Best Louisa Wells / Francis Dearnley Podcasts (2025)

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Putin launches huge drone attack after rejecting Trump’s peace deal 53:16

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2h ago53:16

53:16

Day 1,378. Today, as the world reacts to the marathon – but ultimately fruitless – talks in Moscow on Tuesday night, we examine how the impasse will shape today’s meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers and, also in Brussels, the European Council’s discussions on frozen Russian assets and the ‘new era’ the EU says it is entering, free from Russian fossil…

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Ukraine strikes Chechen special forces ahead of Putin-Witkoff talks & Russian troops ‘sent to slaughter’ without helmets or armour 48:53

1h ago48:53

48:53

Day 1,377. Today, on a national day of mourning in Ukraine after a single ballistic missile strike killed four people and injured forty more, we report on the arrival of the US delegation in Moscow as the latest round of peace talks gets under way. Then we hear from our Washington Correspondent on the mood in the United States toward Ukraine – and …

1
Drone boats blow up Russian oil tankers & missile blitz leaves 600,000 without power 43:30

16h ago43:30

43:30

Day 1,376. Today, after a fresh round of talks between the Ukrainian and American delegations in Miami, we examine a new investigation exposing the Trump administration’s profit motives behind the emerging proposals. We then assess the resignation of Andriy Yermak, formerly Zelensky’s right-hand man, and the unexpected intervention of former Comman…

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Exclusive: Trump hands Putin Ukraine’s occupied territories & Putin says ‘Russia ready to fight until last Ukrainian dies’ 51:39

3d ago51:39

51:39

Day 1,373. Today, in a world exclusive, we report how Donald Trump is preparing to hand over Ukraine’s occupied territories, as his team prepares to fly to Moscow to present the plan to Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, the Russian President claims his country’s army “cannot be held back”, as Russia experiences one of the heaviest drone raids of the war. …

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US row intensifies as Trump team demands Ukraine agree deal 'before security guarantees' & Ukrainian counterattack recaptures key positions in Pokrovsk 42:52

6d ago42:52

42:52

Day 1,372. Today, as Thanksgiving is marked in the United States – and supposedly the day by which Ukraine was meant to agree to a peace deal, a deadline Donald Trump has now walked back – Russia denies leaking the phone call in which Steve Witkoff coached Vladimir Putin’s top aides on how to flatter the former president. We assess whether Marco Ru…

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Trump: Putin is ‘making concessions’ in peace talks & US envoy Witkoff coaches Kremlin negotiator in leaked call 48:48

5d ago48:48

48:48

Day 1,371. Today, as a leaked call reveals that Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to Russia, coached a Kremlin negotiator on how to make Donald Trump more favourable to Moscow’s position, we examine the fallout – or the lack of it. We also assess new signals that Trump’s much-trailed Thursday deadline may not be as cast-iron as claimed. Then we t…

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Breaking: Zelensky ‘agrees’ to Trump’s amended peace deal – but is all as it seems? 41:20

6d ago41:20

41:20

Day 1,370. Today, as the United States holds secret talks with separate Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi, we unpack the emerging 19-point peace plan – and react live on air to breaking reports that President Zelensky has agreed to the framework of a potential deal. We then gauge the mood in Europe’s capitals: is this a moment of quiet…

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Trump peace plan ‘written by Russia’ & explosion as power plant struck near Moscow 55:58

9d ago55:58

55:58

Day 1,369. Today, after a historic weekend, as US and Ukrainian delegations met in Geneva to discuss the US-Russian peace proposals, we assess Europe’s response as it scrambles to form a collective position, before asking just how severe the ramifications would be if, as President Trump has threatened, he cuts of military and intelligence support t…

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BONUS: ‘There’s no deal to be done with Putin’, with Lt General (Retired) H.R. McMaster, Boris Johnson, Michael Koffman & Sergey Vysotsky 46:59

11d ago46:59

46:59

Today, in a special bonus episode, we bring you a major panel from the Ukraine Freedom Summit in London, moderated by Dom and featuring a distinguished lineup: Lt General (Ret.) H.R. McMaster (U.S. National Security Adviser to President Trump, 2017–18), Boris Johnson (Former UK Prime Minister), Sergey Vysotsky (Deputy Chairman, Association of Strat…

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Trump tells Zelensky: Sign peace deal ‘by Thursday’ or have weapons cut off 55:40

10d ago55:40

55:40

Day 1,366. Today, we reveal new details of the proposed American-Russian peace plan – one that would not only drastically shrink the Ukrainian army and force Kyiv to surrender vast areas of critical territory, but ban it from ever joining NATO, and even see Moscow invited back into the G7 with its frozen assets returned. After breaking down the imp…

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Revealed: Ukraine told to accept ‘cash-for-land’ deal with Putin 50:01

11d ago50:01

50:01

Day 1,365. Today, we examine the proposal that has left Kyiv and Europe reeling: a US peace plan that could force Ukraine to lease part of its territory to Russia, cap the size of its armed forces, and accept a series of concessions that would amount to a major victory for Vladimir Putin. We then hear from a leading pollster about domestic attitude…

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Russian ship fires lasers at British war plane & Trump 'in secret consultation' with Kremlin over Ukraine 55:41

12d ago55:41

55:41

Day 1,364. Today, as Ukraine confirms the latest use of US ATACMS missiles inside Russia and Britain tracks a Russian spy ship in UK waters, we examine growing pressure on President Zelensky to dismiss a senior official over the widening nuclear-energy corruption scandal – with Andriy Yermak increasingly in the spotlight. We also report on allegati…

51
Putin turns on his own war cheerleaders & Russia builds new naval base for Black Sea fleet 45:43

14d ago45:43

45:43

Day 1,363. Today, after a 17-year-old girl was killed and 9 others injured in an overnight Russian missile attack in Kharkiv Oblast, we return to the dire situation in Pokrovsk, before asking why Vladimir Putin is targeting his own war cheerleaders in his latest clampdown. Then we look at the First World War medical condition being reported on the …

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Ship ablaze after surprise attack on Danube port; 'sabotage' as explosion hits Polish railway track & surviving Putin's gulags 54:16

16d ago54:16

54:16

Day 1,362. Today, as Poland reports sabotage on vital rail links connecting it to Ukraine and Romania evacuates civilians after Russian strikes across the Danube, we unpack President Zelensky’s latest diplomatic push – including a new energy deal with Greece and a landmark agreement with France for 100 fighter jets. Later, we speak with Vladimir Ka…

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Global oil prices spike by 2% after ‘shattering’ strike on Russian port & exclusive interview with deputy head of Zelensky’s office 56:53

19d ago56:53

56:53

Day 1,359. Today, as one of Russia’s largest oil terminals burns following an overnight strike, we report on yet another aerial blitz on Kyiv and assess the latest wave of European support for Ukraine. We also examine German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s call for President Zelensky to stem the flow of young Ukrainian men fleeing to Germany. Later, we…

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Biggest corruption scandal of Zelensky’s presidency rattles country & Polish civilians arm themselves in case of Russian invasion 56:48

18d ago56:48

56:48

Day 1,359. Today, as Ukraine launches more projectiles at Russia than it receives in return, we examine the worsening situation on the ground in the Zaporizhzhia region and the growing domestic turmoil facing President Zelensky, as the corruption scandal rattles his government. We then look at the latest defence measures being adopted across German…

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Calls for conscription age to be lowered as manpower shortage leaves Ukrainian city ‘on the brink’ & special forces launch 'fire attack' on major Russian petrochemical plant 41:14

21d ago41:14

41:14

Day 1,358. As Ukrainian forces struggle against overwhelming Russian manpower in the Zaporizhzhya region, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko calls for the conscription age to be lowered. We bring the latest on a corruption scandal inside Ukraine’s state nuclear power company, and assess the geopolitical significance of Kazakhstan joining the Abraham Accor…

51
Motorcyclists slip into frontline Pokrovsk under cover of fog 39:58

21d ago39:58

39:58

Day 1,357. Today, the battle for Pokrovsk continues to rage on with 300 Russian soldiers now in the city, pressing forward to the north. We discuss the corruption probe in Ukraine targeting one of Zelensky’s close allies and how it led to the president’s debacle over the summer when he tried to curtail Ukraine’s two anti-corruption agencies. Finall…

51
Energy war forces blackouts in Russia and Ukraine amid Putin’s manpower crisis 49:28

22d ago49:28

49:28

Day 1,356 Today, after weekend strikes on energy facilities in both countries left blackouts in Russia and Ukraine, we report how Moscow now seems to be deliberately targeting Ukrainian nuclear plants well away from the front line, how Britain is sending military personnel to defend Belgian skies, and later we have an interview with Dr Jack Watling…

101
Moscow slams Ukraine with new glide bombs as Lavrov's future in doubt 50:50

25d ago50:50

50:50

Day 1,353. Today, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visits President Trump in Washington, a few weeks after the collapse of the Budapest meeting with Russia. Meanwhile, we look at reports claiming that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov may have fallen out of favour with President Putin, and the UN Commission of Inquiry accuses Russia of co…

101
Ukraine blitzes Shahed drone factory as Russia sends disabled soldiers to die 57:31

26d ago57:31

57:31

Day 1,352. Today, as more and more Russian forces flow into Pokrovsk, Ukrainian soldiers manage to fly a Ukraine flag on the city council’s building. Ukraine also scrambles to put together a new budget for next year, while Zelensky faces harsh criticism after the announcement of relief packages ahead of winter. We hear reports of how Russia is send…

101
The Ukrainian spy who fooled Moscow & interview with a frontline drone unit commander 50:10

27d ago50:10

50:10

Day 1,351. Today, as reports from Pokrovsk indicate Russian troops now hold positions across nearly the entire city, prosecutors in Kharkiv launch a new war crimes investigation after footage emerged of an alleged Russian FPV drone strike on two civilians carrying a white flag near Kharkiv. We also examine today’s Joint Expeditionary Force meeting …

1
Ukraine strikes elite Russian unit on Black Sea oil rig & rescues camel from overrun Russian position 49:59

29d ago49:59

49:59

Day 1,350. Today, as fierce fighting continues around Pokrovsk and Ukrainian forces strike energy facilities inside Russia, we report on a surge in American surveillance flights over the Black Sea – coinciding with the arrival of Washington’s Ambassador to NATO in Kyiv. We also examine Ukraine’s claim to have hit an elite Russian special forces uni…

1
Ukraine special forces launch Black Hawk helicopter raid to stop Russian encirclement & exclusive interview with former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg 55:04

1M ago55:04

55:04

Day 1,349. Today, as reports emerge that General Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, travelled to the embattled frontline city of Pokrovsk, we sit down with former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who led the alliance in the first years of the full-scale invasion. We also speak with Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Gulliksen about hi…

101
Strike sets thermal power plant ‘ablaze’ inside Russia & shooting at draft office in Ukraine leaves two soldiers injured 42:03

1M ago42:03

42:03

Day 1,346. Today, as Ukrainian forces hang on in Pokrovsk, we discuss more reports coming out of the city of Russian troops fighting in civilian clothes – a clear war crime. Plus, we hear about Ukraine’s latest long range strikes inside Russia and look at a worrying message from the International Atomic Energy Agency that accuses Moscow of targetin…

1
Pentagon to 'immediately' test nuclear weapons & Russia fires 705 missiles and drones at Ukraine in 'vile attack' 38:55

1M ago38:55

38:55

Day 1,345. Today, as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet in South Korea, we ask whether Ukraine can ever expect China to face real consequences for its support of Russia throughout the war. We also examine Vladimir Putin’s ongoing air campaign to cripple Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – including last night’s major assault – and bring you the latest …

101
Ukraine ‘torches’ key Russian oil facilities & the motorway to save NATO from invasion 43:32

1M ago43:32

43:32

Day 1,344. Today, as the situation around the frontline city of Pokrovsk continues to worsen, we examine Ukraine’s latest wave of deep strikes targeting Russia’s military infrastructure. Then we turn to Brussels, where frustration mounts after European nations failed to agree on how to unlock frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv’s war effort. Then…

101
Russian troops ‘forced to swim’ after Ukraine blows up dam & 15 armoured vehicles destroyed in fierce battle outside Pokrovsk 52:29

1M ago52:29

52:29

Day 1,343. Today, as the fierce battle for Pokrovsk rages on – with Russian troops now inside the city and 15 armoured vehicles destroyed on its outskirts – we report on the dramatic destruction of a dam in Russia that has cut off Moscow’s forces inside Ukraine. Later, we speak to one of the leading architects behind the Western initiative to seize…

101
Putin tests 'invincible' nuclear missile & Serhii Plokhy on the new arms race 47:39

1M ago47:39

47:39

Day 1,342. Today, after a weekend of Russian bombardments on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities – with fires killing multiple civilians – we examine Moscow’s failed diplomatic bid to block Donald Trump’s latest sanctions on Russian energy. Then we consider how Vladimir Putin’s unveiling of a “next-generation” cruise missile reveals growing unease in t…

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SPECIAL: ‘We are all in danger now’ - Putin's brutal invasion three and a half years on, with General Sir Richard Barrons and Orysia Lutsevych OBE 1:19:22

1M ago1:19:22

1:19:22

In this special live episode recorded at the Honourable Artillery Company in London, we take stock of the war as it grinds into its fourth calendar year. Joined by General Sir Richard Barrons – former head of UK Joint Forces Command and co-author of Britain’s Strategic Defence Review – and Orysia Lutsevych OBE – head of the Ukraine Forum at Chatham…

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NATO scrambles fighter jets after Russian planes violate Lithuania’s airspace & deal collapses to hand Kyiv €140bn in frozen Kremlin assets 55:02

1M ago55:02

55:02

Day 1,339. Today, as President Zelensky meets the Coalition of the Willing in London, we discuss the shock felt in Brussels after European countries failed to come to a deal on the use of frozen Russian assets. We also hear the latest updates on the Ukrainian resistance, and Francis reports not from the frontline but the front row, as he attends a …

151
Trump sanctions ‘an act of war’, says Moscow, as US lifts restrictions on long-range European missiles 40:51

1M ago40:51

40:51

Day 1,338. Today, as Donald Trump unveils sweeping new sanctions on Russia’s energy giants, we analyse what recent developments reveal about the shifting power dynamics between Moscow and Washington. We also investigate an alleged Russian war crime in Donetsk and what it exposes about the brutal nature of the fighting there, before exploring why NA…

151
Children rescued from kindergarten hit by drone & Putin defies Trump to wreck Budapest peace talks 38:17

1M ago38:17

38:17

Day 1,337. Today, after Vladimir Putin defied Donald Trump to wreck the proposed Budapest peace talks, we report how overnight attacks ended with children having to be evacuated from a burning kindergarten in Kharkiv after it was hit in a Russian drone strike. Plus, British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles hit their targets in Russia and, late…

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Trapped Russian troops 'blown apart' fleeing by boat & Trump's summit with Putin in Hungary threatened as Europe pulls rank 47:39

1M ago47:39

47:39

Day 1,336. Today, amid growing signs the planned Trump-Putin summit in Hungary is already in jeopardy, we assess a breakthrough in Europe that could see finally frozen Russian state assets loaned to Ukraine. Then we uncover disturbing accounts revealing the dire state of Russia’s armed forces, and bring you the latest stories from Moscow as the eco…

151
Trump tells Ukraine: Accept Putin’s demands ‘or be destroyed’ 53:27

1M ago53:27

53:27

Day 1,335. Today, as the world digests the outcome of the White House meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, we examine why the lack of progress on Tomahawk missiles caught many observers off guard. We also explore the significance – if any – of Trump’s planned talks with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, widely seen as part of t…

1
Trump to meet Putin in Budapest in ‘huge blow’ to Europe & North Korean troops direct Russian strikes into Ukraine 57:07

2M ago57:07

57:07

Day 1,332. Today, as President Zelensky meets Donald Trump at the White House, we unpack Vladimir Putin’s emergency – if predictable – intervention: an unscheduled call with the US President that may have derailed Kyiv’s hopes of securing Tomahawk missiles. Then, in a special cultural dispatch, we dive into the world of Ukrainian classical music. C…

151
Crowds in St Petersburg sing about overthrowing Putin 45:35

2M ago45:35

45:35

Day 1,331. Today, as President Zelensky heads to Washington for another high-stakes meeting with Donald Trump, we break down the latest from the frontlines as NATO vows to ramp up its military support for Ukraine. We also examine a rare protest in St Petersburg calling for Vladimir Putin’s death, explore how recent drone incursions are reshaping Ge…

1
Drug gangs hone drone skills in Ukraine's foreign legion as US warns Russia of “consequences” on eve of latest weapons meeting 42:06

2M ago42:06

42:06

Day 1,330. Today, as NATO defence ministers meet in Brussels with the US representative to NATO warning Russia of “consequences” if the Kremlin doesn’t move towards a peace agreement, we report how Mexican and Colombian drug cartels have infiltrated the Ukrainian military to learn how to fly kamikaze drones. Plus we take a deep dive into the curren…

151
Trump: 'Now let’s end the Ukraine war' after Gaza triumph & UN convoy attacked by Russian forces in Ukraine 43:48

2M ago43:48

43:48

Day 1,329. Today, as Donald Trump vows to harness the momentum of the Gaza ceasefire to bring peace to Ukraine, we examine global reaction – or the striking silence – after a UN convoy was attacked by Russian forces. Then we assess reports of a possible chemical weapons attack in Donetsk and take a deep dive into stories emerging from inside Russia…

1
'5 tanks hit' in gigantic blaze at Russia's largest oil terminal in Crimea & US intel 'guided' Ukraine’s strikes on energy sites 41:35

2M ago41:35

41:35

Day 1,328. Today, as we learn the Donald Trump administration has been sharing intelligence enabling Kyiv to strike at Russian energy facilities, we reflect on the likelihood that Tomahawk missiles are incoming, and the fallout from the US President not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Then we hear live from the country of Georgia, where protests c…

201
‘Massive’ Russian attack knocks out Kyiv energy grid & what Gaza ceasefire means for Ukraine 52:17

2M ago52:17

52:17

Day 1,325. Today, after another wave of intense Russian bombardments, we explore what the Gaza ceasefire could mean for the war. Will it bring renewed international attention, or further distraction? Plus, we deliver our latest fortnightly update on resistance inside the occupied territories, and ask: how strong is America’s commitment to Europe’s …

201
Stowaway drone sneaks into Russian base atop military vehicle & Russia announces 'retaliation' in case of nuclear testing 45:29

2M ago45:29

45:29

Day 1,324. Today, Ukraine hits yet another pipeline and oil plant, while fuel shortage in Russia approaches 20 percent. Meanwhile, more than half of Ukraine's natural gas production capacity has been destroyed by Russian strikes. We also discuss the state of US-Russia relations and what will happen to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty when it exp…

201
Russian gas production ‘buckles’ under Ukrainian strikes & Kremlin enforces blackout on foreign SIM cards 38:13

2M ago38:13

38:13

Day 1,323 Today, as Moscow tightens restrictions on gas sales and mobile networks amid Ukraine’s escalating campaign against Moscow’s oil industry, reports emerge that Russian workers are being told to halt operations as “preemptive measures” against drone attacks. We also discuss Dom and Francis’s appearance on Russian state TV, and speak with Aus…

201
The mini-missiles designed to ram Putin’s drones out of the sky & head of a Kremlin-linked publishing house ‘falls out of a window’ 57:40

2M ago57:40

57:40

2M ago53:10

53:10

Day 1,314. Today, amid heavy assaults on Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, while Ukraine attacks more energy sites deep inside Russia, we hear about the evacuation of families from eastern Ukraine, where Moscow’s offensive continues to flatten whole cities – and about the half-marathon Dom ran to help raise money for one charity trying to help. Plus, we refle…