Talk Eastern Europe

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode, Adam and Agnieszka open with a discussion of the most recent news in the region, in particular Ukraine’s attack against the Kerch Strait bridge as well as Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal, and its consequences.Later, Adam is joined Yulia Kazdobina, head of the Ukrainian Foundation for Security Studies and a senior fellow with the foreign policy council “Ukrainian Prism”. They discuss the outcomes of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, how it met Ukraine’s expectations. Yulia also shares her assessment of the current Ukrainian counter-offensive and how Russia is changing its tactics. Read Yulia’s latest essay from the most recent issue of New Eastern Europe: “NATO should reconsider its policy on Ukraine’s membership” https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/07/04/nato-should-reconsider-its-policy-on-ukraines-membership/ Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe now available here: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/07/04/issue-3-4-2023-beyond-the-fence/

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode Adam and Aga discuss the NATO summit which took place this week in Vilnius, with a particular focus on what its conclusions mean for Ukraine. They also talk about political tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina as Republika Srpska's Milorad Dodik stands up to High Representative Christian Schmidt. The news section concludes with reports that the Lachin corridor has now been completely blocked also to Red Cross convoys providing humanitarian assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh.Aga then sits down with Vessela Tcherneva, deputy director of the European Council on Foreign Relations and head of ECFR’s Sofia office, to discuss everything you need to know about the European Political Community - a new pan-continental discussion and cooperation forum. Aga and Vessela talk about how the EPC has developed since its idea was first floated by French President Emmanuel Macron and what are the domains in which the Community can have the biggest added value. They also take stock of the EPC's recent second summit which took place in Moldova and consider predictions for an upcoming summit in Spain. Find out more about our guest at https://ecfr.eu/profile/vessela_tcherneva/Vessela's recent publication on the topic can be found at https://ecfr.eu/article/the-future-of-the-european-political-community/

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjAga and Adam start this episode by discussing the upcoming NATO summit, fears linked to a potential nuclear sabotage at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and tensions between Ukraine and Georgia over the state of health of Mikheil Saakashvili.Aga then sits down with Marek Menkiszak, the Head of the Russian Department at the Centre for Eastern Studies in Poland and a lecturer at the Centre for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw. Together, they discuss the origins of Prigozhin's march on Moscow on 23-24 June, its conduct, the surprising resolution of the crisis involving Belarus' Alyaksandr Lukashenka, and potential aftermath for all parties involved.Find more analysis on Russia from the Center for European Studies at https://www.osw.waw.pl/enRead the latest on New Eastern Europe- "The point of no return" by: Valerii Pekar https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/06/30/the-point-of-no-return/- “Russia’s Wagner rebellion: how will Putin emerge from the crisis?” Joshua R. Kroeker, https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/06/29/russias-wagner-rebellion-how-will-putin-emerge-from-the-crisis/

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode of Talk Eastern Europe Adam and Agnieszka open with a discussion of the perplexing events that took place over the weekend in Russia with the half-attempted insurrection lead by the Wagner Group’s Yevgeny Prigozhin. Later, Adam is joined by Mark Fisher, documentary filmmaker and CEO and founder of Fisher Creative. Mark describes how he and his team decided to create a documentary film about the civic mobilization which emerged as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The film documents both actions inside and outside of Ukraine and Mark gives some hints on what we can expect once the film is released later this year.The film is titled: “Human Unity. A Global Mobilization in Support of Ukraine”.Check out the trailer and support the fund-raising efforts here: https://fishercreative.com/films-in-progress/humanunityfilm

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjAdam and Aga start this episode by discussing the start of the long-awaited Ukrainian counter-offensive, the apparent move by the Russian Defence Ministry to take over Wagner Group troops, and the results of recent elections in Montenegro. We then turn towards Bulgaria, which has seen five parliamentary elections in the past two years, the latest of which has just resulted in the formation of what our guest calls "a government of national mistrust". Speaking of our guest, Aga sat down with Spasimir Domaradzki, a lecturer at the University of Warsaw and senior political analyst in the Balkan division at the Institute for Central Europe. Together they delve deep into the roots of the crisis, different political forces and actors involved, and the prospects for the newly-created government.You can read more of Spasimir's analyses at https://ies.lublin.pl/author/spasimir-domaradzki/Stay up to date: visit us at: www.talkeasterneurope.euJoin the TEE Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/talkeasterneurope

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYj In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Agnieszka catch up over the most recent developments, mainly the political situation currently unfolding in Poland around the new law on Russian influence as well as the massive opposition-organised march which took place last weekend. They also discuss the news coming out of Ukraine, namely the Russian blowing of the dam at Nova Kakhovka which has the potential to create disastrous consequences for thousands of Ukrainians. Later, Adam and Aga are joined by Stanley Bill, an associate professor in Polish Studies at Cambridge University and the Director of the Slavonic Studies Section and Chair of the Cambridge Committee for Russian and East European Studies. He is the founder and editor-at-large of the news and opinion website Notes from Poland (www.notesfrompoland.com). Stanley not only discusses the recent developments but also gives some important insight into the upcoming parliamentary elections later this fall. Stay up to date: visit us at: www.talkeasterneurope.euJoin the TEE Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/talkeasterneurope

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode Adam and Aga start by discussing the latest mass drone and missile attacks on Kyiv. Afterwards, Aga reluctantly summarises the controversy around Poland's newly approved special commission which could be used by the government to target opposition figures ahead of parliamentary elections this fall. We wrap up the news section with an update on the Turkish presidential election and the ongoing rumours about the health of Alyaksandr Lukashenka.Aga then sits down with Anastasia Mgaloblishvili - a Doctoral Researcher in the Berlin Graduate School of Global and Transregional Studies program and a former Foreign Relations coordinator in a Georgian democratic, pro-Western opposition movement “Droa”. Aga and Anastasia discuss the recent developments in Georgia, particularly the controversial resumption of direct flights between Russia and Georgia. They then delve into what this latest in a string of controversial moves by the Georgian government tells us about the direction in which the ruling Georgian Dream party is taking the country and what it might mean for the relations with the EU and other partners.Check out Anastasia's recent publication: https://visegradinsight.eu/russias-clandestine-victory-in-georgia/Check out also NEE's latest coverage of the topic: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/03/10/the-european-dream-georgias-growing-anti-european-rhetoric-undermines-its-pro-western-aspirations/You can also find our guest on Twitter @tasomgaFind us on Twitter too @areichardt and @awidlaszewska

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode Adam and Agnieszka discuss some of the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine, including the likely full capture of Bakhmut by Russian forces, the curious case of the Free Russian Legion incursion into the Belgorod region, the results of the G7 summit as well as a recent pro-EU rally in Moldova.During the main interview, Adam is joined by his colleague, Adam Balcer – the program director at the Jan Nowak-Jezioranski College of Eastern Europe and a leading Polish expert on Turkey. They discuss the internal political situation, the recent elections ahead of the second round of the presidential election, Turkey’s relations with Russia and what might come next.Check out the latest updates on the region by visiting New Eastern Europe: www.neweasterneurope.euFind us on social media:Adam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/areichardtAgnieszka on Twitter: https://twitter.com/awidlaszewskaDon’t forget to rate us, subscribe and share Talk Eastern Europe widely!

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode Adam and Aga talk catch up on the latest news in the region, including the many speculations about the health of Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka. They also briefly note some Ukrainian advances in Bakhmut ahead of its expected counter offensive as well as the never-ending story of Bulgaria’s election drama, which may have an end in sight (or not). Afterwards, Adam sits down with Andrzej Zaręba – New Eastern Europe’s illustrator. They discuss Andrzej’s experience as an illustrator and some of the covers of NEE (https://neweasterneurope.eu/tee-139-covers/) from over the years. For the bonus questions - available on the patreon portal - they talk about who is Andrzej’s favourite dictator to draw as well as his interest in the First World War.Resources: Check out the special report with scenarios of Belarusian sovereignty: https://bit.ly/43nqUGnIn case you missed out – listen to Ep 137: Waiting for Ukraine's counteroffensive: https://bit.ly/45lCm78Andrzej Zareba on Krakow and Stanislaw Lem: https://bit.ly/42Mm4CmThe NEE covers discussed during the podcast: https://neweasterneurope.eu/tee-139-covers/ Or come over to the Talk Eastern Europe Facebook group to see the images as well: www.facebook.com/TalkEasternEurope

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode Adam and Aga discuss an eventful week involving a drone attack on the Kremlin, Wagner Group's chief threatening the withdrawal of his troops from Bakhmut and the European Commission reaching an agreement with Ukraine's EU neighbours to lift bans on the transport of Ukrainian grain. Aga then sits down with Dr Jade McGlynn to discuss her newly published book "Russia's War". Written in the months following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the book traces the main narratives about the war which the Russian population is exposed to, aiming to explain why many Russians believe and embrace them and what that tells us about modern Russia's identity. You can find updates on Dr McGlynn's research on Twitter @DrJadeMcGlynn.For excerpts from "Russia's War" see:https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/03/19/author-jade-mcglynn-on-russias-war-a80530https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-russia-became-obsessed-with-fake-news/You can buy the book on https://www.amazon.co.uk/Russias-War-Jade-McGlynn/dp/1509556761/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3RASHKENQ0IK2&keywords=russias+war&qid=1683387661&sprefix=%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1