Amy McKinnon

In this discussion, Amy McKinnon, a reporter at Foreign Policy specializing in geopolitics, dives into the dramatic unrest in Kazakhstan spurred by rising fuel prices and authoritarian governance. She explains the unprecedented deployment of CSTO troops to restore order, comparing this Russia-backed alliance to NATO. The conversation highlights the historical context of Russia's influence in the region, the implications of Kazakhstan's leadership decisions, and how the CSTO's swift response marks a significant shift in regional security dynamics.

In this discussion, Amy McKinnon, a Foreign Policy reporter who has covered Alexei Navalny extensively, dives deep into the tense U.S.-Russia relations under President Biden. She highlights Navalny's courageous stand against the Kremlin, including his refusal of prison food that posed a moral challenge for Western governments. The conversation touches on the implications of Navalny’s situation for global democracy, the fallout from his poisoning and arrest, and the broader strategic dynamics between the United States and Russia.