The BBC’s only English language programme entirely dedicated to the war in Ukraine and its fallout, Ukrainecast is your go-to podcast which investigates the biggest issues around the conflict: Could Putin push the nuclear button? How could Donald Trump end the war in 24 hours? What is the price for peace? The podcast is hosted by Newsnight presenter Victoria Derbyshire and BBC Monitoring’s Vitaly Shevchenko. Ukrainecast covers the most important topics around the conflict and speaks to the real people who’ve lived through several years of war. It also brings you agenda-setting interviews with special guests each week such as UK foreign secretary David Cameron, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and pre-eminent Russia expert Fiona Hill. GET IN TOUCH: You can join our Ukrainecastonline community here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to +443301239480 Email [email protected] You can listen to the latest episode of Ukrainecast anytime on your smart speaker by saying “Alexa, Ask BBC Sounds for Ukrainecast." If you enjoy Ukrainecast (and if you’re reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below. The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd The Today Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r Americast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p07h19zz Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p05299nl
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump have been meeting at the White House, with the war in Ukraine top of the agenda. Lyse joins diplomatic correspondent James Landale, Newsnight’s Nick Watt and Newscast presenter James Cook to discuss how the visit has gone.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says a "dangerous new era" is behind his decision to boost defence spending and cut the aid budget. But will it impress President Trump ahead of Sir Keir’s visit to Washington later this week? And could this move help Ukraine? Shashank Joshi from the Economist joins us to discuss this and answer listener questions on rare earth minerals. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer was Julia Webster. The technical producer...
What was going on in the corridors of power when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine took place? A senior US diplomat and UK politician look back on the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion, and look ahead to what happens next. We hear from Julianne Smith, former US permanent representative to Nato, James Heappey former UK armed forces minister and Dmytro Kuleba, former Ukrainian foreign minister. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer...
Tomorrow marks the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion. Three Ukrainians reflect on how their lives have changed in the last three years, and discuss the prospects for peace in Ukraine. We speak to Vitalii from Lutsk, Anastasiia in Kyiv and Pavlo in Lviv. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Ben Carter, Julia Webster and Ryan Johnston. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The assistant...
The Ukrainecast team answer listener questions on BBC Radio 5 Live Today’s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet, James Waterhouse, Nick Eardley and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer was Ryan Johnston. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480 You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server he...
The past week has seen international diplomacy turned upside down as the US began talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The decision to exclude Ukraine - and Europe - from these talks led to an emergency summit in which European countries sought to establish some influence over the process. But with the US and Ukrainian presidents embroiled in a dispute that led to President Trump calling President a “dictator”, is their relationship beyond repair? And will Ukraine have any say over the t...
President Trump has launched a fresh attack on President Zelensky, calling him a "dictator" and saying he has done a "terrible job". Zelensky earlier accused the US president of "living in a disinformation space" created by Russia. Victoria and Vitaly analyse how this diplomatic row is playing out. And Victoria speaks to Russia’s ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Ben Carter and Elliot Ryder. The serie...
The US and Russia have been holding high-level talks in Saudi Arabia for the first time in years. General Sir Richard Shirreff, a former Nato commander, is in the studio to give his reaction. And Steve Rosenberg, BBC Russia editor, joins us to explain why the Kremlin is “cockahoop” about the news. Today’s episode, recorded on Tuesday afternoon, is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Ben Carter, Julia Webster, Ryan Johnston and Stuart Denman. The technical p...
European leaders have met in Paris for an emergency summit on the war in Ukraine. Leaving the meeting, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called discussions on sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine "premature" and "inappropriate". Earlier UK PM Keir Starmer said he was ready to send such troops from the UK if and when the war ends. So could we see European boots on the ground in Ukraine? Matthew Savill, from RUSI, is in the studio to discuss whether it’s possible, and what this might look like. We a...
The Ukrainian president and US vice-president have been meeting at the Munich Security Conference. Vitaly and James chew over what was discussed, and what it all means for the future of Ukraine. Today’s episode is presented by Vitaly Shevchenko and James Landale. The producers were Ben Carter and Ryan Johnston. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also...
What’s been the reaction in Ukraine to President Trump’s plans to end the war, following his phone calls with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky? We hear from Kyiv mum Iryna and 27 year old account manager Andrew. And we assess what role Europe could play going forward, following a busy day of diplomacy at a Nato defence chiefs summit in Brussels. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Ben Carter and Ryan Johnston. The technical producer ...
In a pivotal day for the war in Ukraine, Donald Trump has agreed to ‘work together’ with Vladimir Putin to end the conflict. Immediately after the call with Putin, Trump spent an hour on the phone with Volodymyr Zelensky. Earlier in the day, the new US defence secretary Pete Hegseth told a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels that it was unrealistic that Ukraine could return to its pre-2014 borders and he ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine. BBC Security Correspondent, Fran...
Is the Trump administration gearing up for talks on Ukraine? Victoria and Vitaly are joined in the studio to discuss this by Christina Lamb of The Sunday Times. She also talks about the posthumous release of a new book by her friend Victoria Amelina, who was killed in Kramatorsk in 2023. ‘Looking at Women Looking at War’ is released later this week. And former Conservative MP Jack Lopresti tells us why he’s gone to serve in Ukraine’s military… and whether his children are happy about his decisio...
‘I'd love to hear more about what's actually happening in the war now. Where are the lines stable, where is Russia still advancing, where have the Russians slowed?’ That’s a message we got from one of our listeners earlier in the week, and we thought we’d answer these questions and more. We get a sense of what’s happening along the frontline in Ukraine right now with Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at RUSI, and we hear from a soldier whose day job is to drop bombs on Russians using...
What might Donald Trump’s strategy to end the war in Ukraine look like? We speak to Fred Fleitz, a national security official in Donald Trump's first administration who's close to the President's Ukraine and Russia envoy. We ask him to decode the latest diplomatic noises out of Washington, Moscow and Kyiv, and shed light on what we can expect from Trump’s approach, as well as the prospects of success. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were N...
President Trump has spent his first 24 hours back in the White House - having once claimed he would end the war in that time. There’s no sign yet, but can Donald Trump provide peace? What did he say at his inauguration? And what can we learn from his first full day in the job? Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire, Vitaly Shevchenko and James Waterhouse. The producers were Nathan Gower and Ryan Johnston. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is Tim Walkl...
Today, Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th US president. He promised to unleash a blitz of executive orders, after calling for a "revolution of common sense" in Monday's inaugural address. Victoria was joined by James Cook and Chris Mason from Newscast, Anthony Zurcher and Marianna Spring from Americast and Jonny Dymond from The Global Story to assess Trump’s first act as he became President again. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a messag...
A Ukrainian officer fighting in Russia’s Kursk region gives us a unique insight into what it’s like taking on North Korean soldiers. We also hear from the editor-in-chief of the Economist, Zanny Minton Beddoes. She discusses how the new sanctions on Russian oil will hurt the country’s economy and tells us why Donald Trump won’t want to be seen as a loser. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ben Carter and Ryan Johnston. T...
Dmytro Kuleba spent four years working as Ukraine’s foreign minister before he left his post in September 2024. In a revealing interview he talks about his time working for Volodymyr Zelensky, shares his views on the outgoing Biden administration and tells us whether incoming President Trump can really negotiate peace. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Ben Carter, Ryan Johnston and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Mike Regaa...
Victoria and James tuck into some traditional Ukrainian Christmas dishes… Chef Olia Hercules brings some festive food into the Ukrainecast studio and explains how food keeps her connected to her home. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and James Waterhouse. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Diane Richardson. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sara Wadeson. Email [email protected] with your questions and...
How do you celebrate Christmas while living under constant threat of your home being bombed, air raid sirens going off and while your friends and loved ones are fighting on the frontline? Two people who’ve appeared regularly on Ukrainecast this year got together in a Kyiv restaurant to chat through their plans for the festive season and their hopes for the new year. Vitali, a graduate in his 20s and Iryna, mother to baby Mira (who makes a special appearance), recorded a conversation about what i...
Back in the summer, the actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry came into the Ukrainecast studio to discuss his visit to Ukraine to see how war is impacting the country's mental health. To mark Christmas Day, he reads a short Christmas story which touches on some of the challenges Ukrainians face this winter. ‘Miracle in the Darkness’ is a short story from the book ‘Brave Tales’ by Iryna Vyhovska and Victoria Murovana. It was published by ACCA, in association with Suspilne media. If you have been affe...
Sources in Kyiv say Ukraine killed Igor Kirillov, a senior Russian general who died in scooter blast in Moscow on Tuesday. So how might the Kremlin respond? And what could this mean for the war in Ukraine? Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže and The Economist's defence editor Shashank Joshi give their reaction. Also, can President-elect Trump restrict Ukraine’s ability to use long range missiles within Russia? Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko...
Could American military aid dry up once Donald Trump enters the White House in 2025? Are Russians and Ukrainians ready for a peace deal? And how might that take shape? BBC Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford and Russia expert Mark Galeotti are joined by an assortment of experts to look ahead to what could be a pivotal year for the war in Ukraine. Also, the BBC’s Tim Whewell is in the studio to discuss an issue that could overshadow Poland’s support for Kyiv. Today’s episode is presented...
The man behind the Magnitsky Act on Trump, hybrid warfare and fighting the Kremlin. Sir William Browder is an American investor who made a fortune in post-Soviet Russia before falling foul of Vladimir Putin. He’s now a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin - and today he’s in the Ukrainecast studio to discuss why the rouble is tanking, what it’s like to draw the ire of the Russian president and whether an end to the war is near. Today’s episode is presented by Jamie Coomarasamy and Frank Gar...
Can Donald Trump end the war in Ukraine? Is negotiating with Russia a realistic option? What can President Biden accomplish in the final weeks of his term? John Sullivan, former US Ambassador to Russia under President Trump, joins Ukrainecast to share his experience of working with Russians and explains why continued US support for Ukraine is in the nation’s best interest. Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ben Carter. The ...
Your questions answered on ATACMS, land mines and the risk of escalation Jamie and Vitaly are joined by the defence editor of the Economist, Shashank Joshi, to examine how useful ATACMS can be for Ukraine, what exactly are anti-personnel land-mines and whether we should take Russia's change to its nuclear doctrine seriously. Today’s episode is presented by Jamie Coomarasamy and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer was Ben Carter. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Wal...
Three Ukrainians on how their lives have changed and their hopes for peace. Victoria, James and Vitaly are in the studio to reflect on 1000 days of the conflict. They’re joined by student Vitalii, teacher Olga and young mum Iryna - three friends of the podcast whose stories we’ve followed over the last few years. They also answer listener questions. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire, James Waterhouse and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Clare Williamson, Bella Saltiel, Ars...
US President Joe Biden has given the green light for Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by US to strike Russia. But what could the deployment of these missiles mean for Ukraine? And why has President Biden done this now? Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer was Ben Carter. The technical producer was Stephen Bailey. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sara Wadeson. Email [email protected] with your question...
Will Donald Trump pull out of Nato? What should we make of his recent appointments? How worried should we be about the threat of nuclear war? Jens Stoltenberg, who stood down as Nato secretary general last month is in the studio and answers all these questions… and more. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ben Carter. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor i...
