The United Nations General Assembly puts the most powerful leaders on the planet in one room. But, what do they really end up accomplishing during their time together? Critics say it is little more than a lot of grandstanding wrapped around a thin layer of grandiose ambitions that seldom produce much impact. We took the question to ambassadors and other senior officials. Is this expensive event effective for the people they represent and if so how? You will not want to miss their take on what is (and mostly what is not) working. We then look at what reform might involve for the body and its biggest global gathering with our resident analyst Sir Richard Dearlove, who formerly led the British intelligence agency MI6.

Thousands of desperate young men are trying to escape Russia after Vladamir Putin announced a plan to mobilize 300,000 reservists to fight in Ukraine. His forces have recently suffered a string of embarrassing military defeats. Some Russians are already seeking to escape by crossing the long border into neighboring Finland. On the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, we sat down with Finnish Ambassador Elina Kalkku to discuss the recent influx of Russians frantically trying to avoid Putin's plans for them to fight in Ukraine. She takes us into her country's complex relationship with Moscow and how they are coping with the constant threat of an imminent Russian attack, especially following President Putin's recent threat to launch nuclear weapons.  

As the world gathers to mourn Queen Elizabeth II, co-hosts Julia Macfarlane and Former Chief of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove, a longtime Crown servant, reflect on the life and times of Britain's longest-reigning Monarch. 

Russia and China are undertaking an unprecedented assault on the international order. Meanwhile, serious questions linger about America's willingness to exert leadership across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Spain's former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Manuel Muñiz discusses why the war in Ukraine is likely to drag out for years and how it will accelerate a process of deglobalization. In his view, the world will divide across two main blocs, democracies and authoritarian states. The consequences of this tectonic transition will be considerable for countries, companies, and consumers. Yet, he believes in this scary scenario, there are still some reasons for optimism and new opportunities, if we are ready to seize them.

Darya Dugina, daughter of close Putin ally and Russian ultra-nationalist Alexander Dugin, was driving her father's car, when it exploded. Russia's FSB security services quickly claimed to have identified the assassin. But western governments have pushed back against this narrative, with some officials like Tom Tugendhat, a British member of Parliament, suggesting that Putin may have targeted Dugin over recent criticisms made against the Kremlin. One Decision hosts Julia Macfarlane and former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove sit with Edward Lucas, one of the most well-informed journalists on Kremlinology and the shadow politics of Putin's inner circle, to discuss who may be behind the assassination and what it means for war in Ukraine.  

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent trip to Taiwan has leaders worldwide concerned that it will provoke China and lead to a potential military conflict with the United States. One Decision's Julia Macfarlane and former Head of British Intelligence Sir Richard Dearlove sit down to analyze the motives and possible dangers of the visit. Sir Richard reveals why he thinks the trip is more than just a symbolic message and under what circumstances the rhetoric between the US and China could lead to a potential military conflict.

NATO's former Director General of Military Staff, General Hans-Werner Wiermann sits down on this bonus episode for a look back on the tumultuous times he and the Alliance have endured over the last several years. From the American withdrawal from Afghanistan to China's increasingly aggressive posture, the General shares some of the lessons he learned and the threats the West will likely face over the next decade. He also delves into Russia's strategy in Ukraine and what it will take to push Putin's forces back to their side of the border.  

Better late than never? As Nato members scramble to organize support and aid for Ukraine, Nato command has pledged to beef up the Eastern Flank - the Alliance's frontier against Russia. With the potential addition of Sweden and Finland - which may yet be stymied by Turkey - Nato's border with Russia looks set to double. For the countries on the edge, of what's known as the 'Eastern Flank', Nato needs to do more than just send more troops and hardware. Our team at the Nato summit in Madrid spoke to a number of leaders, ministers and representatives from across these nations. These are their views.

Latvia, along with its fellow Baltic nations Estonia and Lithuania, has long raised the alarm on Russia’s expansionism. This week in Madrid, NATO heard its call. One Decision gets an exclusive interview with the President of Latvia Egils Levits, who tells us that Russia tends to respond to weakness - not strength. 

Vladimir Putin's efforts to prevent NATO’s expansion suffered a dramatic setback this week as Finland and Sweden were formally invited to join the seventy-three-year-old alliance. Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pekka Haavisto, joins host Julia MacFarlane on this special edition of One Decision recorded at this week's historic NATO Summit to discuss why the Nordic country decided to abandon its decades old policy of neutrality. 

At the start of what’s being billed as the most important Nato gathering in a generation, One Decision hosts a panel with former Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Director of Chatham House Robin Niblett, and The Times Defense Editor Larisa Brown. 

In this bonus episode before the NATO Summit Julia Macfarlane & Sir Richard Dearlove consider Bob Gates’s opinion that America is the biggest national security threat to itself.

So what’s the best (and worst) decision you’ve ever made, in your career?

Seemingly small moves can sometimes be significant. Hosted by former CNN correspondent Michelle Kosinski and Sir Richard Dearlove, who led the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. One Decision is a podcast that speaks with those whose choices had an international impact.