The Eastern Front

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Fred Kagan, senior fellow and director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, to discuss the state of the war in Ukraine. How worried should we be about Russian advances on the battlefield? How likely is Putin to consider negotiations and what factors are at play in getting him to agree to a ceasefire?In their news segment, Dalibor and Iulia discuss the mood on the ground in Ukraine and Romanian elections. From his visit to Ukraine, Dalibor assesses how the country is thinking about safe negotiations. How should Romania respond to Russian interference in the election?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Iulia's piece with the Middle East Institute here, and find Dalibor's recommended article here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Dan Hamilton, a senior fellow at John Hopkins University's SAIS Foreign Policy Institute and a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution to discuss the future of the Transatlantic relationship under a Trump presidency. How will the US Senate constrain or support Trump's foreign policy? Is Europe prepared for the changes that a Trump administration will bring? In their news segment, Dalibor and Iulia discuss Trump's cabinet picks and the upcoming Romanian election? How will Trump's cabinet picks shape the future of US foreign policy? Will Romania elect a far-right president in their upcoming elections? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Listen to Iulia's recommended podcast episode here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Nick Lloyd, a historian and professor of modern warfare at King's College London to discuss historical parallels to our current moment. What parallels can be drawn from Russia's experience in World War I to now? How can the lessons of implementation of new technologies in WWI be compared to the roll out of drones and surveillance technology currently in the war in Ukraine?In their news segment, Dalibor and Iulia discuss the implications of the Georgian election results and analyze what a Trump victory means for the Eastern Front. How much did election fraud contribute to the Georgian Dream's victory? How should European leaders respond to a future Trump presidency?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Find Nick Lloyd's new book The Eastern Front: A History of the First World War here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Stefan Meister, head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia at the German Council on Foreign Relations. What opportunities should the West be seizing to displace Russian influence in the Black Sea region, South Caucuses and beyond? What should the EU be prioritizing for its Black Sea strategy? Dalibor and Iulia discuss the outcomes of the Georgian and Bulgarian elections, as well as the North Korean troops stationed in Russia in their news segment. What does the election outcomes in Georgia and Bulgaria signal about the state of Western influence in the region? As Russia increases cooperation with North Korea and other partners, what can the West do to counter it?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Iulia's recommend article here. Read the joint statement of EU ministers on the elections in Georgia here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Oleksandr Kraiev, the director of the North America program at Ukrainian Prism to discuss the Ukrainian view on US elections. Will a Harris presidency bring more of the same in terms of US strategy towards Ukraine? How are Ukrainians framing the outcomes of the US elections? Dalibor and Iulia discuss the BRICS summit in Russia and elections in Georgia and Moldova in their news segment. How is Russian influence impacting the democratic futures or Georgia and Moldova in their recent elections? Why has the West failed to deter allied countries from joining in on the BRICS conference?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Dalibor's recommend article here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Lesia Orobets, Founder of the "Safe Sky for Ukraine" Initiative and former member of the Ukrainian Parliament to discuss her initiative. How are Russian bombardments impacting Ukraine? What support does Ukraine need to make it through the winter? Dalibor and Iulia discuss the security outlook for Eastern Europe in their news segment. Has the Kursk offensive failed to achieve its objective? Why are some European nations dragging their feet on revamping their defense industrial bases?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Iulia's recommend article here. Register for Dalibor's upcoming event here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Edward Lucas, senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis and longtime journalist covering Eastern and Central Europe to discuss greyzone warfare with Russia. Why do democracies struggle to respond to greyzone aggression? How can we improve our deterrence against Russian cyber attacks? Dalibor and Iulia cover what you need to know about Western deterrence one year out from the October 7th attacks on Israel and Slovakia's turn toward Russia in their news segment. How can the West stand by allies to deter threats from increasingly aligned aggressors? What does Slovakia's Robert Fico's comments on Ukraine mean for its future in NATO and the EU?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Iulia's recommend pieces, Giorgia Meloni's speech and Joschka Fischer's article.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Luke Coffey, senior fellow at the Hudson Institutes to discuss strategy in regards to the war in Ukraine. Was the Kursk offensive a risk worth taking and how has it benefitted the Ukrainians strategically? What did Zelenskyy's visit to the US yield in terms of results for Ukraine?Dalibor and Iulia cover what you need to know about Zelenskyy's meeting with Donald Trump and pro-Russia politics in Austria and Hungary in their news segment. How has Trump politicized support for Ukraine? What does the success of Austria's far-right party, FPO, mean for Central European politics?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Dalibor's piece on Trump's NATO strategy here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Joseph Nye, professor emeritus at Harvard's Kennedy School and pioneer of the theory of soft power to discuss the role of soft power in the context of the war in Ukraine. How should we determine who is winning and who is losing between Russia and Ukraine? Is Russia overperforming in terms of soft power? Dalibor and Iulia cover what you need to know about Zelenskyy's US visit and recent elections in Europe in their news section. What aspects of the Ukrainian peace plan are the most essential for its success? What do election results in Germany and Austria mean for support for Ukraine?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Find Iulia's recommended article by Ben Taub here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, member of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine, and chair of the Committee of Ukraine's integration into the European Union. Can the war against Ukraine be viewed as the beginning of a wider conflict? Where does the disconnect between Ukraine and the US on the stakes of the conflict lie and how can it be bridged? Dalibor and Iulia break down Chinese military support for Russia and Biden's meeting with Starmer in their news section. How should the West respond against China's support of Russia's war efforts? Is it too little to late on expanding Ukraine's ability to strike within Russia? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Find Dalibor's recommended article by Tom Fairless and Bertrand Benoit here. Read Dalibor's article on Germany here.

On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Michael Sawkiw, the director of the Ukrainian National Information Service to discuss his work advocating for Ukraine on the Hill. What are the challenges in translating money from the supplemental aid package into tangible support for Ukraine on the ground? What does the path for future aid to Ukraine look like in the US? Dalibor and Iulia break down Russian election interference and incursions into Romanian airspace in their news of the day segment. Are Russian influence operations in the 2024 election more sophisticated this time around? How should NATO think about responding to Russian drones entering Romanian airspace? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Find Iulia's recommended article by Philip Zelikow here.

Back from summer break, Dalibor and Iulia relaunch The Eastern Front with exciting new changes. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia welcome Ambassador Matt Field, the British ambassador to the Czech Republic to provide his insights on European support for Ukraine. How has Britain succeeded in keeping aid for Ukraine a bipartisan priority? How is the UK leading in Europe in a post-Brexit context?Dalibor and Iulia break down German elections and Georgian politics in their news of the day segment. What does the success of far right and far left parties in the German states of Thüringen and Saxony mean for the country and the region more broadly? How is Russian influence impacting Georgians as the foreign agent law takes effect?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Find Dalibor's recommended article by Stephen Biddle here.

New changes are coming to the Eastern Front podcast, and we will be relaunching a new and improved version of the podcast at the beginning of September. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Dalibor and Iulia say goodbye to our dear host Giselle Donnelly and detail the changes that are to come for the podcast. Additionally, the hosts delve into the implications that the election may have on foreign policy. What are Kamala Harris's stances on issues important to the Eastern flank? What can we expect from a peace deal for Ukraine negotiated by a potential future Trump administration? What could the future of the NATO alliance look like under the leadership of the current candidates? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Though Ukraine's 'irreversible path' towards NATO membership was announced at the NATO 75 conference, a lack of more concrete actions left supporters of Ukraine feeling disappointed. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Kira Rudik, a Ukrainian member of parliament and leader of the Holos party to discuss the Ukrainian reaction to the NATO summit. What message was Russia sending with its bombing of the children's hospital? Is NATO going far enough in its support for Ukraine? How can Ukraine's security be guaranteed in the face of potential peace negotiations? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read the host's newly released NATO report here.

Bulgaria is an important member of NATO's eastern flank, with a multinational battle group stationed there and a role in securing the Black Sea. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Todor Tagarev, the former minister of defense of Bulgaria to discuss his insights ahead of the upcoming NATO summit. Is NATO focused enough on its Eastern flank? What role does Bulgaria play in NATO's security? What positive developments can we expect from the NATO at 75 conference?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read the host's newly released NATO report here.

Facing coordinated aggression from Russia, China, and Iran, NATO must update its strategy to counter the threats facing the alliance and its allies. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia detail the plan for NATO's strategy moving forward that they outlined in their new report NATO Beyond 75: The Task That Remains Before US. How does NATO benefit US national interests? What would good strategic policy in NATO look like? Why should the US care about European security in the face of threats coming from China and Iran?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read the report here.

Ahead of the NATO summit, Ukraine's potential future membership in NATO and its implications for regional security is being hotly debated. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia report their insights from Dalibor's recent travels to Chisinau, Moldova and Odessa, Ukraine. How are demographic declines impacting these cities? What are the roadblocks to NATO and EU membership in countries like Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine? What alternatives exist for security guarantees to defend against Russian aggression in the region? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read more about the wine-making cultures of Georgia and Moldova as discussed in the episode here and here.

Since the ruling Georgian Dream party passed a controversial 'foreign agents' law in the face of mass public protests, fears about Russian influence and the future of Georgian democracy have been heightened. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Shota Gvineria, a lecturer at the Baltic Defence College and senior fellow at the Economic Policy Research Center, to discuss the current situation in Georgia. What are the prospects for a pro-Western democratic shift to occur in Georgia's upcoming election? What role should the US and the EU play in defending Georgian democracy? What can be done to contain Russian influences in Georgia and prevent the country from becoming the next Belarus?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Turkish strategy has attempted to balance its relationship with Russia and its commitments to NATO. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, regional director of the German Marshall Fund in Turkey to give his insights on Turkish politics and strategy. How has Turkey approached its relationship with Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine? What is Turkey's view on further NATO expansions, particularly to Ukraine or Georgia? What does the Turkish strategy for the future of Black Sea security look like?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded before the Biden administration announced it would allow Ukraine to carry out limited strikes inside of Russia using US-made weapons. In many ways, Ukraine is fighting with one hand tied behind its back as its access to weapons systems has been limited. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Phillips O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews to discuss the state of the war in Ukraine and its possible path to victory. What weapons systems could Ukraine benefit from that the US has not yet provided? What obstacles stand in the way of Ukrainian victory? How are Ukrainians viewing the issue of conscription? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Find Phillips' podcast Ukraine Russia War Talk here.

There's been a concerning rise in populism in Central and Eastern European countries, as has been the case in Hungary and Slovakia under the respective presidencies of Victor Orbán and Robert Fico. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Maria Snegovaya, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss her new book, When Left Moves Right: The Decline of the Left and the Rise of the Populist Right in Postcommunist Europe. Why are Eastern and Central European countries seeing a resurgence of populism? How concerning is democratic backsliding and is the phenomenon limited to Europe? How is Putin using Soviet narratives to advance his agenda in Russia? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Purchase a copy of Maria's book here.

As Europe has been slow to respond to the Russian threat, the Baltic states have been ringing the alarm bells. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Kristjan Prikk, Ambassador of Estonia to the United States to discuss the Baltic perspective ahead of the NATO 75th anniversary conference. What issues are Estonians hoping to see on the agenda at the NATO summit? What has Estonia's experience been like being a frontline state in NATO? How has the security environment in the Baltic and Nordic states changed since Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

On May 15th, Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico was shot five times in an attempted assassination and, as of this recording, remains in critical condition. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia draw on Dalibor's local expertise to unpack the breaking news and its developments. What is Fico's political background and why is he such a polarizing figure? What implications does the assassination attempt have for the state of liberal democracy and political polarization in Slovakia? What impact will this have on the upcoming European Union elections? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Dalibor's analysis of Robert Fico's attempted assassination here.

As Ukraine awaits US aid, it is struggling to hold back a Russian offensive that has claimed control over several settlements in Eastern Ukraine. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome George Barros, Russia Team and Geospatial Intelligence Team lead at the Institute for the Study of War, to discuss the current state of the battlefield in Ukraine. Which regions are Russian troops planning on targeting in the coming months? What weapons and policies could make a difference on the battlefield for Ukraine? What does China stand to gain from Russian advances in Ukraine? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

A recent terror attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall by ISIS-K has tested Russia's regional relations and tolerance for torture at home. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Paul Goble, distinguished senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation. What effect, if any, has the March attacks had on Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategic calculus? How is Russia's promotion of “traditional values” perceived in former Soviet Republics, particularly in Central Asia? What is the significance behind the Russian Orthodox church's political alignment with the Putin regime?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

On April 25th, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia hosted a special live show of The Eastern Front with Giga Bokeria, chairman of European Georgia, the pro-European, pro-Western opposition in Georgia. Together, they discuss the history of Russian incursions into Georgia and the greater security risks Russia poses to Europe. Bokeria makes the case for Georgian and Ukrainian membership into NATO and emphasizes the importance of Ukrainian victory in ensuring peace on the continent. The live show concludes with a Q&A segment with the audience.Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front's biweekly newsletter here. Follow us on Twitter here. View European Georgia's documentary, "Forgotten Victims–Before Bucha Was Abkhazia," here.

On Wednesday night, after months of languishing in the House, Biden signed the foreign aid bill, authorizing $60.8 billion in aid for Ukraine. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia delve into the specifics of the bill and its implications for the future of the war. What are the political implications of the bill making it past far-right opposition in the House? Could using frozen Russian assets help fund the war effort? Does the current legislation go far enough to ensure Ukrainian victory? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Dalibor's piece for the New York Post here.

With continued uncertainty over the trajectory of the war and aid to Ukraine, European nations have begun to consider the need for a more aggressive deterrence posture. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Artur Kacprzyk, analyst in the International Security Programme at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, to discuss how NATO can capitalize on its nuclear deterrent. What does the current state of NATO's nuclear deterrence look like and how effective has it been? How are different Eastern European countries thinking about nuclear deterrence? What changes should be made to nuclear policy at the NATO summit this summer? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read Dalibor's piece It's Time to Give Poland Nuclear Weapons here.

The Baltic states are taking the Russian threat seriously and sounding the alarm for the rest of Europe. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Minna Ålander, research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs to discuss NATO and European security. Has Germany done enough to step up during the Zeitenwende? What lessons should states be taking from the Baltic states? What does the Russian threat mean for the future of European security? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

As NATO celebrates 75 years of defense, Russian threats continue to gnaw at the strength of the alliance. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Andrew Michta, director and senior fellow of the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Strategy Initiative, to discuss where NATO goes from here. Who should be the next NATO secretary general? What more can NATO members do to effectively counter Russian misinformation? At this stage in the war, are NATO members more or less likely to continue supporting Ukraine?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

With no American security guarantees, European leaders are beginning to look for alternative defense partners. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia roleplay as Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, and Donald Tusk to discuss both the perils and promises of European security as they each see it. Is it a foregone conclusion that the US will withdraw from Europe? How can France and Germany navigate their disagreements over sending troops to Ukraine? Is Europe taking the Russian threat seriously enough?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

With authoritarianism on the rise worldwide, the work of journalists has never been more important for holding rogue regimes accountable. But for that reason, it has also become increasingly dangerous. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Nicola Careem, vice president and editor-in-chief of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), to discuss how journalism has changed in this era of great powers. How do journalists navigate the harsh realities of warzone reporting, whether through physical threats to their lives or media censorship? What are some of the particular risks inherent in reporting from the "gray zone"? What processes can organizations put in place to protect their frontline journalists?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Iran has asserted itself on the global stage through proxies in the Middle East and by supporting Russia in its war in Ukraine. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, and Iulia welcome Andres Ilves, director of the Near East Region at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. How is Iran positioning itself in regards to Armenia and Azerbaijan? To what extent is Iran exerting influence on Russia? What regions of the world are most threatening to Iran and how is it responding to those threats?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

For years, Russia has employed disinformation campaigns to influence political outcomes in Western democracies. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Andrea Michalcová, director of the Center for an Informed Society. What impact has Russian disinformation campaigns had in Slovakia and the Czech Republic so far? How have these campaigns both helped and hurt Ukraine throughout the war? What can Western nations do to effectively combat Russian disinformation? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

A lot has happened since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine just over two years ago. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia reflect on events from the past two years and consider what the future of the conflict might look like. Would a second Trump administration inevitably push the war in Russia's favor? And would a Biden re-election necessarily mean more aid for Ukraine? How have the Europeans compared in their support for Ukraine?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Just shy of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, and in the midst of breaking news over Alexei Navalny's assassination, the focus was all on Ukraine during last week's Munich Security Conference. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Jack Janes, resident senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, to reflect on his experience at the conference. What did Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy say about US delays in approving an aid package? How did news of Navalny's assassination influence the security forum agenda? And how might his death be telling of the possibilities for Russia's future?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

In light of Donald Trump's recent statements encouraging Russia to attack NATO allies that have not met their spending minimums, questions about Europe's readiness to defend itself have begun to arise. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Jolanta Szymanska and Daniel Szeligowski of the Polish Institute of International Affairs to discuss their recently released book "The European Union in the Face of Russia's Aggression Against Ukraine". Has the EU been acting with a proper sense of urgency to the treat posed by Russia? Has Germany delivered on their Zeitenwende promises? Should the EU abandon unanimity in voting on matters related to security and foreign policy? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Read PISM''s book here: "The European Union in the Face of Russia's Aggression Against Ukraine"

Ukrainians living in Russian occupied territories are facing a myriad of threats, from torture and deportation to the Russification of their communities. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Karolina Hird, the Russia deputy team lead and Evans Hanson fellow at the Institute for the Study of War, to discuss her recent report, "The Kremlin's Occupation Playbook: Coerced Russification and Ethnic Cleansing in Occupied Ukraine." What tactics has Russia used in its attempts to erase Ukrainian identity? Does the Ukrainian government have a plan in place to reintegrate the Russian-occupied territories? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. "The Kremlin's Occupation Playbook: Coerced Russification and Ethnic Cleansing in Occupied Ukraine" by Karolina Hird. "The Torture Camp on Paradise Street" by Stanislav Aseyev.

Continued support for Ukraine is not just important for Ukrainians; many Eastern European countries are increasingly worried about their own security. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Adrian Băluțel, the chief of staff to the president of the Republic of Moldova, to discuss Moldovan security and the security of the Eastern European region at large. To what extent does additional funding for Ukraine also support the wider region against Russian aggression? How has Moldova, specifically, fared against Russian information operations? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Despite reaching somewhat of a stand still in the war, Ukraine has made considerable advances in the Black Sea. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with Stephen Flanagan, adjunct senior fellow at RAND Corporation and adjunct professor at Georgetown University to discuss the future of Black Sea strategy and its implications for Ukraine, the EU, and the US. What further military advances can we expect? What role does Turkey play in the region's security? How is the US Black Sea Strategy developing and how might it be impacted by the upcoming election?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

As Putin attempts to erase Ukrainian identity, keeping Ukraine's unique history and culture alive has become ever more important. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with Maria Popova and Oxana Shevel, associate professors of political science at McGill University and Tufts University, respectively, to discuss their new book, Russia and Ukraine: Entangled Histories, Diverging States. How has Ukraine resisted Russian influence and pursued democracy? What impact has the war had on Ukrainian self-identity? And how has academia tackled issues around Eastern European identity?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. Purchase Russia and Ukraine: Entangled Histories, Diverging States here.

There is a growing consensus among segments of the political elite that America's declining global leadership has paved the way for conflicts in Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO chief from 2009-2014, to discuss his recent efforts across Washington to advocate for sustained aid to Ukraine and US dominance in the international arena. Must there be a tradeoff between supporting Ukraine and supporting Israel or Taiwan? How important is transatlantic unity to defeating Vladimir Putin? Which European countries are most concerned, and most optimistic, about America's willpower to lead?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

With Ron DeSantis suspending his presidential campaign just ahead of the New Hampshire primary, the Republican field is setting out to be a one-man show: Donald Trump. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with David Frum, senior editor at The Atlantic, to discuss the evolution of the Republican party since Trump's first term and what we can expect from a potential second Trump administration. Might Europe have to begin providing for its own defense with American security no longer a guarantee? What about aid to Ukraine? In what ways—if at all—might a second Biden administration be different in the event of a re-election? And is there any possibility that neither Trump nor Biden will be an option?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

US support for Ukraine continues to remain uncertain as Congress struggles to reach an agreement on an aid package. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Jan Havránek, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of the Czech Republic, to discuss the future of American and European support for Ukraine. Is there a growing sense of "Ukraine fatigue" in Europe? Will other Eastern European states follow Hungary's path and turn their backs on Ukraine? To what extent has the war in Ukraine—and the possibility of a wider regional conflict—factored into Europe countries' defense budgets?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Despite battlefield gains in 2022, the last year has brought significant hurdles to Ukraine's fight against Russia. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia reflect on the past year's events and consider what might be in store for the Black Sea region—and the world more broadly—in 2024. They discuss Western will and commitment to Ukraine, the future of Zelenskyy, Russia's war plans, and Biden's re-election prospects.Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here. "Wake Up, West! Putin Can Gain Upper Hand in Ukraine in '24 if We Do Nothing," by Iulia Joja.

Despite the European Council's recent decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, the country's EU membership is not exactly a foregone conclusion. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Rikard Jozwiak, Europe reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), to discuss the potential obstacles to Ukraine's EU accession process and funding. To what extent does supplemental funding for Ukraine in the US affect EU decision-making over aid? What role might upcoming European and US elections play on Ukraine's EU accession? What about NATO membership? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

This week, the EU voted on being the Ukrainian accession process. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Ian Bond, the deputy director of the Centre for European Reform to discuss the likely outcomes of accession talks. How will Hungary complicate matters? What role does the UK play in the future of European defense? And how could a Trump presidency upend European security?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

In the second installment of The Eastern Front's two-part series on Armenia's security, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with Ambassador Richard Kauzlarich, distinguished visiting professor at George Mason University, to discuss Azerbaijan's perspective on the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. What has accounted for Azerbaijan's aggressive posture towards its neighbors? What other ambitions is Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev harboring that the West may not fully understand? Why has China taken a back seat in the region? Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Nearly three months after Azerbaijan's seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh, serious concerns remain over the plight of tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians in the region. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome Dr. Shushanik Minasyan-Ostermann, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Bonn, to discuss the refugee crisis. Can Armenia trust Western nations to provide for its security? And if not, is Russia a viable alternative? How are Turkey and Iran's interests abetted by this conflict?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

Only half the battle is over once Ukraine wins the war. If Russian President Vladimir Putin is to be prevented from finding yet another victim of his aggression, there must be credible deterrence to maintain a proper balance of power in Europe. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia welcome back retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, senior advisor for Human Rights First, to discuss strategies that can help Ukraine win this war now and deter Russia moving forward. Will joining NATO help maintain peace in the region? To what extent might the return of Donald Trump to the White House compromise existing partnerships with European allies?Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.

In May 2023, Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), traveled to Russia to visit her ailing mother. While awaiting her flight back to the US in June, she was detained by Russian authorities and subsequently charged for failing to register as a “foreign agent.” If convicted, she faces up to five years in a Russian prison. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with Jeffrey Gedmin, acting president of RFE/RL, and Pavel Butorin, Kurmasheva's husband and director of Current Time TV at RFE/RL. Gedmin and Butorin provide an update on Kurmasheva's situation, discuss their ongoing collaboration with the US State Department to bring her home, and shed light on the growing threats that journalists face in Russia and other authoritarian nations.Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front‘s bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on X here.