Playback serverIf a title won’t play, switch servers.
Mapping the World Essentials
Season 5 · Episode 106
Can Europe defend itself without the United States?
0.04mJuly 7, 2026
As doubts grow over long-term U.S. security commitments and Russia remains a major threat, European countries are increasing defense spending and strengthening military cooperation. How dependent is Europe on the United States, and what would greater strategic autonomy look like?
Episodes
- Episode 1Episode 1
- Episode 2Episode 2
- Episode 3Episode 3
- Episode 4Episode 4
- Episode 5Episode 5
- Episode 6Episode 6
- Episode 7Episode 7
- Episode 8Episode 8
- Episode 9Episode 9
- Episode 10Episode 10
- Episode 11Episode 11
- Episode 12Episode 12
- Episode 13Episode 13
- Episode 14Episode 14
- Episode 15Episode 15
- Episode 16Episode 16
- Episode 17Episode 17
- Episode 18Episode 18
- Episode 19Episode 19
- Episode 20Episode 20
- Episode 21Episode 21
- Episode 22Episode 22
- Episode 23Episode 23
- Episode 24Episode 24
- Episode 25Episode 25
- Episode 26Episode 26
- Episode 27Episode 27
- Episode 28Episode 28
- Episode 29Episode 29
- Episode 30Episode 30
- Episode 31Episode 31
- Episode 32Episode 32
- Episode 33Episode 33
- Episode 34Episode 34
- Episode 35Episode 35
- Episode 36Episode 36
- Episode 37Episode 37
- Episode 38Episode 38
- Episode 39Episode 39
- Episode 40Episode 40
- Episode 41Episode 41
- Episode 42Episode 42
- Episode 43Episode 43
- Episode 44Episode 44
- Episode 45Episode 45
- Episode 46Episode 46
- Episode 47Episode 47
- Episode 48Episode 48
- Episode 49Episode 49
- Episode 50Episode 50
- Episode 51Episode 51
- Episode 52Episode 52
- Episode 53Episode 53
- Episode 54Episode 54
- Episode 55Episode 55
- Episode 56Episode 56
- Episode 57Episode 57
- Episode 58Episode 58
- Episode 59Episode 59
- Episode 60Episode 60
- Episode 61Episode 61
- Episode 62Episode 62
- Episode 63Episode 63
- Episode 64Episode 64
- Episode 65Episode 65
- Episode 66Episode 66
- Episode 67Episode 67
- Episode 68Episode 68
- Episode 69Episode 69
- Episode 70Armenia: A Decision for Europe?
- Episode 71Russia: War weariness?
- Episode 72Eastern Congo: Resource Curse in Kivu
- Episode 73France and Africa: A New Strategy
- Episode 74Great Britain: A Time of Divisions
- Episode 75Trump and Xi: A Showdown
- Episode 76Hantavirus: Fear of a new pandemic?
- Episode 77Gulf Crisis: The Emirates Targeted
- Episode 78Putin in China: A Weak Friend
- Episode 79Asia: An Aging Population
- Episode 80Lithuania: Air Raid Alert
- Episode 81War in Sudan: The Parties to the Conflict
- Episode 82Belarus: Ukraine worried
- Episode 83Abraham Accords: Trump, the Pope and the Catholics
- Episode 84Climate: Cities and Heat
- Episode 85Lebanon: Is Israel Pushing Beyond the Limits?
- Episode 86Global competition in pharmaceuticals
- Episode 87Artificial Intelligence: France Takes the Lead
- Episode 88Morocco: The Continent’s Industrial Champion
- Episode 89Middle East: 100 Days of War
- Episode 90Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-un: an alliance of mutual interest
- Episode 91Bahrain: The End of Calm
- Episode 92FIFA World Cup 2026 - Sport and Geopolitics
- Episode 93G7 Summit: In What Context?
- Episode 94France-Senegal: A Changing Relationship
- Episode 95Political Assassinations: Putin’s Version of Warfare
- Episode 96American technology: are Europeans dependent?
- Episode 97Latin America’s Shift to the Right
- Episode 98United Kingdom: Political Instability
- Episode 99Heatwave: the effect on the seas
- Episode 100Earthquake in Venezuela: A Country Under Pressure
- Episode 101Crimea: Strategy of Isolation
- Episode 102Europe: Why the Heatwaves Are Intensifying
- Episode 103Ireland: Setting the Course
- Episode 104South Africa: Migration as a Political Target
- Episode 105Syria: A new chapter?
- Episode 106Can Europe defend itself without the United States?
- Episode 107What can Ukraine contribute to Europe's defense?
- Episode 108Why do countries hold gold reserves?
- Episode 109Why Iran Is Not Losing the War Against the United States
- Episode 110Russia Strikes Back
- Episode 111West Bank: Escalation Ahead of the Election
- Episode 112Europe’s Rivers: The Impact of Drought
- Episode 113Why Is the AfD Dominant in Eastern Germany?
- Episode 114Trump’s Cartographic Provocations
- Episode 115Why the Black Sea Is at the Heart of the Russia-Ukraine War
- Episode 116Can the world agree on maps?
- Episode 117Why is Putin attacking Ukrainian trains?
- Episode 118Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb: Two Strategic Chokepoints Under Tension?
- Episode 119The EU’s political season begins with the Canada card
- Episode 120Why Are Freshwater Reserves Running Out?
- Episode 121Germany in Transition: A Changing Political Landscape
- Episode 122Has the UN Ever Stopped a War?
- Episode 123Why Trump and Xi Jinping See Eye to Eye on AI
- Episode 124Why Popes Are Geopolitical Actors
- Episode 125Why Switzerland Rejects Strict Neutrality
- Episode 126Spain: Pedro Sánchez’s Record
- Episode 127Morocco: A Woman at the Helm
- Episode 128Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight: What’s the Context?
- Episode 129Brazil: Bolsonaro leads first round
- Episode 130Yemen: A New Front in the Middle East?
- Episode 131October 7, 2026: Who Will Make Peace?
- Episode 132Belarus: In Putin's Service
- Episode 133Trump and Russia, a Long History
- Episode 134Spain’s Vox and Europe’s Far Right
- Episode 135Saudi Arabia in an Age of War
- Episode 136Ukraine: Can It Cope Without Musk's Satellites?
- Episode 137Why are several European countries facing similar social crises?
- Episode 138Netanyahu's Wars
- Episode 139Macron in the Gulf States to Secure Diesel Supplies
- Episode 140Biodiversity Conference: Can Wildlife Still Be Saved?
- Episode 141Brazil - Is Lula Bucking Latin America’s Trend?
- Episode 142Serbia - What Comes After Vučić?
- Episode 143Episode 143
- Episode 144Episode 144
- Episode 145Episode 145