Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia are joined by Laure Mandeville, senior reporter for the French media outlet Le Figaro and cofounder of Conversations Tocqueville. On the eve of US President Joe Biden’s state dinner honoring French President Emmanuel Macron, Mandeville talks about France’s political, economic, and military role in Europe and growing challenges across Europe. In particular, she discusses the current state of the transatlantic alliance, including European suspicion over America’s ability to profit from the Russia-Ukraine war, the historical and political context of French-Russian-Ukrainian relations, and Russia’s future plans for Ukraine.

Show notes: Quand l’Ukraine se lève by Constantin Sigov and Laure Mandeville. Sign up for The Eastern Front's newsletter here.