How can Ukraine adapt to the new world that has emerged? Has America ceased to be its key partner? Is Europe ready to step in, and what does it need to do? Where else can Ukraine find its partners? Our guest is Dmytro Kuleba, a prominent Ukrainian diplomat and intellectual who served as Ukraine’s foreign minister from 2020 to 2024. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, and the president of PEN Ukraine. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWor...
Mar 14, 2025•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Let's explore the Ukrainian intellectual tradition. What recurring ideas can be found in Ukrainian philosophy, literature, and historiography? What are the key topics of ongoing debates in these fields? Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher and the chief editor of UkraineWorld, the president of PEN Ukraine, and Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar, and author of the French-language podcast "L’Ukraine face a la guerre" by the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Both are lecturer...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast War photography is not just about capturing destruction—it is about witnessing history, shaping narratives, and conveying human resilience. What motivates a photographer to enter a war zone, and how does this experience transform their perception of the reality? The guest of the Explaining Ukraine podcast is Jérôme Barbosa, an independent photographer who has ventured into Ukraine during wartime. Host: Daria Synhaievska, an analyst and journalist at UkraineWorld. UkraineWorld is brought to you b...
Mar 07, 2025•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast The humiliation of civilians is one of the widespread tactics of the Russian army. It uses starvation and deprivation as a war technique, and shells civilian targets when there are no military facilities around. We are discussing this issue with Catriona Murdoch, Vice-President of Global Rights Compliance. Catriona is an international criminal and human rights expert with over 13 years of experience. She leads the Starvation Portfolio at Global Rights Compliance, a foundation comprised of intern...
Mar 06, 2025•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Feelings inside and outside Ukraine are different. Outside, most people think Ukraine is doomed. Inside, most believe Ukraine will stand and never give up. I share the inside view, as does my guest today—a very active member of the Ukrainian parliament. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, and the president of PEN Ukraine. My guest today is Dmytro Natalukha, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, and the chairman of the economics affairs committee...
Feb 24, 2025•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trump made Europe lonely. Europe feels abandoned and perplexed in its geopolitical solitude. What it does not yet fully understand, though, is how insecure it has become. And how it should now learn from Ukraine, and not only teach it. Only if Europe understands that Ukraine is not its problem, but part of its solution, and that defending Ukraine means defending Europe, both will survive. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, and the president of ...
Feb 21, 2025•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast There is a striking parallel between the Russian war crimes in Syria and Ukraine. In both cases, the Russian army has been using extreme violence not to achieve military means, but to intimidate people and impose a tyrannical power over them through fear. Our guest today is Raji Abdul Salam, a legal data archive analyst with experience in documenting war crimes, crimes against humanity, and attempted genocides in Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine. Currently, he works as the chief legal data archivist at ...
Feb 19, 2025•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is happening on the frontline of the Russo-Ukrainian war? How is the war changing technologically? What does Ukraine need from its partners? Why is Europe slow and indecisive - and why is it wrong? The guest of the Explaining Ukraine podcast is Gustav Gressel, an Austrian political and military analyst, former Senior Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and currently a Researcher at the National Defence Academy Vienna Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, the chi...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Timothy Snyder came to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, to present his book "On Freedom". We have had several conversations about the ideas of this book before (in Kyiv and Kharkiv), and you can find links to the podcast episodes featuring these discussions in the description. However, this was the first time we talked about this book after its publication. We recorded this conversation on February 9, 2025, at the Sense bookstore on Khreshchatyk Street, in the heart of the Ukrainian capital, very close ...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Transcript available on Metacast What have we learned from the year 2024 in Ukraine? What have been the key trends on the frontline? What does Ukraine need to defend its sovereignty? What are Russia’s goals in this war, and what are the keys to achieving sustainable peace? In this episode of the Explaining Ukraine podcast, the guest is Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian intellectual, literary scholar, and journalist, the head of the international outreach department at Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, lecturer at Kyiv Mohyla Academy, an...
Dec 30, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trump wants to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine, but what difficulties will he face? Why must he genuinely engage with Ukraine and the EU to achieve this goal? What leverage does he have to encourage Putin to negotiate? Why does any peace in this context need to be sustainable? In this episode of the Explaining Ukraine podcast, the guest is Fredrik Wesslau, a Swedish diplomat and analyst who has worked for many years in Ukraine. Wesslau is currently a Senior Advisor at Rasmussen Global and a Di...
Dec 18, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Brazil has the 3rd largest Ukrainian community in the Americas. Over half a million Brazilians have Ukrainian origins, with most of them descendants of 19th century labor migrants. In this episode, we navigate through the unexpected links between the two countries, and analyze why relations between Brazil and Ukraine are difficult today. The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites you to a conversation at the PEN Ukraine / UkraineWorld event with Brazilian authors. The conversation took place in Kyiv...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Timothy Snyder came to Kharkiv on September 8th, 2024, despite regular strikes on the city by Russian bombs, missiles, and drones. Our conversation was focused on freedom and values, which are the key topics of his latest book, "On Freedom", published on September 17th. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460254/on-freedom-by-snyder-timothy/9781847928054 Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second-largest city, located some 40 kilometers from the Russian border. The city is hit almost daily by Russian glide bombs, ...
Dec 04, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are Ukraine and Brazil truly worlds apart, or can a common ground be found? Do they actually see peace differently? The reality is far more complex than just the statements issued by politicians in both countries. In this episode, we look at the heart of Ukraine-Brazil relations—their history, mutual willingness to learn more about one another, and what the future may hold. This episode is part of a joint series “Ukraine’s Global Partnerships” produced by UkraineWorld and the Foreign Policy Coun...
Nov 25, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Japan stands among the top supporters of Ukraine today. It provides major financial and humanitarian aid, and backs Ukraine at the political level globally. These countries lie thousands of miles apart - so what brings them together? Has this difficult time of war brought the Japanese and Ukrainian people closer, helping them discover more about each other? This episode is part of a joint series “Ukraine’s Global Partnerships” produced by UkraineWorld and the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Pr...
Nov 22, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast There is a big debate about whether sanctions against Russia are working. Some argue that they are failing to stop the Russian war machine, and that Ukraine’s allies need to find something else. Others say that real sanctions are yet to be applied or truly implemented. What is certain is that without the sanctions in place against Russia, Moscow would likely be occupying much more Ukrainian territory than it is. In this episode, the Explaining Ukraine podcast invited Stephanie Baker, senior writ...
Nov 18, 2024•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trump’s election has brought the topic of negotiations with Russia back into focus. In this episode, we will analyze the obstacles that any talks with Russia are likely to entail. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media about Ukraine. UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine’s largest media NGOs. You can support us at patreon.com/...
Nov 15, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast There is a long intellectual tradition of studying the moral character of war. One of the key questions of this tradition is whether a war is just or unjust. What elements of this philosophical tradition can we apply to Russia’s war against Ukraine, and to Ukraine’s resistance? Our guest today is Jeff McMahan, an American moral philosopher, and author of books such as "Killing in War" and "The Ethics of Killing". Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld and...
Nov 13, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president mean for Ukraine? What are the potential threats—and perhaps hidden opportunities? Trump has claimed he can end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours, but what challenges would he face? Our guest is Natalya Gumenyuk, a well-known Ukrainian journalist. She traveled to the U.S. to report on the election campaign and gain an insider’s perspective. Natalya has published extensively in both Ukrainian and international media and is a leading figure in t...
Nov 08, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Denise Dresser is a prominent Mexican political analyst, columnist, and academic. Forbes recently listed her as one of the 50 most powerful women in Mexico. With almost 5 million followers on Twitter, she is also one of the most influential opinion leaders in her country. She was recently awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government for her work on democracy, justice, gender equality, and human rights. Denise recently visited Ukraine. In this podcast, she shares her conclusions from her ...
Nov 06, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Anne Applebaum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist, historian, and political analyst. A few weeks ago, she was awarded the Peace Prize of German Publishers at the Frankfurt Book Forum. Her new book, "Autocracy, Inc.", explores the fragility of today’s democracies, and an ever-stronger network of autocracies that threaten them. In this podcast, she discusses some of the book’s key ideas and Ukraine’s role in this global setting. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief...
Nov 01, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why does Ukraine need to speak with the Global South? How can it have these conversations? Is the “post-colonial” framework effective? What parallels can be drawn between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and recent and current wars in the Middle East? What can studying ISIS teach us about contemporary wars? The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites Dr. Omar Ashour, Professor of Security and Military Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (Qatar) and the University of Exeter, Director of ...
Oct 30, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ukraine has started a conversation with the countries of the "Global South." This conversation is difficult, but it is opening up new prospects for understanding. What do we still lack to better understand each other? The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites you to a conversation at the PEN Ukraine / UkraineWorld event “Ukraine, South Africa, India: How can we better understand each other?” The conversation took place in Kyiv, as part of PEN Ukraine's project "In Solidarity with Ukraine", on May 2...
Oct 18, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Both India and Ukraine suffered from artificial famines imposed on them by British and Russian colonial authorities, respectively. In both cases, colonialists who committed mass crimes against the indigenous populations were considered “heroes” in their imperial metropoles. Yet there were also differences in how the relations between the colonial master and the colonized were organized. It is time to analyze both the similarities and differences of these cases and to map a more comprehensive pic...
Oct 11, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast Could a new alliance be taking shape in Europe? In 2022, just before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK, Poland, and Ukraine forged a partnership. Yet its path forward remains unclear. Does this format have a future? And what motivates each country? This episode is part of a joint series “Ukraine’s Global Partnerships” produced by UkraineWorld and the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism”. In this episode, Deputy editor-in-chief at UkraineWorld Anastasiia Herasymchuk spoke with J...
Sep 26, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are Russians still using their troll armies to influence public opinion in Europe? Is their effect substantial? How does this work in different countries? How can we identify coordinated non-authentic behavior on social networks? The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites Robert van der Noordaa, a Dutch journalist and analyst, and the founder of the Trollrensics initiative to uncover disinformation campaigns on social media. We discuss a recent study published by Robert and his team. Host: Volodymyr...
Sep 20, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Germany has shown its support for Ukraine’s resistance against the Russian invasion. Yet questions arise whether this support is as substantial as it could be and needs to be. What are the deeper reasons for Germany’s cautious position on the Russian war against Ukraine? Guests: renowned German politicians and civil society figures Marieluise Beck and Ralf Fücks, co-founders of the Center for Liberal Modernity (https://libmod.de/en/) in Berlin. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, ...
Sep 18, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast What Ukrainian non-fiction books are available in English? Why is Ukrainian non-fiction important to read for those who want to understand Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and Russia’s war against Ukraine? Why has documenting wartime reality become so important for today’s Ukrainian literature? The Explaining Ukraine podcast speaks to Iryna Baturevych, co-founder and development director of Chytomo.com, a Ukrainian media about books and literature. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chie...
Sep 17, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ukraine has succeeded in restoring its food exports to pre-2022 levels. It has achieved this tremendous victory despite the loss of large swaths of its agricultural lands to occupation, combat, and mines. Ukraine also had to overcome the loss of several key ports, Russia’s attempts to blockade Odesa and its surrounding ports, and the threat of ongoing Russian strikes. Despite all this, Ukraine has again shown a miraculous capacity to produce and export food globally. The Explaining Ukraine podca...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ukraine and Qatar - two nations with seemingly little overlap. But what brought these countries closer? How did Qatar become involved in Ukraine's most sensitive humanitarian issues? How does Qatar navigate its stance on the Russian invasion, and why does it matter? And what cooperation opportunities between Ukraine and Qatar should we look out for? In this episode, Deputy editor-in-chief at UkraineWorld Anastasiia Hersymchuk spoke with Prof. Dr. Omar Ashour, Professor of Security and Military S...
Sep 06, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
