Oleksandr Kraiev, Director of the North America at the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council in Kyiv, discusses recent revelations of mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and the bombing of the prison in Olenivka where Ukrainian prisoners of war were being held, as well as the response to these events in Ukraine. 'We are going to win - but we should win like Ukrainians - this was an impetus to continue our struggle - not to cease it'

Follow Oleksandr on twitter: @okraiev

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I can also be reached on [email protected] or [email protected] 

Brian Taylor, Professor of Political Science at Syracuse University, discusses the Code of Putinism - What are the key ideas that drive Putin and those around him? Was Putin's rise to power inevitable? Why is the war in Ukraine Putin's war? 

Brian Taylor - The Code of Putinism 

Brian Taylor in Foreign Affairs: The Power Struggle After Putin

Follow Prof. Brian Taylor on twitter: @bdtaylor_SU

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Ivan Shmatko, PhD student at the University of Alberta, and Dafna Rachok, PhD candidate at Indiana University Bloomington, discuss what we can learn about Ukrainian society from Ukraine's public health services and the treatment of vulnerable groups; how Ukrainian identity, society and politics has diverged from Russia's; conditions and forced mobilisation in occupied territories; and anticipation in Ukraine of a coming counteroffensive. 

Article on Crimea referenced by Dafna in the discussion: Jen Carroll on public health in occupied Crimea 

Follow Dafna on twitter: @dafnarachok

Follow Ivan on twitter: @shmatkoivan

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Zofia Stemplowska, Professor of Political Theory at the University of Oxford, investigates the 'NATO enlargement' argument - which suggests that NATO's inclusion of member states in Eastern Europe drove the war in ukraine - does this argument have any merit? what are its flaws? how can we better consider this issue? 

Zofia Stemplowska: NATO enlargement is not to blame for Russia's war in Ukraine

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Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses the upcoming Day of Ukrainian Statehood on July 28, Ukrainian identity since the full-scale Russian invasion, Russian propaganda and conditions amongst those left in occupied Mariupol. 

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Volodymyr Dubovyk, Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations at Mechnikov National University in Odessa, discusses the recent grain export deal agreed between Ukraine and Russia, subsequent Russian missile strikes on a port in Odessa, Ukraine's motivations to sign the deal, and chances of success.

Follow Volodymyr on twitter: @volodymdubovyk

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Michael Mandelbaum, Professor Emeritus of American Foreign Policy at the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, on his latest book The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy: Weak Power, Great Power, Superpower, Hyperpower - we discussed the Four Ages; continuities in US Foreign Policy as a global power; US entry into and exit from wars; possible future trajectories; and unique aspects of US support for Ukraine in the current war. 

Michael Mandelbaum: The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy

Michael Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of Peace on Earth

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Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses the possibility for a Ukrainian counteroffensive and the importance of a counteroffensive in Kherson before the Russian elections on 11 September this year. 

Follow Maksym on twitter: @maksymyali

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Paul Poast, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, outlines the underpinnings of realism, and discusses the way in wich realism has been associated with the explanation that 'NATO expansion' to include states in Eastern Europe is a driver of Russia's actions. Paul - draws on realist assumptions - to provide an alternate - (and - for me - more convincing) - explanation for Russia's actions. Paul also discusses whether war in Ukraine could have been avoided and how Paul views the conflict trajectory.  

Paul Poast - A World of Power and Fear: What Critics of Realism Get Wrong, Foreign Affairs, June 2022

Paul Poast - The war in Ukraine is on track to be amongst modern history's bloodiest, Washington Post, June 2022

Follow Paul Poast on twitter: @profpaulpoast

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Mart Kuldkepp, Associate Professor of Scandanavian History and Politics at University College London, discusses the Baltic states and the war in Ukraine: Estonia's support for Ukraine, Ukraine-Baltic relations, the extent of Russia's threat to Baltic states, and how Finland and Sweden's expected NATO accession will impact security in the Baltic Sea. 

Follow Mart on twitter: @kuldkeppmart

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