Episodes

  • Episode 193: Spies, sabotage and Russia-West relations

    Episode 193: Spies, sabotage and Russia-West relations
    Sep 26 2024
    In this podcast episode, the three hosts discuss various topics: Georgia’s anti-LGBTI legislation, the ongoing human rights crackdown in Russia, the persistent tensions between Slovakia's government and opposition, and some unexpected news from Hungary and Albania.

    Later in the episode, Adam and Nina welcome Mark Galeotti, a leading expert on modern Russia, its politics, intelligence services, and criminal networks. Mark shares insights into recent prisoner swaps between Russia and the West and delves into Russian spy networks operating in the West. He also introduces his latest book, co-authored with Anna Arutunyan: Downfall: Prigozhin and Putin, and the New Fight for the Future of Russia (Ebury Press 2024). Mark also hosts his own podcast and blog, In Moscow’s Shadows: https://inmoscowsshadows.buzzsprout.com/.

    Other books by Mark Galeotti mentioned in this episode:
    • Forged in War: A Military History of Russia from Its Beginnings to Today (Nov. 2024)
    • Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine (2022)
    • A Short History of Russia: How to Understand the World’s Most Complex Nation (2022)
    • We Need to Talk About Putin (2019)
    In this week’s bonus content, Nina interviews Mirko Popović, Programme Director at the Belgrade-based Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI). Mirko discusses the reasons behind the protests in Serbia this August, which led to the detention of environmental activists and a crackdown on civil society. He emphasizes the crucial role of environmental protection in safeguarding democracy and the rule of law in the country. The bonus content can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-content-112754248

    Help us meet our goal! We want 60 Patrons by the end of the year! Join us: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Episode 192: Ukrainian culture at war

    Episode 192: Ukrainian culture at war
    Sep 19 2024
    This episode of the podcast opens with a rundown of some of the latest news, including the floods in Central Europe, the new EU commission, developments in Slovakia, and the failing Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.For the main interview, Adam is joined by Kate Tsurkan, a reporter at the Kyiv Independent who writes on culture-related topics. They discuss how Ukraine’s culture has been affected by war by looking at Ukrainian cinema, literature, music and art. Below we include a whole list of recommendations by Kate during the podcast.Help us meet our goal! We want 60 Patrons by the end of the year! Join us: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeGet deeper into culture, check out Apofenie: https://www.apofenie.com/Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe: https://bit.ly/4daXLCIRecommendations from the podcastFilms:Olha Zhurba - Songs of slow burning earth: https://filmotor.com/slow-burning-earth/Oksana Karpovych – Intercepted: https://lightdox.com/intercepted/Mstyslav Chernov - 20 Days in Mariupol https://20daysinmariupol.com/Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk - Pamfir https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9455468/Books: Tanja Maljartschuk - Forgottenness: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324093220Sofia Andrukhovych - Amadoka https://chytomo.com/en/simon-schuster-acquires-the-rights-to-translate-ukrainian-novel-amadoka/Artem Cheh - Song of the open road: https://booklion.lviv.ua/en/pisnia-vidkrytoho-shliakhu/?srsltid=AfmBOooqvgp3y6QdsHIeLC9klXNkWU-Z7K6wOcUxPNWrzDsABgEpGRqdMyroslav Laiuk – Bakhmut: https://artpil.com/announcements/myroslav-laiuk-bakhmut-ukrainer/ Oleh Sentsov - Diary of a Hunger Striker: https://www.amazon.com/Diary-Hunger-Striker-Oleg-Sentsov/dp/1646053168Stanislav Aseyev - In Isolation. Dispatches from Occupied Donbas: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674268784Music:ANTYTILA – “Bakhmut Fortress” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmqLVrUXsTQ (with English subtitles)Хейтспіч (hatespeech) – “руzzкий мир” (ruzzkiy mir): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UpoeJ2X07wЖадан і Собаки (Zhadan and the dogs) – “Метро” (metro): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIcV7O-mefsKalush Orchestra – “Stefania”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Z51no1TD0Also - check out this special playlist “Hear Ukraine” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4l6p031ldkgJYPwrFsoQcj?si=3b02d87a692d43a1Art: Photographer Marta Sirko https://english.nv.ua/life/ukrainian-veteran-oleksandr-bazylevych-featured-in-new-photo-series-by-marta-syrko-50450032.html
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    50 mins
  • Episode 191: Kosovo Serbs in limbo, Kosovo government untethered

    Episode 191: Kosovo Serbs in limbo, Kosovo government untethered
    Sep 13 2024
    Nina, Adam, and Alexandra are all back together after the August break! They open by discussing the latest US presidential debate, illegitimate elections in Russian occupied Crimea, and new developments in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria.

    Alexandra then hosts three different guests to discuss the current situation in the North of Kosovo from a variety of angles, including the daily reality for the Serb community, the Kosovo government’s current orientation, and the future of the EU-led “normalization” talks. Thank you to political analyst Ognjen Gogić, activist Jovana Radosavljević, and political analyst Agon Maliqi for joining in the discussion.

    Recommended background listening:
    • https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-152-heightened-tensions-as-kosovo-serbia-dispute-continues-263
    • https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-122-whats-behind-the-tensions-between-serbia-and-kosovo-138
    • https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-47-can-the-us-facilitate-kosovo-serbia-normalization-445

    Agon’s latest piece in S’bunker: https://sbunker.org/opinion/gracka-e-radhes-e-vuciqit/

    *** Help us reach 60 patrons by the end of the year! www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope ***
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Episode 190: Book Talk. Goodbye Eastern Europe

    Episode 190: Book Talk. Goodbye Eastern Europe
    Sep 5 2024
    Talk Eastern Europe is back after the August break! In this episode, Adam and Alexandra start with some discussion of the news headlines from the last few weeks, including Ukraine’s Kursk operation, the prisoner swap with Russia, Vladimir Putin’s visit to Mongolia, Georgia’s foreign agent law, Azerbaijani elections, and repressions in Serbia.

    During the main interview Adam and Nina are joined by Jacob Mikanowski, the author of the book - Goodbye Eastern Europe. An intimate history of a divided land. He is a freelance writer and academic. The discussion takes listeners into Jacob’s book, his motivations behind writing it and what he learnt personally while writing it.

    Notes on the podcast:

    Read Bahruz Samadov’s “In the beginning was the violence” on Azerbaijan: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/08/09/in-the-beginning-was-the-violence/

    Check out the book: Goodbye Eastern Europe. An intimate history of a divided land https://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Eastern-Europe-Intimate-History/dp/1524748501

    Become a patron! www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Episode 189: Ukraine continues the fight

    Episode 189: Ukraine continues the fight
    Aug 2 2024
    Adam and Alexandra open this episode with a few updates on the news from the region, including in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and Serbia.

    Next, Adam is joined by Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, journalist and writer and Editor-in-Chief of Ukraine World (https://ukraineworld.org/en). Volodymyr gives his insights on the current situation in Ukraine and what the current mood is there. They look at the situation on the front, Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure and how Ukrainians are preparing for the winter.

    Check out Volodymyr’s podcast “Explaining Ukriane” and his latest episode on the military situation with Andriy Zagorodnyuk: https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts/ep-320

    Recommended read: “Seven favourite hidden narratives of Russian propaganda” https://neweasterneurope.eu/2024/07/29/seven-favourite-hidden-narratives-of-russian-propaganda/

    Support Talk Eastern Europe: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Episode 188: Hungarian politics heat up

    Episode 188: Hungarian politics heat up
    Jul 26 2024
    In this episode, Adam and Nina start by sharing some good news from Armenia, where the EU Commission has announced the start of a dialogue on visa liberalisation with the country. They also cover the latest developments in Russia, Poland, and Serbia.

    The main interview features Zsuzsanna Végh, an analyst specialising in the European and foreign policies of Central European countries, with a particular focus on Hungary. Zsuzsanna provides an in-depth analysis of the political turbulence in Hungary over the past six months, its evolving relationship with the EU and attitudes towards the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For those interested in learning more, check out our special bonus content for patrons, where Zsuzsanna reflects on the 20th anniversary of Hungary's EU membership and the 25th anniversary of its NATO membership. She also shares her views on how Hungarians perceive these two organisations.

    >>> The bonus content can be accessed here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-188-108858120

    In both interviews, Zsuzsanna references data from the Policy Solutions report "The World Through Hungarian Eyes - Foreign Policy Attitudes in Hungary in 2024," which you can find here: https://www.policysolutions.hu/en/news/649/world_through_hungarian_eyes_2024

    Support the podcast, become a Patron!
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    54 mins
  • Episode 187: NATO Celebrates its 75th anniversary amidst war in Ukraine

    Episode 187: NATO Celebrates its 75th anniversary amidst war in Ukraine
    Jul 19 2024
    In this episode Adam and Nina start with some of the recent developments including the return of Robert Fico after an assassination attempt in Slovakia which also gives added context to the recent attempted assassination of Donald Trump in the United States. They also discuss the latest developments in Ukraine and finally Trump’s pick for Vice President, Senator JD Vance, and how that is seen from this region.

    Later, Adam is joined by Wojciech Michnik - an assistant professor of International Relations and Security Studies at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków Poland and a Contributing Editor with New Eastern Europe. They go through the results of last week’s NATO Summit, what the 75th birthday means for the Alliance, and how NATO sees a possible membership for Ukraine.

    For more of the latest from the region check out New Eastern Europe online at: https://neweasterneurope.eu/

    Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope
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    59 mins
  • Episode 186: How the CEE region sees its place in the EU and NATO

    Episode 186: How the CEE region sees its place in the EU and NATO
    Jul 12 2024
    In this episode, Adam, Alexandra and Nina discuss recent horrific attacks on Ukraine, Orbans' visit to Kyiv and Moscow, and the Washington NATO summit. They also commemorate the July 11th Srebrenica massacre remembrance day and recommend a film Qua Vadis, Aida? which dramatizes events of the Srebrenica massacre.

    Later, Alexandra and Nina are joined by Dominika Hajdu, the Policy Director of the Center for Democracy & Resilience at GLOBSEC, a global think-tank based in Bratislava focused on providing a better understanding of global trends and their consequences for society, economy and security. Dominika speaks about their new report GLOBSEC Trends 2024: CEE which sheds light on how nine countries of Central and Eastern Europe view EU, NATO, Russia, or China, and to what extent they support Ukraine, and whether they are satisfied with democracy or believe in manipulative narratives.

    You can check out GLOBSEC’s activities and website: https://www.globsec.org/

    You can read the GLOBSEC Trends 2024 report: https://www.globsec.org/sites/default/files/2024-05/GLOBSEC%20TRENDS%202024.pdf

    Support Talk Eastern Europe here: patreon.com/talkeasterneurope
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    48 mins