin’s actions and why they cannot be understood with Western mindsets
 
Time Stamps - 
0:40 – The Eastern expansion of NATO
4:55 – A lack of dignity
6:44 – Was Putin (in his own mind) left no choice but to invade?
8:05 – Nazification in Ukraine
11:38 – You can’t use Western mindsets to explain Putin’s actions
17:40 – Failed Western military strategies since Vietnam
23:41 – One positive thing to come out of this conflict
30:00 – Will Putin regret invading?

How Putin’s invasion is shifting power in the Middle East and changing its relationship with the West, featuring Reader in International Relations and Security Ali Bilgic.

Time Stamps - 
00:00:00 - Welcome and introduction to Dr Ali Bilgic
00:01:10 - Iran and the nuclear deal
00:07:41 - Saudi Arabia influence and relations
00:11:57 - Israel and USA relationship
00:20:26 - Putin's use of mercenaries in Ukraine 
00:23:56 - Private companies justifying their alignment with Russian interests and international law
00:27:55 - American military presence
00:30:50 - Thanks and goodbye

Find out about Besieged - a podcast which invites experts from Loughborough University to examine the latest developments in Ukraine, as well as looking to the future to see how the conflict will impact on all our lives.