In this episode, social scientist and public intellectual Myhailo Wynnyckyj—Associate Professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy—joins me to discuss the newly released Ukraine Manifesto, a sustainable peace plan for Ukraine he recently co-authored detailing what a minimum and maximum victory could look like. We also revisit the early days of the full-scale invasion reflected in his widely read Thoughts from Kyiv blog during the invasion’s first days—and what Ukrainian resilience means today.

Full Manifesto here:

In this episode, Ukraine analyst Adrian Karatnycky breaks down the implications of the so-called “peace plan,” and why robust support for Ukraine is in America's interest. We also explore the Ukrainian government’s response to the recent corruption scandal — and what it reveals about Ukraine’s internal dynamics at a critical moment.

In this episode, Canadian journalist Neil Hauer reflects on his eigth reporting trip to Ukraine and shares vivid insights from covering the war since its onset in February 2022 — including his firsthand experience of the invasion’s first days.

In this episode, we talk with Benjamin Goldhagen — the mind behind “To the Zero Line” and “The Steel Porcupine” — about what it takes to film on the edge of a war zone, finding humanity amid destruction, and why Ukraine’s story needs to be told now.

Goldhagen shares his experiences filming on the frontlines of Ukraine — capturing resilience, trauma, and the human stories behind the headlines.

www.thesteelporcupine.com

🎥 Keywords: Ukraine documentary, Benjamin Goldhagen interview, Ukrainian war, frontline filmmaking, Ukrainian culture, documentary podcast.

Jonas is a former Swedish Marine who when Russia invaded Ukraine, decided that he must act to support Ukraine. For almost 4 years he drives once a month to the front lines in Ukraine donating various supplies purchased by Swedish donors. Join us for his insights into the war from both an "on the ground" and Swedish perspective.

Hanna Shelest is the Director of Security Programmes at Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism”, one of the top Ukrainian think-tanks. A native of Odessa, we discuss how her city and people have managed during the war, Hanna's expert perspective of the global stage vis a vis Ukraine, Russia's psychological mind games, and the various technology and techniques used by Ukraine to counter Russia's invasion. 

Olena Trehub is the founder and Secretary General of NAKO - the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission, established in Ukraine in cooperation with Transparency International in 2017. NAKO focuses on promoting good governance in the defense sector, anti-corruption reform in areas critical for national security, and due diligence in the defense industry.  Olena is currently serving her second term on the Anti-Corruption Council of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. She also works with the International Center for Ukrainian Victory, advocating for strong international support for Ukraine.

Previously, Olena served as Director at Ukraine's Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, managing over $12 billion in international development projects. She is a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts) and Central European University. She has received multiple awards for her reform work and was named one of Ukraine's 100 most influential women by New Time Magazine.

Since the time of Covid, Vladyslav created his YouTube channel "The Metal Pilgrim" commenting on the latest happenings in the world of heavy metal music. The slick production, sharp editing combined with his insightful commentary and passion for the music grew his audience quickly. When the full scale invasion of Ukraine started in 2022, Vladyslav, who is based in Kyiv, began to fundraise to buy supplies and then move them to the front lines. He kept his audience informed on what was happening on the ground in Ukraine, and later worked with both metal musicians and fans to fundraise for his non profit, -Сталеві Крила / Steel Wings Foundation -

For Episode 20 we invite previous guests and Ukraine experts, Professor Oles Motyl and Dr. Taras Kuzio to discuss their latest thoughts on developments of Russia's war on Ukraine and the dichotomy of the Trump administration. 

Brian Bonner was Chief Editor of the Kyiv Post from 2008-2021. Join us as we catch up with Brian as to what he is doing now, his reflections on journalism both in Ukraine and the US, and a general conversation about the state of recent events on the political arena.