How much do Moldovan politics rhyme with some of what we've seen in Ukraine? FPRI Senior Fellow Ecaterina Locoman sheds light on language politics, Ukraine war spillover, and frozen conflict. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
How do we remember tragedies? How do populations construct memories and memory institutions around these events? How can contemporary researchers begin to make sense of these complex landscapes? On this episode of Baltic Ways, Dr. Margaret Comer of University College London joins us to discuss heritage studies, dark heritage, and her fieldwork in Russia and Estonia. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 put the Black Sea region on the map in Washington, DC and Brussels after decades of relative neglect. Among regional countries Romania was an early, vocal and persistent proponent of greater US and NATO focus on the region and has emerged as a leader in the drive for greater regional integration and cooperation. To discuss Bucharest’s role in the region and its vision for regional security, Dr. Antonia Colibasanu joins host Bob Hamilton on Chain Re...
Two years ago this month, Taliban forces rolled into Kabul, completing their takeover of Afghanistan. After 20 years of U.S.-led effort and investment in the Afghan government and security forces, they collapsed almost instantly in the face of an enemy with less training and rudimentary equipment. To understand the sources of this strategic failure, Dr. Carter Malkasian, one of the foremost experts on the war in Afghanistan, joins host Bob Hamilton on this episode of Chain Reaction. Get full acc...
Clausewitz wrote that the first task of a commander is to establish “the kind of war on which they are embarking; neither mistaking it for, nor trying to turn it into, something that is alien to its nature.” After two decades of counterinsurgency operations, the US Army now finds itself observing – and supporting – Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s aggression. The war has turned into a grinding, attritional, industrial age struggle, the kind the US military had assumed was a thing of the past. In...
Robert Hamilton and Rick Landgraf join Aaron to tackle (almost) every question you were too embarrassed to ask about the defense and security issues central to Ukraine. Term by term, concept by concept, jargon by jargon. No acronym is safe! Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
How have Latvian and Lithuanian histories intertwined over the last millennium? Who was Queen Morta, a Latvian princess by birth who became the wife of Lithuania’s first and only king, Mindaugas? How close did we come to a Latvian-Lithuanian state in the early 20th century? How do Latvians and Lithuanians see their shared commonalities today? James Montgomery Baxenfield, Junior Research Fellow at Tallinn University School of Humanities, walks (literally) through this complex history. Baltic Ways...
Have you heard calls for Ukraine and Russia to "just negotiate"? What does theory say about how (and why) wars come to an end? Christine Cheng joins to discuss. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
The Black Sea region looms increasingly large as the locus of of great power, military, political, and economic competition. FPRI’s Eurasia Program partnered with Ilia State University in Tbilisi, Georgia, to hold a two day conference on Black Sea geopolitics, security, strategic connectivity, and resilience. In this episode, Head of Eurasia Research, Robert Hamilton, is joined by Director of the Eurasia Program, Maia Otarashvili, and Eurasia Fellows Aaron Schwartzbaum, Max Hess, Nikolas Gvosdev...
On this special double feature, The Continent visits the Balkans. How do we make sense of continued nationalism, the conflict it spurs, and Russia's regional influence? Mladen Mrdalj and Jasmin Munjanovic join to discuss. Related Reading: Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
If you're a Russian against the war in Ukraine, what options do you have? And how has resistance evolved as the war has continued? Colleen Woods joins the Bear Market Brief. Related Reading: Is Russia’s anti-war movement changing people’s minds? by Colleen Woods Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
How has Russia's (latest) invasion of Ukraine exacerbated issues in domestic governance and political economy? András Tóth-Czifra joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss his latest report "The War as an Accelerator: How Russia's War Against Ukraine Showcased and Exacerbated Domestic Governance Challenges." Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
How did Estonian democracy erode in the 1930s? How did liberal dissidents express their discontent under a more oppressive regime? Why is political rhetoric important, both now and then? Dr. Liisi Veski, fellow at the Skytte Institute, University of Tartu, dives into this complex, informative world of letters. Baltic Ways is brought to you by the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies , produced in partnership with the Baltic Initiative at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Get fu...
US assistance has been a key factor in Ukraine's ability to not only survive Russia's invasion but turn the tide in some places. But could the US have done more, and done it sooner? Some in Ukraine and in the West have critiqued the US effort as incremental and risk-averse. Is this a fair critique, and if so, is this type of policy a feature or a bug of the US policy process? FPRI's Nikolas Gvosdev and Philip Wasielewski join host Robert Hamilton to discuss. Get full access to FPRI Insights at f...
Germany announced bold remilitarization plans after Russia's latest invasion of Ukraine. A year later, where do we stand? Minna Alander returns to The Continent to discuss progress made, and the challenges ahead. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Patriotic education in Russia: how does it work? Is this any different from in the West? And among Russia's young people, are we seeing generational differences as far as political attitudes go? Allyson Edwards joins Aaron Schwartzbaum on the Bear Market Brief. Dark Sarcasm in the Classroom Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Introducing Report in Short, a bite-sized series where we explore the latest in FPRI's research in 15 minutes or less. This week: What is Wagner Group, how does the Kremlin use it, and how has its role and regional footprint changed? Raphael Parens and Chrisopher Faulkner join Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss their latest report. Read the full report here. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
As we return to The Continent, what is the latest on Turkey's upcoming election? Who is running, what is driving Turks to vote, and what does the result mean for Ukraine and beyond? FPRI's Director of Research Jim Ryan and Black Sea Fellow Selim Koru join to discuss. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
We take a jaunt south to explore the people and politics behind Israel's Ukraine policy. What do Israel's leaders want from this war, and how do more locational considerations fit in? What does the local population with roots in the former Soviet Union make of all this? Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief newsletter Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
How do you make sense of Russia's seemingly contradictory narrative about its invasion of Ukraine? And how is support, or at least assent, for the war generated? Jade McGlynn joins to discuss. Learn more about Jade's new book Russia's War Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief newsletter Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
How important is the war in Ukraine for the United States? What should Washington do about it? Stephen Wertheim drops by to share some options for your consideration. Learn more about Stephen's book Tomorrow, the World Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief newsletter Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
What motivates people who, when Russian invaded, decided to run towards the fire and assist Ukrainians? British Expeditionary Aid and Rescue, an aid organization, joins to share its experience. BEAR's Website: https://www.britishexpeditionaryaidrescue.org/ Donation Link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/british-expeditionary-aid-rescue-ukraine Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
On the anniversary of Russia's invasion, Maria Romanenko shares her experience fleeing Ukraine and reflects on what the war means, both personally and broadly. Link: F undraiser for building a museum in the village of Yahidne to showcase Russia’s war crimes there. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
What do the statistics and other indicators coming out of Russia these days actually mean, and which ones should we actually be paying attention to? Chris Miller and Andras Toth-Czifra stop by to discuss. Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief newsletter. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Faced with a possible defeat in Ukraine, will Russia survive until 2084? FPRI Senior Fellow Philip Wasielewski and Maia Otarashvili, the Deputy Director of FPRI's Eurasia program discuss the future of Russia, from internal ethnic and leadership struggles to its sphere of influence in Central Asia and the Caucasus as Chinese and Turkish power rises in the region. Read Philip Wasielewski's report "Will Russia Survive Until 2084?" This episode was recorded live on Zoom on January 31, 2023. Get full...
How is Russia's economy doing as we start 2023? And how is mobilization going - if it is even possible? Nick Trickett joins to discuss. Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
What has the war actually been like on the ground? How have communities, and the Ukrainian government reacted? Kirill, a Kyiv resident and open source conflict researcher, joins to share his experience. Support Vostok SOS: https://vostok-sos.org/en/i-wanna-help/rekvizyty-dlia-hroshovoho-perekazu/ Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
As we drop by Paris, what is president Macron's angle, diplomatically or otherwise, in the Ukraine War? And how do populists on both the right and left play in? This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on November 23, 2022. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
What do Russians actually think about the war in Ukraine? How are sanctions being felt locally? And what can we learn - or not - from polls conducted in Russia's current political climate. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
What spurred Italy's right wing populist wave? And what does it mean for EU policy? Federico Santi joins Aaron to discuss. This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on October 20, 2022. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
