Aro Velmet is an associate professor of history at the University of Southern California, where he is a historian of modern Europe, colonialism, science, technology, and medicine with an overarching interest in gender studies. For Baltic Ways, he shares insights into the progression of LGBTQ+ rights in Estonia and the broader region and the path that has led to legislative change over the past decade. Mentioned in this episode: Velmet, A. (2019). Sovereignty after Gender Trouble: Language, Repro...
Aug 12, 2024•31 min
From Ukraine, to the Middle East, to the Indo-Pacific, American officials claim to see an increasing level of policy coordination among China, Russia, and Iran. In this view, the three authoritarian powers work to support each other and challenge the US. In the worst case, their cooperation could take the form of a combined military challenge to the US in multiple theaters. But what level of coordination actually exists among China, Russia, and Iran, and what are the implications for the US? FPR...
Jul 24, 2024•40 min
In this episode we go back to the beginning. What is NATO? What challenges has NATO faced in the past? How are these similar or different to today’s issues? Why is NATO important for US national security? Why should Americans care about the security of Europe? Former NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, and Seth Johnston join Rick to explain NATO’s history, its purpose, and its evolution over the past seven decades. The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyon...
Jul 08, 2024•45 min
Why has the Global South, historically on the receiving end of colonialism and imperialism, maintained what might be called a neutral stance towards Russia's war against Ukraine? Ivan Grek , Director of the Russia Program at George Washington University’s Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss. For more from the Bear Market Brief newsletter, subscribe here. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Jun 28, 2024•25 min
Introducing a new limited series: The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond Maintaining political cohesion on the issue of continuing the flow of Western military aid to Ukraine is a pressing concern for NATO and will be at the top of the agenda when the heads of state and government of the 32 allies meet in Washington, DC from July 9th to 11th. While support for Ukraine will likely remain stable in the short-term, what lies ahead is less certain. What is NATO’s role in the war in Ukraine? Why i...
Jun 26, 2024•47 min
As US assistance to Ukraine resumes after a long delay, Russian forces are making gains in northeastern Ukraine, and may be poised to expand their offensive push this summer. Will the resumption of US aid allow Ukraine to blunt this offensive, what is the likely trajectory of the war, and what does it mean to the US? To discuss these questions, retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, former Commander of US Army forces in Europe, joins Bob Hamilton on Chain Reaction. Get full access to FPRI Insigh...
Jun 18, 2024•32 min
What did commemoration of the dead look like in Medieval Livonia and how did memoria shape group identities in the region? Dr. Gustavs Strenga shares insights into his research and parallels with modern-day memory wars. Baltic Ways is a podcast 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. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do not nece...
Jun 13, 2024•29 min
In the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan was often referred to as an “island of democracy” in Central Asia. Three distinguishing features of Kyrgyzstan include an active political opposition, a vibrant civil society, and independent media outlets.The current government is eliminating all three of those distinctions. On this episode of Report in Short, Aaron Schwartzbaum is joined by Bruce Pannier, a longtime journalist at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and author FPRI’s new report "Kyrgyzstan: Central A...
May 30, 2024•15 min
Russia has taken an increasingly authoritarian turn over the last decade, but is its political system fascist? Marlene Laruelle and Julian Waller join to discuss the blurry lines between politics, ideology, and terminology. Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief newsletter Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
May 24, 2024•34 min
The death of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi this past weekend has prompted questions about the future of the Islamic Republic, the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in Iranian domestic politics, and succession race for Supreme Leader Khamenei. Afshon Ostovar, a FPRI Senior Fellow, joined FPRI President Aaron Stein to discuss the latest developments in Iran. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
May 22, 2024•26 min
Russia launched a new offensive near Kharkiv, amidst continuing questions about Ukraine’s ability to mobilize enough manpower to blunt Russian advantages. FPRI President Aaron Stein sat down with Senior Fellow Rob Lee to discuss the latest from the Russo-Ukrainian war. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
May 15, 2024•34 min
For weeks tens of thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets of Tbilisi and other cities to protest their government's attempt to pass a so called "foreign agents" law, which they claim is intended to neutralize civil society and destroy independent media. To discuss the implications of these events for Georgia and the West, Ian Kelly, who served as US Ambassador to Georgia from 2015-2018, joins host Bob Hamilton on Chain Reaction. This episode was recorded on May 7, 2024. Related Reading:...
May 10, 2024•38 min
This year, NATO marks its 75th anniversary, while the Baltic countries celebrate 20 years as members of the alliance. Dr. Lukas Milevski speaks about the history of that inclusion, and shares his thoughts about the future. Milevski is a tenured assistant professor at Leiden University, where he teaches strategic studies in the BA International Studies and MA International Relations programs. He has published widely on strategy, including two books with Oxford University Press: The Evolution of M...
May 07, 2024•35 min
The Bear Market Brief goes nuclear! Andrey Baklitskiy dropped by to discuss all of Russia's strategic red lines, what the introduction of hypersonic weapons means for global security, and more. Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Apr 18, 2024•24 min
Russia’s war against Ukraine has revealed stories about the heroic resistance efforts of Ukrainian women: from a grandmother launching a pickle jar against a drone to volunteers with territorial defense units. However, comparable stories have been entirely lacking on Russia’s side: How come? On this episode of Report in Short, Aaron Schwartzbaum is joined by Egle E. Murauskaite, author FPRI's new report "Russian Women in the Face of War Against Ukraine," to discuss the multifaceted role of Russi...
Apr 11, 2024•15 min
In this episode of Baltic Ways Dr. Janet Laidla shares her work on charting the roles and contributions of women at the University of Tartu from the early days of the Estonian Republic, and what it means today. Explore from FPRI's Baltic Intiative here. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Apr 05, 2024•34 min
If we know how Russia's presidential election is going to turn out... why even bother holding the election? Join András Tóth-Czifra and Olga Khvostunova for an exploration of electoral autocracy and the political moment. Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief newsletter Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Mar 15, 2024•33 min
Amid the commentary on the war in Ukraine, the voices of those who live it every day are sometimes lost. In this episode of Chain Reaction, we hear from Sophia Opatska of Lviv, Hanna Shelest of Odessa, and Maksym Skrypchenko of Kyiv. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Mar 14, 2024•40 min
Despite Western economic policy, Russia has been able to continue its war against Ukraine, and even seen economic growth. Join as we kick off our season with Nick Trickett and Iikka Korhonen investigating what's driving Russia's economy these days, and whether sanctions are "working." Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Feb 28, 2024•31 min
As the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches, the optimism that reigned a year ago has largely faded. The failure of Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive and the uncertainty of future US assistance seem to augur tough times ahead for Ukraine and its supporters. Joining host Bob Hamilton to discuss the current state of the war, its likely future trajectory, and the future of the US role in NATO is Stephen Biddle, one of the foremost analysts of modern warfare. Get fu...
Feb 20, 2024•39 min
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijani forces initiated a massive attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-populated and effectively self-governing region inside internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory. Within 24 hours, the Nagorno-Karabakh leadership gave in, and, for the first time, Baku could claim full control over the contested territory. Despite being portrayed in the West as a “frozen conflict,” there had long been a risk of renewed violence in Nagorno-Karabakh. In this episode of Rep...
Feb 08, 2024•15 min
From the "Great Game" of the 19th century to the NATO war in Afghanistan, Central Asia has periodically been at the center of geopolitics. But more often, it has faded into the geopolitical shadows, as other regions and other issues take precedence. The two years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine have seen the region again become a focal point of great power interaction, with Russia's influence falling as that of China, Turkey, and other powers rises. But Central Asia is more than just a playgr...
Jan 25, 2024•38 min
Since 2009, Russia has invested significant effort into developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, for military purposes. However, after a year of war in Ukraine, the Russian military has lost the biggest part of its tactical reconnaissance and targeting UAVs. Pavel Luzin joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss his latest report "Russian Military Drones: The Past, Present, and Future of the UAV Industry." Download the report here. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack...
Jan 09, 2024•14 min
Almost two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Bear Market Brief investigates how we got here in the first place. What does theory say about Vladimir Putin’s decision making? Seva Gunitsky joins to discuss. Join the Bear Market Brief on Substack! Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Dec 08, 2023•22 min
It’s been just over five months since the Wagner Group’s insurrection against the Russian government, and three months since the group’s leader was killed in a place crash, almost certainly orchestrated by the Kremlin. But the Wagner Group has not faded away. Colin Clarke, *Christopher Faulkner, and Raphael Parens join to discuss what the Wagner Group is up to now, who is leading it, and how the Kremlin will use it going forward. *The views expressed here are the guest's own and do not necessari...
Nov 29, 2023•39 min
The Continent takes a (slight) detour to learn how trends over in Eurasia compare with what we're seeing in Europe. The complicated neighbor is the same; what about the domestic and geopolitical landscape? Temur Umarov offers insights on the effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Kazakhstan's domestic and foreign policy. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Nov 10, 2023•28 min
Where does Russian public sentiment on politics and war stand these days? And on a more basic level, how is it measured? Bear Market Brief talked with Isabelle DeSisto of Russia Watcher to learn more! Join the Bear Market Brief on Substack! Learn more about Russia Watcher here Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Nov 02, 2023•27 min
On this week's special episode of the Bear Market Brief, Aaron Schwartzbaum sits down with FPRI Fellow Maximilian Hess to talk about his new book "Economic War: Ukraine and the Global Conflict Between Russia and the West" (Hurst, 2023). This episode was recorded live on September 28, 2023. For more on the international economic order and the conflicts shaping it, check out Max's newsletter, Conflict & Credit. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Oct 12, 2023•40 min
In a career spanning from the height of the Cold War to the fight against Al Qaida, Michael Vickers worked at every level of the US national security community. From his time as an Army Green Beret trained to parachute behind Soviet lines in Europe with a “backpack” nuclear weapon, to his final assignment as the senior official responsible for all Department of Defense intelligence activities, few people have accumulated as much experience. Join host Bob Hamilton as he talks with Dr. Vickers abo...
Oct 05, 2023•32 min
Politically and socially, how are Ukrainians contending with a difficult, long war? Fabrice Deprez joins from Kyiv to give us an update on this week's Bear Market Brief. Check out Fabrice's newsletter, Eastern Radar Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Sep 30, 2023•28 min
