The Current

Quinta Jurecic explains the significance of new developments this week around the congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.  Show notes and full transcript: https://brook.gs/3wPbH3H  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, faces a unified opposition coalition and a vote of no confidence in parliament next week. Whether Khan's government survives the challenge or not, Pakistan's democracy will suffer as political instability undermines public confidence in the electoral process, argues Madiha Afzal. Full show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3I3jnkC  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

While the Russian assault on Ukraine advances through ground and air forces, there haven't yet been significant cyberattacks on Ukraine's infrastructure, intelligence, or communications systems. Jessica Brandt explains what we have seen so far in the way of cyber and information warfare, why Putin might have initially avoided larger-scale cyberattacks against Ukraine, and how technology companies and U.S. and NATO intelligence services have pushed back against the Kremlin's disinformation campaigns. Full show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3sExXLb  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address aimed to both deliver a strong message to Russia about its war on Ukraine and reset Democrats' political messaging on their domestic priorities. In a live Twitter Spaces conversation, Brookings Fellows John Hudak, Scott Anderson, and Molly Reynolds analyzed the president's narrative vision of America's role in the world and his party's priorities on inflation, COVID-19, and voters' top concerns heading into the midterm elections. Show notes: https://brook.gs/3tst2w9 Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday, precipitating a dangerous security and humanitarian crisis in Europe.  In a live Twitter Spaces conversation, a Brookings roundtable assessed the security and economic ripple effects of Russia’s invasion and explained what sanctions the U.S. and Europe have imposed so far and what further tools they can bring to bear. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3pgBbm5  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

In a special long episode of The Current, three Brookings Russia experts discuss what's driving Putin's actions against Ukraine, what his goals may be beyond the present crisis, and how U.S. and European leaders are responding. Show notes: https://brook.gs/3IdRNSC  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict are escalating as Russia and Belarus engage in several days of military exercises, while U.S. and NATO allies continue a flurry of high-level diplomatic activity. Angela Stent evaluates the recent efforts to de-escalate the present crisis and Putin's willingness to play the conflict as a long game even after the military maneuvers end. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3HKmE99  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

While President Biden and congressional Democratic leadership's call to modify the filibuster to allow voting rights legislation to pass by a simple majority is in jeopardy, Rashawn Ray weighs in on Biden's forceful Atlanta speech, explains why the John Lewis Voting Rights and Freedom to Vote acts are so important, and the risks for Democrats and the quality of U.S. democracy if the promises of progress made to Democratic voters in 2020 are broken. Full show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/339Sspb  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

As Russian troops gather on Ukraine's borders, the outstanding question is whether Russian President Putin is prepared to bear the domestic and international costs of a full-scale invasion or if he'll stop at pressuring NATO and the West for political concessions. Steven Pifer explains why a military incursion in 2022 will not be as easy for Russia as annexing Crimea in 2014, and where there are avenues for dialogue to defuse the brewing confrontation. Full show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3DTflJK  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

After passing a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government operating into the new year, Congress still has a very full to-do list for the final weeks of 2021. Senior Fellow Molly Reynolds runs through the most pressing items on the congressional agenda, including raising the debt limit, what may be slowing the legislative process, and what it could take to alter the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation. Full show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/31wsOte  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.