

Chain Reaction
FPRI
Chain Reaction is the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s flagship network of podcast series examining the political, security, economic, and social trends shaping our world. Throughout the year we are talking with experts about developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine, the new European security order, defense and geopolitical issues in the Baltic States, as well as current and future national security challenges and opportunities in the technology and space sectors. Join us each month for: Bear Market Brief, Behind the Front, Baltic Ways, Report in Short, and the Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond. fpriinsights.substack.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 3, 2021 • 26min
Getting Force Design Right: Looking Ahead to the 2022 NDS
On this week's show, Aaron speak with Becca Wasser, a fellow in the defense program and co-lead of the Gaming Lab at the Center for a New American Security, about her recent article for War on the Rocks about the next National Defense Strategy, integrated deterrence, and the issues Washington should be considering as it plans for strategic competition with peer competitors. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 5, 2021 • 26min
AUKUS: A Deep-Dive on U.S.-Australia Ties
On this episode, Aaron speaks with Susannah Patton, a Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre, about the recent submarine agreement. For listeners, check out Susannah's latest report, Correcting the Course: How the Biden Administration can Compete for Influence in the Indo-Pacific. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 23, 2021 • 39min
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Navalny?
This week we’d like to introduce a special episode recorded in collaboration with FPRI’s BMB Russia, a news brief that brings together the latest on Russia’s economy, politics, business, and political risk environment. In this special series hosted by FPRI Fellow and BMB Russia founder, Aaron Schwartzbaum, we’ll explore politics, economics, and their intersection in Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet space and beyond. This week, Jan Matti Dollbaum, Morvan Lallouet, Ben Noble, authors of the book "Navalny: Putin's Nemesis, Russia's Future?" and Eilish Hart, editor of BMB Ukraine, join to discuss all things Alexei Navalny. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 10, 2021 • 33min
Parliamentary, My Dear Watson
This week we’d like to introduce a special episode recorded in collaboration with FPRI’s BMB Russia, a news brief that brings together the latest on Russia’s economy, politics, business, and political risk environment. In this special series hosted by FPRI Fellow and BMB Russia founder, Aaron Schwartzbaum, we’ll explore politics, economics, and their intersection in Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet space and beyond. This week, Felix Light stops by to discuss Russia's upcoming Duma elections, what they mean, who's involved, and what to expect. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 30, 2021 • 35min
Russia's Coercive Diplomacy: Looking Back at the Ukraine Crisis
To discuss recent events in Ukraine, Aaron speaks this week with Rob Lee, a FPRI Eurasia Fellow, about his recent report, Russia's Coercive Diplomacy. The conversation explores Rob's research about Russia's military build up around Ukraine and what that could signal for Russian coercive signaling during Zapad 2021. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 10, 2021 • 32min
Tanker War 2.0: Iranian Strategy in the Gulf
The Iranian government is accused of using a loitering munition to strike the tanker Mercer Street, killing two crew members. The attack is the latest incident at sea involving the Iranians and international shipping. To discuss Iranian strategy in the Persian Gulf, Aaron speaks with Afshon Ostovar, an Associate Professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, about escalation dynamics and Iranian strategy. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 23, 2021 • 35min
Defining the China Challenge: The Future of the U.S. Navy
On this episode of Chain Reaction, Aaron speaks with Chris Dougherty, senior fellow for defense at CNAS and the co-lead of the CNAS gaming lab, about a recent article he wrote for War on the Rocks, Gradually and then Suddenly: Explaining the Navy's Strategic Bankruptcy. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Jun 29, 2021 • 37min
Mishustin Impossible
In this special series hosted by FPRI Fellow and BMB Russia founder, Aaron Schwartzbaum, we’ll explore politics, economics, and their intersection in Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet space and beyond. This week Aaron speaks with Fabian Burkhardt, a research fellow at the Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies, about Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin, his agenda, and what his role means for governance in Russia. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Jun 21, 2021 • 19min
Biden's Visit to NATO
President Biden just finished a three-country trip, where he met with world leaders in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and in Switzerland. The main focus of the trip was to reinvigorate U.S. alliances in Europe and with NATO. To discuss the trip, Aaron spoke this week with Rachel Ellehuus, the deputy director and a senior fellow with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Jun 8, 2021 • 37min
Wither Democracy?
This week we’d like to introduce a special series recorded in collaboration with FPRI’s BMB Russia, a news brief that brings together the latest on Russia’s economy, politics, business, and political risk environment. In this special series hosted by FPRI Fellow and BMB Russia founder, Aaron Schwartzbaum, we’ll explore politics, economics, and their intersection in Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet space and beyond. This week Aaron is joined by Isabel Linzer, a research analyst on technology and democracy at Freedom House, and Nick Trickett, a specialist on Russia’s political economy and the author of the Russia section of Freedom Houses’ Nations in Transit report, to discuss the state of Russian democracy, as well as Russia’s electoral and internet freedom. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe