Chain Reaction

While the military situation in Ukraine continues apace, with grinding Russian assaults gaining ground daily, but at a reduced pace and increasing rate of casualties, the diplomatic situation is changing rapidly. A flurry of US diplomatic activity aimed at ending the war has unnerved Ukrainians and America's allies, who fear the US is preparing to cut a deal with Russia over their heads. This activity includes a bilateral meeting between the US and Russia in Saudi Arabia that excluded America's NATO Allies and Ukraine itself, a series of confusing and contradictory statements from US officials, and an escalating war of words between the US and Ukrainian presidents. To help us make sense of both the military and political situations, Konrad Muzyka, who recently returned from Ukraine, joins Bob Hamilton on this episode of Chain Reaction.For more military analysis of the Russian invasion of Ukraine check out Konrad’s Ukraine Conflict Monitor.This episode was recorded on February 20, 2025. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Olena Snigyr, a Ukrainian scholar and fellow at FPRI, dives deep into Russia's ideological motivations behind its aggressive actions. She discusses the contradictions in Russian narratives that portray the West as both declining and threatening. Snigyr highlights how nationalism and religion shape these narratives, and how propaganda intertwines themes of Nazism and liberalism to project Russia as a defender against Western oppression. The conversation explores the sophisticated evolution of Russian narratives and their global implications, especially in the context of 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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