Podcast Summary: The Monocle Daily

Episode: Ukraine and the EU finalise a fresh peace plan to present to Trump
Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Andrew Muller
Guests: Terry Stiasney (Political Journalist), Simon Brook (Journalist and Communications Consultant)
Special Segment: Interview with screenwriter Noah Oppenheim

Overview

This episode tackles global headlines with sharp, insightful commentary. The main focus is on diplomatic efforts towards peace in Ukraine, especially as Europe and Ukraine finalize a new peace plan to present to the United States under President Trump. The conversation weaves through the political complexities of such negotiations, the positioning of the key players, and the practical realities facing European security. Other stories include France’s struggles with welfare reform, Irish government communications missteps, whimsical Japanese pet customs, and a special interview with Noah Oppenheim on his new nuclear war drama.

Ukraine & Europe’s Peace Push (03:52–11:16)

Key Points:

• The Ukrainian government is readying a new peace proposal, rooted in President Zelenskyy's position of refusing to cede any Ukrainian territory.
• Neither Vladimir Putin nor Donald Trump appear likely to accept this proposal: Putin seeks concrete territorial gain, while Trump is described as “increasingly uninterested.”
• Panelists discuss whether any of the peace plans are intended to succeed, or if all major players are operating in bad faith to some extent.
• Europe’s leaders are seen pushing back against Trump’s narrative and seeking ways to navigate their own security in a potential US vacuum.

Notable Quotes:

“You’ve got two quite incommensurable approaches as to what a future Ukraine looks like, [and] what it belongs to... Donald Trump would like to be able to say, ‘I’ve solved this one.’ But I think it’s interesting how much Europe is pushing back on that at the moment.”

— Terry Stiasney (04:40)

“Putin cannot have peace… he’s playing for time. Putin has to keep this war going because he’s got so much invested in it… and he’s enjoying the fact that he’s stringing President Trump along.”

— Simon Brook (06:05)

• On creative solutions like the “Northern Cyprus model”: Panelists stress that compromise formulas (e.g., de facto but not de jure sovereignty over disputed regions) could exist in theory, but all sides currently demand guarantees that are politically unachievable in practice.

“You could approach it. But at the moment, everyone seems so far from actually acknowledging that… maybe some kind of zone between the two might work. But everybody wants to have a guarantee… And they don’t seem to get that at the moment.”

— Terry Stiasney (08:18)

• Europe is perceived as reluctantly preparing for a future in which they must secure their own defense and financial support for Ukraine if US commitment falters. The idea of unlocking billions in Russian assets is floated but hindered by internal EU divisions.

“Ideally it would be great if Europe coalesced around some active plan to do something... but even for what we saw yesterday in Downing Street, that does seem a long way off.”

— Simon Brook (10:01)

France’s Welfare Reform Conundrum (11:16–18:34)

Key Points:

• French Prime Minister Sebastian LeCorgnou attempts to pass a new Social Security budget, aiming for a 5% trim to address mounting deficits.
• The Assembly is fractured; the most likely path is abstention by key parties, not support. Even if the welfare package passes, bigger budget challenges lie ahead.
• The panel reflects on a global pattern: the political pain of reforming pensions and welfare when older, more reliable voters strongly oppose cuts, and populists offer easy promises.

Notable Quotes:

“It’s really not very good at all… if this bill is rejected then the deficit for France will be somewhere between 17 and 30 billion euros… Governments… are waiting for the bond markets—the people who are lending that money—to make a decision, say, ‘No, enough.’ Then it’ll be a crisis and then something will have to be done.”

— Simon Brook (13:32)

“It’s very difficult to do it without a crisis. French people are used to having a generous welfare state… and Macron has tried to persuade them… ‘You’re going to have to work harder for longer,’ which is a hard thing to sell.”

— Terry Stiasney (15:38)

• The rise of the far right and far left in France is partly attributed to young people’s disillusionment with traditional economic structures.

“One of the problems… the centre has in France and in other countries is you’ve got these extremes who are offering… castles in the sky, if you like.”

— Simon Brook (18:19)

Ireland’s Viral Misstep: Government Advice to Young Adults (18:34–24:49)

Key Points:

• The Irish government produced a social media video with earnest “house rules” advice for adults moving back in with parents, drawing widespread public and media mockery.
• Both panelists blast the misjudged tone and lack of acknowledgment for the underlying housing crisis.
• Discussion expands to the frequent absence of dissent (“the person who says ‘let’s not do this’”) in government communications.

Notable Quotes:

“You could have, if you felt you needed to convey this message, done it in quite a funny way… The problem is it just doesn’t acknowledge the reasons why people have got to move back in with their parents, which is… you can’t get a job that pays enough... it just looks really sanctimonious and silly.”

— Terry Stiasney (20:02)

“The patronizing thing I think is bang on… A lot of these people in this situation are really angry. They do not want to be patronized and told what to do.”

— Simon Brook (21:18)

“As a consultant, that's what I'm supposed to do… I have to tell you, this is not going to work.”

— Simon Brook (24:06)

Japan’s Children’s Festival, Now for Dogs (24:49–29:21)

Key Points:

• The Japanese custom of celebrating children at ages seven, five, and three (“Shichi-Go-San”) has begun to include dogs, prompting reflection on the country’s demographic decline.
• Panelists riff on the absurdity and pathos of dressing up pets for ceremonial occasions while their actual desires are much more basic (biscuits and walks).
• This trend is connected to societal changes as more people substitute pets for children.

Notable Quotes:

“I did think… they must be very, very well behaved Japanese dogs because I could not get my dog to wear any… clothing for dogs, silly at the best of times.”

— Terry Stiasney (25:45)

“It's a kind of child substitute thing, isn’t [it]?... our dog loves sniffing, peeing, chewing things he shouldn’t… he just loves being out causing mayhem… The idea that he’ll be sitting in a push chair… I cannot imagine our dog doing it at all.”

— Simon Brook (26:48)

Special Interview: Noah Oppenheim on "A House of Dynamite" (29:21–37:09)

Key Points:

• Oppenheim describes the genesis of the film: director Kathryn Bigelow’s long-held preoccupation with the nuclear threat and their journalistic approach to crafting realism.
• Research revealed the shockingly short window for decisions during a nuclear incident and the “nuclear monarchy” system in which a sole leader holds total authority.
• Oppenheim wants to reignite public debate about nuclear weapons, noting its virtual disappearance from popular culture and political discourse.
• The discussion touches on the terrifying frequency of near-misses in nuclear history, and Oppenheim’s broader attraction to stories that pull back the curtain on political and institutional secrecy.

Notable Quotes:

“One thing that stood out… was how short a period of time this would unfold in. If a missile is launched… it could be 10 to 12 minutes… And the other thing was… the President of the United States has the sole authority to make this decision. He doesn’t have to take a vote… They never do [rehearse]. That was, of course, terrifying.”

— Noah Oppenheim (33:03)

“Every nuclear expert that I spoke to considers it nothing short of miraculous that we’re all still here. There have been occasions where the decision of one person kept us from Armageddon.”

— Noah Oppenheim (35:01)

Memorable Moments

• [04:40] Stiasney summing up the impasse over Ukraine: “Donald Trump... would like to be able to say, I’ve solved this one. But I think it’s interesting how much Europe is pushing back on that at the moment.”
• [06:05] Brook on Russia’s stance: “Putin cannot have peace.”
• [21:18] Brook’s take on “cringe and embarrassing” Irish government messaging.
• [33:03] Oppenheim’s chilling revelation: “They never do [rehearse]… That was, of course, terrifying.”
• [35:01] Oppenheim on nuclear risk: “It’s nothing short of miraculous that we’re all still here.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:52–11:16] Ukraine, EU, and the US: The Peace Plan Debate
• [11:16–18:34] French Politics & Welfare Reform
• [18:34–24:49] Ireland’s “Back with Parents” Advice Blunder
• [24:49–29:21] Japanese Pet Culture and Demographics
• [29:21–37:09] Interview: “A House of Dynamite” with Noah Oppenheim

This episode of The Monocle Daily delivers insightful, wry commentary on the intricacies of modern geopolitics, the challenges of reforming Western welfare states, the perils of government PR, and the oddities of global culture—all structured around urgent European and Ukrainian diplomacy as the world enters a new era of fragile alliances.