
Chain Reaction
Chain Reaction is the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s flagship network of podcast series examining the political, security, economic, and social trends shaping Europe and Eurasia. Throughout the year we are talking with experts about developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine, the new European security order, the past, present, and future of the Baltic States, Russia’s political economy, and great power competition in the region. Join us each month for: Bear Market Brief, Baltic Ways, and Report in Short. fpriinsights.substack.com
Latest episodes

20 snips
Jan 31, 2025 • 31min
Report in Short | Russian Strategic Culture and the War in Ukraine
Lieutenant Colonel Denys Yurchenko is a Ukrainian officer specializing in international military cooperation. He shares insights from his FPRI report on Russian strategic culture during the war in Ukraine. Yurchenko discusses how understanding Russia's historical mindset can inform new strategies to counter its aggression. He analyzes the miscalculations behind Russia's invasion and highlights Ukraine's urgent need for military support, advocating for stronger ties with NATO to secure lasting peace in Europe.

Jan 17, 2025 • 48min
The Art of the Alliance
This week on The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond: In this episode we look back at a defining year in NATO history and we look ahead to the challenges and the opportunities positioned to shape the alliance in the coming years and decades. Featured guests: * Nina Soljan, Head of NATO Affairs and Security Policy, NATO Headquarters* Susan Colbourn, Historian; Associate Director of the Program on American Grand Strategy, Duke University * Sara Moller, Associate Professor, Security Studies Program at Georgetown University; Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security; Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council. Explore more from the The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond project. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 16, 2025 • 35min
With So Much Drama in the NSC: Trump, Russia, and the Strategic Context
This week on the Bear Market BriefWhere does the US stand in the world as Trump (re)assumes office? How is his approach towards Ukraine shaping up? Stephen Wertheim, Senior Fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to explore the broader context and drivers of how policy towards Russia will, and will not, be made.Read Stephen’s latest piece for Foreign Affairs here.This episode was recorded on December 20, 2024. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Dec 17, 2024 • 25min
NATO's Future | The Philadelphia Perspective with Rep. Brendan Boyle (PA-02)
Rick Landgraf sits down with Representative Brendan Boyle (PA-02) to discuss the Congressman's role in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's political committee, future challenges facing the alliance, and the relevance of NATO on a local level. Explore from The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Dec 4, 2024 • 20min
Baltic Leadership in the European Commission
Ben Gardner-Gill sits down with Lithuanian political scientist Andžej Pukšto to talk about the results of the 2024 European elections, with a focus on two Baltic members of the European Commission: Kaja Kallas of Estonia and Andrius Kubilius of Lithuania. Both former prime ministers, Kallas and Kubilius have unique challenges ahead of them as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. Kallas will lead EU foreign policy, and Kubilius will be the first-ever EU Commissioner for Defense and Space. Pukšto shines a light on what they’ll prioritize, what advantages they have entering their new jobs, and how they might overcome the roadblocks ahead.Baltic Ways is brought to you by the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies (AABS), produced in partnership with the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official position of AABS or FPRI. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Nov 26, 2024 • 34min
The Precipice: The War in Ukraine Hangs in the Balance
Between a Russian offensive and the reelection of Donald Trump, the war in Ukraine hangs in the balance. Janis Kluge joins host Aaron Schwartzbaum to explore how we got here and what might happen next.Explore more from the Bear Market Brief Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Nov 25, 2024 • 53min
Between Oceans: NATO's Indo-Pacific Partnerships
In this episode we explore the history and evolution of NATO’s relationships with its Indo-Pacific partners, the alliance’s role in the growing US-China rivalry, and look ahead to a new era of NATO engagement outside of the Atlantic in a time of increasingly interconnected global conflicts. Featured guests:Gwendoline Vamos, Senior Officer, Asia-Pacific Global Partnerships at NATO HeadquartersIan Langford, senior military officer (retired), Australian Defense ForcesPeter Olive, senior military officer (retired), United Kingdom Royal NavyJohn Hemings, Senior Associate Director, Pacific ForumThis episode is part of a new limited series: The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 31, 2024 • 34min
Georgia On My Mind: Election Takeaways
This week on The Continent: FPRI's Eurasia Program Director Maia Otarashvili joins Aaron to talk through recent parliamentary election results in Georgia and delve into an interesting question: how does a broadly pro-EU, Russia-skeptical country wind up with a euroskeptic, Russia-friendly government? Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 28, 2024 • 44min
What a Harris or Trump Presidency Could Mean for the Baltic States
This week on Baltic Ways - The US election is approaching quickly with implications for America's allies in the world. Professors Margarita Šešelgyte (Vilnius University), Daunis Auers (University of Latvia), and Andres Kasekamp (University of Toronto) join a roundtable discussion on the impact that a Kamala Harris or Donald Trump presidency could have on the security and future outlook of the Baltic countries and broader European, and how people in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are feeling about the state of democracy in the US. This episode was recorded on September 25, 2024.Explore more from FPRI's Baltic Intiative.Baltic Ways is a podcast brought to you by the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, produced in partnership with the Baltic Initiative at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of AABS or FPRI. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 21, 2024 • 42min
Kharkiv: A Ukrainian City Perseveres
Located only 30 km from the border with Russia, the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was the object of another Russian offensive earlier this year. Although Ukrainian forces stopped Russia's drive to capture the city, Kharkiv still endures daily attacks from Russian glide bombs, drones and missiles. Although Ukraine has the capability to strike back at the aircraft and airfields supporting these attacks, it lacks permission to use Western weapons to do so. Join Bob Hamilton as he interviews Kharkiv resident and FPRI Senior Fellow Maria Avdeeva about how her city is enduring these daily attacks and how Ukraine would strike back if given permission.Read Maria's recent analysis on why Ukraine should be allowed to strike back here. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
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