One Decision

Latest Episodes:

In Brief: Is Trump Driving Modi Closer to Xi & Putin? Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of One Decision In Brief, hosts Christina Ruffini and Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's MI6, unpack how the latest strike on Ukraine indicates Vladimir Putin's resistance to President Donald Trump's peace negotiations. They also examine how the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit - where Chinese President Xi Jinping convened global leaders, including India's Narendra Modi, North Korea's Kim Jong-Un, and Russia's Vladimir Putin - hints at a possible new global order that competes with the West. Plus, how the recent U.S. hit on an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel ship implies how Secretary of State Marco Rubio's influence is shaping foreign policy in the Oval Office.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

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Why Putin's War Economy is Soon to Crack Sep 04, 2025

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How fragile is the state of Russia’s economy?

In this episode of One Decision, hosts Christina Ruffini and Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 Chief, sit down with Alexandra Prokopenko, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, who left her role as an advisor to the Bank of Russia after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Prokopenko discusses how state spending, Chinese trade, and quick adaptation by Russian firms have kept economic growth alive — even as inflation and labor shortages strain the system. They examine the cracks in Putin's war-fueled economy, why the Kremlin is unlikely to cut defense spending, and how sanctions are strengthening, rather than weakening, domestic solidarity.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

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In Brief: How Israel’s AI Warfare is Changing the Battlefield Sep 02, 2025

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In this week’s One Decision In Brief, hosts Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 Chief, discuss how Israel is deploying AI on the battlefield and how the technology is intercepting calls, mapping behavior, and even generating target lists. They examine the two most common AI models employed, called "Lavender" and “Gospel,” how they’re driving innovation and whether international law can keep pace with this new era of machine-driven warfare. Is this the future of war? What happens when algorithms, not humans, are shaping life-and-death decisions?

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

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Why This Israeli Security Expert Abandoned the Two-State Solution Aug 28, 2025

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In this episode of One Decision, Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 chief, and journalist Christina Ruffini speak with Professor Chuck Freilich, Israel’s former Deputy National Security Adviser. Freilich explains why he no longer sees a two-state solution as viable and lays out a three-pillar alternative for Gaza and the West Bank. He examines the aims and limits of Israel’s campaign against Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political incentives, and what recent strikes mean for Iran’s nuclear program.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

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In Brief: What the John Bolton FBI Search Reveals About Handling Intel Secrets Aug 26, 2025

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This week on One Decision In Brief, hosts Christina Ruffini and former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove explore what the FBI search of former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s home and office says about America’s broken system for handling classified material and why so many senior U.S. officials - including President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, and now John Bolton - have been investigated for mishandling classified documents. As a former intelligence chief himself, Sir Richard also gives us an inside look into how the UK’s policy of handling sensitive information differs from America's policy, including what happens once a public official leaves office.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

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Inside Negotiations to End the War in Ukraine Aug 21, 2025

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In this week’s episode of One Decision, host Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 Chief, is joined by former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst to assess the fallout from President Donald Trump’s unprecedented summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska — and the extraordinary gathering of European leaders at the White House that followed. They examine whether Trump is being outmaneuvered by Putin or whether he can still bring real leverage to the table, how Europe’s sudden military unity is reshaping the balance of power, and what it all means for Ukraine’s survival and NATO’s credibility.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

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In Brief: Why Trump Cut an AI Chip Deal For China Aug 19, 2025

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Why is Donald Trump letting Nvidia sell chips to China, and what does it mean for global power politics? In this episode of One Decision In Brief, hosts Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 Chief, break down the unusual deal, where the U.S. government gets a cut of the profits. They explore the strategy behind America’s chip dominance, how China might respond, and what this reveals about the balance between economic interests and national security.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

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Two Spy Chiefs on What to Expect at the Trump-Putin Summit Aug 14, 2025

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In this episode of One Decision, former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and former CIA Director Leon Panetta bring a level of insight into the Trump–Putin summit you won’t find anywhere else. With decades of intelligence briefings, Cold War strategy, and high-stakes negotiations behind them, they assess whether Alaska is a bold bid for peace or a dangerous gamble. They discuss the lack of diplomatic groundwork, the dangers of excluding Kyiv, and the historical warning from Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement of Adolf Hitler — plus what this meeting could mean for NATO unity and Taiwan.

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In Brief: What Europe Fears Most From Trump's Meeting with Putin Aug 12, 2025

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President Donald Trump is set to meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska. But Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky won’t be in the room. On this week’s One Decision In Brief, hosts Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 Chief, and Christina Ruffini analyze the implications of a proposed U.S.-Russia summit without Ukraine, the uproar in Europe, and what a truce might look like on the ground. Plus: The striking parallel between Trump’s move to federalize Washington D.C.’s police and former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s abolition of London’s local council.

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Are Tech Barons Amassing Too Much Power in America? Aug 07, 2025

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From Bolsonaro to Orbán, what drives leaders who reject democratic norms—and what keeps them in power? One Decision hosts Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dealove sit down to explore the makings of an authoritarian leader, including the times Sir Richard met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. Later, they speak with historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat about the modern autocrat’s playbook, and how tech oligarchs may be helping to shape a new version of authoritarianism from inside the system.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

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