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

In this episode, we focus our attention on Russia's semi-exclave of Kaliningrad, located by the Baltic Sea and surrounded by NATO allies.

Our guest for this week is Miłosz J. Cordes, a former career diplomat, currently a post-doc researcher at Lund University, a fellow researcher at the Danish Foreign Policy Society, and a lecturer at DIS Study Abroad in Copenhagen.

Aga and Miłosz discuss how the region of Kaliningrad changed hands over the centuries and how it ended up being part of the USSR and eventually Russia. They also talk about the role of Kaliningrad today, and the geopolitical sensitivities stemming from its location.

Finally, as Miłosz's research interests cover identity politics in the Baltic Sea Region and in Central and Eastern Europe, the interview delves into how the inhabitants of Kaliningrad identify themselves vis-a-vis the rest of Russia, and what are their perceptions of their country's actions on the international stage.

You can find Miłosz's research on https://www.milosz.dk/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/miloszcordes

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

In this week’s episode, Adam is just back from a trip to Lviv. Maciek asks Adam for his reflections on his stay in the Western Ukrainian city. Later, Adam is joined by Iuliia Mendel a Ukrainian journalist who served as press secretary and spokesperson for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from 2019 until 2021. Her recent book is titled “The Fight of Our Lives. My Time with Zelenskyy, Ukraine's Battle for Democracy, and What It Means for the World”, which tells the story of her time with Zelenskyy, and what the current war means for Ukraine and the world. Adam and Iuliia talk about her book and her experiences working side-by-side with President Zelenskyy.

For our Talk Eastern Europe Patrons, the conversation continues with Iuliia’s impression of Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, as well as her thoughts on the president’s communication strategy since the full-scale invasion happened on 24 February.

Become a patron and listen to the full episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-118-book-74475553

Check the book out on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Fight-Our-Lives-Zelenskyy-Democracy-ebook/dp/B09X61CYYF

*** Help us reach our goal of 50 patrons by the end of 2022! Join us here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

This episodes looks into Italy’s bilateral relation with Russia and its possible development under the newly-established government of Giorgia Meloni, who is the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy.

Our guest is Stefano Braghiroli, Associate Professor of European Studies at Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, University of Tartu, Estonia.
Together with Maciek, Stefano discusses Meloni’s political background and the challenge of Italian pro-Russian politicians, some of whom are in the new government, and what it means for Italy’s and EU’s support for Ukraine.

Become a TEE Patron to listen to the full episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/74167530/

It has been now over 280 days since the Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. A lot has changed since our last special episode dedicated to the war in Ukraine. Since the summer, Ukraine’s counter-offensive has had some serious success in taking back its land from Russia – particularly in the North, but also in the East and South. Serious efforts are now aimed at retaking Kherson in the south. At the same time, Russia’s strategy against Ukrainian civilians intensified.

In this special episode dedicated to the war in Ukraine, Adam sits down with Julia Kazdobina – a Ukrainian expert on security and information operations. She is the head of the Ukrainian Foundation for Security Studies and a former Advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of Information Policy.

They talk about the current situation in Ukraine, Russian strategy, Western aid, and what is ahead as the winter is approaching.

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: “Loss and Division” now available online at: https://bit.ly/3SPvdon

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: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

This episode features a discussion with Aline Sierp, an Associate Professor in European Studies at Maastricht University, the co-founder and co-president of the Memory Studies Association, and the Council of European Studies’ Research Network on Transnational Memory and Identity in Europe.

Aline provides us with a broader context of the Contested Histories Onsite project which is a cooperation between Talk Eastern Europe, the Memory Studies Association, and EuroClio: the European Association of History Educators. This project is powered by the European Commission and the Europe4Citizens program.”

Under this project, we published three episodes on different historical sites in Europe, the narratives around them, and the recontextualization that these narratives have undergone. This podcast presents some reflections on the work done under the project and presents some other outcomes that are available to the broader public.

Previous episodes under the Contested Histories Onsite project:
Episode 99: Transforming the fascist past. The case of Bolzano’s bas-relief, https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-99-transforming-the-fascist-past-the-case-of-bolzanos-bas-relief-424

Episode 85: Estonia grapples with its Soviet past, https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-85-estonia-grapples-with-its-soviet-past-228

Episode 77: Inside memory sites - The Warsaw Rising Museum, https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-77-inside-memory-sites-the-warsaw-rising-museum-910

The Contested Histories Onsite website: https://contestedhistories.org/onsite/

Memory Studies Association: https://www.memorystudiesassociation.org/contested-histories-onsite/

EuroClio: https://www.euroclio.eu/project/contested-histories/

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

In this episode Aga sits down with Harold Chambers, an independent political and security analyst specialising in the North Caucasus, to discuss the recent anti-mobilisation protests in this multi-ethnic part of Russia usually known for very low levels of open dissent. Aga and Harold then delve deeper into the mood in Chechnya specifically, and compare how the usual perception of Chechen troops differs from their real performance on the battlefield in Ukraine.

In the final part of the discussion, available exclusively for our patrons, Aga and Harold talk about the notorious head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. What role does he play in Russia's war against Ukraine? Does he have a special relationship with Putin and the Kremlin? What is his endgame? Join our patreon to find out!

The full episode can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/73456918

Follow Harold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chambersharold8

You can find his weekly updates on North Caucasus in Lossi 36's newsletter: https://lossi36.com/category/format/news/

His recent articles include:

"Mobilization in the North Caucasus" - https://ridl.io/mobilization-in-the-north-caucasus/

"The price of protest in Chechnya" - https://ridl.io/the-price-of-protest-in-chechnya/

"Moving Beyond the Chechen Troika" - https://ridl.io/moving-beyond-the-chechen-troika/

"The Shifting Political Hierarchy in the North Caucasus" - https://www.fpri.org/article/2022/06/the-shifting-political-hierarchy-in-the-north-caucasus/

"The post-Kadyrov mirage" - https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/09/07/the-post-kadyrov-mirage

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

In this week’s episode, Adam and Maciek open with a discussion on some of the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war. Later they sit down with Megan McCullough, a development associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington DC and a contributor to Lossi36. They discuss the place of Bosnia in Europe and its geopolitical position, the complicated electoral system of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the broad social challenges faced in the country and the uncertain results of the most recent elections on October 2nd 2022. What do the results say about the future of the country? What are its perspectives for European integration?
For our patrons, we continue the conversation looking at how the Bosnian society sees the war in Ukraine and what are the geopolitical players’ interest in the Western Balkans region and what is the role of Bosnia in geopolitics.

The entire podcast episode can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-114-deep-73177149

Resources:
A Book Of Luminous Things: An International Anthology of Poetry: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Luminous-Things-International-Anthology/dp/0156005743

Bosnia Elections: One Loser, no Clear Winners – Uncertain Prospects, Balkan Insight: https://balkaninsight.com/2022/10/04/bosnia-elections-one-loser-no-clear-winners-uncertain-prospects/

Sign up to get updates on the latest episodes at: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

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

In this episode we look towards China from the perspective of its encounters with the West and Europe. Our guest is Jacek Hajduk, a Cracow-based (Poland) writer and classical philologist. His recent book “The Journal of the Rat Year” (in Polish: Dziennik Roku Szczura”) has been recently published in Poland.
The book offers an in-depth historical look into the Chinese-European relations and shows us that a meaningful and patient discovering China’s and Europe’s history will tell us a lot about ourselves and our today challenges.

Follow our guest on Twitter: @jahajduk

More about the book [in Polish]: https://www.kew.org.pl/produkt/rok-szczura/

Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe: https://bit.ly/3SPvdon

Read online: "Putin’s mobilisation. Too little, too late" by Agnieszka Bryc, New Eastern Europe 26 Sept 2022: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/09/26/putin-mobilization-russia-war-ukraine/

Check us out at: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

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

In this episode, Aga and Maciek sit down not with one but two guests, diving deep into the history of Russian/Soviet disinformation and memory politics, and linking it to the most recent events, including the partial mobilization in Russia and sham referenda in the occupied territories of Ukraine. The voices of our guests will seem familiar to our regular listeners, as Aga and Maciek were joined by Prof. Agnieszka Legucka of the Polish Institute of International Affairs and Dr. Maria Domańska of the Centre for Eastern Studies. The inspiration for our discussion was a recently published volume "Disinformation, Narratives and Memory Politics in Russia and Belarus", to which both of our guests contributed.

Additional materials:

"Disinformation, Narratives and Memory Politics in Russia and Belarus" - https://www.routledge.com/Disinformation-Narratives-and-Memory-Politics-in-Russia-and-Belarus/Legucka-Kupiecki/p/book/9781032251103

"Forward, into the past! Russia’s politics of memory in the service of ‘eternal’ authoritarianism" - https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-report/2021-11-22/forward-past

"The Set-up" by Vladimir Volkoff, https://archive.org/details/setup00volk/mode/2up

Follow our guests:

Prof. Legucka - https://www.pism.pl/analysts/Agnieszka_Legucka_en ; @ALegucka on Twitter

Dr. Domańska - https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/eksperci/maria-domanska ; @MDomanskaOSW on Twitter

Our guests' previous episodes:

Episode 34 "Pandemic, power and Putin forever" with Prof. Legucka - https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-34-pandemic-power-and-putin-forever-856

Episode 71 "Putin's test of the West" with Prof. Legucka - https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-71-putins-test-of-the-west-434

Episode 87 "Russian memory politics" with Dr. Domańska - https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-87-russian-memory-politics-762

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

This week Maciek and Aga open the episode with a discussion on the latest news regarding Ukraine’s gains in the Kharkiv region, pushing back the Russian forces that have been occupying land there for the last several months. Later, Adam interviews Marie Dumoulin from the European Council on Foreign Relations. They talk about the debate around the EU-wide visa ban for Russian tourists, examine EU sanctions and how European states are working with Russian groups abroad.

The debate on a visa ban is not a settled one as there are arguments for both sides. We offer several resources below for you to learn more about the context of this debate, including another point of view in contrast to the guest speaker on today’s podcast.

“Why banning Russians from Europe is the right thing to do”, by Vladyslav Faraponov. New Eastern Europe 31 August 2022: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/08/31/why-banning-russians-from-europe-is-the-right-thing-to-do/

“The imperial mentality of unapologetic Russian oppositionists”, by Tomasz Kamusella. New Eastern Europe 26 August 2022: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2022/08/26/the-imperial-mentality-of-unapologetic-russian-oppositionists/

More about the Guest: Marie Dumoulin is the director of the Wider Europe programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Prior to joining ECFR, Dumoulin worked as a French career diplomat. She held a number of positions in French diplomatic missions abroad, e.g. in Turkmenistan, Algeria, Germany, and was seconded to the German Foreign Ministry during the German OSCE Chairmanship.

Check us out online at: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

Don’t forget to give us a Five-Star rating!