Talk Eastern Europe

This special online discussion which took place on October 27 2020 is dedicated to looking at the situation in Belarus and how the countries of the Weimar Triangle can and should respond. We will gather insight on the current situation in Belarus and discuss how France, Germany and Poland are responding and how can they better coordinate together for a better joint and European policy.The panel features:Olga Dryndova (Expert, BelarusAnalysen)Romain Le Quiniou (EuroCreative, France)Mattia Nelles (Zentrum Liberale Moderne, Germany)Lidia Gibadło (Polish Institute of International Affairs, Poland)Moderated by: Adam Reichardt, New Eastern EuropeThis discussion is supported by funding from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.Music featured in the podcast licensed under an Attribution-Non Commercial 3.0 International License.resonance by airtone (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/airtone/61321

** Support this podcast. Become a Patron at www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEuropeIn this special episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam sits down with Peter Pomerantsev, expert on disinformation and author of the recent book: “This is not Propaganda. Adventures in the war against Reality”. They discuss the recent report looking at roots of polarization in Ukraine, his current assessment of disinformation campaigns (especially ahead of the US elections) and some reflections on the situation in Belarus.Resources- From “Memory Wars” to a Common Future: Overcoming Polarisation in Ukraine https://www.lse.ac.uk/iga/assets/documents/From-Memory-Wars.pdf - This is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality (2019). https://www.amazon.com/This-Not-Propaganda-Adventures-Against/dp/0571338631(In Polish) "To nie jest propaganda" https://wydawnictwo.krytykapolityczna.pl/to-nie-jest-propaganda-885- Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia (2015) https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-True-Everything-Possible-Surreal/dp/1610396006 Additional music featured in the podcast: Time Travel by Frank Schröter. Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6784-time-travel- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/***Talk Eastern Europe is produced by Maciej Makulski and Adam Reichardt. The podcast is affiliated with New Eastern Europe. Published by the Jan Nowak-Jezioranski College of Eastern Europe in Wroclaw. Additional funding for this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.

** Support Talk Eastern Europe. Become a Patron at www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEuropeIn this episode, which is the third part in our special mini-series on Romanian foreign policy in the region, Maciek asks Oktawian Milewski to provide a deeper look at Romanian-Russian relations. They cover such topics as: historical factors in current relations; Romania’s role as a regional player; the Eastern Partnership and Romania; and what is the outlook for the two countries.Catch-up on our previous episodes related to Romania’s foreign policy:- Episode 36: Complicated neighbours. Romania-Moldova relations in the spotlight: https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-36- Episode 45: Romania-Ukraine: Evolution of relations: https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-45Music featured in this podcast: “Mysterious” by Agnese Valmaggia https://filmmusic.io/song/6786-mysterious / License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod Network https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod ***Talk Eastern Europe is produced by Maciej Makulski and Adam Reichardt. The podcast is affiliated with New Eastern Europe. Published by the Jan Nowak-Jezioranski College of Eastern Europe in Wroclaw. Additional funding for this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.

** Support Talk Eastern Europe. Become a Patron at www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEuropeThis episode of Talk Eastern Europe discusses the delicate relationship between two regional powers with ambitions for their neighbourhoods: Russia and Turkey. The two countries, which faced a serious crisis in 2015 after a Russian jet was shot down in Turkish airspace. Since then, both countries have found a common understanding even if their interests are not always aligned. How long can this relationship last? In this episode, Maciek catches up with Dimitar Bechev a research fellow at the Center of Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies with the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and a Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council. He is also the author of a recent book titled “Rival Power. Russia’s influence in Southeast Europe”. Maciek and Dimitar pick apart the current state of relations between Russia and Turkey and discuss some challenges to the medium and long term, including the impact of coronavirus on this relationship.Resources:“Turkey and Russia: No Birds of the Same Feather”, Dimitar Bechev, Suat Kınıklıoğlu. SWP Report, May 2020: https://www.swp-berlin.org/10.18449/2020C24/ “Turkey’s Plans to Become a Regional Energy Giant Just Got a Boost”, By: Dimitar Bechev. Foreign Policy. 28 August 2020. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/28/turkeys-plans-to-become-a-regional-energy-giant-just-got-a-boost/Music featured in the podcast: End Titles Extended Version (Romeos Erbe) by Sascha EndeLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/3158-end-titles-extended-version-romeos-erbe-License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod Network 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-Jezioranski College of Eastern Europe in Wroclaw. Additional funding for this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.

*** Support Talk Eastern Europe. Become a Patron at www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEurope On September 27th, clashes broke out between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces in the conflict region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The intensity of the clashes quickly escalated becoming the largest escalation since the cease-fire in 1994 (larger than the so-called 4-days War in 2016). Both sides quickly announced partial or full mobilisation and introduced martial law on their territories. In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Maciek catch up with Arkadiusz Legieć, an analyst on the Caucasus and Central Asia at the Polish Institute of International Affairs. They discuss the current situation and how the conflict is both an element of internal politics of Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as a key component of their foreign and security policies. They also discuss the role of third parties, such as Turkey, Russia and Iran and what their aims are in the conflict as well as the broader geopolitical consequences.Resources:- “Renewed war over Nagorno-Karabakh. Broader implications,” By: Richard Giragosian. New Eastern Europe, 30 September 2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/09/30/renewed-war-over-nagorno-karabakh-broader-implications/- “Azerbaijan and Armenia edge towards full-scale war. Consequences and risks,” By: Vasif Huseynov. New Eastern Europe, 30 September 2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/09/30/azerbaijan-and-armenia-edge-towards-full-scale-war-consequences-and-risks/- “Is a new war in Karabakh inevitable?” By: Benyamin Poghosyan. New Eastern Europe August 21, 2019: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/08/21/is-a-new-war-in-karabakh-inevitable/ Music featured in the podast: “Mountain Walk by Alexander Nakarada”; Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6382-mountain-walk License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Talk 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.

Support Talk Eastern Europe. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope Since 2014, the number of Ukrainians coming to Poland, temporarily or permanently, has grown exponentially. Some estimates believe that there are between one to two million Ukrainian migrants currently in Poland. This episode of Talk Eastern Europe looks at why Ukrainians are coming to Poland, how their migration has affected Polish-Ukrainian relations, and discusses some successes and challenges they face in integrating into society. The podcast features an interview with Sasha Iwaniuk, a Ukrainian political scientist, writer, journalist and activist with the “Nasz Wybor” (Our Choice) Foundation in Warsaw aimed at helping Ukrainian migrants and creating a dialogue for Poles Ukrainians.Resources & Links- “Picking strawberries in a pandemic” By Magdalena Chodownik and Omar Marques. New Eastern Europe, Issue 5/2020 (Sept-Oct). https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/09/07/picking-strawberries-in-a-pandemic/ - “Ukrainians in the Polish-German Borderland.” By: Alexandra Wishart. New Eastern Europe, 22 May 22 2019: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/05/22/ukrainians-in-the-polish-german-borderland/ - “Ukrainians seek a Polish dream in Wrocław.” By: Olga Chrebor. New Eastern Europe, Issue 1/2018: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2018/01/02/ukrainians-seek-polish-dream-wroclaw/ Additional music featured in the podcast. “Call Me” by DreamHeaven Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6573-call-me- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Talk Eastern Europe is researched and 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 – a Polish-based NGO. Additional funding to produce this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod Network 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.

Support this podcast. Become a patron (even just $2 a month will help us!)www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope On October 31st, Georgians will go to the polls in the next parliamentary elections. These elections will be a huge test to the current ruling party, the Georgian Dream, following new election reforms and the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout in the background. How will other factors such as Russian influence, attempts by the opposition to unite, or the an announced (however unlikely) return by former president Mikheil Saakashvili play into the election campaign? In this episode, Adam catches us with Mackenzie Baldinger, a contributing editor with New Eastern Europe, based in Tbilisi to discuss the current situation and what we might expect this fall. Resources:“Hardly a Georgian dream. Confronting COVID-19 in the midst of an election year” by Mackenzie Baldinger. New Eastern Europe issue 5/2020. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/09/07/hardly-a-georgian-dream-confronting-covid-19-in-the-midst-of-an-election-year/“Western pressure intensifies towards the Georgian Dream. Is Georgian democracy backsliding?” by Soso Dzamukashvili. New Eastern Europe 10 September 2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/09/10/western-pressure-intensifies-towards-the-georgian-dream-is-georgian-democracy-backsliding/ “Post-pandemic Georgia: stepping out of a political crisis?” by Soso Dzamukashvili. New Eastern Europe 9 June 2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/06/09/post-pandemic-georgia-stepping-out-of-political-crisis/ Talk Eastern Europe Episode 17: Zelenskyy wins big in Ukraine; Georgia protests against Russian influence: https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/episode-17-zelenskyy-wins-big-in-ukraine Additional music in the podcastAutumn Rain by MusicLFiles https://filmmusic.io/song/6551-autumn-rainhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0Talk 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.

Originally live streamed on 08 September 2020This is the fourth and final online debate in the framework of the project titled “Ost/Wschód: German-Polish Debates on the East”. This time, we are discussing the topic of the growing convergences and divergences of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the post-Soviet Space.The debate features:- Germany: Helena Legarda from the Mercator Institute for China Studies.- Poland: Marcin Kaczmarski, University of GlasgowModerator: Adam Balcer, Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern EuropeThe panelists address such issues as: How do Poland and Germany see China’s presence in the region? Where do Russia and China cooperate in the post-Soviet space and where do they compete? What are the geopolitical and economic consequences of this relations?The debate is co-organised by the Jan Nowak Jeziorański College of 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.Additional music featured in the podcast:commonGround by airtone (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/airtone/58703

Please support the podcast – become a patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope Episode 52 features a discussion on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline - a very controversial project in Europe. The pipeline, which aims to become a second gas pipeline to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany, was set to be completed by the end of 2019. Yet, delays have pushed back the pipeline’s final construction and looming questions about the legality and political purposes behind the project still linger.In this episode, Adam and Maciek interview Wojciech Jakóbik, a Polish energy analyst and editor-in-chief of the Biznes Alert portal to discuss Nord Stream 2, seeking to answer such questions as: What is the current status of the project? What are the economic and political aspects of the pipeline? What are the perspectives on the project, include: German, Central and Eastern Europe, and American? And what might come next? ** Note: this was recorded before the poisoning of Alexey Navalny, which may or may not have an effect on Germany’s decision to finalize the pipeline.Resources- “How to lose friends and alienate people or Germany on Nord Stream 2” By Wojciech Jakóbik. New Eastern Europe 4 April 2019: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/04/04/how-to-lose-friends-and-alienate-people-or-germany-on-nord-stream-2/- “Gone with the virus. How the pandemic makes Russian strategy evanescent” By Andrey Makarychev. New Eastern Europe, Issue 3-4/2020. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/07/gone-with-the-virus-how-the-pandemic-makes-russian-strategy-evanescent/Music featured in the podcast: Galaxy 1 Short Version by Frank Schröter. https://filmmusic.io/song/6540-galaxy-1-short-version. 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.

Following the falsified August 9th presidential election in Belarus, which declared incumbent Alyaksandr Lukashenka winner with 80% of the vote, Belarusians have taken to the streets in unprecedented numbers. Nearly three weeks later, the protests continue and are joined by striking workers from state-owned enterprises. The regime, however, has fought back with an initial brutal crackdown and continuous arrests of activists, protesters and journalists. In this episode, Adam catches up with Yahor Azarkevich to get some reactions on the current mood from the ground in Belarus. They discuss the state of the protests, their organization, the Russian factor as well as what possible scenarios may come next.Support the podcast – become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropePrevious episodes on Belarus - Episode 29: Belarus under the Kremlin’s pressure: https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-29- Episode 46: Belarus on the edge: https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-46Follow New Eastern Europe’s ongoing coverage of the situation in Belarus here: https://neweasterneurope.eu/tag/belarus-2020-presidential-election/Who to follow on Twitter:- Hanna Liubakova: https://twitter.com/HannaLiubakova- NEXTA media: https://twitter.com/nexta_tv- Franak Viačorka https://twitter.com/franakviacorkaMusic featured in the episodeMury (walls) - Polish protest song in Belarusian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdNnxQSmqAITalk Eastern Europe is member of the EuroPod Network: 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.