
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

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

Oct 4, 2024 • 38min
Kyiv Dispatch Redux
Fabrice Deprez, a seasoned French journalist and Kyiv correspondent, shares poignant insights from his frontline visit to Pokrovsk. He vividly illustrates the harsh realities of daily life in a war-torn city amid ongoing conflict. The discussion covers the complexities of surviving winter amid energy crises and military shortages. Deprez also highlights the challenges of recruitment and shifting strategies in Ukraine’s military efforts, providing a candid look at how conflict reshapes human experiences and community resilience.

Sep 27, 2024 • 38min
Russia's Wagner Group - Where Are They Now?
It has been 15 months since the Wagner Group's founder Yevgeny Prigozhin led the group's ill-fated march on Moscow and 13 months since Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash almost certainly orchestrated by the Kremlin. Prigozhin is gone but his group lives on. Join host Bob Hamilton as he discusses the group's current operations in Africa and elsewhere with Colin Clarke, Chris Faulkner, and Raphael Parens. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 25, 2024 • 47min
The Price of Peace: NATO and the Burden-sharing Debate
There has been much debate over defense spending, investment, and who is sharing the burden of European defense among NATO allies for years. Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has served as a grim and stark reminder of European defense investment shortcomings and vulnerabilities.It has been a few months since NATO allies met in Washington to commemorate the alliance’s 75th anniversary. In this episode we are joined by Ambassador Doug Lute, Colonel Jordan Becker, and German defense expert Aylin Matle to examine the contours of the burden-sharing debate within the alliance, what major decisions came out of the Washington summit, and what lies ahead.The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond is a five part series examining the past, present, and future of NATO.For access to the full interviews and more, subscribe to our newsletter. Related Reading: The Time For Europe to Step Up Is Now - War on the Rock Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 20, 2024 • 45min
Going Global in Newport
The 15th Newport Global Summit took place on August 14-15, bringing together dozens of leaders from the business and finance worlds, including Steve Forbes, Mark Bezos, and former World Bank President David Malpass. The brainchild of Newport's Katherine (Kitty) Cushing, the Summit strives for "a convergence of legacy, knowledge, and purpose." This year, for the first time, FPRI's Nick Gvosdev, Maia Otarashvili, and Bob Hamilton took part, leading a conversation on the economic, political, and security impacts of the Middle Corridor, a developing transportation network linking the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific basins, the two main engines of the global economy. This edition of Chain Reaction was recorded in Newport immediately after the Summit concluded. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 12, 2024 • 31min
What's Eating East Germany?
In the wake of far right gains in recent German state-level elections, German historian and journalist Katja Hoyer joins Aaron to explore the unique regional character of German populism. How has formerly communist Eastern Germany swung to the right? Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe