Shows / Explaining Ukraine
Explaining Ukraine
A podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a multimedia project about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Explaining Ukraine, its politics, society and its culture. Support us: patreon.com/ukraineworld
Episodes
Explaining UkraineLook at Georgia to Better Understand Ukraine and Russia – with Tornike Gordadze
Why is Georgia drifting toward authoritarianism? Why is its current government aligning more closely with Russia and blaming its predecessors for Russia’s 2008…
Explaining UkraineHannah Arendt on evil: what can we learn from her today? - with Marci Shore
Some might argue that the concept of evil is outdated in our relativistic age. And yet—how can we speak of war crimes, cruelty, or the neglect of human dignity…
Explaining UkraineHow to win an information war? - with Peter Pomerantsev
We need a fresh perspective on propaganda. The old strategies for combating misinformation are no longer effective. Simply offering fact-checks isn’t…
Explaining UkraineBlack Americans and Ukrainians: Unexpected Parallels – with Terrell Jermaine Starr
Terrell Jermaine Starr is a Black American journalist who spends much of his time in Ukraine. He knows the country intimately. He also recognizes the striking…
Explaining UkraineUkraine and Democracy in the Global World – with Aman Sethi
Democracy is fragile today. Yet it is not confined to a single place, a specific country, or a particular political system. The democratic promise remains far…
Explaining UkraineUkrainian Media During the War – with Ola Myrovych
Does Ukraine have freedom of speech during the war? How are the media surviving under such harsh conditions? How do media perspectives within Ukraine compare…
Explaining UkraineAnne Applebaum on Trump, Ukraine, and Russia
We had a conversation with Anne Applebaum a few months ago on this podcast about her book "Autocracy, Inc".—be sure to check it out…
Explaining UkraineA Brief History of Russian Imperialism – with Donnacha Ó Beacháin
Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion has once again brought to light an old topic: the cruelty of Russian imperialism—both past and present. In this…
Explaining UkraineExploring Ukrainian avant-garde: Oleksandra Ekster
In this episode, we will explore the life and works of Oleksandra Ekster, a prominent Ukrainian avant-garde artist of the early 20th century. We will discuss…
Explaining UkraineThinking in Dark Times. Lessons from Ukraine. - Volodymyr Yermolenko at IWM in Vienna
What lessons can we draw from the Ukrainian experience? Why is Ukraine not only a place of suffering and fight, but also a place of thinking and creation? Why…
Explaining UkraineUkraine, Sri Lanka, and the War Experience - with V. V. Ganeshananthan
We should look at wars not to build hierarchies but to understand something important about humans. Where does the violence come from? How to prevent it? What…
Explaining UkraineWhat matters during dark times? | Czyżewski, Shore, Pezuashvili, Yermolenko
Do dictators rule by death and nihilism? Do they want to make us powerless - and do they succeed? Is today’s crisis also our chance? This is an online…
Explaining UkraineUkraine, Russia, and World War II
Why is Russia using World War II as its major historical anchor? Why is the end of World War II seen in Ukraine as a victory of one evil over another, rather…
Explaining UkraineMargaret Atwood on tyrannies and the fragility of freedom
Margaret Atwood is perhaps one of the greatest living writers today. Her novel "The Handmaid’s Tale" and its continuation, "The Testaments," are seen by many…
Explaining UkraineLooking at Ukraine from Africa and back - with Simon Allison
We have a lot to share with each other. We won’t agree on everything. Often, what is “good” for one may be “bad” for the other. And yet, this conversation is…
Explaining UkraineThe Surprising Brilliance of Ukrainian Modernist Literature - with Rostyslav Semkiv
Ukrainian modernist literature is one of the golden ages of Ukrainian cultural history. In this episode, we’ll explore why that is—and why the questions raised…
Explaining Ukraine"Inspired by Ukrainians": these Dutch writers bring vehicles to the frontline
They have already become our friends: Jaap Scholten and a group of courageous Dutch writers, photographers, artists, and rugby players who come regularly to…
Explaining UkraineMalevych: the Ukrainian avant-garde genius
You probably all know the Black Square, a famous avant-garde painting that has radically changed the way we think about art. You’ve probably heard that this…
Explaining UkraineRethinking the 20th-century intellectual legacy - with David Rieff
Which 20th-century ideas should we carry with us into the 21st century? And which of them have become obsolete? We discuss these topics during a live event…
Explaining UkraineHow Hetman Mazepa Became a Global Cultural Figure
Ivan Mazepa is a renowned Ukrainian leader who made significant contributions to the flourishing of Ukrainian culture and the Cossack state in the late 17th…
Explaining UkraineThe global dimension of Ukrainian culture
The Russian and Soviet imperial narratives tried to persuade us that Ukrainian culture is provincial. It is not. It is very global and is enshrined in many…
Explaining UkraineHow Ukraine can survive in the world today - with Dmytro Kuleba
How can Ukraine adapt to the new world that has emerged? Has America ceased to be its key partner? Is Europe ready to step in, and what does it need to do?…
Explaining UkraineUkrainian intellectual tradition: key traits
Let's explore the Ukrainian intellectual tradition. What recurring ideas can be found in Ukrainian philosophy, literature, and historiography? What are the key…
Explaining UkraineLooking at war through photography - with Jérôme Barbosa
War photography is not just about capturing destruction—it is about witnessing history, shaping narratives, and conveying human resilience. What motivates a…
Explaining UkraineRussians make ordinary people suffer - with Catriona Murdoch
The humiliation of civilians is one of the widespread tactics of the Russian army. It uses starvation and deprivation as a war technique, and shells civilian…
Explaining UkraineUkraine will not give up - with Dmytro Natalukha, a Ukrainian MP
Feelings inside and outside Ukraine are different. Outside, most people think Ukraine is doomed. Inside, most believe Ukraine will stand and never give up. I…
Explaining UkraineIs Europe ready to defend itself? - with Nicu Popescu
Trump made Europe lonely. Europe feels abandoned and perplexed in its geopolitical solitude. What it does not yet fully understand, though, is how insecure it…
Explaining UkraineRussian war crimes in Syria and Ukraine: similar patterns?
There is a striking parallel between the Russian war crimes in Syria and Ukraine. In both cases, the Russian army has been using extreme violence not to…
Explaining UkraineKey trends on the frontline - with Gustav Gressel
What is happening on the frontline of the Russo-Ukrainian war? How is the war changing technologically? What does Ukraine need from its partners? Why is Europe…
Explaining UkraineOn freedom: Timothy Snyder in Kyiv
Timothy Snyder came to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, to present his book "On Freedom". We have had several conversations about the ideas of this book before (in…
Explaining UkraineUkraine in 2024: An Overview - with Tetyana Ogarkova
What have we learned from the year 2024 in Ukraine? What have been the key trends on the frontline? What does Ukraine need to defend its sovereignty? What are…
Explaining UkraineCan Trump Stop the War? – with Fredrik Wesslau
Trump wants to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine, but what difficulties will he face? Why must he genuinely engage with Ukraine and the EU to achieve this…
Explaining UkraineBrazil and Ukraine: Unexpected Connections
Brazil has the 3rd largest Ukrainian community in the Americas. Over half a million Brazilians have Ukrainian origins, with most of them descendants of 19th…
Explaining UkraineTimothy Snyder in Kharkiv: A Conversation about Freedom - with Volodymyr Yermolenko
Timothy Snyder came to Kharkiv on September 8th, 2024, despite regular strikes on the city by Russian bombs, missiles, and drones. Our conversation was focused…
Explaining UkraineUkraine-Brazil relations | Ukraine’s global partnerships #7
Are Ukraine and Brazil truly worlds apart, or can a common ground be found? Do they actually see peace differently? The reality is far more complex than just…
Explaining UkraineUkraine-Japan relations | Ukraine’s global partnerships #6
Japan stands among the top supporters of Ukraine today. It provides major financial and humanitarian aid, and backs Ukraine at the political level globally…
Explaining UkraineHow to defeat Putin’s war economy - with Stephanie Baker
There is a big debate about whether sanctions against Russia are working. Some argue that they are failing to stop the Russian war machine, and that Ukraine’s…
Explaining UkraineWill ‘Peace Talks’ with Russia Really End the War?
Trump’s election has brought the topic of negotiations with Russia back into focus. In this episode, we will analyze the obstacles that any talks with Russia…
Explaining UkraineIs this war just or unjust? - with Jeff McMahan
There is a long intellectual tradition of studying the moral character of war. One of the key questions of this tradition is whether a war is just or unjust…
Explaining UkraineTrump’s Election and Its Impact on Ukraine - with Nataliya Gumenyuk
What does Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president mean for Ukraine? What are the potential threats—and perhaps hidden opportunities? Trump has claimed he can…
Explaining UkraineDenise Dresser on fragile democracies, Latin America and Ukraine’s global role
Denise Dresser is a prominent Mexican political analyst, columnist, and academic. Forbes recently listed her as one of the 50 most powerful women in Mexico…
Explaining UkraineAnne Applebaum on autocracies, pacifism, and Ukraine
Anne Applebaum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist, historian, and political analyst. A few weeks ago, she was awarded the Peace Prize of German…
Explaining UkraineCan Ukraine find allies in the Global South? - with Omar Ashour
Why does Ukraine need to speak with the Global South? How can it have these conversations? Is the “post-colonial” framework effective? What parallels can be…
Explaining UkraineSouth Africa, India, and Ukraine: Time for mutual discoveries
Ukraine has started a conversation with the countries of the "Global South." This conversation is difficult, but it is opening up new prospects for…
Explaining UkraineIndia and Ukraine: we have more in common than we think
Both India and Ukraine suffered from artificial famines imposed on them by British and Russian colonial authorities, respectively. In both cases, colonialists…
Explaining UkraineUkraine-UK-Poland relations | Ukraine’s global partnerships #5
Could a new alliance be taking shape in Europe? In 2022, just before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK, Poland, and Ukraine forged a partnership…
Explaining UkraineAre Russian troll armies still influencing Europe? - with Robert van der Noordaa
Are Russians still using their troll armies to influence public opinion in Europe? Is their effect substantial? How does this work in different countries? How…
Explaining UkraineIs Germany’s support of Ukraine enough? - with Marieluise Beck and Ralf Fücks
Germany has shown its support for Ukraine’s resistance against the Russian invasion. Yet questions arise whether this support is as substantial as it could be…
Explaining UkraineUkrainian non-fiction books: what is available in English? - with Iryna Baturevych
What Ukrainian non-fiction books are available in English? Why is Ukrainian non-fiction important to read for those who want to understand Ukraine, Eastern…
Explaining UkraineHow Ukraine restored its food exports to pre-war levels - with Taras Kachka
Ukraine has succeeded in restoring its food exports to pre-2022 levels. It has achieved this tremendous victory despite the loss of large swaths of its…
Explaining UkraineUkraine-Qatar relations | Ukraine’s global partnerships #4
Ukraine and Qatar - two nations with seemingly little overlap. But what brought these countries closer? How did Qatar become involved in Ukraine's most…
Explaining UkraineDebate on NATO’s future: Ukraine’s role - with Andreas Umland
On July 8th “The Guardian” featured an open letter titled, “The Nato Alliance should not invite Ukraine to become a member”. It claimed that, by admitting…
Explaining UkraineUkraine-Canada relations | Ukraine’s global partnerships #3
Ukraine and Canada share a strategic relationship. It is bolstered by a large Ukrainian diaspora in Canada and an extensive legal framework, that allows for…
Explaining UkraineUkraine can win but needs a united strategy with its partners - with Andriy Zagorodnyuk
What is the current situation on the frontlines of the Russo-Ukrainian war? What is the theory of victory for Ukraine and its partners? How can Ukraine use…
Explaining UkraineNicolas Tenzer on Putinism as absolute evil
Why should Putinism be considered as absolute evil? Why should we treat it in the same way as fascism or Nazism? Why does Europe need to view the task of…
Explaining UkraineBen Hodges: how can we win against Russia?
Is this war somehow fundamentally new in character? What is the role of technology in this war? How can Ukraine protect its cities from Russian missiles and…
Explaining UkraineHow do we form our knowledge about the Russian-Ukrainian war? - with Olga Burlyuk
This war also concerns the politics of knowledge production. Today we will talk about the epistemically unjust myth of Russian imperial innocence and why the…
Explaining UkraineUkraine-Australia relations | Ukraine’s global partnerships #2
Ukraine and Australia - two geographically distant nations with shared values. But what was the tragedy that initiated real cooperation between these states?…
Explaining UkraineThis war is a battle of democracy against autocracy - with Lucan Way
What challenges does democracy face in light of the Russian war on Ukraine? How can Ukraine defeat Russia while remaining a democracy? The guest of the…
Explaining UkraineTimothy Garton Ash on how Ukraine is changing Europe
Is democracy in decline today? What is “Post-Wall” Europe, born after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and why is it now gone? How is Ukraine’s resistance to the…