Best UkraineWorld Podcasts (2026)

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Ukraine in 2025: can peace talks succeed? 48:16

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20d ago48:16

48:16

In 2025, Ukraine is facing unprecedented pressure from one of its key partners, the United States. The Trump administration has chosen not to act as Ukraine’s ally, but rather as a mediator between Ukraine and Europe on the one hand, and Russia on the other.This shift has fundamentally changed the geopolitical framework of Russia’s war against Ukra…

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How Ukrainians fund their own defense: the story of “Come Back Alive” 42:56

1M ago42:56

42:56

Imagine an NGO that has raised over one billion dollars to support the Ukrainian army. Imagine a civil society initiative that purchases armaments and military equipment. Imagine a transparent organisation with an independent board and detailed reporting. This NGO exists — it is called “Povernys Zhyvym”, or “Come Back Alive”. It is one of the large…

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Ukrainian geopolitical thought - with Danylo Lubkivsky 47:40

1M ago47:40

47:40

Ukraine has its own tradition of geopolitical thinking — a tradition that reaches deep into the past and continues to shape the country’s strategic imagination today. What are its key traits? Why was it developed more by writers than by statesmen? And how does it relate to Ukraine’s current reflection on its identity?***Explaining Ukraine is a podc…

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Why the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church is unique - with Natalia Shlikhta 49:04

1M ago49:04

49:04

What makes the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church so unique? Why is it such a remarkable attempt to bridge the divide between Eastern and Western Christianity? How can its history help us better understand the history of Europe and of the Christian religion? How has it shaped Ukrainian national identity? And how did it survive the Soviet era, when the…

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Ukrainian culture: how to reassemble a broken picture - with Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta 46:01

1M ago46:01

46:01

Ukrainian cultural heritage is not something that quietly settles into national archives. In reality, it is the result of a dramatic struggle against destruction and oblivion. This makes this heritage so magnetic—precisely because it is not always visible or accessible, yet can be reconstructed like a lost mosaic.In this episode, we talk about what…

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How Russia built its myth of Kyiv - with Kateryna Dysa 42:13

2M ago42:13

42:13

Russian propaganda claims that Ukraine is not a separate nation, but merely a “preliminary form” of Russia. Today’s Kremlin ideology seeks to annex Ukrainian history in order to justify its territorial aggression. But this myth has a birth certificate. It emerged in the 19th century, when the Russian Empire started inventing its “ancient” medieval …

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Nobel Laureate Oleksandra Matviychuk on Ukraine’s Moral Core 46:41

2M ago46:41

46:41

She is not only a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is not only one of the most visible human-rights defenders in Europe in recent decades. She is not only a tireless activist with profound empathy for others. She is also a thinker — someone who reflects deeply on the moral foundations of freedom and dignity. Our guest today is Oleksandra Matviychuk,…

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Being a Ukrainian soldier - what is it like? - with Vladyslav Urubkov 50:14

2M ago50:14

50:14

How is the life of a soldier different from that of a civilian? Which aspects of it are hardest for civilians to understand?What is happening on the frontline today — and how will the outcome of this war depend on the technological race?***Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukr…

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Why Europe’s security depends on Ukraine - with Yevhen Hlibovytskyi 46:13

2M ago46:13

46:13

Ukraine is not a burden for Europe — it’s a chance for Europe.Today, European security is unthinkable without Ukraine. Ukraine has the strongest army in Europe, a dynamic defense industry, and citizens with vast military experience.The real question is: to what extent does Europe itself understand the threat posed by the new authoritarianisms? And …

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How to rediscover Ukraine: the story of Ukraïner - with Julia Tymoshenko 50:03

2M ago50:03

50:03

In this episode, we will talk about “Ukraïner”: a great initiative that has done a great deal to help rediscover Ukraine — both from within and from abroad. “Ukraïner” launched expeditions to villages and towns across the country, researched the lifestyles and cultures of Ukraine’s diverse communities, and created outstanding textual and visual pro…

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Ukrainian children, kidnapped and reprogrammed by Russia - with Kateryna Rashevska 44:25

2M ago44:25

44:25

In this episode, we discuss how Russia destroys Ukrainian families, kidnaps Ukrainian children — including those who have parents — and reprograms them, changing their identity, their way of thinking, their lifestyle, their homes. ***Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.G…

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Where Ukrainians get their news in war - with Kostiantyn Kvurt 46:13

3M ago46:13

46:13

Where do Ukrainians get their news? What are the key trends in Ukraine’s media sector during the war? Do citizens trust information coming from the government? And why is Ukrainian society so dependent on Telegram, a Russian social network?In this episode, we discuss a report, “Ukrainian media. News Consumption and Trust in 2025”—a new study conduc…

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Timothy Snyder on why history matters — and how we get it wrong 1:32:14

3M ago1:32:14

1:32:14

In September 2025, in Kyiv, a prominent American historian Timothy Snyder received the Vasyl Stus Prize — a Ukrainian award honoring the name of Vasyl Stus, one of Ukraine’s greatest poets and dissidents of the 20th century, killed by the Soviet regime in 1985. Founded in 1989 by Yevhen Sverstiuk, another prominent Ukrainian dissident, the prize is…

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A Brief History (and Present) of Ukrainian Theatre — with Mayhill Fowler 45:28

3M ago45:28

45:28

What do we know about theatre — the most ephemeral of the arts — in Ukraine? What role did Ukrainian theatre play in Soviet times? How is the heritage of the Executed Renaissance generation still alive today? And why are women in theatre so important — and yet so often ignored?***The Explaining Ukraine podcast is produced by UkraineWorld, an Englis…

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How Poetry Shaped the Ukrainian Nation — with Rory Finnin 40:16

3M ago40:16

40:16

Why is Taras Shevchenko not only the founding father of Ukrainian poetry but also of Ukrainian identity? What aspects of his legacy remain alive today? And how does poetry shape a nation?***Host: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar at Kyiv Mohyla Academy and journalist at Ukraine Crisis Media Centre who also runs a French-language podcas…

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Niall Ferguson on Empires, Networks, and Ukraine 32:38

3M ago32:38

32:38

Are all empires equally bad? If some were better than others, what criteria can we use to make such judgments? Why must we study networks, not only hierarchies, to understand our past, present, and future? What happens to societies in times of catastrophe, and who has the best chances of survival? And finally — why is Ukraine so important for the w…

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How Ukraine fights Russian drones - with Taras Tymochko 47:10

3M ago47:10

47:10

Let’s take a deeper look into drone warfare and the long-term changes it is bringing to the battlefield. How is Ukraine countering Russian drone attacks? How is it developing systems of drone interceptors? Are we moving toward a future where drones will fight other drones? And what skills must our societies cultivate to prepare for this new reality…

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How Ukraine's IT keeps surprising the world - with Taras Tymoshchuk 44:58

3M ago44:58

44:58

How is Ukrainian IT transforming the country’s defence? Why is technology key to success in today’s war? Why is Ukraine one of the world’s most dynamic IT nations — and why does it still hold so much untapped potential? And finally, how has the IT sector become a driver of social change, reshaping Ukraine’s social fabric today?***Explaining Ukraine…

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Why Ukrainian History Matters Globally — with Yaroslav Hrytsak 50:16

3M ago50:16

50:16

Yaroslav Hrytsak is one of Ukraine’s leading historians and public intellectuals. His recent book in Ukrainian, "Overcoming the Past: A Global History of Ukraine", became a bestseller. His English-language book, "Ukraine: The Forging of a Nation", is now a key reference work on Ukrainian history.We met in Lviv to discuss the global dimension of Ukr…

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Can Security Guarantees Stop Russia’s War? — with Hanna Shelest 57:16

4M ago57:16

57:16

If Ukraine does not receive real security guarantees, the war will continue—and is likely to spill over into the rest of Europe. But what kind of guarantees are truly needed, and which of them are realistic?***Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.Our guest today is Hanna …

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Сaptivity, torture, violence, and love - with Maksym Butkevych 46:21

4M ago46:21

46:21

Maksym Butkevych is a prominent Ukrainian human rights defender. Before the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he dedicated his efforts to the protection of people whose rights were violated. When Russia launched its war against Ukraine, Maksym joined the Ukrainian army to defend his country.In June 2022, he was taken prisoner of war by Russia…

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Ukraine vs Russia: who leads the tech battle? - with Glib Voloskyi 44:40

5M ago44:40

44:40

Why is technology playing such a decisive role in this war? Who is ahead in technological innovation—Ukraine or Russia? How are drones reshaping the battlefield, and how might they also transform technologies of peace? And why must Europe step up its technological cooperation with Ukraine?***Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, edit…

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How Russians hunt civilians in Kherson - with Zarina Zabrisky 51:56

5M ago51:56

51:56

Kherson may be the most dangerous regional center in Ukraine. Occupied by Russian forces in 2022, its residents were subjected to torture and intimidation.The city was liberated by Ukrainian forces in November 2022 — but almost immediately came under daily bombardment and shelling from Russian troops stationed just across the Dnipro River.In June 2…

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Why Trump’s Ukraine plan won’t work - with Tetyana Ogarkova 42:45

5M ago42:45

42:45

Trump is set to meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15. Media reports and leaks ahead of this meeting, along with statements by President Trump and members of his administration, suggest that the two leaders may have discussed a plan in which Ukraine would cede some or all of the occupied territories to Russia in exchange for “peace.”This brings us…

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Russian war crimes explained by Nobel-winning Ukrainian NGO - with Oleksandra Romantsova 52:17

5M ago52:17

52:17

Russia has committed over 160,000 war crimes in Ukraine, according to Ukraine's Prosecutor General's office. What kinds of crimes are most widespread in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?Why is the Russian approach to war so heavily marked by cruelty?Why do Russian forces torture Ukrainian civilians and abduct Ukrainian children?***Host: Volodymyr Yermo…

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What research tells us about the Ukrainian army - with Oleksiy Moskalenko 49:20

5M ago49:20

49:20

How can we understand what’s happening inside the Ukrainian army?How do soldiers feel? What challenges do they face? What parts of military life do they believe aren’t working?Traditional sociology doesn’t always provide the answers. But another discipline — anthropology, also called ethnography — offers a different approach. This method involves d…

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How Does Ukraine Talk to the Wider World? We Asked the Ukrainian Institute 51:31

5M ago51:31

51:31

Ukraine wants to be heard around the world. But we must also learn to listen to the wider world in return.The Ukrainian Institute — the country’s leading institution for cultural diplomacy — is doing remarkable work to make Ukraine’s voice heard not only in Europe and North America, but also across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.In this episode, I…

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Why colonialism is more complicated than you think - with Botakoz Kassymbekova 1:01:39

5M ago1:01:39

1:01:39

What’s the difference between colonialism and imperialism? What types of colonialism can we identify — and which of them are playing out in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other countries?This conversation is not purely academic. It helps us better understand what’s happening today — and what might happen tomorrow. Russian colonial and imperial pr…

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Why Russia fears Ukrainian literature - with Myroslav Shkandrij 48:09

6M ago48:09

48:09

Myroslav Shkandrij is a prominent scholar of Ukrainian cultural history and Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba in Canada.He has written extensively on topics such as avant-garde art in Ukraine, Ukrainian nationalism, Jews in Ukrainian literature, cultural imperialism, and decolonization.His book “Russia and Ukraine: Literature and the…

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His callsign is Caesar, he’s British, and he fights for Ukraine 35:10

6M ago35:10

35:10

There are foreigners fighting for Ukraine in this war — but their numbers are small.They are not sent by their governments; they come as volunteers, driven by a personal sense of justice and a desire to help.One of them is a British man with the callsign Caesar.He serves in Ukraine's International Legion, fighting not only for Ukraine but for the v…

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Propaganda: shaping narratives in times of war. A public discussion at CEU, Vienna 1:57:48

6M ago1:57:48

1:57:48

Propaganda has long been a powerful tool for shaping public opinion, influencing international discourse, and justifying military actions. In Russia’s war against Ukraine, propaganda has been a central instrument for creating narratives that legitimize aggression, undermine democracy, and manipulate perceptions both domestically and internationally…

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Nobel-Winning Economist Joseph Stiglitz on the Failures of Neoliberalism and Sanctions Against Russia 31:26

6M ago31:26

31:26

Joseph Stiglitz is a world-renowned economist and thinker who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2001. I met him in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, in June 2025 during the inspiring Zeg Festival in which we both participated. In this podcast episode, we spoke about his latest book, "The Road to Freedom", published last year, and a…

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How Drones Are Dramatically Changing the War – with Nataliya Gumenyuk 53:03

6M ago53:03

53:03

This is a new kind of war. Drones have fundamentally changed its nature—and continue to do so every day. The threats now come from above, not just ahead. If you’re wounded, medics may not reach you quickly because of the drone threat. Dugouts should be less massive—and more concealed.And the drones themselves are diverse: small and large, for obser…

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Look at Georgia to Better Understand Ukraine and Russia – with Tornike Gordadze 41:54

6M ago41:54

41:54

Why is Georgia drifting toward authoritarianism? Why is its current government aligning more closely with Russia and blaming its predecessors for Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia? How are the histories of Ukraine and Georgia deeply intertwined—and why are these two countries key to understanding Eastern Europe?My name is Volodymyr Yermolenko. I am…

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Hannah Arendt on evil: what can we learn from her today? - with Marci Shore 51:55

7M ago51:55

51:55

Some might argue that the concept of evil is outdated in our relativistic age. And yet—how can we speak of war crimes, cruelty, or the neglect of human dignity without invoking the word evil? Perhaps it’s time to take it seriously again, to revisit the thinkers who have grappled with its meaning.One of them, of course, is Hannah Arendt.This is a co…

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How to win an information war? - with Peter Pomerantsev 52:51

7M ago52:51

52:51

We need a fresh perspective on propaganda. The old strategies for combating misinformation are no longer effective. Simply offering fact-checks isn’t enough—those ensnared by propaganda aren’t searching for facts. They’re searching for something deeper: identity, belonging, and meaning.This is the central argument of a new book by Peter Pomerantsev…

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Black Americans and Ukrainians: Unexpected Parallels – with Terrell Jermaine Starr 43:14

7M ago43:14

43:14

Terrell Jermaine Starr is a Black American journalist who spends much of his time in Ukraine. He knows the country intimately.He also recognizes the striking parallels between the experiences of Ukrainians and Black Americans in the United States. For centuries, both groups have endured systemic violence and humiliation—sometimes overt, sometimes h…

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Ukraine and Democracy in the Global World – with Aman Sethi 47:13

7M ago47:13

47:13

Democracy is fragile today. Yet it is not confined to a single place, a specific country, or a particular political system. The democratic promise remains far from fully realized. Still, we can find hope in the idea that when democracy retreats in one part of the world, it may grow stronger in another.This is “Thinking in Dark Times”, a podcast ser…

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Ukrainian Media During the War – with Ola Myrovych 44:10

7M ago44:10

44:10

Does Ukraine have freedom of speech during the war? How are the media surviving under such harsh conditions? How do media perspectives within Ukraine compare to those from outside the country?Guest: Ola Myrovych, CEO of the Lviv Media Forum—one of the largest media events in Ukraine. We’re recording this conversation during the forum itself, in May…

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Anne Applebaum on Trump, Ukraine, and Russia 46:38

7M ago46:38

46:38

We had a conversation with Anne Applebaum a few months ago on this podcast about her book "Autocracy, Inc".—be sure to check it out: https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts//ep-332The current episode features a public conversation on similar themes: the crisis of democracy, the rise of new autocracies, Trump’s pro-Russian stance, and Russia’s war agai…

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A Brief History of Russian Imperialism – with Donnacha Ó Beacháin 1:00:25

8M ago1:00:25

1:00:25

Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion has once again brought to light an old topic: the cruelty of Russian imperialism—both past and present.In this episode, we explore the major historical periods and defining features of Russian imperialism since the 16th century. This conversation will help you understand that Ukraine’s experience is one …

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Exploring Ukrainian avant-garde: Oleksandra Ekster 44:00

8M ago44:00

44:00

In this episode, we will explore the life and works of Oleksandra Ekster, a prominent Ukrainian avant-garde artist of the early 20th century. We will discuss cubofuturism, the cultural identity of Kyiv, the role of women in Ukrainian art, and the connections between Ukrainian and European avant-garde art.Our guest for this episode is Anna Lodygina,…

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Thinking in Dark Times. Lessons from Ukraine. - Volodymyr Yermolenko at IWM in Vienna 1:26:46

8M ago1:26:46

1:26:46

What lessons can we draw from the Ukrainian experience? Why is Ukraine not only a place of suffering and fight, but also a place of thinking and creation? Why is the cultural renaissance so strong during the war? What does it mean to think in dark times?Lecture by Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, and …

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Ukraine, Sri Lanka, and the War Experience - with V. V. Ganeshananthan 48:34

8M ago48:34

48:34

We should look at wars not to build hierarchies but to understand something important about humans. Where does the violence come from? How to prevent it? What to do when it is already there? How can we defend ourselves and others? For this episode, we invited an award-winning writer V.V. Ganeshananthan. Her novel "Brotherless Night" tells a story o…

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What matters during dark times? | Czyżewski, Shore, Pezuashvili, Yermolenko 1:57:03

8M ago1:57:03

1:57:03

Do dictators rule by death and nihilism? Do they want to make us powerless - and do they succeed? Is today’s crisis also our chance? This is an online conversation between Polish philosopher Krzysztof Czyzewski, American historian Marci Shore, Georgian writer Iva Pezuashvili, and Ukrainian philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko. The event was held under …

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Ukraine, Russia, and World War II 36:41

8M ago36:41

36:41

Why is Russia using World War II as its major historical anchor? Why is the end of World War II seen in Ukraine as a victory of one evil over another, rather than a victory of good over evil? What was Ukraine’s role in World War II? Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and writer, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, president of PEN Ukra…

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Margaret Atwood on tyrannies and the fragility of freedom 48:21

8M ago48:21

48:21

Margaret Atwood is perhaps one of the greatest living writers today. Her novel "The Handmaid’s Tale" and its continuation, "The Testaments," are seen by many as prophetic.This is a conversation about dangers and hopes, about human nature, the classics, and the challenges of dark times.Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief e…

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Looking at Ukraine from Africa and back - with Simon Allison 51:18

8M ago51:18

51:18

We have a lot to share with each other. We won’t agree on everything. Often, what is “good” for one may be “bad” for the other.And yet, this conversation is necessary — and it’s interesting. A perspective from Africa on Ukraine can offer a fresh viewpoint. Likewise, a Ukrainian perspective on Africa can do the same. At the very least, let’s try.Hos…

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The Surprising Brilliance of Ukrainian Modernist Literature - with Rostyslav Semkiv 51:12

9M ago51:12

51:12

Ukrainian modernist literature is one of the golden ages of Ukrainian cultural history. In this episode, we’ll explore why that is—and why the questions raised during this period, spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries, remain deeply relevant today."Explaining Ukraine" is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet focused on Uk…

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"Inspired by Ukrainians": these Dutch writers bring vehicles to the frontline 1:14:00

9M ago1:14:00

1:14:00

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-27…