Latest Interviews
Showing 16–30 of 31 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist7 min
Why doesn’t the UK become closer to the EU?
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr
Analysts predict Prime Minister Starmer will gradually pivot to a pro-EU stance by 2028–2029, driven by strong public support for closer ties that has outlasted the domestic political trauma of Brexit. Concurrently, the government has successfully reduced net migration to approximately 200,000 annually through stricter visa rules, though rising asylum claims continue to fuel a public perception of failing border control. This stabilization of migration figures may enable a political shift toward accepting free movement with the EU within three years, provided internal European instability does not undermine cooperation.
- The Economist9 min
What we know about the Ukraine peace plan
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr, Olly, Ed, Shashank, Zannie, Chris
Emerging from Geneva talks, a draft treaty to partition Ukraine has evolved from a 28-point plan to an 18-point document featuring relaxed military caps and the potential removal of constitutional bans on NATO membership. While special representative Steve Witkoff allegedly advised Russian negotiators on pressure tactics and leaked communications cast suspicion on the security of the process, key disputes remain regarding the status of Donbass, the enforceability of vague US security guarantees, and the exclusion of European military forces. Analysts warn that despite the removal of restrictive weapon bans, the proposed framework relies on unenforceable terms and creates a strategic vacuum for Ukraine's post-war defense.
- The Economist13 min
Steve Bannon: Trump will have a third term
Steve Bannon, Trump, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Ed Carr
Steve Bannon articulates a vision for a MAGA revolution that replaces corporate control with an "entrepreneurial capitalism" dominated by populist nationalists, asserting the movement must seize and permanently defend state institutions regardless of legal or economic pushback. He predicts Donald Trump will secure a third presidential term in 2028 by redefining constitutional constraints and positions the United States as the catalyst for a global wave of right-wing victories in nations like the UK, France, and Germany. This strategy frames the current era as an existential political war where the movement will not compromise, arguing that radical action is necessary to avoid elite-managed decline and ensure the preservation of national sovereignty.
- The Economist7 min
Mark Carney on dealing with Donald Trump
Mark Carney, Donald Trump, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Prime Minister Carney, Sani
Prime Minister Carney attributes Canada's recent economic stagnation to persistent tariff uncertainty while characterizing U.S. trade policy as a coercive "mafioso" strategy driven by President Trump. In response to this geopolitical rupture, Ottawa is pivoting toward strategic sovereignty by bolstering Arctic defense and cultivating a "variable geometry" of trade alliances to reduce reliance on the American market. This dual approach acknowledges a permanent shift toward high-tariff U.S. protectionism, compelling Canada to prioritize self-sufficiency and diversify global partnerships beyond traditional transatlantic frameworks.
- The Economist14 min
AI bosses on what keeps them up at night
Demis Hassabis, Dario Amodei, Zanny Minton Beddoes
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis offer diverging timelines for Artificial General Intelligence, with Amodei predicting arrival by 2026–2027 and Hassabis estimating a 50% probability only by 2030. Both leaders warn of severe geopolitical risks from authoritarian dominance and catastrophic safety failures, advocating for an international "CERN for AGI" framework and new global institutions akin to the IAEA to manage the technology. While Amodei emphasizes the danger of a self-improving threshold moment and the potential for lab-tested autonomous agents to cause immediate harm, Hassabis highlights regulatory imbalances and the medium-term potential for AI to solve major scientific challenges like curing diseases.
- The Economist7 min
The World Bank chief on Donald Trump
Donald Trump, Ajay Banga, Zanny Minton Beddoes, RJ Banga
The event analyzes the structural shift in global trade toward nearshoring and bilateral deals driven by the Trump administration's tariff policies while detailing the World Bank's strategic pivot to prioritize climate resilience and local consumption in the Global South. To bridge the funding gap for emerging markets, the institution has raised its climate financing target to 45% by 2025 and actively mobilizes private capital through expanded political risk guarantees and local currency swaps. Despite these efforts, the discussion concludes that current investment levels remain insufficient and that the Bank maintains a cautious stance on nuclear energy, waiting for Small Modular Reactors to achieve commercial viability before providing direct support.
- The Economist16 min
Wall Street's king, Jamie Dimon, on the US presidency
Jamie Dimon, Zanny Minton Beddoes
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon characterizes the current geopolitical landscape as the most dangerous since World War II, citing the Ukraine conflict and complex Sino-U.S. tensions as primary drivers of global instability. He argues that the United States must overcome domestic stagnation by addressing policy failures in immigration and healthcare while pursuing "tough and mature" economic negotiations with China to avoid strategic isolation. Although Dimon rejects a presidential run at age 67, he advocates for a pragmatic balance between national security and free enterprise to restore American competitiveness and social cohesion.
- The Economist9 min
G20: The Economist interviews Indonesia’s president
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Joko Widodo
President Joko Widodo leverages the G20 summit to advocate for dialogue over sanctions regarding the Ukraine conflict and US-China tensions, aiming to prevent escalation in the Indo-Pacific region. Concurrently, Indonesia is capitalizing on its strategic nickel dominance to negotiate a Tesla manufacturing partnership that will advance its domestic electric vehicle ecosystem. As he approaches his 2024 departure, Widodo is implementing a meritocratic shift to transition the nation from developing to developed status before returning to environmental conservation in Solo.
- The Economist7 min
What is the future of the British monarchy?
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Catherine Nixey
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III assumes the throne amid a rapid surge in domestic approval ratings and significant global concern regarding the future cohesion of the Commonwealth. The monarch faces the immediate challenge of overcoming a legacy of personal controversies and establishing a distinct constitutional identity while attempting to distance himself from the monumental stature of his mother. Despite widespread speculation about slimming down the royal family, the institution is expected to endure as the transition solidifies Britain's status as a mid-sized nation with a shortened reign ahead.
- The Economist16 min
War in Ukraine: The Economist interviews Tony Blair
Tony Blair, Zanny Minton Beddoes
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair characterized Vladimir Putin as a detached autocrat who has dismantled Russian democracy to build personal wealth while predicting his eventual downfall and Ukraine's future integration into the European Union. Blair critiqued Western strategic retreat in Africa and the Middle East, arguing that bureaucratic inefficiency has allowed China and Russia to expand their influence despite local preferences for Western ties. He urged Europe to accept short-term economic sacrifices to supply Ukraine with offensive weaponry and warned that the 21st century's defining geopolitical challenge lies in managing the United States' complex relationship with China without pushing Beijing into an alignment with Moscow.
- The Economist9 min
Malala: what Ukraine’s invasion means for girls’ education
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai addressed global crises in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and other regions, emphasizing that war creates irreversible damage and urging leaders to redefine humanitarian funding to explicitly include education. She highlighted a critical digital gender gap exacerbated by conflict and called for strict international dialogue with the Taliban regarding women's rights, advocating for the release of frozen Afghan reserves to support economic recovery. Ultimately, Yousafzai asserted that quality education is fundamental to peace and stability, demanding that current educational bans in conflict zones be treated as urgent global priorities.
- The Economist14 min
Bill Gates: How to fund the green revolution
Bill Gates, Zanny Minton Beddoes
Bill Gates outlines the necessity of achieving net-zero emissions through massive technological innovation to solve hard-to-abate industrial sectors like steel and aviation, rather than relying solely on behavioral change. He argues that a $2 trillion global investment strategy must prioritize public R&D funding and venture capital to eliminate the green premium, with the United States serving as the essential exemplar and primary buyer to drive down costs. While carbon taxes remain politically elusive, the path forward requires governments and corporations to shift from symbolic actions to substantive financing of real decarbonization technologies alongside historical emission reductions.
- The Economist8 min
Covid-19: Bill Gates predicts the end of the pandemic
Bill Gates, Zanny Minton Beddoes
Bill Gates warns that the pandemic's global economic and health toll has surpassed earlier projections, prompting the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to pivot its resources toward financing the manufacturing and distribution of six promising vaccine candidates. While Phase III trials project 80% to 90% efficacy by September, Gates emphasizes that securing $10 billion to $12 billion is critical to overcoming current funding gaps and ensuring low-cost access for developing nations without which global herd immunity remains unattainable. He further cautions that achieving the estimated 30% to 60% vaccination coverage needed to halt transmission by late 2021 depends heavily on sustained US leadership, as the decline in multilateral cooperation and rising debt risks in emerging markets threaten to exacerbate existing inequalities and economic instability.
- The Economist10 min
Covid-19: what will happen to the global economy?
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr
The pandemic has triggered the deepest global recession since the 1930s, establishing a permanent "90 economy" where behavioral shifts rather than lockdown mandates drive lasting contraction in sectors like tourism and manufacturing. While the United States has retreated from global coordination, China is expanding its digital financial influence, though a full displacement of the US dollar remains a prolonged process due to historical inertia. Concurrently, developing nations face acute vulnerability from debt burdens and export shocks, while youth unemployment risks causing long-term labor market scarring that necessitates diversifying supply chains rather than abandoning globalization.
- The Economist10 min
Covid-19: what you need to know about the second wave
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Slavea Chankova
Experts anticipate recurring, localized waves of the virus driven by specific vulnerable populations until a vaccine achieves herd immunity. Governments are expected to prioritize targeted restrictions over broad lockdowns to mitigate economic fallout, though compliance may wane as public fatigue sets in. Simultaneously, unprecedented scientific collaboration contrasts with weak multilateral coordination on trade and travel, while authoritarian regimes leverage the crisis to consolidate power and democratic institutions face heightened risks regarding civil liberties and election security.