Russian Roulette

Michael Kimmage, director of the Kennan Institute and a historian of Russia and U.S. foreign policy, examines Washington’s shifting role in Ukraine peace talks. He explores Trump-Putin summitry, midterm elections, Starlink pressure, and why Ukraine’s arguments struggle to gain traction. Historical parallels illuminate how the war might end, while NATO’s future and Europe’s vulnerability loom large.

Maksym Skypchenko, a Ukrainian foreign-policy and security analyst, and Jana Kobzová, a European security specialist and former adviser to Slovakia’s president, examine Ukraine’s wartime reality. They discuss strained U.S.-Ukraine ties, Starlink and intelligence access, Russia’s attacks on civilian infrastructure, Europe’s growing role, stalled peace talks, and the security guarantees needed for a lasting settlement.

Hanna Notte, author of We Shall Outlast Them: Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West, sat down LIVE with Max and Maria for a wide-ranging discussion of Russia's evolving global strategy and what its confrontation with the West means for the future of international order.Hanna joined the show to discuss her new book, We Shall Outlast Them: Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West, a panoramic account of a Russia grown increasingly outward-facing, and of the changing international landscape in which it now operates. Drawing on reporting and analysis from more than a dozen countries, Notte traces how the Kremlin has adapted its foreign policy, built new partnerships, navigated sanctions, and expanded its influence across the Global South. From the halls of the United Nations to military bases, presidential palaces, and tense borderlands, she explores the people and institutions advancing Russia's agenda, as well as the activists, refugees, and whistleblowers living with its consequences.In this episode, they break down how Russia's war in Ukraine has evolved into a wider contest over the global order. The full event is available on demand HERE.Guest: Hanna Notte | director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies; senior associate (non-resident) with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program We Shall Outlast Them: Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West | Book by Hanna Notte Hanna Notte on Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West | Russian Roulette | CSIS Virtual Event (October 6, 2026) Mentioned:Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at [email protected] you love Russian Roulette, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. You may enjoy our sister podcast, The Eurofile — where we look at the key issues affecting Europe through a Washington lens. 

Retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan and RAND senior political scientist Samuel Charap examine the West’s escalation dilemma in Ukraine. They debate red lines, delayed weapons, deep strikes, air defense, and competing visions of victory. The discussion also explores diplomacy alongside military pressure, Russia’s willingness to negotiate, and how Biden and Trump approached support differently.

Hanna Notte, a Russia and arms-control specialist, and Natasha Hall, a Middle East and humanitarian affairs expert, examine Moscow’s changing role in the region. They explore Russia’s uncertain foothold in Syria, its transactional partnership with Iran, Ukrainian strikes on Iranian-linked shipping, and intelligence cooperation. The discussion also considers a surprise CIA visit to Moscow, Gulf states’ balancing act, and the limits of Russian power projection.

Pavel Talankin, a Russian schoolteacher and Oscar-winning documentary co-director, talks about filming inside provincial classrooms as wartime propaganda reshaped lessons. He describes prepared materials, non-history teachers pushed into patriotic instruction, and how routines and rituals normalize state narratives. He also recounts community reactions and the consequences after the film gained international attention.

Pavel Talankin, a Russian schoolteacher and cinematographer who co-directed the Oscar-winning documentary Mr. Nobody Against Putin, shares firsthand footage from inside a provincial classroom. He recounts how nationwide mandates turned every subject into patriotic instruction. He describes how rituals, repetition, and official reporting normalized war rhetoric and reshaped young students’ loyalties.

Nate Vance, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served three years with Ukraine’s Da Vinci Wolves after 2022, shares frontline recollections. He talks about differences between U.S. and Ukrainian forces. He describes fighting alongside international volunteers, intense combat from Bakhmut to Pokrovsk, and why Russian tactics reflect Soviet legacies and demographic pressures.

Jade McGlynn, senior research fellow at King’s College London and expert on Russian politics and memory, discusses changing Russian public moods. She examines which shocks shift attitudes and why polling must be read carefully. Conversations cover war-weariness as conflict impacts daily life, Kremlin calculations about mobilization, and how elite dynamics and battlefield shifts shape domestic politics.

Tim Mak, investigative journalist based in Kyiv who founded Counter Offensive, discusses life under strikes and Ukraine’s rapid civilian-to-defense tech shift. He explores combat hubs, drone and UGV innovations, layered air defense, AI-enabled autonomy, and the policy and funding hurdles to scaling Ukraine’s defense industry.