Explaining Ukraine

They have already become our friends: Jaap Scholten and a group of courageous Dutch writers, photographers, artists, and rugby players who come regularly to Ukraine to bring vehicles to the Ukrainian soldiers. We have already had conversations with some of them:  https://soundcloud.com/user-579586558/ep-287  https://soundcloud.com/user-579586558/ep-270 This time, we held a big event at PEN Ukraine...

You probably all know the Black Square, a famous avant-garde painting that has radically changed the way we think about art. You’ve probably heard that this painting was created by Kazymyr Malevych, a “Russian painter”. But he was not Russian. He comes from Polish and Ukrainian descent, and the Ukrainian sources of his creativity and thinking are huge. In this episode, we will try to explain why i...

Which 20th-century ideas should we carry with us into the 21st century? And which of them have become obsolete? We discuss these topics during a live event with David Rieff, a prominent American writer and journalist. The discussion was held on March 1st at PEN Ukraine space in Kyiv, and was organized by UkraineWorld, PEN Ukraine and Thinking in Dark Times podcast. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a U...

Ivan Mazepa is a renowned Ukrainian leader who made significant contributions to the flourishing of Ukrainian culture and the Cossack state in the late 17th century. Because of his desire for Ukraine's freedom from Muscovy, Mazepa aligned himself with the Swedish king Charles XII in a war against the Russian tsar Peter I, ultimately losing the decisive battle near Poltava in seventeen o nine Howev...

The Russian and Soviet imperial narratives tried to persuade us that Ukrainian culture is provincial. It is not. It is very global and is enshrined in many interesting topics of the wider world. In this episode, we delve into these trajectories of ideas. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, the president of PEN Ukraine, and Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukr...

How can Ukraine adapt to the new world that has emerged? Has America ceased to be its key partner? Is Europe ready to step in, and what does it need to do? Where else can Ukraine find its partners? Our guest is Dmytro Kuleba, a prominent Ukrainian diplomat and intellectual who served as Ukraine’s foreign minister from 2020 to 2024. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief edi...

Let's explore the Ukrainian intellectual tradition. What recurring ideas can be found in Ukrainian philosophy, literature, and historiography? What are the key topics of ongoing debates in these fields? Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher and the chief editor of UkraineWorld, the president of PEN Ukraine, and Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar, and author of the French...

War photography is not just about capturing destruction—it is about witnessing history, shaping narratives, and conveying human resilience. What motivates a photographer to enter a war zone, and how does this experience transform their perception of the reality? The guest of the Explaining Ukraine podcast is Jérôme Barbosa, an independent photographer who has ventured into Ukraine during wartime....

The humiliation of civilians is one of the widespread tactics of the Russian army. It uses starvation and deprivation as a war technique, and shells civilian targets when there are no military facilities around. We are discussing this issue with Catriona Murdoch, Vice-President of Global Rights Compliance. Catriona is an international criminal and human rights expert with over 13 years of experien...

Feelings inside and outside Ukraine are different. Outside, most people think Ukraine is doomed. Inside, most believe Ukraine will stand and never give up. I share the inside view, as does my guest today—a very active member of the Ukrainian parliament. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, and the president of PEN Ukraine. My guest today is Dmytro...

Trump made Europe lonely. Europe feels abandoned and perplexed in its geopolitical solitude. What it does not yet fully understand, though, is how insecure it has become. And how it should now learn from Ukraine, and not only teach it. Only if Europe understands that Ukraine is not its problem, but part of its solution, and that defending Ukraine means defending Europe, both will survive. Host: Vo...

There is a striking parallel between the Russian war crimes in Syria and Ukraine. In both cases, the Russian army has been using extreme violence not to achieve military means, but to intimidate people and impose a tyrannical power over them through fear. Our guest today is Raji Abdul Salam, a legal data archive analyst with experience in documenting war crimes, crimes against humanity, and attemp...

What is happening on the frontline of the Russo-Ukrainian war? How is the war changing technologically? What does Ukraine need from its partners? Why is Europe slow and indecisive - and why is it wrong? The guest of the Explaining Ukraine podcast is Gustav Gressel, an Austrian political and military analyst, former Senior Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and currently a Research...

Timothy Snyder came to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, to present his book "On Freedom". We have had several conversations about the ideas of this book before (in Kyiv and Kharkiv), and you can find links to the podcast episodes featuring these discussions in the description. However, this was the first time we talked about this book after its publication. We recorded this conversation on February 9, 202...

What have we learned from the year 2024 in Ukraine? What have been the key trends on the frontline? What does Ukraine need to defend its sovereignty? What are Russia’s goals in this war, and what are the keys to achieving sustainable peace? In this episode of the Explaining Ukraine podcast, the guest is Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian intellectual, literary scholar, and journalist, the head of the i...

Trump wants to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine, but what difficulties will he face? Why must he genuinely engage with Ukraine and the EU to achieve this goal? What leverage does he have to encourage Putin to negotiate? Why does any peace in this context need to be sustainable? In this episode of the Explaining Ukraine podcast, the guest is Fredrik Wesslau, a Swedish diplomat and analyst who has...

Brazil has the 3rd largest Ukrainian community in the Americas. Over half a million Brazilians have Ukrainian origins, with most of them descendants of 19th century labor migrants. In this episode, we navigate through the unexpected links between the two countries, and analyze why relations between Brazil and Ukraine are difficult today. The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites you to a conversation...

Timothy Snyder came to Kharkiv on September 8th, 2024, despite regular strikes on the city by Russian bombs, missiles, and drones. Our conversation was focused on freedom and values, which are the key topics of his latest book, "On Freedom", published on September 17th. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460254/on-freedom-by-snyder-timothy/9781847928054 Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second-largest city, locat...

Are Ukraine and Brazil truly worlds apart, or can a common ground be found? Do they actually see peace differently? The reality is far more complex than just the statements issued by politicians in both countries. In this episode, we look at the heart of Ukraine-Brazil relations—their history, mutual willingness to learn more about one another, and what the future may hold. This episode is part of...

Japan stands among the top supporters of Ukraine today. It provides major financial and humanitarian aid, and backs Ukraine at the political level globally. These countries lie thousands of miles apart - so what brings them together? Has this difficult time of war brought the Japanese and Ukrainian people closer, helping them discover more about each other? This episode is part of a joint series “...

There is a big debate about whether sanctions against Russia are working. Some argue that they are failing to stop the Russian war machine, and that Ukraine’s allies need to find something else. Others say that real sanctions are yet to be applied or truly implemented. What is certain is that without the sanctions in place against Russia, Moscow would likely be occupying much more Ukrainian territ...

Trump’s election has brought the topic of negotiations with Russia back into focus. In this episode, we will analyze the obstacles that any talks with Russia are likely to entail. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media about Ukraine.  UkraineWorld is brought...

There is a long intellectual tradition of studying the moral character of war. One of the key questions of this tradition is whether a war is just or unjust. What elements of this philosophical tradition can we apply to Russia’s war against Ukraine, and to Ukraine’s resistance? Our guest today is Jeff McMahan, an American moral philosopher, and author of books such as "Killing in War" and "The Eth...

What does Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president mean for Ukraine? What are the potential threats—and perhaps hidden opportunities? Trump has claimed he can end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours, but what challenges would he face? Our guest is Natalya Gumenyuk, a well-known Ukrainian journalist. She traveled to the U.S. to report on the election campaign and gain an insider’s perspective. Nata...

Denise Dresser is a prominent Mexican political analyst, columnist, and academic. Forbes recently listed her as one of the 50 most powerful women in Mexico. With almost 5 million followers on Twitter, she is also one of the most influential opinion leaders in her country. She was recently awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government for her work on democracy, justice, gender equality, and...