The Monocle Daily – November 19, 2025

Episode Theme:
Are the US and Russia secretly working on a peace plan without Ukraine? Plus, analysis of South Africa’s role hosting the G20, European space ambitions, and cultural trends in South Korea and beyond.

1. Episode Overview

Host Andrew Muller is joined by journalists Tira Schubart and Phil Tinline to discuss:

• Reports of the US and Russia negotiating a peace plan for Ukraine, excluding Ukrainian involvement.
• The diplomatic fallout and implications of President Trump boycotting the G20 in South Africa.
• Europe's renewed determination for space autonomy.
• The curiosity of South Koreans embracing American university wear.
• Author Leah Ipi on her new book exploring Albanian family history.

The tone is analytical but conversational, with wit and a touch of irreverence.

2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

US-Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan

(Main Segment: 04:45–11:27)

• Alleged Secret Talks: Financial Times reports the US is negotiating a "28-point peace plan" with Russia, excluding Ukraine. Provisions include:

  • Ukraine ceding more territory in Donbas.
  • Reducing Ukraine’s armed forces by half.
  • Recognizing Russian as a state language and granting official status to the Russian Orthodox Church.

• Ukrainian Exclusion: President Zelensky is pointedly not involved and is visiting Turkey at the time.

• Panel Reactions:

  • Phil Tinline (06:06):
    “This is what you end up with if the talks involved are just between the Americans, who in this particular iteration are relatively warm towards the Russians, at least on some days of the week... It is absolutely one side of the balance sheet and not the other.”

  • Tira Schubart (06:50):
    Notes Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize ambitions:
    “Donald Trump is still looking for that Nobel Peace Prize and he feels heartened by his Gaza peace deal... So maybe he thinks he’s on a roll.”

  • Zelensky’s Position: Facing a corruption scandal at home, but Ukrainian resolve remains unshaken.

    • Phil (07:36):
      “However much Ukrainians object to corruption alleged or proven... that’s not going to translate into any greater leniency on the part of the Ukrainian population towards handing over large chunks of their territory to an invading foreign enemy.”

• Security & NATO Insight: Ukraine seeks concrete security guarantees, notably NATO membership.

  • Tira (08:41):
    “NATO membership is an important part of this... There’s no way that anything can go ahead without Ukraine being involved.”

  • Phil (09:43):
    On Ukraine’s military value:
    “Ukraine has developed expertise that no one in Europe has... There’s a quid pro quo waiting to happen between Ukrainian knowledge and European support.”

• Partition Proposal: Discussion of a West/East Germany model is dismissed as unlikely, given Ukraine’s economic and strategic needs and Russia’s internal volatility.

G20 Summit in South Africa and Trump’s Boycott

(12:49–19:39)

• US, Russian, and Chinese No-Shows: Trump labels South Africa’s G20 hosting “a total disgrace,” backed by exaggerated rhetoric.

• Trump’s Motives:

  • Phil (12:49):
    “He somehow thinks that this is basically a kind of international version of DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion]... The idea that climate change is anti-American is one to reflect on for a few seconds.”
  • Trump frames South Africa as a site of “white genocide,” a reversal of historical fact.

• Historical Irony:

  • US boycott echoes apartheid-era boycotts, but now for contradictory reasons.

• Panel Speculation: Is there an opportunity for South Africa to take center stage without the US dominating proceedings?

  • Tira (16:45):
    “There is very much opportunity for Africa, South Africa and for Africa... They will be able to talk about things without having Trump boycott certain events.”

• Diplomatic Protocol Puzzle: What happens if Ramaphosa must hand over the presidency to an absent America?

  • Phil (18:20):
    “It would be physically quite funny... But I can’t see President Trump sharing the mirth.”

• Geopolitical Risks for the US: China and Russia are active in Africa, and US disengagement could cause long-term strategic disadvantages.

  • Tira (19:39):
    “Africa has those critical elements... the US is not going to have much access to them on the current course... And they have a bit of a memory, and so they’re not going to forget this.”

Europe’s Space Awakening

(20:14–26:18)

• Europe’s Space Autonomy: Recent US government shutdowns and defense urgency post-Ukraine war highlight Europe’s reliance on US space capabilities.

• Panel Observations:

  • Tira (21:14):
    “It’s about the D word here—defense—and also drones... If you want to stay secure... Everything is now performed by satellites.”

  • France, Italy, and Britain lead the European space sector, but Germany is launching its first space strategy, highlighting competitive dynamics.

• Defense-Driven Space Race: Renewed European investment in space is primarily about military and strategic autonomy, not just science.

  • Phil (24:08):
    “This seems hard and pragmatic and urgent and expensive... We are still in the process, slowly, of waking up to [the risks].”

• Era of Cooperation Fading?

  • Modern space exploration is dominated by state interests and defense needs.
  • Tira (25:34):
    “Mars is a planet that’s inhabited by robots... Asteroid mining could be a very inexpensive and environmentally funny way of getting rare earth elements... Defense and security are making the headlines right now.”

South Korea’s Fad for American University Gear

(26:18–30:09)

• Trend: Korean youth embrace fashion with American university logos (Yale, Harvard, etc.), sparking debates about aspiration, status, and cultural play.

• Panel Humor:

  • Andrew (27:25): “When we edit this for podcast, we’re going to put a sound effect on Oxford...”
  • Tira (27:53):
    Suggests students risk attracting US immigration attention under the Trump administration.

• Cultural Reflection:

  • Phil draws parallels with Korea’s subversive cultural soft power.
  • Phil (28:36):
    “I think there’s something a little bit more postmodern going on... There’s something much more playful... the idea that poor South Koreans really just aspire to go to Yale—I’m not sure is quite the fullness of it.”

• Globalization in Reverse:

  • Tira quips she’ll pick up Ivy League shirts affordably in African markets where Western surplus ends up.

Leah Ipi on Albanian Family History and Dignity

(30:09–40:54)

Interview with Leah Ipi (Author)

• Inspiration: Discovery of derogatory online comments about a family photo of Ipi’s grandmother led to a quest to restore her dignity and unravel her life’s story during turbulent 20th-century Albanian history.

  • Leah Ipi (31:40):
    “She had always talked about dignity and how important the concept of dignity was... Can a dead person defend their dignity? And who has authority to speak of it?”

• Archival Work and Historical Truth:

  • Ipi’s research revealed personal and national ruptures: the city of Salonika, migration to Albania, family’s persecution under the communists, and the endurance of personal integrity.

• Literary Approach:

  • The new book, Indignity: A Life Reimagined, blends fictionalization with historical sources, reconstructing a life largely lost to history.
  • Leah Ipi (37:09):
    “There’s a lot of detail in the book that is factually true; perhaps not things that were exactly happening to her, but definitely happened to someone in that period... All the fictionalized elements are based on historical sources.”

• On Writing after Success:

  • Ipi acknowledges the risk of getting trapped by prior acclaim but insists on pushing creative boundaries and honest methodological discussion.
  • Leah Ipi (39:22):
    “I think... we become victims to our own success... and we just go with something that’s safe... I tried... not to think about the reception... but to pursue the kind of things I wanted to pursue.”

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Phil Tinline (06:06):
  “It is absolutely one side of the balance sheet and not the other.”
• Tira Schubart (06:50):
  “Donald Trump is still looking for that Nobel Peace Prize... so maybe he thinks he’s on a roll.”
• Phil (12:49):
  “The idea that climate change is anti-American is one to reflect on for a few seconds.”
• Phil (18:20):
  “It would be physically quite funny... But I can’t see President Trump sharing the mirth.”
• Tira (19:39):
  “Africa has those critical elements... And they have a bit of a memory, and so they’re not going to forget this.”
• Tira (21:14):
  “You want to have a lot of things up in the sky... Satellites do all of these things now.”
• Phil (24:08):
  “This seems hard and pragmatic and urgent and expensive... a matter of necessity.”
• Leah Ipi (31:40):
  “She had always talked about dignity and how important the concept of dignity was... Can a dead person defend their dignity?”

4. Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Start | Key Content | |--------------------------------|---------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Ukraine Peace Plan Discussion | 04:45 | US-Russia secret talks, impact on Ukraine | | G20 South Africa | 12:49 | Trump’s boycott, DEI accusations, African agency | | European Space Initiatives | 20:14 | Space race, defense, European agency ambitions | | S. Korea University Clothing | 26:18 | Cultural meanings of American university apparel | | Leah Ipi Interview | 30:09 | Family, dignity, writing history as lived experience |

5. Conclusion

This episode skillfully dissects the intersection of geopolitics, cultural identity, and personal history. With humor and sharp analysis, the Monocle Daily panel probes the US-Russia peace maneuverings, Trump’s impact on global forums, Europe’s awakening to autonomy (in both defense and cosmos), playful cultural borrowing in Korea, and the personal quest for dignity amid historical trauma.
The conversation balances depth with accessibility, making complex stories engaging for a global audience.