Talk Eastern Europe

In mid-July fierce clashes between Azerbaijani forces and Armenian forces broke out. Both sides reported casualties and injuries as a result of the exchange of fire. As each side blamed the other for the escalation of violence – one thing is certain, the conflict between the two countries is still very hot and the situation is volatile. In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Maciek sits down with Mateusz Kubiak – an analyst with Mateusz Kubiak an analyst with Esperis Consulting and author of the blog “Kaukaz”. Kubiak gives an overview of the situation and context for the clashes.Support the podcast! Become a patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope Resources- Film: Parts of a Circle: History of the Karabakh Conflict: https://vimeo.com/407942633- “Several reasons why Baku should not be interested in provocation along the border with Armenia.” By Rusif Huseynov, Murad Muradov, Polad Muradli and Ayaz Rzayev. New Eastern Europe 15 July 2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/15/several-reasons-why-baku-should-not-be-interested-in-provocation-along-the-border-with-armenia/-“What is happening on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border?” By Stepan Grigoryan. New Eastern Europe 16 July 2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/16/what-is-happening-on-the-armenia-azerbaijan-border/Music featured in the podcast:Eternity by Alexander NakaradaLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/4802-eternity License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Interest in learning more about hybrid war in Georgia? Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/08/issue-4-2020-the-kremlins-hybrid-war-the-case-of-georgia/Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Learn more here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

SUPPORT US! Become a Patreon patron: www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEurope There has been a lot of talk in the last few months about pending progress in Serbia-Kosovo relations and the normalization process between the two countries. Donald Trump’s appointment of Richard Grenell as Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations on the surface appears to be a move heading in the right direction. Yet, since being in this new role, Grenell (and others close to the Administration) has signaled a possible shift in US foreign policy in the region, hoping for a quick foreign policy win. With a change of government in Kosovo and a more assertive Serbia in the talks, can the US really facilitate this process?In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam catches up with Sidita Kushi – an American scholar and author with New Eastern Europe. They discuss the role of Richard Grenell, how US policy is evolving to the detriment of Kosovo and what, if anything, the European Union can do in this process.Resources - “The dangers of enflaming false revisionist history in the Balkans” by Sidita Kushi. New Eastern Europe 27 May 2020. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/05/27/the-dangers-of-enflaming-false-revisionist-history-in-the-balkans/- “Richard Grenell: Dictating the pulse of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue” by Visar Xhambazi. New Eastern Europe 15 April 2020. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/04/15/richard-grenell-dictating-the-pulse-of-the-kosovo-serbia-dialogue/- What ‘Twiplomacy’ reveals about the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue by Leon Hartwell. New Eastern Europe July 9 2020 https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/09/what-twiplomacy-reveals-about-the-serbia-kosovo-dialogue/Music featured in the podcast: Too Cool by Kevin MacLeod. Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4534-too-cool License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Learn more here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europodTalk Eastern Europe is produced by Maciej Makulski and Adam Reichardt. The podcast is affiliated with New Eastern Europe, published by the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe in Wrocław. Additional funding for this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs s in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.

The situation in Belarus is heating up ahead of the August 9th presidential elections. The most popular opposition candidates - who want to challenge the 26-year authoritarian rule of Alyaksandr Lukashenka - have been arrested and detained. Meanwhile the society remains mobilised after the state’s poor coronavirus response and brutal crackdowns on independent journalists and bloggers. In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Maciek catch up Hanna Liubakova, a Belarusian journalist based in Minsk, to get her perspective on the current challenges and what the situation looks like from the ground. Resources “Presidential election in Belarus: Who is participating in the race?” By Maxim Rust, Yahor Azarkevich. New Eastern Europe 15 July 2020. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/15/presidential-election-in-belarus-who-is-participating-in-the-race/“Belarusian spring? Politicisation of the wider society” By Olga Dryndova. New Eastern Europe. 8 July 2020 https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/08/belarusian-spring-politicisation-of-the-wider-society/“Why Belarusians do not love Lukashenko anymore”. By Hanna Liubakova Outriders 14 July 2020 https://outride.rs/en/why-belarusians-do-not-love-lukashenko-anymore/Music featured in the podcast: Floating Cities by Kevin MacLeod/ Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3765-floating-citiesLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/SUPPORT US! Become a Patreon patron: www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEuropeTalk Eastern Europe is produced by Maciej Makulski and Adam Reichardt. The podcast is affiliated with New Eastern Europe, published by the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe in Wrocław. Additional funding for this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs s in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.

Originally live streamed on July 16 2020 - In the newest edition of New Eastern Europe we conduct a special debate on what impact COVID-19 may have on the shifting geopolitics in the region of Eastern Europe. We asked a group of experts for their input and analysis on how relations between Europe, the Eastern Partnership and Russia could develop as a result of the pandemic and what might come next. Will this virus and the crisis fundamentally change relations and geopolitics – and if so in what way? This discussion features four authors from that special section. Speakers include:– Richard Giragosian is the founding director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC), an independent think tank in Yerevan, Armenia.– Alena Kudzko is the director of the GLOBSEC policy institute.– Andrey Makarychev is a visiting professor at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu in Estonia.– Karina Shyrokykh is a researcher at Stockholm University and Swedish Institute of International Affairs.– The discussion is moderated by Adam Reichardt, Editor in Chief of New Eastern EuropeLearn more about New Eastern Europe - www.neweasterneurope.eu

In this episode, Maciek reconnects with political scientist Oktawian Milewski to continue the discussion on Romanian relations in the region. This time, they take a deeper look at the rocky evolution of relations between Ukraine and Romania – two countries which play a critical role in both Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Black Sea region. Maciek and Oktawian discuss Romania’s strategy towards Ukraine, people-to-people contacts between the two societies and the two countries’ economic ties. The discussion also fits into the broader debate on both countries’ role in the region – especially considering proximity to Moldova and its breakaway region of Transdniestria, as well as to Russia and the war in eastern Ukraine. Resources:Episode 36: “Complicated neighbours. Romania-Moldova relations in the spotlight” https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-36“Foreign interference in the Zakarpattia region of Ukraine: The 2019 elections and beyond” by: Harry Nedelcu, Dmytro Panchuk, Myroslava Lendel New Eastern Europe 6 May 2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/05/06/foreign-interference-in-the-zakarpattia-region-of-ukraine-the-2019-elections-and-beyond/Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod NetworkMusic featured in this episode:resonance by airtone (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/airtone/61321 Support the podcast – Become a patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeTalk Eastern Europe is produced by Maciej Makulski and Adam Reichardt. The podcast is affiliated with New Eastern Europe, published by the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe in Wrocław. Additional funding for this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs s in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.

We are taking the podcast to the next level. Listen to the special announcement from the co-hosts of Talk Eastern Europe! Thank you to all of our patrons for their support!Want to support us? Visit: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

In this episode Maciek catches up with Andrey Makarychev, a visiting professor at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu in Estonia, to discuss scenarios related to future relations with Russia. Andrey Makarychev is the author of a recent working paper titled “Russia, the EU and Eastern Partnership: Four Scenarios” which looks at how factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, low oil prices and the constitutional changes in Russia may impact its relations with Europe and the Eastern Partnership region. Maciek and Andrey discuss the scenarios from various perspectives and look at the likelihood of each of them. At the end of the episode Adam and Maciek discuss the interview and of course make a few announcements. Stay tuned for some surprises!If you like Talk Eastern Europe – please support us with a monthly pledge. Each supporter gets certain benefits depending on how much one donates.Become a patron here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope Resources- “Russia, the EU and Eastern Partnership: Four Scenarios”, by Andrey Makarychev. Download here: https://bit.ly/2Blf20a- Episode 34: Pandemic, power and Putin forever – TEE in conversation with Agnieszka Legucka. https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-34- “Gone with the virus. How the pandemic makes Russian strategy evanescent” by Andrey Makarychev, New Eastern Europe Issue 4 (June-August) 2020. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/01/gone-with-the-virus-how-the-pandemic-makes-russian-strategy-evanescent/Additional music licensed under Creative Commons noncommercial (3.0)Diskman Blues by Martijn de Boer (NiGiD) (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/NiGiD/61394 Ft: JavolenusTalk Eastern Europe is produced by Maciej Makulski and Adam Reichardt. The podcast is affiliated with New Eastern Europe, published by the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe in Wrocław. Additional funding for this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs s in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.

Originally live streamed on 23 June 2020 This is the third debate in the framework of the project titled “Ost/Wschód: German-Polish Debates on the East”. This time, we focus on Ukraine and on the armed conflict in the Eastern part of the country.How are Poland’s and Germany’s relations with Ukraine and how did the annexation of Crimea and the beginning of the war in Donbas change them? What is the situation in Donbas today, six years after the beginning of the conflict? How are the outcomes of the negotiations in Minsk and in the Normandy format assessed in Germany and Poland? What are the political visions in Poland and Germany for bringing peace to Eastern Ukraine and what role does the European Union play in it?The debate features:– Germany: Susan Stewart (Head of the Research Division on Eastern Europe and Eurasia, German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin)– Poland: Tomasz Lachowski (Assistant Professor of International Law at the University of Łódź and editor in chief of Obserwator Międzynarodowy)The debate is moderated by Tim Bohse (DRA e. V. in Berlin)The debate is co-organised by the Jan Nowak Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe, New Eastern Europe and the Deutsch-Russischer Austausch e.V. (DRA) and sponsored by the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s Warsaw Office as well as the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.

Welcome to a special live edition of the Talk Eastern Europe podcast as we prepare for the launch of transcultural festival POSTWEST. This live chat was devoted to the opening of the festival and its Prologue. Adam & Maciek were joined by curators Alina Aleshchenko and Wiebke Jahns as well as a surprise guest! They discussed how COVID-19 changed the festival format, what the festival will look like now and how you, as the audience, can participate.This podcast episode was streamed live on June 21st 2020. Join us for a series of live events during the POSTWEST Transcultural Festival starting on June 24 2020 at 11:00 PM Central European Time.Resources and links:- The programme for the POSTWEST Festival: http://postwest.volksbuehne.berlin/en/programme/- Join our Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/talkeasterneurope Music featured in the podcastRadio Moscow: Funk in A by texasradiofish (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/texasradiofish/31355 Ft: ElRon XChile, Lawrence Lessig, Prokur, Acclivity, Eee Zee Mister Que--> Support the podcast, become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

This is the second part of the special series dedicated to the POSTWEST transcultural festival. In this episode, Adam catches up with Maija Pavlova a producer with the Gertrudes Ielas Teatris (the Gertrude Street Theatre) based in Riga. They discuss the challenges of the pandemic for performance artists and how non-profit cultural institutions managed in the situation. They also discussed the theatre’s involvement in the POSTWEST festival and the performance they will do in a virtual format.The Gertrude Street Theatre will perform a piece called “Tanya’s Birthday” which is meant to take place in 1989. It explores the marks left by these historical events and analyzes the interconnections between them from artists’ perspectives as witnesses of their time. The performance is set in and takes place like a virtual birthday party. The spectators assume the roles of friends and family. Resources and Links- POSTWEST \\ guess where - Transcultural festival: 24.–26.06.20 https://www.volksbuehne.berlin/en/programm/8735/festival-postwest- Gertrudes ielas teatris http://git.lv/?lang=enJune 21 2020 at 19.00 CET - Join us for a live discussion ahead of the festival. We will be streaming on Facebook and YouTube.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEasternEurope/videos/560595088179413/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS4vmhkqev4 - Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod Network: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod- Music featured in the podcast licensed under Creative Commons “Ballad of the Blackbirds” and “Barefoot” By Chad Croucherhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chad_Crouch/Field_Report_Vol_I_Oaks_Bottom_Instrumental/Ballad_Of_The_Blackbirds_Instrumental https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chad_Crouch/Drifter/Barefoot