Talk Eastern Europe

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode Adam and Aga discuss the main developments of the past weeks, including Alexander Lukashenka's State of the Nation Address, Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow, the much-awaited equipment deliveries to Ukraine and the arrest of The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Moscow.We then move on to the main topic of this episode - Estonia. Despite being a small country, both physically and in terms of its categorisation in international relations, Estonia has demonstrated leadership and perseverance when it comes to supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion, and it is set to continue with this policy following the recent parliamentary elections in the country.Aga sat down with Mari-Liis Sulg, a researcher at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu, to discuss how Estonia's foreign policy has been shaped over the years and what the country can bring onto the international stage. Aga and Mari-Liis also discuss Estonia's relationship with its substantial Russian-speaking minority, the issue of so-called stateless people in Estonia, and the results and possible consequences of the parliamentary elections and ensuing coalition talks.Visit us online at: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode, Adam and Aga start by discussing the ongoing battle for Bakhmut, first pledges of jet fighters for Ukraine and the, at the time of recording, upcoming visit of Xi Jinping to Moscow.The discussion then moves to the situation in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, where the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor - the sole link between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia - has caused a humanitarian crisis and is increasing tensions in the region. Helping us understand why the blockade is taking place and what is the role played by the many actors involved is Tom de Waal - senior fellow with Carnegie Europe, specialising in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region.You can find out more about Tom and his publications on https://carnegieeurope.eu/experts/479. You can also follow him on Twitter @Tom_deWaal.Follow us as well! @areichardt @AWidlaszewskaFor further reading:"The South Caucasian dimension of the war in Ukraine: Russia’s declining influence is giving the West a role in the Karabakh peace process" by Nino Chanadiri. New Eastern Europe 7 November 2022: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/11/07/the-south-caucasian-dimension-of-the-war-in-ukraine-russias-declining-influence-is-giving-the-west-a-role-in-the-karabakh-peace-process/

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjWith this episode, we close a mini-series on memory politics in Central and Western Europe. This time we look at the Spanish case of the Valle de Cuelgamuros. The Francisco Franco-time monumental historical site and mass grave of the victims of the 1930s civil war is an ongoing issue for Spanish society and politics. With the help of two outstanding experts in the field – Paula O'Donohoe and Francisco Ferrandiz – we unpack the complex issues that the historical site embraces. This podcast episode is a cooperation between Talk Eastern Europe, the Memory Studies Association, and EuroClio: the European Association of History Educators. This initiative is part of Contested Histories Onsite, a project powered by the European Commission and the Europe4Citizens program. Learn more about the project: https://contestedhistories.org/onsite/ Sources: Article on the Valle de Cuelgamuros: https://contestedhistories.org/wp-content/uploads/Spain_-Valley-of-the-Fallen-in-Madrid.pdfPrevious episodes within the series:Episode 116: The Contested Histories. The project wrap-up, https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-116-the-contested-histories-the-project-wrap-up-220Episode 99: Transforming the fascist past. The case of Bolzano’s bas-relief, https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-99-transforming-the-fascist-past-the-case-of-bolzanos-bas-relief-424Episode 85: Estonia grapples with its Soviet past, https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-85-estonia-grapples-with-its-soviet-past-228Episode 77: Inside memory sites - The Warsaw Rising Museum, https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-77-inside-memory-sites-the-warsaw-rising-museum-910

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYj In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Agnieszka start out with a discussion on the state of Russian influence in the region with a focus on Georgia and Moldova. Later, Agnieszka provides a brief rundown of the recent Estonian elections.For the main interview, Adam is joined by Grigol Julukhidze - the director of the Foreign Policy Council, a think tank in Tbilisi. He specialises in security studies and propaganda research and is also a lecturer at Ilia State University. Adam and Grigol dissect the recent events surrounding the introduction (and later withdrawal) of the so-called foreign agent law in Georgia and what the consequences are for the country.During the special bonus section available for patrons, Grigol discussion the current state of Mikheil Saakashvili as well as how Georgia has changed with the influx of Russians escaping mobilisation.Listen to the full episode by signing up here: https://bit.ly/3Fox3IyFor further reading"The European Dream: Georgia’s growing anti-European rhetoric undermines its pro-western aspirations" by Giorgi Beroshvili, New Eastern Europe, 10 March 2023: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/03/10/the-european-dream-georgias-growing-anti-european-rhetoric-undermines-its-pro-western-aspirations/“Russian soft power in Georgia: “People’s Power” and the “foreign agent” media law” by Davit Totadze, New Eastern Europe 3 March 2023: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/03/03/russian-soft-power-in-georgia-peoples-power-and-the-foreign-agent-media-law/

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode Adam and Aga start by discussing the latest updates from Bakhmut and the ongoing blockade of the Lachin corridor in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region. We then tackle Russia's most infamous private military company and its powerful and ambitious chief Yegveny Prigozhin. Helping us understand the way in which the Wagner Group operates and manages to get away with its many crimes and human rights violations is Catrina Doxsee - an associate director and associate fellow for the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).In the bonus section of the interview for our patrons, Catrina discusses Wagner's adventurism in African countries, something less covered in international media. Join our patreon page and listen to the full interview here: https://bit.ly/3JlRfNPYou can find Catrina's research and recent publications on:https://www.csis.org/programs/transnational-threats-projecthttps://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/wagner-cornerstone-russias-strategy-africa-37141https://www.csis.org/analysis/massacres-executions-and-falsified-graves-wagner-groups-mounting-humanitarian-cost-malihttps://www.csis.org/analysis/tracking-arrival-russias-wagner-group-malihttps://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-corporate-soldiers-global-expansion-russias-private-military-companiesCheck out the latest from New Eastern Europe: www.neweasterneurope.eu

Support the podcast, become a patron, get additional benefits: https://bit.ly/3nMGeYj In this episode we look at the current situation in the small but important country of Moldova. Since Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine, which began last year, Moldova has often been thought of a country at greater risk of destabilization and conflict. Recent intelligence indicates Russia is seeking ways to disrupt Moldova’s pro-European path and may be funding hybrid-style attacks in the country.Joining us on the podcast is Anda Bologa is a Fulbright scholar and a PhD candidate at Fordham University. She is an affiliated expert with the Romanian think tank Europuls and a fellow at the Washington-based Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). Anda’s research topics are transatlantic affairs, digital policy, and EU neighborhood policy. Anda discusses the pressure faced by Moldova and what it will take for the country to overcome possible hybrid attacks.Read more in the latest issue of New Eastern Europe: https://bit.ly/3I3K4I4“War at the border, protests at home: pressure mounts on Moldova”, by: Will Fleeson, New Eastern Europe, Issue 1-2/2023, https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/02/15/moldova-ukraine-russia-sandu-shor/* “Moldova is being forced to adapt to hybrid warfare”, by: Marina Bzovîi, New Eastern Europe, Issue 1-2/2023: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/02/15/moldova-hybrid-warfare-russia-ukraine-hacking/Follow us on Twitter: @areichardt, @AWidlaszewska

>>> Become a patron of Talk Eastern Europe for even more content: http://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this special episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Agnieszka sit down with Maria Avdeeva, a Kharkiv-based expert who has since February 24th 2022 been reporting on the ground regarding the situation in her hometown and throughout Ukraine. Maria provides some personal reflections and stories from the last 12 months and later describes what she thinks could happen next in Russia’s war against Ukraine.Follow Maria on Twitter: https://twitter.com/maria_avdvFurther reading:Winning a war is not enough for Ukraine. Interview with Maksym Kyiak, the cheif expert of the ANTS NGO and a territorial defence volunteer: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/02/23/winning-a-war-is-not-enough-for-ukraine/--> Check out the new issue of New Eastern Europe now available here: https://bit.ly/3I3K4I4

>>> Become a patron of Talk Eastern Europe for even more content: http://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode we focus on Czechia and its recent presidential election, which saw a clash of two very different visions of the country's future. We discuss the role of President in Czechia, the legacy of the outgoing President, Miloš Zeman, the profile and policy ideas of the newly elected Petr Pavel and the biggest points of contention between him and his main rival in the election, former Czech PM Andrej Babiš.Our guest is Pavel Havlíček, a Research Fellow at the Association for International Affairs (AMO) and a Central European Fellow for Security Policy at the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. Additional materials:https://www.gmfus.org/news/test-democratic-maturityhttps://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/new-czech-president-pavel-to-end-international-isolation/Listen to our previous episode with Pavel: https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-106-czechias-eu-presidency-priorities-and-challenges-083You can follow Pavel and his work on Twitter (@Pavel_Havlicek_), Facebook (Pavel Paulie Havlíček) and LinkedIn (Pavel Havlicek).

>>> Become a patron of Talk Eastern Europe for even more content: http://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this week's episode Aga sits down with not one but two guests to discuss the Swedish presidency of the Council of the EU, the future of the Eastern Partnership, and the role civil society has played and can play in the relations between the EU and the EaP, as well as within the EaP itself. This episode is co-produced with ForumCiv, a Swedish development cooperation organisation uniting around 200 Swedish CSOs and supporting civil society in over 70 countries all over the world. Our guests are Ognjen Radonjic, Hub Manager for Eastern Europe at ForumCiv, and Hugo von Essen, an analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies.You can learn more about ForumCiv at https://www.forumciv.org/int. You can find Hugo's and SCEEUS' research at https://sceeus.se/en/.As we mention in the outro of this episode, we love to hear from you! You can contact us via:1. Our website https://talkeasterneurope.eu/2. Our Facebook group "Talk Eastern Europe Podcast" or 3. Twitter @AWidlaszewska and @areichardt.

>>> Become a patron of Talk Eastern Europe for even more content: http://bit.ly/3nMGeYjIn this episode, Adam and Agnieszka start by discussing latest updates in the region, including the election of Petr Pavel as the new Czech president, an interesting piece on how Poland is repairing Ukraine’s military equipment, and the announcement that Germany will allow for the export of Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine.They are then joined by Marcel Krueger, a German-born writer and essayist. He discusses his view of the German discourse, his family history as well as how this all impacts Polish-German relations.Read Marcel’s essay published in New Eastern Europe from last July: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/07/08/ignorance-of-history-germanys-culture-of-memory-and-response-to-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine/Visit Marcel online: http://marcel-krueger.squarespace.com/Read the special WSJ report on Poland’s 24/7 repair shop for Ukraine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-covert-polish-repair-shop-patching-up-ukrainian-arms-11674920742Check us out online: www.talkeasterneurope.eu