Talk Eastern Europe

In this episode, Alexandra and Adam start off with some discussion on the news, including concerns over the upcoming Russia/Belarus Zapad 2025 military exercises, Slovakia’s Robert Fico and his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine, and upcoming elections in Moldova.Later, Adam and Nina are joined by Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe and expert on the South Caucasus. They discuss the peace deal which was initialed at the White House between Armenia and Azerbaijan and dig deeper as to what it means, who wins, who loses, and what might come next. Check out the guest’s profile at: https://carnegieendowment.org/people/thomas-de-waal?lang=enRead Alexandra’s piece on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Brief Eastern Europe: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/p/september-8-2025 Support our work – become a patron:  www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Talk Eastern Europe is back from its August break! In this episode, Adam, Alexandra and Nina run through some of the bigger stories from the region, including developments in the Balkans, Poland, the EU, and look at the global implications of China’s victory celebrations this week.After the news, Adam and Nina are joined by Pavel Havlíček, research fellow at the Prague-based Association for International Affairs (AMO) to discuss the recent Trump–Putin meeting in Alaska and what it means for Ukraine’s future. The episode explores the high-stakes diplomacy shaping the war and the prospects for peace, which President Trump has been pursuing since before his inauguration.In the bonus section to this episode – Pavel gives us a peek into Czech domestic politics, as the country prepares for parliamentary elections in early October.>>> Click here to listen to the bonus content.For further reading:“A recipe for an unfair stalemate, not a just peace” – CoryAlpert, New Eastern Europe https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/08/20/a-recipe-for-an-unfair-stalemate-not-a-just-peace/“Scenarios for the end of the war” – Andrii Dligach & ValeriiPekar, New Eastern Europe https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/09/01/scenarios-for-the-end-of-the-war/Additional financing for this podcast is provided by the Polish MFA: Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within the grant competition “Public Diplomacy 2024 – 2025 - the European dimension and countering disinformation The opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the official positions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

In this episode, Adam and Alexandra start by discussing the latest news including fears of interference in Moldova’s upcoming elections, the upcoming inauguration Poland’s new president as well as some worrisome security breaches in the Baltics.For the main interview,  Adam sits down with Kyiv-based journalist Aleksander Palikot to discuss the recent political crisis surrounding Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions, NABU and SAPO. Aleksander explains the background of these agencies, the controversial law passed by parliament to strip their independence, and the wave of spontaneous protests which followed. They also discuss the wider implications for President Zelenskyy, public trust, and Ukraine’s path towards EU membership.Further reading: “How Zelenskyy undermined Ukraine’s path to EU membership and what happens next” https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/07/29/how-zelenskyy-undermined-ukraines-path-to-eu-membership-and-what-happens-next/ Support the podcast, get great benefits, join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope Additional financing for this podcast is provided by the Polish MFA: Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within the grant competition “Public Diplomacy 2024 – 2025 - the European dimension and countering disinformation The opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the official positions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

Episode 232: Book talk: The history of queer life in Bosnia and HerzegovinaIn this episode, Adam and Nina cover several key developments from the region, including the latest from Ukraine, breaking news from Moldova, far-right marches across Poland, and the EU’s adoption of its 18th package of sanctions against Russia. Later in the episode, Alexandra and Nina are joined by Matej Vrebac, Programme Coordinator at the Sarajevo Open Centre, who researches queer history in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Matej is one of the authors of the recent publication The History of Queer Life in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The conversation explores the motivation behind documenting queer history in the region, how queer lives have appeared in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s past, including in folk traditions, and the importance of conducting such research and making it accessible. The book is available here in Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian (BCS), with plans to publish an English edition in the future: https://soc.ba/historija-kvir-zivota-u-bosni-i-hercegovini-prva-publikacija-koja-sveobuhvatno-dokumentuje-prisustvo-zivote-i-otpor-kvir-osoba-u-bih/Support Talk Eastern Europe. Join our Patreon community! www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeCheck out the latest of issue of New Eastern Europe – Rebalancing the Baltics Sea Region

In this special edition of Talk Eastern Europe, Alexandra reports in-person from Sofia for a deep dive into disinformation and digital interference in Bulgaria during the last several years of perpetual election campaigning. She speaks with experts Angel Petrov, Gloria Trifonova, and Petko Petkov on Bulgaria’s political landscape, local and Russian backed disinformation, the rise of far-right political actors, and why Russian narratives have resonance in the country.Commentary by:Angel Petrov, World News Reporter at Dnevnik.bg Gloria Trifonova, FIMI Analyst at the Center for the Study of DemocracyPetko Petkov, a Bulgarian software developer and system architect based in Kyiv and public representative of the BG ElvesTo watch the full-length interviews and other behind-the-scene clips, you can check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeResearch for this podcast episode was made possible with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington, DC’s Transatlantic Media Fellowship. Find out more about the Fellowship, and the Foundation’s work, here: https://us.boell.org/en/2025/05/22/2025-cohort-transatlantic-media-fellowsCheck out the previous episode in this series: https://talkeasterneurope.eu/episodes/episode-225-live-from-bucharest-romanian-democracy-is-being-pushed-to-its-limits

In this episode, Alexandra and Nina discuss the blockades across Serbia, the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, Russia’s largest air assault on Ukraine to date, and reflect on the conclusion of Poland’s EU presidency.Later in the episode, Nina speaks with Norwegian documentary filmmaker Tommy Gulliksen about his latest documentary, Facing War. The documentary follows NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg through his final year in office in 2024, as he works to maintain unity within the alliance and sustain support for Ukraine. The film shows NATO high-stakes meetings with world leaders a offers a rare and intimate look at diplomacy in times of war.More info about the film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35671816/Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Episode 229: Film talk – Black SnowIn this episode, Adam and Nina catch up on the latest news, including a discussion on the outcomes of the historic NATO Summit in The Hague, highlights of the Pride in Budapest, recent clashes and arrests during protests in Serbia and ongoing protests in Georgia. Later in the episode, Nina speaks with Alina Simone, a Ukrainian-American journalist and filmmaker whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Guardian Long Read. They go behind the scenes of Black Snow, a powerful documentary set in a remote Russian mining town where black snow falls due to extreme pollution. Alina reflects on the experience of making the film and the broader challenges of environmental activism in today’s Russia.Read more about the film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31462874/More on the guest: https://www.alinasimone.com/about-alina-simone/Sign up for the Brief Eastern Europe newsletter: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/subscribe

In this episode Adam and Alexandra open with some discussion on the latest news, including the release of 14 political prisoners in Belarus, repressions taking place in Azerbaijan, Romania and Georgia. For the main deep dive, Alexandra and Nina continue on the Georgian theme by speaking with Teona Macharashvili, co-founder and board member of Caucasus Open Space, and a committed pro-democracy activist, to unpack the latest developments in Georgia. Teona shares powerful first-hand insights from the ongoing protests, which have now continued for over 200 days.In the exclusive bonus segment – available to our Patrons - Teona sheds light on recent cuts to US foreign aid and what they mean for civil society and human rights defenders on the ground in Georgia. Listen to the bonus content here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-228-132340122Further reading:Repression in Azerbaijan - An interview with Cesare FigariBarberis: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/06/24/repression-in-azerbaijan/The 2024 Georgian elections and their geopolitical implications, Vakhtang Maisaia:https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/05/05/the-2024-georgian-elections-and-their-geopolitical-implications/History rhymes: intellectual resistance and state repression in Georgia, Tamar Gamkrelidze:https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/03/24/history-rhymes-intellectual-resistance-and-state-repression-in-georgia/Sign up for our weekly newsletter – Brief Eastern Europe:www.briefeasterneurope.eu

In this episode, Alexandra and Nina discuss recent developments across Central and Eastern Europe, including the latest charges in North Macedonia following the tragic nightclub fire in Kočani, ongoing protests in Serbia, and a vote of no confidence in the Czech Republic.The main interview features Daryna Pidhorna, Senior Lawyer at the Regional Centre for Human Rights. Daryna explores how Russia's aggression is targeting Ukrainian culture, impacting museums, festivals and outlines what can be done to safeguard Ukraine’s cultural heritage during wartime. She also shares what life is currently like in Kyiv and reflects on the atmosphere in the city as Russia steps up its aerial attacks.In the bonus content for our patrons, Daryna stays on to delve into the repatriation of cultural property. She explains how Ukraine is working to recover looted heritage and highlights lessons that can be drawn from other countries’ experiences in reclaiming stolen cultural assets.To listen to the bonus content visit: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-227-131877614 Read Adam’s takeaways from the Globsec Conference featured in Brief Eastern Europe: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/p/june-16-2025Additional financing for this podcast is provided by the Polish MFA: Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within the grant competition “Public Diplomacy 2024 – 2025 - the European dimension and countering disinformation The opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the official positions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

In this special episode, Nina, Alexandra and Adam host a special episode recorded live with the Patrons of Talk Eastern Europe. They start with a discussion on recent news developments, including Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web, Bulgaria joining the Eurozone, and the latest on repressions in Georgia. During the main episode, Adam is put in the hot-seat with Alexandra and Nina asking about the recent elections in Poland. They discuss the overall results of both rounds as well as key context heading into the elections. They also discuss how the new president-elect, Karol Nawrocki may act in relations with Europe, but also on  the situation with Ukraine.During our bonus section, the co-hosts address patrons questions and discuss in-depth the political repercussions of the election result and what could come next for Poland.The bonus content can be found here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-226-131296617Thank you to all of our patrons who joined us during the recording and all of those who support Talk Eastern Europe. If you want to support the podcast and gain access to additional benefits and bonus content, join us here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeWe also were short-listed for “Best Deep Dive Podcast” at the recent Publisher Podcast awards, and Alexandra attended the awards on behalf of Talk Eastern Europe. We didn’t win, but we were honored to be even considered among such prestigious colleagues. Pictures are available on our Patron Facebook Page.

In this special edition of Talk Eastern Europe, Alexandra reports in-person from Romania for a deep dive into the recent presidential elections. She speaks with experts Laura Stefan, Diana Filimon, and Vlad Barleanu about what happened in these dramatic elections, the allegations of digital interference from Russia, how the public responded, and what it all means for Romanian democracy. Commentary by:Laura Stefan, Founder and the Rule of Law and Anticorruption Coordinator for ExpertForumDiana Filimon, Founder and President of Forum Apulum, Founder of Gen, știriVlad Barleanu, former journalist and current PR specialist To watch the full-length interviews and other behind-the-scene clips, you can check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeResearch for this podcast episode was made possible with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington, DC’s Transatlantic Media Fellowship. Find out more about the Fellowship, and the Foundation’s work, here: https://us.boell.org/en/2025/05/22/2025-cohort-transatlantic-media-fellows Finally, thank you to Patrícia Raposo, Young European Ambassador for the EU Neighbours East and Policy Trainee at the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs, for her assistance in the research process. 

In this episode Adam and Alexandra catch up on the latest news, with a discussion on the upcoming presidential election in Poland, current developments in Hungary and what is the status of the peace process in Russia’s war against Ukraine.During the deep dive, Adam sits down with journalist Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska to discuss issues in Central Asia in particular the situation surrounding the Caspian Sea.  They look at the geopolitical significance of the sea region and the environment situation which is deteriorating as a result of oil extraction. This episode is the third part in our mini-series on Central Asia. Check out previous episodes to catch up on the issues facing this unreported region. Check out Agnieszka's podcast Turan Tales: https://turantales.substack.com/podcastRead Adam’s recent commentaries:On Poland and what’s at stake in the election: https://danperry.substack.com/p/poland-on-the-brinkOn why peace in Ukraine is slipping further away: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/p/may-26-2025Like the podcast? Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Nina and Alexandra celebrate some positive news from the Romanian and Polish elections over the weekend before updating listeners on US-brokered negotiations with Russia and Ukraine. They also discuss revelations of forgery in a shady business dealing involving Trump's son-in-law in Serbia and new efforts by the ruling party to undermine the opposition in Georgia. Alexandra then interviews Dilmurad Yusupov, an independent researcher and disability rights activist from Uzbekistan. They talk about what disability inclusion means, the state of disability rights in Uzbekistan compared to the rest of the region, and the challenges that civic groups like Dilmurad's face in promoting disability rights in the country.You can check out his organization, Sharoit Plus here: https://sharoitplus.uz/ And, Russian and Uzbek speakers can listen to Dilmurad's podcast, Inclusive Talk, here: Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/ds4DsaVESpotify: https://lnkd.in/d9mFtwUhYandex Music: https://lnkd.in/e8GV5XEqYouTube: https://lnkd.in/ewCXPiAzSupport Talk Eastern Europe: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

In this episode, Alexandra and Adam start with updates from Ukraine and efforts to bring about a ceasefire. Meanwhile, a Polish investigation has found that a fire last year which burned down a huge shopping center in Warsaw was ordered by Russian intelligence while the country gets ready to vote in the presidential election on May 18th. Finally, Alexandra discusses the results of the recent Albania parliamentary election.Later in the episode, Nina speaks with Assem Zhapisheva, a journalist and activist from Kazakhstan. Assem co-founded the Oyan, Qazaqstan – Wake Up, Kazakhstan movement for political reform and launched independent media projects like masa.media. She discusses her role in the film Streets Loud with Echoes and shares insights into Kazakhstan’s recent political turbulence, shedding light on civil society and activism under an authoritarian regime, as well as the country’s complex love–hate relationship with Russia.>>> In the bonus content for our patrons, Assem stays on to talk about her recent arrest related to the campaign Satire is not a crime and shares her perspective on the alarming decline of freedom of speech in Kazakhstan today. See more on the film “Streets Loud with Echoes”:https://www.oneworld.cz/films/56256-streets-loud-with-echoes

Nina and Alexandra open this episode with a discussion of the first round of the much-awaited presidential election in Romania, in which the far-right candidate George Simion blew away the competition. They then talk about Russia's commemoration of Victory in Europe Day taking place on May 9th, including the various guests from our region who plan to attend. Finally, Alexandra provides updates on the student protests in Serbia and Nina closes with some positive news for press freedom in Estonia.For the main interview, Alexandra sits down with Adnan Ćerimagić, Senior Analyst for the Western Balkans at the European Stability Initiative (ESI), to discuss the latest secessionist crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Adnan provides a detailed update of what has transpired in the country since February, when Bosnian Serb politician Milorad Dodik was convicted in the first-instance of defying the orders of Bosnia and Herzegovina's High Representative. He then shares potential future scenarios and explains why this could become a very dangerous situation for the country and for the rest of Europe.  "Negotiating Peace? Trump, Putin and the future of Ukraine" - Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe now online: http://bit.ly/4d8ncXbVisit us online at: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

In this episode, Adam and Alexandra open with a discussion of the latest news, including Ukraine and the status of the Trump negotiations; the deteriorating situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina; developments in Kosovo; and the preparations for presidential elections in Romania. Later, Adam is joined by David Criekemans, an Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). They discuss the changing geopolitics, how the Trump administration is changing Transatlantic relations, and how Europe should react.Read Adam’s latest commentary in this week’s Brief Eastern Europe: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/p/april-28-2025Support the podcast – join our patron community: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Adam, Alexandra, and Nina return after a short break to discuss the latest developments in the region. Topics include the situation in Ukraine, the introduction of a controversial "Russian-style" law targeting NGOs in Slovakia, the formation of a new government and prime minister in Serbia, and recent developments surrounding the presidential elections in Romania. In the main interview, Alexandra and Nina speak with Olga Skrypnyk, Chairwoman of the Crimean Human Rights Group, and Viktoria Nesterenko, a human rights defender from the Human Rights Centre ZMINA in Ukraine. They delve into the current situation in Crimea, highlighting how various groups are persecuted and how some individuals have become political prisoners. The conversation concludes with reflections on the implications of the new US administration’s approach to the war in Ukraine and a discussion on what elements are crucial to include in any future peace negotiations.Support this podcast - join our patreon community - patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeRead the latest articles online at New Eastern EuropeSign up for the Brief Eastern Europe NewsletterAdditional financing for this podcast is provided by the Polish MFA: Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within the grant competition “Public Diplomacy 2024 – 2025 - the European dimension and countering disinformation The opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the official positions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

Adam, Nina, and Alexandra are finally back together to discuss some news from the region. They cover the latest military draft in Russia, ongoing strikes in Ukraine, Hungary's decision to pull out of the International Criminal Court, and Adam gives his perspective on developments on the Polish-Belarusian border. For the deep dive, Alexandra speaks with Ognen Vangelov, Assistant Professor at University American College-Skopje in North Macedonia and a research fellow at Queen's University's Centre for the Study of Democracy and Diversity. They talk about the Macedonian government's response to a tragic nightclub fire on March 16th, which killed 59 young people, and long-standing concerns with corruption in the country. Ognen also takes stock of the government's overall performance in its first year in office, diving deep into the country's political scene. Check out the exclusive Patreon bonus content - North Macedonia's geopolitical realignment in a region on tenterhooksSupport the podcast - become a patron!https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

To start of the episode, Adam and Alexandra talk about the prospect of foreign troop deployment in Ukraine, a historic border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, a further crackdown against opposition in Georgia, and the fleeing of Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik to Moscow. Alexandra is then joined by policy analyst Alejandro Esteso Pérez, who specializes in the Western Balkans, EU enlargement, corruption, and authoritarianism. Alejandro shares findings from his latest research on how illiberal leaders in the region have instrumentalized and "illiberalized" the EU enlargement policy for their own, anti-democratic gains. You can check out his research on the subject here: https://www.europeum.org/en/articles-and-publications/policy-paper-illiberalising-eu-enlargement-to-the-western-balkans/In our bonus episode, Alexandra and Alejandro discuss the elections in Kosovo, which took place in February 2025, including what they could mean for domestic politics and the future of "normalization" talks with Serbia given the new geopolitical landscape in Europe and the US. Check out the bonus content here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-217-test-125838495

Nina and Alexandra open the episode by discussing the ongoing negotiations in Riyadh between the US, Russia and Ukraine and providing an overdue update on the deteriorating situation for civil society and media in Georgia. They then talk about a potential final agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the assault of a journalist in Serbia.For the main interview, Nina and Alexandra spoke with Leanid Marozau, the Head of the Legal Department and the Advisor on Legal Affairs to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces in exile. Together they discuss the latest political updates in Belarus and also the ongoing work of the democratic opposition outside the country. You can check out #bysol or Viasna if you'd like to support fundraising efforts for Belarusians - including political prisoners.Bonus content: What do Belarusian youth think?This week's bonus content for the TEE patrons features a short conversation with Leanid Marozau from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's office. Leanid talks with Nina and Alexandra about youth both in Belarus and in the Belarusian diaspora. Listen to the bonus discussion here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-216-125301901Support the podcast – become a TEE Patron!www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope