Co-hosted by: Adam Reichardt, Nina Panikova
In this final episode of 2024, Adam and Nina discuss the key developments from
the region in 2024, what to expect in 2025, and point out their favorite episodes from the year (see below).

Later, Adam is joined by Tomasz Zając, an analyst at the European Union Programme at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM). Tomasz discusses the upcoming Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union. He highlights the Polish priorities and what to expect to see on the EU agenda in the next six months.

Check out the PISM Podcast – “Tu Mówi PISM”

Further reading:
“Europe in the Shadow of War: Poland Takes Over EU Council Presidency” by Tomasz Zając: https://www.pism.pl/publications/europe-in-the-shadow-of-war-poland-takes-over-eu-council-presidency

“It's all about security” published in the Brief Eastern Europe newsletter: https://briefeasterneurope.beehiiv.com/p/december-23-2024

Favorite episodes of 2024:
Episode 180: In the own words. Former Belarusian political prisoners share their experiences
Episode 190: Book Talk. Goodbye Eastern Europe
Episode 193: Spies, sabotage and Russia-West relations https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/ep-194-life-in-orbans-masterplan
Ep. 194: Life in Orban’s "Masterplan"

Thank you to all of our patrons for helping us reach our goal of 60 patrons this year! Join our community here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Co-hosted by: Adam Reichardt, Nina Panikova and Alexandra Karppi

In this episode, our co-hosts start with the latest news developments from Serbia, Ukraine and Georgia. Later in the episode, Nina chats with Julia Ivanochko, Editor-in-Chief of Ukraїner po polsku, the Polish-language edition of Ukraїner. They dive into Ukraine’s experience with Russian colonialism, how it compares to Western ideas of colonialism, and the main narratives about Ukraine that still linger today. Julia also shares her thoughts on how Ukraine is pushing back against these imperial narratives and working towards true national sovereignty. For those keen to delve deeper, Julia recommends the book Imperial Knowledge: Russian Literature and Colonialism by Ewa Thompson: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1620644.Imperial_Knowledge

In exclusive bonus content for our Patrons, Julia shares how contemporary Ukrainian artists are reclaiming their cultural heritage in the face of historical cultural erasure and the challenges posed by the ongoing war.  

Make sure to check out Ukraїner, a media platform offering unique stories, videos, and photography about Ukraine’s historical regions and its cultural context abroad: https://www.ukrainer.net/en/

You can also listen to their podcast Decolonisation, a series that explores why countering Russian imperial influence is essential for the future of global democracy. Listen in English via YouTube and Spotify, in Polish via YouTube and Spotify and in Czech via YouTube and Spotify.

In this episode, Adam and Nina open up with the latest news from the region, including the recent decision by Poland’s Prime Minister to stop granting asylum to refugees and the agreement between Italy and Albania to relocate migrants there. They also discuss upcoming elections in Moldova and Georgia. 

For the main interview, Adam sits down with Tamar Jacoby, an American reporter and the Kyiv-based director of the Progressive Policy Institute’s New Ukraine Project. They discuss the current moods in Ukraine, the upcoming US election and its impact on Ukraine and how the West can help right now.

Read Tamar’s reporting on the Ukrainian drone industry: https://www.progressivepolicy.org/jacoby-for-new-york-post-ai-is-reshaping-drone-warfare-in-russia-and-ukraine-2/

Support our podcast! Join us on patreon: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope 

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

In this episode, we look at the Western Balkans. After somewhat disappointing the EU-Western Balkans Summit in June 2022, the European Commission announced the opening of the accession negotiations with the two candidate countries Albania and North Macedonia on July 19.

Gentjan Skara, the Head of the Department of Law at the Bedër University College in Triana, joined us to provide his view on critical factors that led to the opening of negotiations. He also shared his assessment of what tasks lie ahead of Albania before the country could become a Member of the European Union.

Visit us online: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

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In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam sits down with Nina Rozhanovskaya a coordinator and academic liaison at the Kennan Institute of the Wilson Centre. Nina and Adam explore understanding Russian support for the war in Ukraine and a focus on opposition to the war among Russians inside and outside the country. They discuss the growing internal repressions and the consequences for speaking out against this war.
Read the most recent publication on this topic: “Disloyalty is punishable: Russians hide their true feelings about the war” By: Maria Domańska, New Eastern Europe 17 June 2022: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/06/17/disloyalty-is-punishable-russians-hide-their-true-feelings-about-the-war/
Visit us online: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

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In this episode Aga sits down with Pavel Havlíček, a Research Fellow at the Prague-based Association for International Affairs (AMO) and expert on Eastern Europe, to discuss the priorities of the recently inaugurated Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union and how these will be impacted by the historic decision to grant Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova EU candidate status. Aga and Pavel also talk about Czechia’s involvement in the development of the Eastern Partnership and ponder on the possible future scenarios for the initiative, now that two of its members have become part of the EU’s enlargement policy.

Additional materials:
“Ukraine’s membership of the EU is a long way off, but we must start preparing right now” - https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/06/22/ukraines-membership-of-the-eu-is-a-long-way-off-but-we-must-start-preparing-right-now/

“Czech presidency can revive the faltering Eastern Partnership” - https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/12/27/czech-presidency-can-revive-the-faltering-eastern-partnership/

You can follow Pavel and his work on Twitter (@Pavel_Havlicek_), Facebook (Pavel Paulie Havlíček) and LinkedIn (Pavel Havlicek).

Visit us online at: https://www.talkeasterneurope.eu

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/search?q=talk+eastern+europe

The last European Union Council meeting brought a historic decision to grant Ukraine and Moldova the status of the EU candidate status. In this episode Maciek and Aga share their first reactions to the EU’s decision as well as Maciek asks Maksym Kyiak, the Kyiv-based expert on international relations, about his assessment of EU Council decision. In addition Maksym provides us with an update of the general situation in Ukraine as the war continues without any prospects for rapid de-escalation.

Watch the documentary movie on the city of Bucha in Ukraine, mentioned in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=-RXf6REnoSs
Read the latest analysis and commentary on the war and the region by visiting: www.neweasterneurope.eu

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In this episode Adam sits down with Anton Naychuk, Director of the Kyiv-based NGO Civil Diplomacy Fund. Anton gives our listeners an update on where the fighting is now taking place in Ukraine. He discusses the current Russian strategy and the needs of Ukraine for heavy weapons now – before it is too late. Anton also describes the economic effects of the war and why and how Russian actions are leading to a possible global food crisis.

Read the latest analysis and commentary on the war and the region by visiting: www.neweasterneurope.eu

Listen also to Episode 101: EU Candidate status for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia?
https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-101-eu-candidate-status-for-ukraine-moldova-and-georgia-732

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope ***

In this episode two Agnieszkas sit down to discuss recent developments in their home country – Poland. Aga’s guest is Agnieszka Wądołowska, deputy editor of Notes from Poland and a fellow podcaster. The discussion revolves around Poland’s reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with particular focus on the country’s role in supporting Ukrainian refugees. Aga and Agnieszka also ponder on the remarkable solidarity which emerged on the Polish political scene as a result of the war and how Poland’s current positive image influences its relations with the EU.

You can find Agnieszka on Twitter: https://twitter.com/aga_wadolowska

Follow Notes from Poland at: https://notesfrompoland.com/

The VoiCEE podcast can be found at: https://notesfrompoland.com/category/the-voicee-podcast/

Visit us online: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope***

This episode features a discussion on the dynamic changes in the energy sector in Europe. Europe has been already on the track to transforming the energy policy due to climate change. The pandemic but foremost Russia's military invasion of Ukraine has accelerated the pace of changes. The most important challenge is how to decrease the level of imports of fossil fuels from Russia and secure the energy security of each EU Member State at the same time.

Guest: Mateusz Kubiak, energy expert, and Managing Partner at Esperis Consulting, a consultancy firm operating in the energy and insurance market.

Visit us online: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

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Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has led to huge geopolitical shifts in the region of Eastern Europe. One major development has been the application for membership in the European Union submitted by Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. What are the chances that these three countries can get EU candidate status? And what does this mean for the EU’s Eastern Partnership initiative? And what about an alternative, as proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron?

To get some insight into these questions, Adam and Aga sat down Tania Marocchi, manager of the EaP Index at the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (Brussels) and Sergiy Gerasymchuk, Deputy Executive Director at the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism" (Kyiv).

Resources and Notes:
Episode 89: Eastern Partnership looks to the future: https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-89-eastern-partnership-looks-to-the-future-448
Episode 84: Ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit: https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-84-ahead-of-the-eastern-partnership-summit-840
“The promise of the Eastern Partnership is not dead yet”, James Sherr, New Eastern Europe Issue 1-2 2022: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/15/the-promise-of-the-eastern-partnership-is-not-dead-yet/
“Czech presidency can revive the faltering Eastern Partnership”, Pavel Havlicek, New Eastern Europe, 27 December 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/12/27/czech-presidency-can-revive-the-faltering-eastern-partnership/
“Failed Expectations? Belarus and the Eastern Partnership”, Veranika Laputska, New Eastern Europe Issue 5 2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/09/04/failed-expectations-belarus-and-the-eastern-partnership/
New Eastern Europe Issue 3-4/2019: Eastern Partnership turns 10: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/05/02/issue-3-4-2019-eastern-partnership-turns-10/

Visit us online: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

It has been now over 80 days since the Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. In this special episode dedicated to the war in Ukraine, Adam sits down with Vira Konstantynova, a Ukrainian political scientist, expert in international relations and commentator in Ukrainian media. They discuss life in war time Kyiv, the developing situation in the south of the country, the ongoing negotiation process as well as the importance of Ukraine’s victory in Eurovision.

If you enjoy listening to our podcasts, please consider supporting us by becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.

Make sure to check out New Eastern Europe’s latest issue titled: “The Pain of War” now available online at: https://bit.ly/3EITrLl

Want to listen to more podcasts about Eastern Europe? Visit: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope ***

In our special 100th episode, which was live streamed on May 17th 2022, Talk Eastern Europe takes a trip down memory lane and discusses the origins of the podcast and its development. Aga takes on the role of interviewer with her guests, Adam and Maciek, and asks the longtime co-hosts to share some behind-the-scenes fun facts and memorable moments related to their work on the podcast.

Visit us online and share your moments as well at www.talkeasterneurope.eu

Other Talk Eastern Europe Series to check out:
- The Story of Belarus: the nation, its history, and a new hope: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-story-of-belarus

- Exploring Polish Science Fiction and Fantasy: https://www.spreaker.com/show/polish-science-fiction-and-fantasy

- Security in the Black Sea Region: https://www.spreaker.com/show/security-in-the-black-sea-region

You can also watch this episode as it was live streamed via YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcRA41KMcPk

Adam and Nina begin by discussing the latest news: the floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the outcomes of the 2024 Warsaw Security Forum, protests in Hungary, and Lithuania’s decision to have the ICC investigate Lukashenka for crimes against humanity.

Later, Nina interviews journalist and documentary filmmaker Apolena Rychlíková about her film Limits of Europe, which follows Saša Uhlová, an undercover journalist documenting the daily lives of Central and Eastern European migrant workers in Germany, Ireland, the UK, and France. They delve into why a million of migrant workers from Central and Eastern Europe continue to move west for higher wages and how it impacts their family lives back home.

The full documentary is available in selected countries here: https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/104425-000-A/invisible/

Read more about Saša Uhlová’s undercover work in Europe in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/sep/18/europe-west-migrants-east-undercover-jobs-workers

Help us reach 60 patrons! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Check out Adam’s commentary on the Warsaw Security Forum in this week’s Brief Eastern Europe: https://briefeasterneurope.beehiiv.com/p/october-7-2024

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope***

Episode 99 of the podcast explores how the research and local community from Bolzano in northern Italy managed to successfully reframe the post-fascist historical site located in this South Tyrolean, multi-ethnic city. The story gives an opportunity to reflect on how collective memory can be dealt with. It also allows us to ponder to what extent the experience of totalitarianism in Central and Eastern Europe shares similarities with Western European cases.

Our guest is Hannes Obermair, a Senior researcher from Eurac Research, an independent and interdisciplinary research center, based in Bolzano in SouthTyrol.

This podcast is a joint effort of Talk Eastern Europe, the Memory Studies Association and EuroClio: the European Association of History Educators within the framework of the project titled “Contested Histories Onsite”, a project which aims to place Europeans in discussions and debates on multiple historical perspectives and to activate citizens in public involvement of memory-constructions. As part of the EU’s Europe for Citizens programme, the project’s aspiration is rooted in a shared conviction that raising critical questions about the past is fundamental for citizens to develop a critical attitude towards the narratives that are competing with each other in contemporary politics.

For more information on the project visit:
-Contested Histories Onsite: https://contestedhistories.org/onsite/
-Memory Studies Association: https://www.memorystudiesassociation.org/contested-histories-onsite/
-EuroClio: https://www.euroclio.eu/project/contested-histories/

Sources:
Mussolini bas-relief, Bolzano, Italy. Case Study #84, Contested Histories
https://contestedhistories.org/wp-content/uploads/Italy_-Mussolini-Bas-Relief-in-Bolzano.pdf

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Why Are So Many Fascist Monuments Still Standing in Italy?
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/why-are-so-many-fascist-monuments-still-standing-in-italy

Hannes Obermair, Monuments and the City – an almost inextricable entanglement
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324834568_Monuments_and_the_City_-_an_almost_inextricable_entanglement

Andrea Carlà, Johanna Mitterhofer, Transforming a Controversial Heritage: The Case of the Fascist Victory Monument in South Tyrol
https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=708645

- Previous episodes under the Contested Histories Onsite project:
Episode 77: Inside memory sites - The Warsaw Rising Museum
https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-77-inside-memory-sites-the-warsaw-rising-museum-699
- Episode 85: Estonia grapples with its Soviet past
https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-85-estonia-grapples-with-its-soviet-past-236

Make sure to check out our website: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

In the opening part of this episode, Adam reveals what readers may find in the current issue of New Eastern Europe which provides voices from and about Ukraine struggling with unprovoked Russia’s military aggression that has already lasted for two months.

In the main of this episode, Maciek sits down with Aviezer Tucker, a philosopher specializing in Epistemology and Philosophy of Science, a political theorist, and an Associate at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University. They discuss Tucker’s recent book on illiberalism and how to respond to it.

Make sure to listen to the end of the episode to learn what new benefit for Patrons of the podcast awaits!

Resources:
- New Eastern Europe Issue 3/2022: The Pain of War
https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/04/25/issue-3-2022-the-pain-of-war/

- Check out Adam’s photo-story from his recent trip to Lviv:
https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/04/24/lviv-a-city-of-resistance-photo-story/

- Aviezer Tucker, Along with Ukraine, Putin is Destroying Putinism
https://theunpopulist.substack.com/p/along-with-ukraine-putin-is-destroying?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cta&s=r

Make sure to check out our website: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

In our continuing coverage of the Russian invasion against Ukraine, Adam Reichardt goes to Lviv and interviews Iryna Matviyishyn – a Ukrainian journalist. During the conversation they discuss Iryna’s recent trip to Kyiv and what she saw there as well as misconceptions of the West on Ukraine and what stage of the war is next

Make a donation in solidarity with Ukraine by supporting free press in Central and Eastern Europe! Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-free-press-in-eastern-europe

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

This episode features a discussion with Andrzej Sadecki, a senior fellow at the Centre for Eastern Studies in Warsaw. Together with Andrzej, we summarize the parliamentary election in Hungary which took place on April 3rd and coincided with a nationwide referendum. Andrzej provides his assessment of why the ruling party of Fidesz won the election big time and gained the supermajority in the Hungarian Parliament although pre-election polls and experts’ predictions suggested such a scenario was unlikely. Andrzej and Maciek also discuss possible prospects for the country under the fifth in a row term of Victor Orban as the prime of the country.

See also: "Miscalibrated ambitions, or the shock of repetition" by: Ferenc Laczó. New Eastern Europe, 5 April 2022: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/04/05/miscalibrated-ambitions-or-the-shock-of-repetition/

Please donate in solidarity with Ukraine by supporting a free press in Central and Eastern Europe! Donate here: https://gofund.me/291fcb13

Make sure to check out our website: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

In this episode, we try to comprehend what’s behind Georgia’s government’s cold stance toward Kyiv in the face of a Russia-provoked war in Ukraine and what consequences it might bring for Georgia’s foreign policy. Maciek discusses this topic with Givi Gigitashvili, a Researcher at the Atlantic Council Forensic Research Lab.

Make sure to check out our website: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

Please donate in solidarity with Ukraine by supporting a free press in Central and Eastern Europe! Donate here: https://gofund.me/291fcb13

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

Adam, Maciek and Aga are finally back together! Before getting to this week’s interview, they discuss last week’s international summits and President Joe Biden’s visit to Poland, all against the backdrop of the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.

Aga and Maciek then sit down with Dr Clara Portela – a Political Science lecturer at the Law School of the University of Valencia and an expert on multilateral sanctions, arms control and EU foreign policy. Focusing on the topic of sanctions imposed against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, they discuss common misunderstandings linked to the use of sanctions as a foreign policy tool, different types of sanctions and how they tend to affect both their targets and their senders, as well as the current dynamic within the EU and how well both the Union and Russia are prepared for the consequences of the current and potential future sanctions.

If you’d like to follow Dr Portela and her work you can find her on Twitter @DrClaraPortela. You can also follow her faculty @DretUV and you can find her publications on https://lizzysuccess.academia.edu/ClaraPORTELA

Make sure to check out our website: www.talkeasterneurope.eu
Please make a donation in solidarity with Ukraine by supporting free press in Central and Eastern Europe! Donate here: https://gofund.me/291fcb13

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

In this episode Aga and Maciek discuss with Oktawian Miliewski Moldova’s and Romania’s reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They talk about the growing number of refugees in both countries and the potential consequences of the influx of people for the two countries. Oktawian also shares his insights why a potential of a Russia-controlled breakaway region of Transnistria may not occur an easy asset to use in war.

Guest: Oktawian Milewski is an expert on the politics of Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Black Sea Region and the correspondent of Romania’s branch of Radio France Internationale. Based in Warsaw, Poland. Follow him on Twitter @milewskioctav

Make a donation in solidarity with Ukraine by supporting free press in Central and Eastern Europe! Donate here: https://gofund.me/291fcb13

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In this episode, which is recorded on March 18th 2022, Talk Eastern Europe co-hosts Agnieszka and Adam catch up with Vladyslav Faraponov, an analyst and journalist at the Kyiv-based Internews-Ukraine and UkraineWorld. They discuss the most recent developments with Russia’s war against Ukraine as well as look at some of the international developments from the Ukrainian perspective.

Make a donation in solidarity with Ukraine by supporting free press in Central and Eastern Europe!

Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-free-press-in-eastern-europe

Petition for unwavering global support for Ukraine: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/27/petition-for-unwavering-global-support-for-ukraine/

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

In our continuing coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Adam sits down with Olha Konsevych, a Ukrainian journalist and editor in chief of the 24tv.ua web portal. They discuss the current situation around the country, the humanitarian crisis and green corridors, Belarus’s role and nuclear security. In the end Olha shares her message to Russians – who need to stand up and end this war, stating “As long as Russians sit silent, the war will not end.”

The conversation was recorded on March 12th 2022 – the 17th day of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Ukraine under attack. How to help? List of organizations and charities who are in Ukraine or organizing assistance for Ukraine. Please consider supporting their efforts: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/24/ukraine-under-attack-how-to-help/

Petition for unwavering global support for Ukraine: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/27/petition-for-unwavering-global-support-for-ukraine/

Listen to our special Spotify playlist “Hear Ukraine” https://spoti.fi/35zgwTn

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

In this episode, Adam sits down with Stefano Braghiroli from the University of Tartu in Estonia. They discuss the Russian war in Ukraine and how it is seen from the Baltic states, and especially Estonia.

Please support organizations helping Ukraine: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/24/ukraine-under-attack-how-to-help/

Sign our petition for unwavering global support for Ukraine: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/27/petition-for-unwavering-global-support-for-ukraine/

Listen to our special Spotify playlist “Hear Ukraine” https://spoti.fi/35zgwTn

Nina and Alexandra open with the latest headlines from the region, including the de-linking of Albania and North Macedonia’s EU accession paths, the opening of the “foreign agents” registry in Georgia, diplomatic efforts by Ukraine, concerning announcements from Russia, and finally the Austrian elections. 

Alexandra then speaks with journalist and educator Mate Halmos about the daily reality of living in Viktor Orbán’s Hungary after 15 years of democratic backsliding and state capture. They discuss inequality between urban and rural areas, local corruption, and what has made Orbán popular among the “everyday Hungarian.” Mate also shares what makes him hopeful about Hungary’s future and how education can be a solution to the country’s increasingly absurdist and decisive political scene.  To learn more about CEU’s Socrates Program, which Mate organizes:

• https://www.facebook.com/CEUSocrates/ 
• https://www.ceu.edu/hu/kee/socrates-program
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC4qTLccG2E 
• https://studentengagement.ceu.edu/socrates-project-profiles

Help us reach 60 patrons - join us on Patreon - www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope 

*** Please support us to keep bringing you in-depth coverage. Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

In this episode, Maciek connects with Maksym Kyiak who is staying near Kyiv. Maksym shares information about the life of Ukrainians at the time when their country has been attacked by Russia. Later, Maksym assesses the changing policy of Germany and the West toward Russia, and at the end, we have the pleasure to listen to a patriotic Ukrainian song performed by Maksym.
Ukraine under attack. How to help? List of organizations and charities who are in Ukraine or organizing assistance for Ukraine.

Please consider supporting their efforts: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/24/ukraine-under-attack-how-to-help/

Petition for unwavering global support for Ukraine: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/27/petition-for-unwavering-global-support-for-ukraine/

Listen to our special Spotify playlist “Hear Ukraine” https://spoti.fi/35zgwTn

*** Please support this podcast – become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

This episode, recorded February 28th, is a summary of what has been happening in Ukraine since February 24th, the beginning of Russia's cruel military invasion of this country. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainians who are heroically defending their country's independence and freedom. We discuss not only the events in Ukraine itself, but also what is happening on the eastern border of Poland, which has already received several hundred thousand war refugees. The co-hosts discuss their reflections on these developments and Adam shares some of his experience at the Polish-Ukrainian border, where thousands of Ukrainians are arriving in their escape from the war.

This episode is also a historic episode for Talk Eastern Europe, because for the first time Adam and Maciek are joined by the third co-host – Agnieszka Widłaszewska.

Resources:
Ukraine under attack. How to help? A list of organizations and charities who are in Ukraine or organizing assistance for Ukraine. Please consider supporting their efforts: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/24/ukraine-under-attack-how-to-help/
Russia’s Blitzkrieg has become Blitzfail. Conclusions from the first days of the war: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/28/russias-blitzkrieg-has-become-blitzfail-conclusions-from-the-first-days-of-the-war/
Photo-report from the Polish border, where it is all hands on deck: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/28/photo-report-from-the-polish-border-where-it-is-all-hands-on-deck/

>>>> Sign our petition for unwavering global support for Ukraine: https://www.change.org/SupportUkraine

*** Please support this podcast – become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam sits down with Yvonne Howell, Professor of Russian and Global Studies at the University of Richmond and translator of the book “Moments of Happiness” published by Academic Studies Press. They discuss the background behind the book, the process of translating, what was learned in her experience, and how it relates to today’s darker times.

Get your copy of the book at: https://www.academicstudiespress.com/cherry-orchard-books/moments-of-happiness

Read Adam’s review at: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/11/30/happiness-in-small-doses/

Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe --> find out what is inside: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/16/issue-1-2-2022-tug-of-war-addressing-the-challenge-of-instability-in-the-region/

Recommended reading. Our interview with with Ekaterina Tkeshelashvili, Georgia’s former minister of foreign affairs. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/02/15/revisiting-the-2008-russo-georgian-war-can-offer-lessons-for-today/

*** Please support this podcast – become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu ***

This episode features Maciek’s conversation with Andrzej Sadecki, Senior Fellow at Centre For Eastern Studies in Warsaw. They discuss the issue of remembrance of the Treaty of Trianon signed in 1921 which is a source of historical trauma for Hungarians. Andrzej explains why the Hungarian perception of the aftermath of World War I and Trianon are different than in other countries of the region. In 2021, on the centenary of the signing of the Treaty, a new monument commemorating Trianon was erected in Budapest which has sparked a further public discussion of current reinterpretations of Hungary's difficult past and the place of Trianon in Hungarian political memory.

Resources and background
Andrzej Sadecki, The long shadow of the Treaty of Trianon. Hungary's struggles with the past
https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/point-view/2020-06-01/long-shadow-treaty-trianon

Previous episodes on political memory in CEE:

Russian memory politics
https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-87-russian-memory-politics-491

Estonia grapples with its Soviet past
https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-85-estonia-grapples-with-its-soviet-past-236

Inside memory sites - The Warsaw Rising Museum
https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-77-inside-memory-sites-the-warsaw-rising-museum-699

The haunting power of memory
https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-69-the-haunting-power-of-memory-917

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE: https://talkeasterneurope.eu

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Groups/TalkEasternEurope
Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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In this episode Adam and Maciek start with a discussion on developments in Russia-China relations. Later, they are joined by Mikayel Hovhannisyan, Program Director, Eurasia Partnership Foundation in Armenia, and a member of the EaP Civil Society Forum's Steering Committee. Mikayel shares his insights on the outcomes of the Eastern Partnership Summit held in December 2021. We also have a look at the challenges and opportunities lying ahead for the Eastern Partnership in the upcoming years.

This episode is a collaboration between Talk Eastern Europe and the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. Make sure to check the previous episode we did with the support of the Forum. If you like to learn more about the Eastern Partnership and the activities of civil society organizations from the region visit the website of the Forum.

Resources and background

Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum: https://eap-csf.eu/

Listen to Episode 84: Ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit: https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episode/episode-84-ahead-of-the-eastern-partnership-summit-840

Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/53527/20211215-eap-joint-declaration-en.pdf

EaP CSF Statement on the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit
https://eap-csf.eu/project/eap-csf-statement-on-the-6th-eastern-partnership-summit/

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE: https://talkeasterneurope.eu

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This episode of Talk Eastern Europe explores the role that the Arctic region plays in the European Union’s foreign and security policy. As a result of the warming climate and the expanding geopolitical ambitions of Russia and other global actors, the Arctic is becoming more important to relations in the Northern Hemisphere. What are the EU’s objectives and how can the EU achieve its aims vis-a-vis its policy in the North.

To help us understand these issues, we sit down with Urmas Paet, a member of the European Parliament from Estonia who is also vice chair of the EP’s Committee on Foreign Affairs. Paet was also the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia from 2005 to 2014.

In the discussion we are also joined by Ronek Jäär, an intern working with New Eastern Europe and a student at Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University Of Tartu. We are grateful for his research and input into the episode.

Resources and background

“Joint Communication on a stronger EU engagement for a peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Arctic” published by the European Union: https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/105481/joint-communication-stronger-eu-engagement-peaceful-sustainable-and-prosperous-arctic_en

European Parliament resolution of 7 October 2021 on the Arctic: opportunities, concerns and security challenges: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0413_EN.html

“A cold relation: Russia, China and science in the Arctic” An interview with researchers Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen and Mariia Kobzeva. New Eastern Europe 25 March 2020. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/03/25/a-cold-relation-russia-china-and-science-in-the-arctic/

>>>Support this podcast – become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu

In this episode, we deal with the subject of Russian politics of memory. We discuss the basic threads of the Russian narrative about collective memory and discuss how and for what purposes they are instrumentalized by the current rulers in the Kremlin. It also turns out that understanding the Russian authorities' approach to history provides explanations for the motives behind Russia's current actions at the international arena, including a possible escalation of the Russian-provoked 2014 war with Ukraine. We also look at how independent researchers and non-governmental organizations are trying to build a message based on facts or family stories that does not agree with the official line of the Kremlin.

Our guide on this important and complex topic is Maria Domańska, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Eastern Studies in Warsaw, and co-author of a report on Russia's politics of memory. The report is available for download here:
https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-report/2021-11-22/forward-past

Read also: “The forbidden theme of repression: History in the service of authoritarian politics”, by Maria Domańska, New Eastern Europe, 30 November 2021 https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/11/30/the-forbidden-theme-of-repression-history-in-the-service-of-authoritarian-politics/

In the first episode of 2022, Talk Eastern Europe takes a comprehensive look at the situation on the border of Belarus and Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Last year, the regime in Minsk headed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, tried to artificially create a migration and border crisis for EU states as revenge for sanctions policies in the wake of the falsified 2020 elections and subsequent crackdowns. In this special episode, Maciek collects insights from two Polish experts (Filip Rudnik, Dominik Wilczewski) who followed the crisis closely. The discussions provide a special focus on the internal situations in Belarus and Lithuania.

Support this podcast – become a Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.eu

Resources:
Check out New Eastern Europe’s issue about Belarus (5/2021): https://neweasterneurope.eu/product/issue-5-2021-belarusians-one-year-in-protest/

“Dispatch from the border: Witnessing Lithuania’s migrant pushbacks” by: Jurga Bakaitė. New Eastern Europe, 09 November 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/11/09/dispatch-from-the-border-witnessing-lithuanias-migrant-pushbacks/

Don’t forget to give us 5 * Rating! Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/TalkEasternEurope

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The final episode of 2021 once again takes us to Estonia. This time the context is a discussion on the removal of the Soviet-era “Bronze Soldier” statue in Tallinn which took place in April 2007. As a result of the government’s decision, violent protests broke out in Estonia – unprecedented for the small Baltic state.

The incident exemplifies the complexity of memory in this region but also illustrates how memory is used to manipulate and incite violence. To revisit this discussion and take stock on the current state of inter-ethnic relations in Estonia, Adam and Maciek sit down with Karsten Brüggemann Professor of Estonian and General History at Tallinn University.

This episode is being produced within the framework of the project titled “Contested Histories Onsite”, a project which aims to place Europeans in discussions and debates on multiple historical perspectives and to activate citizens in public involvement of memory-constructions. As part of the EU’s Europe for Citizens programme, the project’s aspiration is rooted in a shared conviction that raising critical questions about the past is fundamental for citizens to develop a critical attitude towards the narratives that are competing with each other in contemporary politics.

For more information on the project visit:
-Contested Histories Onsite: https://contestedhistories.org/onsite/
-Memory Studies Association: https://www.memorystudiesassociation.org/contested-histories-onsite/
-EuroClio: https://www.euroclio.eu/project/contested-histories/
- Listen to our previous episode on the Warsaw Uprising Museum: https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-77
****
Check out our special podcast series on Polish Science Fiction and Fantasy / 100 Years of Stanislaw Lem. Available here: https://apple.co/3d6ToM8

>>> Support our podcast, become a patron: www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEurope

On December 15th, the European Union will host the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels – the first in-person summit since 2019. The Summit aims to focus on five priority areas – economy, governance, the environment, digital and society.

In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Maciek sits down with three experts from the Eastern Partnership’s Civil Society Forum to discuss their expectations for the Summit and how civil society plays a key role in the development of the Eastern Partnership. They also discuss their latest position paper which addresses the EU’s post-2020 priorities for the initiative.

Guests: Vera Rihackova Pachta, Interim Director of the EaP CSF; Sofia Strive, ForumCiv (Sweden) Co-Chair of the EaP CSF; and Tatiana Poshevalova, Centre for Social Innovations (Belarus) and member of the EaP CSF Steering Committee.

Resources
Check out the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum: https://eap-csf.eu/
No recovery without democracy: Rule of law and democratic accountability at the heart of recovery, resilience and reform. Read the paper here: https://eap-csf.eu/project/position-paper-on-the-jswd-on-recovery-resilience-and-reform/
More on the Eastern Partnership Summit: https://euneighbourseast.eu/eapsummit/
>>> Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe here: https://bit.ly/3xL6x78

****
Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod Network. Learn more here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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

>>> Support the podcast, become a patron: www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEurope

Estonia has recently undergone two political cycles. First, with the election of Alar Karis as president of the republic, and next with the Centre Party winning the local elections. At the same time, the greatest beneficiary of coalition talks at the local level is the ruling party – the Reform Party. Eesti 200 made a strong debut in local elections while national-conservative EKRE improve the result from the last municipal election.

In this episode, Maciek discusses these elections with Stefano Braghiroli, an associate professor of European Studies at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, University of Tartu. They look at the results and what they might say about the current state of Estonian politics and society.

For the official electoral results: https://kov2021.valimised.ee/en/election-result/index.html

“What to watch in Estonia’s upcoming local elections” By: Samuel Kramer. New Eastern Europe, 15 October 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/10/15/what-to-watch-in-estonias-upcoming-local-elections/

Talk Eastern Europe episode 74: Can Eesti 200 bridge political divides in Estonia? https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-74
****
Check out our brand new podcast series: “Exploring Polish Science Fiction and Fantasy – 100 Years of Stanislaw Lem” find it here: www.neweasterneurope.eu/Lem100
Or on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3o5BIHd
Apple podcasts: https://apple.co/3d6ToM8
****
Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod Network. Learn more here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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Earlier this month was a the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Brdo Slovenia. While there has been a lot of talk of seeking a breakthrough in opening the EU membership door for Western Balkans, not much came to fruition as a result of the high level meeting. Nevertheless, it is important to understand current issues regarding Western Balkans, their relations with the European Union and what might come next.
In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Maciek catches up with Marta Szpala an analyst at the Warsaw-based Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), to get her insight on the current developments in the region of Western Balkans.
**************
Full text of the Brdo declaration of the EU-Western Balkans summit: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/52280/brdo-declaration-6-october-2021-en.pdf
TEE Episode 61: Bulgaria blocks North Macedonia’s EU aspirations https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-61
The Berlin Process and why the EU remains a political dwarf in the Balkans by Ivan Pepic: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/08/12/the-berlin-process-and-why-the-eu-remains-a-political-dwarf-in-the-balkans/
Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod Network. Learn more here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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This episode of Talk Eastern Europe attempts to add context to the situation that is taking place on the border with Belarus and Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Since June this year, the regime in Minsk has deliberately stimulated a migration crisis on the eastern border of the EU as a response to tough policies towards the Lukashenka regime. To give greater context to this issue, it is important to look through the lens of biopolitics – which is the intersection of biology and politics. During this podcast, Maciek meets with Andrey Makarychev, visiting professor at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies in Tartu Estonia and co-author of the book “Critical Biopolitics of the Post-Soviet: From Populations to Nations”.

Resources:
Critical Biopolitics of the Post-Soviet, By Andrey Makarychev and Alexandra Yatsyk: https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Biopolitics-Post-Soviet-Populations-Nations-ebook/dp/B081XGNLF9

“River and fog instead of fence and radars: guarding Lithuania’s easternmost border”, by Gytis Pankūnas and Justinas Stacevičius. New Eastern Europe, 30 August 2021. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/08/30/river-an-fog-instead-of-fence-and-radars-guarding-lithuanias-easternmost-border/

Gone with the virus. How the pandemic makes Russian strategy evanescent, by Andrey Makarychev. New Eastern Europe issue 4/2020: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/07/07/gone-with-the-virus-how-the-pandemic-makes-russian-strategy-evanescent/

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Groups/TalkEasternEurope

Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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In this episode, Talk Eastern Europe returns to Central Europe and discusses recent political developments in Hungary. Following Viktor Orbán’s debut on American prime time with his interview with Tucker Carlson, Adam catches up with Ferenc Laczo, a political and intellectual historian at Maastricht University, and an editor with the CEU’s Review of Democracy. They explore Orbán’s attempts to build himself as a leader of right-wing politics, the current situation in the country, and what might we expect ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections.

Resources
Legacy of Division: East and West after 1989 https://www.eurozine.com/about-eurozine/print-series/

RevDem podcasts https://democracyinstitute.ceu.edu/revdem-podcasts

Check out our exclusive Zoom discussion (for patrons only) with Szabolsc Panyi on Hungarian media: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tee-patron-zoom-47909846

Women protests in Belarus, online discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I4--qNTdi4

Political system in Belarus, online discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPcCmV7eqzU&t

>>>>> Check out the newest issue of the magazine on Belarus here: https://bit.ly/3kd5OGN

*** Support this podcast! Become a Patron here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

In this episode, Adam and Maciek get back to Ukraine and discuss recent developments in Ukraine’s foreign policy, including Nord Stream 2, the Crimea Platform and President Zelenskyy’s visit to the United States. The episode features Adam’s interview with Ukrainian expert Anna Korbut to further analyze these developments and what might come next for the country.

Resources:
“The Crimea Platform as a new approach to a seven-year-old problem: By: Adam Reichardt, New Eastern Europe, 24 August 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/08/24/the-crimea-platform-as-a-new-approach-to-a-seven-year-old-problem/

“The Crimean Platform: possible light in the hybrid tunnel”. By: Christine Karelska and Pavlo Vugelman, New Eastern Europe, 24 August 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/08/23/the-crimean-platform-possible-light-in-the-hybrid-tunnel/

“Mr Zelenskyy goes to Washington” by: Vladyslav Faraponov. New Eastern Europe, 1 September 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/09/01/mr-zelenskyy-goes-to-washington/

TEE Episode 52: Nord Stream 2 and pipeline politics: https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-52

Nord Stream 2. Strictly business or wider threat? By: Mykola Voytiv, New Eastern Europe, Issue 4 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/06/23/nord-stream-2-strictly-business-or-wider-threat/

>>>>> Check out the newest issue of the magazine on Belarus here: https://bit.ly/3kd5OGN

And listen to our special audio documentary on Belarus: https://bit.ly/2HQRVO4

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We are back after a short summer break and just released a new episode. In this episode we come back to Georgia and discuss the situation there after the collapse of the EU-negotiated deal earlier this year and ahead of local elections in the fall. For the discussion, Adam sits down with Soso Dzamukashvili, a policy analyst and researcher focusing on political developments in Central and Eastern Europe.

Resources:
“What is really behind Ivanishvili’s decision to quit politics” Soso Dzamukashvili, New Eastern Europe issue 3/2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/04/11/what-is-really-behind-ivanishvilis-decision-to-quit-politics/

Georgia’s argument over ‘Michel’ is finished, at least for now, Archil Sikharulidze, New Eastern Europe 16 August 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/08/16/georgias-argument-over-michel-is-finished-at-least-for-now/

“Crisis spiral in Georgia and Moldova – commonalty, distinctions and ways out” Denis Cenusa, 8 March 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/03/08/crisis-spiral-in-georgia-and-moldova-commonalty-distinctions-and-ways-out/

Talk Eastern Europe 66: “Political turbulence shakes Georgia” https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/tee-66

Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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In this special episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Maciek have a conversation with Maria Kobielska, a memory scholar and assistant professor at the Department of Anthropology of Literature and Cultural Research at the Jagiellonian Univeristy in Kraków Poland. She is also the co-founder of the Research Center for Memory Cultures at the University.

This episode is being produced within the framework of the project titled “Contested Histories Onsite”, a project which aims to place Europeans in discussions and debates on multiple historical perspectives and to activate citizens in public involvement of memory-constructions. As part of the EU’s Europe for Citizens programme, the project’s aspiration is rooted in a shared conviction that raising critical questions about the past is fundamental for citizens to develop a critical attitude towards the narratives that are competing with each other in contemporary politics.

For more information on the project visit:
-Contested Histories Onsite: https://contestedhistories.org/onsite/
-Memory Studies Association: https://www.memorystudiesassociation.org/contested-histories-onsite/
-EuroClio: https://www.euroclio.eu/project/contested-histories/

Visit the Warsaw Uprising Museum Online: https://www.1944.pl/en/article/the-warsaw-rising-museum,4516.html

>>> Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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In this special podcast episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Maciek and Adam are joined by Roman Washchuk, the former Canadian ambassador to Ukraine (2014-2019). They discuss the challenges Ukraine faces, look at the recent NATO summit and analyze Western support for Ukraine’s reforms. The conversation ends with a short reflection on the situation in Belarus.

Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe on Ukraine now available at www.neweasterneurope.eu

Read also:
“Ukrainian NATO membership: Realistic or a diplomatic tool?” by: Maryna Parfenchuk, New Eastern Europe, June 25 2021, https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/06/25/ukrainian-nato-membership-realistic-or-a-diplomatic-tool/

>> In case you missed our online event titled: “All Quiet on the Eastern Flank? Reflections after the June 2021 NATO Summit” you can watch it online here: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/06/17/all-quiet-on-the-eastern-flank-reflections-after-the-june-2021-nato-summit/

Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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In this special episode produced ahead of the NATO Summit, Adam and Maciek take a look at the context of the event scheduled for June 14th 2021 – the first Summit with the participation of Joe Biden as US President. Later, Adam sits down with Alice Stollmeyer, the Founder and Executive Director of Defend Democracy - an independent, nonpartisan, transatlantic initiative aimed at defending democracy from internal, external and technological threats. They discuss issues on the Transatlantic agenda as well as the current and future challenges that face the Alliance.

Please check out and support Alice’s organization: www.defenddemocracy.eu

Other articles to check out:
“We need to talk about Russia, again,” by: Wojciech Michnik. New Eastern Europe 19 May 2021. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/05/19/we-need-to-talk-about-russia-again/

“Closing the window of opportunity for Russia?” By: Silvie Leštinská. New Eastern Europe 7 June 2021. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/06/07/closing-the-window-of-opportunity-for-russia/

Production of this podcast episode is part of a wider project called “All Quiet on the Eastern Flank?” which is conducted by New Eastern Europe and supported by a grant from NATO Public Diplomacy. Learn more at: www.neweasterneurope.eu

Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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This episode brings us back to Estonia with an interview with Kristina Kallas, a political scientist and the leader of Eesti 200 liberal political party. Ahead of the autumn local elections, political divisions are sharp in this northern Baltic state. However Kallas hopes her vision for a renewed political agenda can help change this trend. She also discusses the important situation with the Russian minority in the country and how it has evolved over the past 30 years.

Read Kallas’s latest essay from the April-May issue of New Eastern Europe. “Russians in Estonia. We are not ‘them’, we are ‘us’”: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/04/11/russians-in-estonia-we-are-not-them-we-are-us/

Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/talkeasterneurope

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/talkeasterneurope

Get deeper into culture, check out Apofenie: https://www.apofenie.com/

Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe: https://bit.ly/4daXLCI

Recommendations from the podcast
Films:
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/9781324093220
Sofia 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-Z7K6wOcUxPNWrzDsABgEpGRqd
Myroslav 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/1646053168
Stanislav Aseyev - In Isolation. Dispatches from Occupied Donbas: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674268784

Music:
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=3UpoeJ2X07w
Жадан і Собаки (Zhadan and the dogs) – “Метро” (metro): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIcV7O-mefs
Kalush Orchestra – “Stefania”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Z51no1TD0

Also - check out this special playlist “Hear Ukraine” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4l6p031ldkgJYPwrFsoQcj?si=3b02d87a692d43a1

Art: 
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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In this special episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Maciek sits down with Dmytro Khutkyy an expert on digital democracy and open governance. They discuss how different countries approach digital democracy, what are some advantages and also pitfalls of digitizing our public sector. The main context for the conversation was the release of a recent online study called the “Digital Democracy Database”. This project is designed to identify and analyse cases of digital democracy aspiring to consolidate global democracy by discovering and sharing good practices of open participatory governance worldwide. It is intended as a source of data for scholars, policy analysts, civic activists, politicians, and other interested parties.

Learn more about the Digital Democracy Database: https://europeandigital.org/digital-democracy-database

Lear more about our guest, Dmytro Khutkyy: https://www.khutkyy.com/

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/talkeasterneurope

Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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In this episode, we invite Romain Lequiniou from the French think tank “Euro Créative” and Lidia Gibadło from the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) to discuss the approaches of two of the most important players in Western Europe - Germany and France - towards the region of Eastern Europe. We discuss relations with Russia, Belarus, the Nagorno-Karabkh conflict, and possible upcoming political changes in both countries and what effect they may have on our region.

Resources and previous episodes:
“Ukraine in France” An interview with Christine Kohut, member of Portail de l’Ukraine. Interviewer: Clémence Lavialle. New Eastern Europe 12 May 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/05/12/ukraine-in-france/

“France-Russia, a love-hate history” By: Cyrille Bret. New Eastern Europe Issue 1-2 (Jan-March) 2020. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/01/28/france-russia-a-love-hate-history/

Talk Eastern Europe Episode 65: Relations with Russia. To engage or not engage?: https://www.spreaker.com/user/talkeasterneurope/ep-65

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Groups/TalkEasternEurope

Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

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In this episode we welcome back Agnieszka Legucka, a Polish analyst and expert on Russia. During Maciek’s interview with Agnieszka, the podcast discusses the security situation in the region, the Kremlin’s motives for massing troops around Ukraine and some of the internal factors which may also be driving the Kremlin’s decision-making.

Further reading:
“Russia’s military build-up on the border with Ukraine: intimidation, imminent escalation or both?” By: - Alisa Muzergues. New Eastern Europe 21 April 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/04/21/russias-military-build-up-on-the-border-with-ukraine-intimidation-imminent-escalation-or-both/

“What’s behind Moscow’s possible escalation in Donbas” by Piotr Andrusieczko. New Eastern Europe 11 April 2021: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/04/11/whats-behind-moscows-possible-escalation-in-donbas/

“Russia’s police state showed its real face in latest protest crackdown” By: Giovanni Pigni. New Eastern Europe issue 3/2021. https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/04/11/russias-police-state-showed-its-real-face-in-latest-protest-crackdown/

>>> Check out “Tales from the Baltics” - the newest issue of New Eastern Europe. Get your copy here: https://bit.ly/3fZWpkd

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Groups/TalkEasternEurope

Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod network. Check it out here: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod