Vytis Jurkonis is a Lithuanian human rights defender and the go-to-guy for dissidents who need to flee Belarus and Russia. In this pilot episode of Escalation, Gabrielius Landsbergis talks to Vytis about how Lithuania became a haven for dissidents, and how we could achieve the goal of Belarus and Russia becoming free, peaceful and democratic countries.

00:00 Introduction

02:17 Lithuania as a Place of Refuge

05:00 The Process of Seeking Refuge in Lithuania

07:39 Understanding the Belarusian Regime

09:52 Negotiating with Authoritarian Leaders

12:37 Lithuania's Role in Supporting Dissidents

15:01 Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya and Lithuania

16:54 Lithuania's Historical Support for Freedom

20:58 Solidarity with Freedom Movements in Eastern Europe

23:30 Understanding Russia's Opposition and Dissidents

29:00 The Role of Independent Media in Russia

32:12 The Complexity of Russian Identity and Guilt

38:53 The Path to a Democratic Russia

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