«КОЛИ ВСЕ МАЄ ЗНАЧЕННЯ»

After the Winter War with the Soviet Union, which lasted 105 days, Finland began developing a concept of total defense. In the 1940s, the country preserved its independence but was forced to cede over 10% of its territory to the USSR. More than 400,000 Finns lost their homes and were evacuated by the government to other parts of Finland. Since then, the state has been comprehensively building its national defense, involving the entire society and economy, not just the armed forces. Cooperation with neighboring countries has also been crucial — particularly with Sweden. Among the joint Finnish-Swedish projects is the Hanaholmen Cultural Centre, which began operating 50 years ago. One of the first discussions held there focused on security policy — a topic that remains central to the center’s agenda today, says Hanaholmen's Chief Executive Officer, Gunvor Kronman. Finland’s accession to NATO in the spring of 2023 has not shifted the country’s focus away from its own defense. “If we are NATO members, that it doesn`t mean that we should rest and think that somebody else will come and help us if we need,” Kronman says. Russia, with which Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer border, also keeps the country on alert. In addition to building military infrastructure near the border, Russia has used migrants as a means of pressure — directing them toward the Finnish border during the 2015 migration crisis. Currently, Finland has completed the first 35 kilometers of a fence it is constructing along the closed eastern border with Russia to stop migrant flows. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks to Gunvor Kronman about how Finnish society prepares to defend the country, the defense courses, what every Finn is expected to have for emergency situations, how the war in Ukraine has stirred memories of Finland’s own wartime experiences, and the resilience of the Palestinians.

Bosnian journalist and writer Aida Ćerkez covered the war in Bosnia and the siege of Sarajevo. During the first two years of the conflict, she believed that her reports could help stop the war. But eventually, she realized that the world knew everything — and did nothing. At that time, she felt that others simply didn’t care about what was happening in her country. After such disappointment, Aida Ćerkez wanted to give up and leave the Balkans. However, an interview with a very old man became a turning point for her. He remarked that after her reports on the war in Bosnia, no one would ever be able to say they didn’t know what was happening there. She stayed in Sarajevo, continued writing articles, and reporting the news. Having lived through war in her own country, the journalist became able to recognize the signs of a potential armed conflict. She warned her Ukrainian colleagues and friends about the coming full-scale war in Ukraine. Aida saw the same signs. Throughout 2021, Russian troops were constantly stationed near Ukraine’s borders, under the pretext of military exercises. In the 1990s, the 44-month-long siege of Sarajevo also began with military drills in the mountains surrounding the capital. Yet many of her Ukrainian colleagues didn’t believe her. Ćerkez didn’t even hold it against them, as she herself had felt the same before the war in Bosnia began. After the full-scale invasion started, Aida Ćerkez wrote an open letter to Ukrainians in March 2022. “In the dark times that are ahead of you, you will lose faith sometimes and be overwhelmed by exhaustion. But I’m writing to you from the future and I’m telling you: “You will prevail just as we did,” she wrote. At the end of the letter, she rephrased the slogan printed on a T-shirt she wore during the siege of Sarajevo. The T-shirt, which she still keeps, reads: “Sarajevo will be, everything else will pass.” To Ukrainians, she wrote: “Ukraine will be, everything else will pass.” Journalist Angelina Kariakina speaks with Aida Ćerkez about the siege of Sarajevo and how culture helped its residents feel human, about the mothers of the victims of the Srebrenica massacre and the process of healing, about the tribunal, and why it is crucial to continue collecting evidence of Russian war crimes.

Georgian journalist Natalia Antelava worked at the BBC for nearly ten years. But she grew tired of producing stories without deeper context. She wanted to pursue journalism that truly focused on why and how things happen. That’s why, in 2015, she co-founded the online platform “Coda Story”. Reporting and storytelling that uncover and explore the root causes of global change form the core approach of her media outlet. One of the current focuses of Coda’s journalists is Big Tech, Silicon Valley, and its cult-like status in today’s world. Natalia Antelava points to the unhealthy relationship between the media and tech giants. She draws an analogy with personal relationships — when someone realizes they’ve ended up in bed with the wrong guy, and he’s there not for love, but for self-interest. That’s why she urges media outlets not to accept funding from tech giants and to publish more independent stories about them. Silicon Valley, she says, promotes the idea that technological progress is the only kind of progress — pushing humanity out of the equation. At the same time, tech leaders have become some of the most powerful global players. Often, they are willing to align themselves with populist politicians and go against the foundational principles around which societal consensus once existed — both globally and within individual countries. Journalist Angelina Kariakina speaks with Natalia Antelava about the cult of Big Tech and its transformation into a new religion, her disillusionment with the media industry and passion for journalism, information noise and CNN’s role in it, Coda’s impact, and the value of freedom for Georgians.

The French philosopher, orientalist, political scientist, and sociologist Olivier Roy realized early in his career that he would not spend his life working as a schoolteacher. He was most interested in various crises. After the war in Afghanistan began in the late 1970s, Roy regularly traveled to the country, to the mujahideen, and studied the war's impact on the traditional Afghan society. His understanding of Afghanistan’s unique context proved useful when he was advising and organizing special UN missions to the country during the Soviet invasion. Later, Olivier Roy served as the head of the OSCE mission during the civil war in Tajikistan after the collapse of the Soviet Union. As a scholar, he has focused on Islamic fundamentalism, Islam in the West, and Middle East. Currently, he writes about the crisis of culture and its alarming consequences for the world. Roy believes that while crises are dangerous for society, they force people to take responsibility. For him, Donald Trump’s rise to power in the United States is an example of a good crisis. For instance, Europe slowly began to realize that it was left alone, without American support, and would have to defend its principles on its own. In order to protect its way of life, Europe will need to rearm, which requires internal consensus. “For the first time in a long while, we have to ask people whether they are ready to die for their way of life, for their principles. We don’t know the answer. For the young generation, the idea of joining the army is exotic. We are confronted with that choice — are we ready to fight to defend way of life or to surrender?” Roy says. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Olivier Roy about the crisis of culture, its replacement by codes and norms, how society can return to reality and the importance of social connections, madmen in power, and where he was wrong about the Russia-Ukraine war.

Marie Mendras is a political scientist and professor at the Sciences Po Paris. For many years, she has been researching Eastern Europe and Russia, and has participated several times as part of international observer groups for elections in Russia and Ukraine in the 1990s and 2000s. In her latest book, "Permanent War: The Ultimate Strategy of the Kremlin," Mendras writes that waging wars in different countries has been an instrument for Vladimir Putin to maintain his power from the very beginning of his rule. Due to the lack of real reasons for military actions, he invented these motives, such as the fight against terrorism, the oppression of Russian-speaking populations, or the need for "denazification." The author believes that Putin was the only one who sought a total aggressive war in Ukraine in 2022 and imposed it on his military commanders. He was dissatisfied with the semi-controlled situation in Ukraine, which he had achieved through the war in Donbas in 2014 and the annexation of Crimea — this was not enough for him. Because he was misinformed and only wanted to hear what he wanted, the president of Russia did not foresee either the resistance of the Ukrainians or the support for Kyiv from Western countries. "The war was his choice. He had other options. The choice he made alone was a huge mistake, and everybody is paying very dearly for that mistake," says Marie Mendras. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks to Marie Mendras about Putin’s and Trump’s mistakes and what connects them, about negotiations and what they may lead to, as well as the obsession of the current Trump administration and what might stop them. Do you like our podcast? Support the Public Interest Journalism Lab with a Donation https://www.journlab.online/donations

Patricia Campos Mello is a journalist from Brazil and a war correspondent who covers international relations and human rights in more than 50 countries around the world. She is also the author of a series of investigations during the elections of former president Bolsonaro, including one about the use of messaging apps to spread propaganda and disinformation. In recent years, Campos Mello has reported from Syria, Iraq, Libya, Turkey, Lebanon, and Kenya. She first arrived in Ukraine after the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2023. At that time, her focus was on the lives of Ukrainian civilians during the war and the war crimes committed by the Russian army. She returned to Ukraine in March 2025. This time, for ten days, Patrícia traveled along the front line to understand how the Russia-Ukraine war differs from traditional, conventional wars. Her visit coincided with the announcement of a partial ceasefire after negotiations between the US, Ukrainian, and Russian delegations, which were held separately in Riyadh. After this statement, Campos Mello expected to see celebrations in Ukraine, similar to the final of the FIFA World Cup. However, there was no euphoria in the country about the partial ceasefire. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talk to Patricia Campos Mello about what she saw on the front lines and what interests Brazilians about life in Ukraine, Brazilian diplomacy and its desire to have a larger influence in global geopolitics, the current president of Brazil, Lula, and former Brazilian president Bolsonaro, who is close to Trump, and the wariness of Latin Americans towards the military.

Wu, Min Hsuan (Ttcat) is the co-founder and CEO of the Taiwanese public organization "Doublethink Lab." He focuses on exposing Chinese information operations online and identifying the common mechanisms behind them. With the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he became interested in how Chinese and Russian propaganda collaborate. After Putin's speech declaring Russia's intentions to invade Ukraine in February 2022, Ttcat saw the transcript of the speech in Chinese, word for word, just an hour later. At first, he thought it was a fake and that the speech was written by the Chinese. It contained the same propaganda narratives China uses regarding Taiwan. Specifically, Putin claimed that Ukraine wasn't a real country. But for China, Taiwan is not a real state either, Ttcat points out. This translation wasn’t a fake but evidence that, in essence, Russian and Chinese propaganda narratives are identical. Journalist Angelina Kariakina talks to Ttcat about the main narratives of Chinese propaganda within Taiwan, how they have changed, how the residents of Taiwan currently view China, what they want, and how this country managed to make a technological breakthrough. Do you like our podcast? Support the Public Interest Journalism Lab with a Donation https://www.journlab.online/donations

Phillips O'Brien is an American historian and professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. As a scholar, he was interested in the strategies of the Second World War. Over time, he began analyzing how these strategies work in conflicts of the 21st century. With the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, O'Brien has been monitoring the situation on the battlefield and the political processes surrounding the war. He argues that analysts' assessments of Russia's strength and its ability to wage war are incorrect. The researcher reminds that history is full of examples where smaller states won wars. Although the West, due to its fears of escalation and the potential collapse of Russia, forced the Ukrainians into a prolonged trench war, Kyiv still has a chance for victory. Ukraine can emerge from this war, at least in a relatively good position, even if U.S. support were to stop. Europe will play a crucial role here, particularly in how it can mobilize and understand that it is responsible for its own security. The world that existed since 1945, with U.S. hegemony in global defense matters, has disappeared. Phillips O'Brien advises to "follow the money" now. If Europe starts investing significant funds into its own defense, it will have understood the new reality. If not, it signals that European leaders hope that everything can still be reversed. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks to Phillips O'Brien about how to win wars, how Ukrainians should fight now, why Trump supported Russia, what can replace American aid, and the lessons of the Russia-Ukraine war that the world should have already understood.

Audrey Tang is a cyber ambassador and former Minister of Digital Affairs of Taiwan. In the summer of 2024, she left her position in the government, which she had joined after the "Sunflower Movement." In 2014, students and activists occupied the Taiwanese parliament for several weeks to protest opaque and secretive agreements with Beijing that could have strengthened China's influence over the island. Tang helped communicate the demands of the demonstrators and mediated conflicts. After that, she became an advisor to the minister in charge of digital participation, and following the election of Taiwan's new president, Tsai Ing-wen, in 2016, she took on an official government post. Audrey Tang fought for data openness and transparency, so that ordinary Taiwanese citizens could access more information about the government's work and analyze it. Protecting elections from cyber interference, using memes, comedians, and technology to fight the pandemic, as well as using various digital tools to promote democracy through the creation of platforms that unite rather than divide society — these are some of Tang's achievements during her time in Taiwanese government. Journalists Nataliya Gumenyuk and Angelina Kariakina talk to Audrey Tang about how Taiwan uses digital technologies to strengthen democracy, the ideology of Big Tech companies, humor in the fight against disinformation, lessons from the war in Ukraine, and how a childhood heart disease taught Tang to approach life differently.

The Munich Security Conference in 2025 will be a historic event. During the conference, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance essentially declared the end of the alliance between the United States and Europe. Forum Chairman Christoph Heusgen referred to this year’s conference as a “European nightmare.” Immediately after the event, European leaders gathered twice in Paris. At the end of February, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. Media reports suggest that they will attempt to convince Trump to abandon plans for bilateral peace talks with Russia in exchange for European commitments to ensure Ukraine’s future security. Sylvie Kauffmann, the editorial director of the French newspaper Le Monde, comments that Europeans are deeply unsettled. They have already started discussions about increasing their defense budgets. However, the perception of the Russian threat differs significantly between Western and Eastern Europe. As a result, the conversation between EU leaders and their citizens about reallocating funds for security will likely be difficult and contentious. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Sylvie Kauffmann about French-American relations, Macron's ability to flatter Trump, the trap with the elections, possible security guarantees for Ukraine, and the way the public confrontation between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky is viewed in Europe.

The U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs of 25% on goods from Canada and Mexico. These countries had already prepared their response. However, after negotiations, Trump agreed to delay new tariffs for one month for imports from Canada and Mexico. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to enhance border security, appoint “fentanyl czar” and list cartels as terrorists groups. The Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has agreed to deploy 10,000 soldiers to Mexico's borders to fight drug trafficking. Spanish-speaking journalist from USA Jorge Ramos describes the new tariffs as a punishment for Latin America by the U.S. President. Trump accuses, among others, Mexico of being responsible for the tens of thousands of American deaths from drug overdoses each year. Trump also refers to all 40 million illegal immigrants in the US as criminals. According to Trump's logic, imposing tariffs on the countries of origin of these people will be an effective tool in solving the problem. Ramos sees the new U.S. President as a threat to democracy and the world as a whole. Although Trump repeatedly states that he does not want war, Ramos believes his actions suggest the opposite. The journalist has a personal history with Trump. In 2015, Trump ordered Jorge Ramos to be removed from a press conference for asking uncomfortable questions, including about illegal immigrants and the planned mass deportations. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks to Jorge Ramos about the new era of Donald Trump, why nearly half of Spanish-speaking voters supported the Republican candidate, how the actions of the new president might push Latin America towards China and Russia, and who could suggesting to Trump the idea of taking the Panama Canal.

Journalist Jon Lee Anderson began his career as a correspondent in the 1980s. His early publications were long chronicles of his travels through the Amazon jungle. Later, he became a war correspondent, covering conflicts worldwide, including Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Angola, Somalia, Sudan, Mali, and Liberia. Anderson also could not miss one of the most pivotal events in the Middle East—the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Over the years, he has witnessed immense brutality, but the level of institutionalized sadism he encountered in Syria at the end of 2024 shocked even him. Anderson wrote his stories from various corners of the globe, but Latin America has always been at the heart of his work. "The New Yorker," where Anderson has been a contributing writer for nearly three decades, has published his articles on the gangs of Rio de Janeiro, the earthquakes in Haiti, the slums of Caracas, and an isolated tribe in Peru. He has a keen sense of the region's "political weather" and its internal dynamics, writing not only about the daily lives of Latin Americans or the crises unfolding in specific countries, but also delving into comprehensive profiles of politicians. Anderson, for example, has written about Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez, and Augusto Pinochet. He believes that not every politician has charisma, but he is particularly interested in those who understand the understand the use of power. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks to Anderson about what has left a lasting impression on him in Syria today, Latin America's resentment toward the United States, how to persuade leaders of the region to support Ukraine, Argentina's eccentric president Javier Milei, and the last fascist, Augusto Pinochet.

"The golden age of America begins right now!" This was the opening line of Donald Trump’s inaugural speech. During the address, he promised to declare a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, increase oil and gas production, withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, regain control over the Panama Canal, recognize only two genders — male and female — and send American astronauts to Mars. Notably, he did not mention Ukraine once, instead vowing to end all wars worldwide. Later, while signing a series of executive orders in the Oval Office, Trump stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was ready to negotiate an end to the war. Regarding Vladimir Putin, the 47th U.S. president announced plans to meet with him, potentially very soon. Bulgarian political analyst and intellectual Ivan Krastev believes Trump could fall into a psychological trap in this scenario. Having previously met with the Russian president, Trump might assume they share a personal connection. However, he may fail to grasp that the Putin of three years of full-scale war is not the same man he met before. Krastev is confident that one of Trump’s levers of pressure on Moscow will be sanctions, particularly targeting Russian oil. According to the analyst, negotiations with the Russians will be far from easy. However, Trump is unlikely to comply entirely with Putin’s demands. The issue arises if Trump distances himself from the conflict, secures a temporary solution, and then leaves the war to the Europeans. Krastev warns this temptation could pose a risk to both Ukraine and Europe. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Ivan Krastev about Trump’s changes and fears, potential topics of negotiation regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine, a Europe caught between Elon Musk’s tweets and Kremlin propaganda, Viktor Orbán’s ambitions as a special envoy, and the role of demographics as a factor in the war.

Twenty-four years of Bashar al-Assad's rule and more than half a century of his family's power in Syria ended in eleven days. It became clear that the dictatorship might disappear in late November. Since then, active clashes between the rebels, including the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and the Syrian army have continued. On December 8, troops opposed to the government of President Bashar al-Assad occupied the Syrian capital Damascus and announced the fall of the dictator's regime. The president himself and his family fled the city. Later it became known that Russia had granted him political asylum. After that, a transitional government was appointed, headed by Mohammed al-Bashir, who is associated with the leader of HTS, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. During these days, Mazen Gharibah, a researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science, was in constant contact with his parents, who live in Homs. Mazen had to flee his hometown in late 2011 due to the threat of persecution. A group of activists he worked with were exposed and some of them were detained. At first, Gharibah moved to Lebanon, then his journey continued in Turkey, Europe, and now he lives in the UK. Now he has the opportunity to see his family and Homs, where he has not been for thirteen years. Syrians realize that the future of the country will not be rosy. But Gharibah hopes that they will not allow a new Bashar al-Assad to come to power. Changes in the country will take a long time. The fall of the Assad regime is the first step towards democratization, but not the last one. Journalist Angelina Kariakina talks to Mazen Gharibah about what is happening in his native Homs and what he will do when he returns there, whether HTS is ready to share power, about the missing people and the demand for justice by thousands of Syrian families.

American journalist Franklin Foer has been following the work of the Democrats for years. In 2023, he published the book The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future. The author delves into the internal dynamics of the first two years of Biden’s presidency. The book has been recommended to those who want to understand the 46th President of the United States and his actions. Franklin Foer describes Joe Biden as increasingly isolated from the world. Recently, he has been surrounded only by his family and closest advisors, who blindly believe in his ability to win the elections. This, according to Foer, prevented Biden from stepping down as a presidential candidate in time, leaving the Democrats with little room to select an alternative candidate. One of Biden’s most controversial moves, which could cast a shadow over his presidency, is the pardon of his son, Hunter Biden. However, Foer’s interests extend beyond the Democrats. He is also intrigued by Silicon Valley leaders—how they think and the threats posed by technological breakthroughs. Foer argues that Silicon Valley billionaires are now rallying around Trump to fulfill their own ambitions, eliminate competitors, and secure funding for projects like Mars colonization. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks with Franklin Foer about how the Democrats are grappling with their defeat, their strategies before handing over power to the Republicans, the current Trump team and the eccentric figures within his circle, the lengths Silicon Valley billionaires are willing to go to, and the parallels between Elon Musk and Rinat Akhmetov.

Mondli Makhanya is one of South Africa's leading editors. He began his career as a journalist in 1990, the year Nelson Mandela was released from prison after nearly 30 years of incarceration. This marked the end of apartheid in South Africa and the beginning of democratic changes in the country. However, until 1994, the threat of civil war in South Africa remained very real. Some people fought for equal rights and freedoms for the Black population, others clung to segregation and the dominance of racist ideologies, and some even dreamed of restoring the Zulu kingdom in these territories. As a reporter, Mondli Makhanya documented the emergence of democratic South Africa. He had the opportunity to closely observe anti-apartheid activists who had once been his idols. However, up close, he realized that some of them were not as honest and virtuous as he had believed. Despite many challenges, compromises, and lengthy negotiations, South Africa elected its first Black president, Nelson Mandela, in 1994. Mandela focused his efforts on forging a unified nation from the diverse South African populace. Over the following decades, Makhanya witnessed both the country's prosperity and its decline, as well as its return to prominence among Africa's leading nations. He describes Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as aggression and is convinced that modern Russia is the complete antithesis of South Africa’s democratic values. Among the Russian war crimes, the abduction of Ukrainian children shocked him the most. His 2023 visit to Ukraine was met with mixed reactions back home, with some urging the journalist to visit Moscow and give the other side a platform as well. Journalist Natalia Gumenyuk speaks with Mondli Makhanya about his childhood during apartheid, why South Africans feel nostalgic about the Soviet Union and how Russian propaganda exploits this, how Ukraine can share its story with the Global South, and how South Africans view Elon Musk, who is of South African origin.

On November 5, 2024, the U.S. presidential election will take place. The Republican candidate for this office is Donald Trump. A few years ago, his participation in the presidential race was in question following the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, just before the certification of the previous election results in each state. Many Republicans prefer not to recall this incident. Nevertheless, in July 2024, Trump became the sole candidate for U.S. president from the Republican Party. He was expected to face the current president, Joe Biden, from the Democratic Party. However, in June, after an unsuccessful debate with Trump, donors and Democratic leaders began pressuring Biden to withdraw his candidacy. Nearly a month later, Biden stepped out of the race. At the end of August, Vice President Kamala Harris officially became the Democratic Party’s candidate for U.S. president. A few weeks before the election, Trump and Harris are nearly tied. Both candidates are working hard to mobilize their voters. Harris is focusing on moderate Republicans and Black men, adjusting her strategy and drawing on her prosecutorial experience. Trump is appearing in interviews with influencers and on streaming platforms. At the same time, his team is already carefully preparing to challenge the election results in various states in court. Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with American journalist Christian Caryl about whether Trump is truly a threat, what Ukraine can expect from him, what Kamala Harris’s policy on Ukraine might be, Trump’s affection for dictators, why Harris may fare better than Hillary Clinton, and the key challenges facing the candidates vying for the White House for the next four years.

Nino Zhizhilashvili is one of Georgia’s leading political journalists and hosts. In her nearly 30-year career, she has never worked for pro-government media and has always chosen channels where she can openly criticize the authorities. Due to her work, authority, and popularity in Georgia, she has had multiple opportunities to transition into politics. However, she does not understand journalists who make such a transition, and it doesn’t appeal to her. Zhizhilashvili, who is also the dean of the Caucasus Media School, chooses to remain in the profession to keep those in power in check. On October 26, parliamentary elections will be held in Georgia, and according to the journalist, this is an existential moment for the Georgian state. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has fully revealed the pro-Russian stance of the Georgian government and the head of the ruling party "Georgian Dream," oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, who controls everything in the country. In its election campaign, "Georgian Dream" exploits the war in Ukraine, claiming that only they can guarantee peace in the country. They also promise to conduct a trial similar to the Nuremberg trials against former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, accusing him of allegedly starting the war in Georgia in 2008. The ruling party's campaign rhetoric hasn’t been without conspiracy theories about the global "party of war" and attacks on the LGBTQ+ community to prevent "Western values" from infiltrating traditional Georgian society. Russia does not hide its positive attitude toward Ivanishvili, openly praising his recent actions. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Nino Zhizhilashvili about how the current Georgian government has revealed its pro-Russian essence, who supports "Georgian Dream" within the country, Georgian protests against Russian-style laws, the opposition and Mikheil Saakashvili’s role in it, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, election conspiracies, and whom she places her hopes on for the future of her country.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in the spring of 2022 Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership. A year later, Finland officially became a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, and in 2024, Sweden obtained the same status. Swedish writer and journalist Carl Henrik Fredriksson notes that Finland and Sweden have historically been closely linked, particularly on defense matters. As small states, Scandinavian countries rely on a global order meant to protect and guarantee their freedom and integrity. However, since 2014—following the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in Ukraine—the post-Cold War global order no longer exists. Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine was the final catalyst for this shift. According to Fredriksson, Finland went through an internal transformation regarding NATO membership much faster than Sweden. “When Finland makes this move, Sweden has no choice; it can no longer remain neutral, whether it wants to or not. Sweden’s decision to join NATO has less to do with Sweden itself and more to do with Finland,” says Fredriksson, Programme director of Debates on Europe. He recalls that over ten years ago, both countries and their societies responded weakly to military assessments, which revealed their inability to defend themselves for even a week in case of an attack. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Carl Henrik Fredriksson about why Scandinavian countries have become some of Ukraine's strongest allies, how Ukrainian heroism is perceived in peaceful Europe, the skepticism in Northern Europe toward former Eastern Bloc countries, Swedish neutrality, and the role of utopia in the modern world.

Gavin Rees is a trauma expert and the Senior Advisor for Training and Innovation at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. For many years, he has worked with groups on trauma prevention, resilience building, and conducted training sessions for journalists and documentary filmmakers on how to properly conduct interviews with people who have experienced traumatic events. To get someone to open up, you need to create an environment and atmosphere during the conversation where they feel respected and want to share their experiences willingly. If the person in front of you is a friend or relative, you will be interacting with them not as a journalist. Gavin Rees reminds us that the same principle applies here—you should not force others to talk. Sometimes you may feel that your loved one absolutely needs to talk to relieve their emotional burden and painful memories. But some people prefer not to talk. Therefore, you must always leave the choice to the person whether to share their experience or not. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks with Gavin Rees about the nature of trauma and the necessity of regaining a sense of control for a person after a difficult experience, resilience as an acquired trait, whether all Ukrainians are traumatized, how to avoid comparing tragedies, and the biggest mistake when communicating with someone who is grieving.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has proposed creating a consultative group with North Korea to find ways to reduce tensions between the countries and restore economic cooperation. From the DPRK side, they expect only one thing - to start nuclear disarmament. Currently, relations between the states have become as tense as ever. At the beginning of 2024, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called South Korea "the main enemy," stated that unification into a single Korea is impossible and terminated economic cooperation agreements with it. The DPRK constantly launches garbage balloons into the territory of the Republic of Korea, shells the border of the neighboring state, and sends spy satellites. At the same time, North Korea continues to develop its nuclear program and military potential, for which it strengthens relations, in particular, with Russia. Moscow receives weapons from Pyongyang, including ballistic missiles, which it uses to strike Ukraine. As for North Korea, experts say about receiving various military technologies from Moscow. But that's not all. Russia sent the first batch of domestic animals - almost 500 goats - to the DPRK due to the lack of food in North Korea. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks to Seoul-based legal analyst Ethan Hee-Seok Shin about the weakening of ties between South Korea and North Korea, what exactly ensured the existence of the DPRK and the operation of the Gulag on its territory, the friendship of the DPRK with Russia, and how Koreans now feel about the Japanese who colonized Korea for 35 years.

Colombian journalist Catalina Gómez has been living in Tehran since 2007. She ended up in Iran due to her obsession with the Middle East. Her specialty is reporting on military conflicts in the region. She has written articles about the war in Syria and the Gaza Strip, the fight against ISIS in Iraq, and the bloody battle for Mosul. Gómez has also covered several presidential elections in Iran and the mass protests during the Green Revolution in Iran in 2009. When Russia started the war in Ukraine in 2014, Catalina did not come here. She was unfamiliar with the region and was exclusively reporting on Syria and Iraq at the time. However, after the full-scale invasion, she regularly travels to the frontlines for reports and even partially resides in Kyiv. She compares her first month of living in the Ukrainian capital in May 2023 to "Star Wars." During that time, Russia launched missiles at Kyiv almost every night to detect and destroy air defense systems. In June 2023, the journalist survived a Russian missile strike on the "RIA" pizzeria in Kramatorsk. Her friend, Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina, who was sitting at the same table with Catalina, was killed. Journalist Natalia Gumenyuk talks with Catalina Gómez about how she returned to work after the death of Victoria Amelina, why Colombians come to fight in Ukraine, what Ukrainians can expect from the new president of Iran, and why Gabriel Garcia Marquez remains a prominent journalist for Latin America.

Francis Fukuyama is an American political scientist and philosopher, director of the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University. He sees Ukraine as having the greatest potential among post-Soviet countries to transition from communism to genuine democracy. Although after the collapse of the USSR he had similar hopes for Russia, it has since moved in the opposite direction and now joins a global alliance of authoritarian countries. According to Fukuyama's assessments, achieving a resolution to the Russia’s war in Ukraine through negotiations in the near future is impossible. Just a year ago, the American political scientist advocated for Ukraine to be allowed to strike foreign weapons deep into Russian territory. "If you cannot strike at targets inside Russia, push back their military aircraft, and impose significantly greater costs and losses on them, they will never give up," Fukuyama says. Despite significant losses of soldiers and equipment, Russians are learning from their mistakes in this war. If Moscow prevails over Kyiv, it will embolden other authoritarian countries to implement dictatorship, repression, and territorial expansion. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks with Fukuyama about Russia's vulnerabilities, the Korean-style armistice, NATO's role in this, examples for Ukraine's reconstruction, combating societal polarization, and the foundation of the alliance of authoritarian countries.

Jason Stanley is an American philosopher who is one of the world's leading left-wing intellectuals. His interests include fighting fascism, authoritarianism, anti-colonialism, propaganda, and freedom of speech. He is convinced that everyone fighting fascism should regularly visit Ukraine and see how Ukrainians are resisting fascist Russia. And he does just that. He is an Honorary Professor at the Kyiv School of Economics and comes to give lectures to Ukrainian students from time to time. He divides his salary for teaching in Ukraine between the "Come Back Alive" fund and supporting local civil society. One of the most interesting things for him is to observe how the process of understanding who is Ukrainian and what Ukrainian identity should be is taking place in the country. By identity, he means the way people strive to organize their society and their self-awareness as a society. "If this (Russian-Ukrainian) war is only about whose folk dances are better and whose folk dances will win, then no one will be interested in it," says Stanley. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk talks to American philosopher about Russia's fascist and colonialist behavior, healthy nationalism, global leftists, Ukrainian student provocations, and how to explain the situation in Ukraine through the concepts of US civil rights movement theorist Du Bois.

Michael McFaul is a professor at Stanford University and an American diplomat. For five years, he's been working in the administration of Barack Obama. Initially, as a presidential assistant for national security affairs, and then from 2012 to 2014, as the U.S. Ambassador to Russia. By coincidence, he finished his work as ambassador in February 2014, the day Putin entered Crimea was the day he left Moscow. Michael McFaul believes that the right actions of the United States were when they tried for many years to engage with Russia to become a civilized state and to respect international rules and laws. "Our mistake was not this game. Our mistake was that we did not hedge our bets. What we should have done was to hedge our bets. What we should have done was to expand NATO as quickly and as far as possible when we had the opportunity to do so in the 1990s, and Russia couldn't do anything then," he is convinced. One of his current areas of work is to reduce Putin's money for waging war in Ukraine. He coordinates an international group of independent experts proposing various sanctions against Russia. It is often called the "Yermak-McFaul group." He evaluates its work as excellent. However, the main problem is that the governments of other countries have not accepted all their ideas. If they had, Russia would now be in a much weaker position, McFaul believes. Journalist Natalia Gumenyuk talks to Michael McFaul about the Biden administration and its work with Ukraine, American elections, what has changed in his attitude toward Russians, how sanctions reduce Putin's money, and why Barack Obama's voice is not heard now.

Carolina Amoroso is an Argentine international journalist. She first came to Ukraine at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As soon as she got here, she realized that she knew nothing about the country despite her thorough preparation for the trip. But even then, she understood that this war for Ukrainians is an existential one, a war for their own identity. In May 2024, Amoroso visited Ukraine for the fourth time, even cutting her honeymoon in Europe short for this purpose. In particular, she reported from the south of Ukraine on the lives of ordinary people. The journalist is sure that there is no fatigue from the stories of life in Ukraine among the international audience, it is present only in the media themselves. Journalist Natalia Gumenyuk talks with Amoroso about the hypocrisy of human rights defenders in Latin America, the romanticization of Cuba, why the Pope remains a mystery to her, what to expect from Argentina's President Milei, and how political violence has become a thing of the past in her country. This publication is made possible by the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Human Rights in Action Program implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

At the end of May 2024, the UN International Court ruled that Israel must immediately cease its advance on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Israel must also open access to the Gaza Strip and keep ground crossing points open, including the Rafah crossing point. Israel insists that it has the right to defend itself against the threat of Hamas and will continue the military operation it began in October 2023 after Hamas militants attacked. Meanwhile, a humanitarian catastrophe has unfolded in Gaza due to the siege. Rock musician Raji el-Jaru moved with his family from Gaza City to the southern part of the Gaza Strip at the beginning of the Israeli military advance. Throughout this time, he has been trying to survive there and plans to start a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to leave the Gaza Strip. According to him, intermediaries are asking for about $5,000 to evacuate one person from there. Gaza journalist Ahmed Alnaouq has been living in Great Britain for several years and runs a platform with stories of Palestinians called "We Are Not Numbers." At the end of October 2023, more than 20 members of his family were killed in an Israeli airstrike on their house. Journalist Angelina Kariakina speaks with Raji el-Jaru and Ahmed Alnaouq about how civilians are surviving in Gaza now, their attitude towards Hamas after October 7, the music that can convey the stories of Palestinians, and their love for Gaza.

Ibrahim Olabi is a British lawyer of Syrian origin. He had always intended to pursue a career in commercial law. However, as Olabi says, fate had other plans. The war in Syria broke out in 2011. He immediately switched gears to studying criminal law and human rights advocacy in order to help Syrians. This particular conflict has become his life's work for the past decade. In his legal work, he has almost exclusively focused on this war. He has only made an exception for Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. "What Russia is trying to do in Ukraine, it has already done in Syria," Olabi is convinced, seeing the same warfighting strategy on the part of the Kremlin. He heads the legal team of the war crimes documentation initiative The Reckoning Project. In April 2024, the project team and a witness from Ukraine filed a criminal complaint for torture by the Russians with the Federal Court of Argentina. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Ibrahim Olabi about the choice of Argentina as the venue for the lawsuit, about Russia's identical "playbook" for waging war, how Syrians are trying to achieve justice, and how to make life difficult for war criminals. This publication is made possible by the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Human Rights in Action Program implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

Denise Dresser is a renowned Mexican political analyst, columnist, and professor. She has been the target of over 100 attacks by Mexico's current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, in his daily morning speeches for her criticism of the government's actions. He was also deeply disappointed by her visit to Ukraine in 2023. Dresser observes that many Latin American presidents are playing geopolitical games or trying to figure out what they can gain from supporting Ukraine or maintaining a perceived neutrality. However, Latin American societies are not pro-Russian, despite Russian propaganda and the increasing number of Russian diplomats in these countries. In her view, if Mexico, which is currently experiencing a democratic backsliding, were to return to authoritarianism, the biggest geopolitical beneficiary would be Russia. "It is in their interest to see a more authoritarian Mexico that embodies a narco-state with a large number of criminals. This would force the Americans to deal with another open front and another international conflict, and a conflict right on their borders," the professor says. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Denise Dresser about the increase of Russian influence in Mexico, attitudes towards Ukraine, drug cartel violence, how Mexico has become a political piñata in American politics, and her personal "3 A's" strategy that guides her through life. This publication is made possible by the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Human Rights in Action Program implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

This is a conversation in English with Marci Shore, who teaches intellectual history at Yale University. Together with her husband, Timothy Snyder, Marci has long been persuading leaders in different countries to support Ukraine during its war with Russia. She calls this turn in her life an irony of fate. Shore’s ancestors were victims of Jewish pogroms in Ukraine after World War I. In the U.S., she grew up in a community where anything German was considered taboo. As a teenager, she was a pacifist and had no understanding of weapons. “When I, a middle-aged Jewish mother, now go to the Germans and beg them to urgently send lethal weapons to Ukrainians — that’s not a role I could have ever imagined myself in,” the historian jokes. Journalist Angelina Kariakina speaks with Marci Shore about intellectual courage in a post-truth world, forgiveness, her admiration for philosopher Hannah Arendt, why a historian cannot cancel Nazis, the crisis of subjectivity in Russia, and why the fate of the world now depends on Ukrainians. Created as part of the “Life of War” project with support from the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen).

This is a conversation in English with Timothy Garton Ash — British historian, journalist, and writer. He is considered one of the foremost scholars of modern European history and its transformation over the past forty years. In May, his latest book Homelands: A Personal History of Europe will be published in Ukrainian. He says that after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Europeans gained freedom quite peacefully and relatively easily. “People began to deceive themselves that freedom is a process that happens automatically. But freedom is not a process — it is always a struggle,” Garton Ash insists. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with the historian about liberty, why peaceful Europe is not the historical norm, the myth of Russia’s invincibility, differing views on how the war in Ukraine should end, and why Garton Ash has installed an air raid alert app from Ukraine on his phone. Created as part of the “Life of War” project with support from the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen).

This is a conversation in English with Rebecca Harms. She went from being a documentary filmmaker and activist in the anti-nuclear and anti-war movement to a Member of the European Parliament from the German Alliance 90/The Greens party. As a politician, Harms came to understand that peaceful solutions to military conflicts do not always work. Her position changed during the war in the former Yugoslavia and was solidified by Russian aggression in Georgia and Ukraine, where negotiations only gave the Kremlin more time to seize new territories. During her time in Brussels, she supported Ukraine through both the 2004 and 2014 Maidans. In the fall of 2014, Russia declared her persona non grata due to her pro-Ukrainian stance. Today, Rebecca is no longer in office but continues to support Ukraine as a volunteer and activist. At the same time, she remains critical of German policy toward Russia. She believes that German diplomacy gave Russia time to prepare for a large-scale war in Ukraine. Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Rebecca Harms about Germany’s share of responsibility in Russia’s military successes, Merkel’s mistakes, how Harms’ views evolved after entering politics, and Ukraine’s path to the EU. Created as part of the “Life of War” project with support from the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen).

This is a conversation in English with King’s Counsel Wayne Jordash, who came to Ukraine in 2015 and has been helping investigate Russia’s crimes against Ukraine. An international lawyer with many years of experience, Jordash participated in several international tribunals — in Rwanda and at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. There, he did not represent the prosecution. His clients were accused of committing war crimes. Some were acquitted, such as a mayor in Rwanda. Others, like Issa Sesay, an officer in the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone, were found guilty after a six-year trial and sentenced to 52 years in prison. After decades in international humanitarian law, Jordash has grown skeptical of international tribunals. He says they deliver far less justice than they promise. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Jordash about the genocide of a nation in Ukraine, disappointment with the International Criminal Court, the main defense strategy for war criminals, and the idea of justice as a process.

In the search for answers to the question “who are we,” Ukraine is far ahead of the Mongols — says Mongolian media figure and opinion leader Tsogtbilguundari Khishigbat. For example, in a country that was once a Soviet satellite, many towns, villages, and provinces are still named after Mongolian Soviet leaders. In the capital, Ulaanbaatar, one district is still named “Zhukov,” in honor of the Soviet general. During the Soviet era, Mongolia lost much of its history and identity. Even speaking the name of the Mongol Empire’s Khan, Genghis Khan, was once forbidden. Today, the country is trying to reclaim its past and dispel long-standing myths. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Tsogtbilguundari about modern Russia and China’s influence in Mongolia, how Russia’s war is perceived there, how President Zelensky once recalled his childhood years in Mongolia, and global myths about nomadic civilization.

In September 2023, the play The Hague premiered in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. The play, written by documentary playwright Sasha Denisova, who is of Ukrainian origin, tells the story of an orphaned girl from Mariupol who imagines a tribunal against Vladimir Putin. It was directed by Galin Stoev at the Bulgarian National Theatre. For many years, Stoev has worked abroad and is currently the artistic director of the National Theatre in Toulouse, France. When he saw the play in Poland, he immediately decided he had to stage it in his native Bulgaria. A portion of the country’s population is still under the influence of Russian propaganda and supports Putin. The Bulgarian government attended the premiere. The 850-seat hall was sold out, and organizers were concerned about possible provocations from pro-Russian parties. The actor originally cast to play Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev withdrew shortly before the premiere, believing he was being watched and fearing he might be poisoned with Novichok. Despite this, the production in Sofia continues to draw full houses. Host Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with director Galin Stoev about how his conflict with his parents over the war in Ukraine influenced the production, how The Hague changed the actors of the Bulgarian National Theatre, the concept of “collective Putin,” the balance between comedy and tragedy on stage, and why Stoev is no longer reading Russian literature. Created as part of the “Life of War” project with support from the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen).

This is a conversation in English with American journalist and author Janine di Giovanni, who has reported from war zones for over 30 years. She covered Sarajevo and Grozny under siege, as well as Rwanda, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, di Giovanni co-founded The Reckoning Project together with researcher Peter Pomerantsev and journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk. This project documents war crimes committed by the regular Russian army. Janine has witnessed several of Putin’s wars — in Chechnya, Syria, and Ukraine. She argues that the Russian dictator always wages war primarily against civilians, making any moral conversation with him impossible. Journalist Angelina Kariakina speaks with di Giovanni about Putin’s war “playbook,” how armed conflicts can be prevented, justice as a way to help war crime witnesses heal, and Ukraine as a frontline of defense for global democracy.

This is a conversation in English with Indonesian TV journalist and writer Desi Anwar. Before coming to Kyiv, she viewed Russia’s war against Ukraine as a conflict between Russia and the West. After spending a week in Ukraine, her perspective changed. She came to see Ukrainians' struggle as captured in the phrase “Freedom or death” — a slogan that resonates deeply in her home country, known by both children and adults. Indonesia gained its independence only in 1945, after being a Dutch colony for over 300 years and occupied by Japan during World War II. Anwar recommends constantly emphasizing — on every platform — that Ukraine is fighting Russia for its independence and the defense of its national identity. That message will certainly be understood in one of Asia’s largest countries, Indonesia. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Desi Anwar about how Russia’s war in Ukraine is perceived in the Global South, Jakarta’s foreign policy principle of “zero enemies, a thousand friends,” Indonesia’s colonial past, Asian pragmatism, and why democracy is not the answer to everything.

This is a conversation in English with Jonathan Littell, known in Ukraine as the author of the historical novel The Kindly Ones. The book is written from the perspective of a fictional SS officer on the Eastern Front during World War II and describes his involvement in the Holocaust, including the executions of Jews at Babyn Yar. The novel sparked intense debate, and it was translated into Ukrainian only 15 years after its original release. Littell has worked on humanitarian missions during armed conflicts in Chechnya and Syria and has witnessed many war crimes. He is currently preparing to publish a new book that includes documentation of war crimes committed in Bucha. Journalist Angelina Kariakina speaks with Littell about what ensured Putin’s success in Chechnya, the apathy and responsibility of the Russian intelligentsia, effective Western pressure on Russia, whether the place of Russian culture in the world should be reconsidered, and whether Russians understand Ukrainians’ fight as a struggle against empire — not just the Putin regime. Created as part of the Life of War project with support from the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen).

This is a conversation in English with journalist, historian, and Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Applebaum. She has identified the fear that unites two dictators — Vladimir Putin and Joseph Stalin. Ukraine’s independence poses an existential threat to Putin. Stalin viewed it the same way, organizing the Holodomor in the 1930s as a means to subdue and Sovietize Ukraine. In the 21st century, Putin also uses food and hunger as weapons of war. That is why, according to Applebaum, it is time for Ukraine’s allies to focus not just on providing aid, but on how to defeat Russia. Journalist Angelina Kariakina speaks with Anne Applebaum about what is needed to end the war, a new approach to violence in armed conflicts, why Volodymyr Zelensky should avoid publicly criticizing allies, and how the war in Ukraine has become entangled in U.S. domestic politics. Created as part of the “Life of War” project with support from the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen).

This is a conversation in English with one of Venezuela’s opposition leaders, Leopoldo López. He believes that Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity is the world’s only successful example of a transition to stable democracy in the 21st century. After the protests against Nicolás Maduro’s regime were crushed, López spent several years in military prison, then under house arrest, then hiding in the Spanish embassy, and finally fleeing the country. Still, he remains determined. He now joins forces with activists from around the world to oppose autocracies globally. López is convinced that Ukraine’s victory over Russia is also key to restoring democracy in countries like his own. Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Leopoldo López about why other revolutions around the world failed, why autocrats never side with democracy, and what he learned in Kyiv. Created as part of the “Life of War” project with support from the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen).

This is a conversation in English with American historian Timothy Snyder, whose books and lectures are renowned worldwide. He argues that Russia is currently committing genocide against Ukrainians. Host Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Snyder about how Russia's war goals are evolving, why Putin’s current regime is fascist, and why the Kremlin’s nuclear threats are a bluff. In this episode, the intellectual explains his interest in Ukrainian history and contemporary culture, what he has learned about freedom from Ukrainians, and what might constitute Ukraine’s ultimate victory over Russia. Created as part of the "Life of War" project with support from the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen).