Episode 185: Lithuania as an outpost for global democracy

Talk Eastern Europe

#Politics #News #Talk Eastern Europe #Latest News

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In 1966, two Brazilian men were found dead on Vintém Hill under bizarre circumstances that continue to perplex investigators and conspiracy theorists alike. Lying side by side, their bodies were discovered wearing matching lead masks—shields with no eyeholes—alongside cryptic notes. Were they victims of a cult ritual, a failed experiment, or something even more otherworldly? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .…

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In this episode, the three hosts finally get back together and discuss the results of the Bulgarian elections, celebrate the opening of accession talks for Ukraine, Moldova and Montenegro and speak about the recent developments in Georgia, Ukraine and Russia.
Later, Alexandra and Nina are joined by Žilvinas Švedkauskas, a PhD candidate at Tübingen University and the author of the article A Newfound Hub of Global Democracy Promotion: Lithuania Playing to its Strengths where he discusses Lithuanian identity in promoting democratic values. In the interview, he shares the insights from the article but also sheds light on the results of recent elections in Lithuania.
In the exclusive bonus content, which our Patrons can listen to, Žilvinas shares what is the mood in Lithuania related to the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine and his insight into Russian spy scandals in Europe.
The bonus content can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-185-107529843
Support the podcast become a patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope
Check out the latest edition of New Eastern Europe: www.neweasterneurope.eu

237 episoade

Episode 185: Lithuania as an outpost for global democracy

Talk Eastern Europe

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237 episoade

#Politics #News #Talk Eastern Europe #Latest News

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1
Episode 217: EU enlargement is getting hijacked 38:58

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38:58

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…

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Episode 216: The fight for a free Belarus continues 52:14

acum 10 zile52:14

52:14

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-216-125301901 Support the podcast – become a TEE Patron! www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope…

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Episode 215: Why Putin doesn’t want peace 49:56

acum 17 zile49:56

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In this episode, Adam and Alexandra start by discussing the latest news from the region – including the fallout from the tragic fire which killed 59 people in North Macedonia as well as the massive protests which took place in Belgrade over the weekend. They also look at developments in Hungary as the opposition leader appears to be gaining momentum, while the government outlaws Budapest Pride. Later, Adam is joined by Konstantin von Eggert, an independent journalist and political analyst and weekly columnist on Russian affairs for Deutsche Welle. Adam and Konstantin discuss the Trump/Putin phone call which was set to take place this week, the overall process and what are Putin’s aims in these so-called negotiations. Konstantin also shares his view on Europe’s reactions and the current European understanding of the threat. Go even deeper – check out the latest commentaries on the New Eastern Europe website: “A Zeitenwende comes from Washington: how long-term trends shaped a new politics” by: Valerii Pekar: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/03/14/a-zeitenwende-comes-from-washington-how-long-term-trends-shaped-a-new-politics/ “As a major military power, Ukraine has options” by: Kerel Dysler: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/03/18/as-a-major-military-power-ukraine-has-options/ “Europe in the age of uncertainty”, by: Tony van der Togt, https://neweasterneurope.eu/2024/11/22/europe-in-the-age-of-uncertainty/ Support the podcast – become a TEE Patron: 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.…

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Episode 214: Scapegoating civil society in Central and Eastern Europe 53:30

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In this episode, Adam and Nina kick off with the latest headlines, including Ukraine’s ceasefire deal in exchange for renewed US military and intelligence aid, plus a NATO military chiefs’ meeting in Paris. They also break down what’s happening in Romania, the online clash between Poland’s Foreign Minister and Elon Musk, and wrap up with updates from Azerbaijan. Later, Alexandra and Nina chat with Zuzana Pavlíčková, a human rights lawyer and Fulbright Scholar under the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship at the American University Washington College of Law. Zuzana dives into the crucial role civil society has played in the region—and why governments see it as a threat today. They take a step back to unpack what civil society actually is before getting into foreign agent laws and why they’re so controversial. In the bonus content, Zuzana takes a closer look at foreign agent laws in Bulgaria, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Slovakia, and Russia—exploring what they have in common and where they differ. Listen to our bonus content here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-214-124276657…

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Episode 213: Book talk: Europe without borders: A history 46:01

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Nina and Alexandra open this episode with a discussion on the latest news, including the fallout from last week’s oval office meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They also briefly touch on the political situation in Romania, Serbia as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the conviction of Milorad Dodik which is being challenged by Republika Srbska. Later, Adam is joined by Isaac Stanley-Becker, an investigative reporter who has reported from across Europe and the United States. He earned his PhD in history from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He is the author of the book “Europe without Borders: A History”. Isaac discusses the history of the Schengen agreement, its impact on Europe and how Europeanattitudes towards borders have changed, including in the sphere of defence. In the bonus content Isaac and Adam discuss the disarray in Transatlantic relations under the new Trump administration and what it will take to repair them. Listen to our bonus content here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123769540 Learn more about the book here: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691261768/europe-without-borders…

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Episode 212: Three years since the invasion: Ukrainian perseverance and global shifts 51:20

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This special episode marks the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The three co-hosts are joined by a group of Talk Eastern Europe patrons and Iryna Krasnoshtan, an analyst and foreign policy expert from the International Center for Ukrainian Victory. Together, they reflect on how three years of war have reshaped life in Ukraine, discussing the tensions between the US and Ukraine, the support from European allies, and the impact of the USAID funding freeze on Ukrainian civil society and humanitarian groups. Iryna also shares ways listeners can continue supporting Ukraine and highlights what the country needs most from its European allies at this critical time. If you want to keep supporting Ukraine, here are some ways you can help: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/02/24/ukraine-under-attack-how-to-help/ In our bonus content for patrons, the discussion continues as those who joined the call ask their own questions about Ukraine’s future. Do you want to listen in? Become a patron and tune in here: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope…

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Episode 211: Evolution of East European Cinema 52:13

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In this episode, the three co-hosts discuss key takeaways from the Munich Security Conference and a historic meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They also touch on the anniversary of Alexei Navalny’s death, Serbia’s Statehood Day, developments in Georgia, and promising news from North Macedonia. Later, Nina speaks with Konstanty Kuzma and Moritz Pfeifer, the founders and editors of the East European Film Bulletin. They discuss the historical evolution of cinema in Eastern Europe, the current state of the region’s film industry, and where listeners can watch films from Eastern Europe today. In the bonus content, Konstanty and Moritz shed light on major changes in the film industry following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Listen to the bonus content here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-211-122769663 Check out the East European Film Bulletin: https://eefb.org/ Films and Festivals mentioned in the interview: Significant films from the region: Man with a Movie Camera – Dziga Vertov Daisies – Věra Chytilová Directors to revisit: Harutyun Khachatryan, Kira Muratova, Wojciech Wiszniewski Films to watch for in 2025: Waves – Jiří Mádl (CZ, SK) Flow – Gints Zilbalodis (LV, BE, FR) Kontinental '25 – Radu Jude (RO, HU, DE) Człowiek do Wszystkiego – Anna and Wilhelm Sasnal (PL) Jupiter – Andrey Zvyagintsev (RU, FR, ES) Silent Friend – Ildikó Enyedi (HU, FR, DE, HK) Spetsialna Operatsiia – Oleksiy Radinsky (UA, LT) Film festivals in the region: Golden Apricot International Film Festival – Yerevan, Armenia Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic Sarajevo Film Festival – Bosnia and Herzegovina Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival – Estonia 25fps Zagreb – Croatia (focusing on experimental films and arts) Specialized film festivals focusing on Eastern European cinema: GoEast Film Festival –Wiesbaden, Germany BEAST International Film Festival – Porto, Portugal Eastern Neighbours Film Festival – The Hague, Netherlands À l’Est Film Festival – Rouen, France CinEast Film Festival – Luxembourg South East European Film Festival – Los Angeles, USA…

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Episode 210: Deep dive into Kosovo's independence and statehood 1:11:02

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At the start of this episode, Adam, Nina, and Alexandra discuss developments in the Georgian opposition, the shifting US stance on Ukraine, cultural anecdotes from Russia, the resignation of the Romanian president and the Baltics' energy decoupling. For the main interview, Alexandra is joined by James Kerr-Lindsay, a leading author and expert in international relations, conflict and security to discuss the case of Kosovo, which declared its independence on February 17th 2008. They talk about what happened in the lead up to Kosovo's declaration of independence and what makes Kosovo a unique case under international law. You can watch more of James's content on his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEszqJb1FjYisBevHBIof3g Get access to additional content - become a TEE patron: 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 in this publication 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.…

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Episode 209: Book talk: Reassessing Russia’s Security Policy 50:07

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In this episode, Adam and Alexandra start out by taking a look at the latest developments in the region, including the protests in Serbia, the impact of USAID funding cuts in the region, including in Ukraine, as well as a new energy deal between the European Commission and Moldova. Later, Adam is joined by Nurlan Aliyev, an expert on security issues, a lecturer in the University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw and author of the recently released book: Reassessing Russia's Security Policy published by Routledge. More on the book : https://bit.ly/42NbG06 Watch the conversation with Nurlan Aliyev on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KTJzbfhxkzA Don’t forget to check out our Exclusive TEE Bonus Content on the protests in Serbia: https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-121401661 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 in this publication 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.…

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Episode 208: Foreign interference in Europe and the case of Romania 1:07:44

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In this episode, the three co-hosts Adam Reichardt, Nina Panikova and Alexandra Karppi start with some discussion about the ongoing protests in Serbia and Slovakia. They also discuss the results of last weekend’s president “election” in Belarus. Later, Adam and Alexandra are joined by Oktawian Milewski - a political scientist specialising in Central and East European studies and author of the recently published article “Countering FIMI. A review of seven countries under the Beacon Project” available on New Eastern Europe ’s web site. They discuss the role of foreign interference and malign influence (FIMI) in Europe, especially from Russia and put it in the context of the recently annulled presidential election in Romania. Read more: “Countering FIMI. A review of seven countries under the Beacon Project” Oktawian Milewski, New Eastern Europe 15 January 2025: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2025/01/15/countering-fimi-a-review-of-seven-countries-under-the-beacon-project/ Become a patron and join our community of supporters! www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope…

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Episode 207: Ukraine on the eve of Trump 2.0 1:04:03

acum 10 weeks1:04:03

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Happy New Year from Talk Eastern Europe! In their first episode back from the winter break, Adam, Nina and Alexandra bring listeners up to speed on Donald Trump's inauguration in the United States, presidential elections in Belarus and Croatia, and the ongoing protests in Georgia and Serbia. For the main interview, Alexandra and freelance journalist Mark Temnycky recap the war in Ukraine in 2024 and discuss what to expect in 2025. Mark shares insights on Ukraine’s heroic gains, cracks in Russia's offensive and what we know (and don't know) about the future of western support to Ukraine. Want to stay up to date on the latest from the region – sign up for the Brief Eastern Europe newsletter: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/ Support the podcast, get access to additional content: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope…

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Episode 206: Poland prepares to take over the EU presidency 52:01

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Co-hosted by: Adam Reichardt, Nina Panikova In this final episode of 2024, Adam and Nina discuss the key developments from the region in 2024, what to expect in 2025, and point out their favorite episodes from the year (see below). Later, Adam is joined by Tomasz Zając, an analyst at the European Union Programme at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM). Tomasz discusses the upcoming Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union. He highlights the Polish priorities and what to expect to see on the EU agenda in the next six months. Check out the PISM Podcast – “ Tu Mówi PISM ” Further reading: “Europe in the Shadow of War: Poland Takes Over EU Council Presidency” by Tomasz Zając: https://www.pism.pl/publications/europe-in-the-shadow-of-war-poland-takes-over-eu-council-presidency “It's all about security” published in the Brief Eastern Europe newsletter: https://briefeasterneurope.beehiiv.com/p/december-23-2024 Favorite episodes of 2024: Episode 180: In the own words. Former Belarusian political prisoners share their experiences Episode 190: Book Talk. Goodbye Eastern Europe Episode 193: Spies, sabotage and Russia-West relations Ep. 194: Life in Orban’s "Masterplan" Thank you to all of our patrons for helping us reach our goal of 60 patrons this year! Join our community here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope…

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Episode 205: Decolonising Ukraine. Standing up to Russian imperial narratives 55:41

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Co-hosted by: Adam Reichardt, Nina Panikova and Alexandra Karppi In this episode, our co-hosts start with the latest news developments from Serbia, Ukraine and Georgia. Later in the episode, Nina chats with Julia Ivanochko, Editor-in-Chief of Ukraїner po polsku , the Polish-language edition of Ukraїner . They dive into Ukraine’s experience with Russian colonialism, how it compares to Western ideas of colonialism, and the main narratives about Ukraine that still linger today. Julia also shares her thoughts on how Ukraine is pushing back against these imperial narratives and working towards true national sovereignty. For those keen to delve deeper, Julia recommends the book Imperial Knowledge: Russian Literature and Colonialism by Ewa Thompson: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1620644.Imperial_Knowledge In exclusive bonus content for our Patrons , Julia shares how contemporary Ukrainian artists are reclaiming their cultural heritage in the face of historical cultural erasure and the challenges posed by the ongoing war. Make sure to check out Ukraїner , a media platform offering unique stories, videos, and photography about Ukraine’s historical regions and its cultural context abroad: https://www.ukrainer.net/en/ You can also listen to their podcast Decolonisation , a series that explores why countering Russian imperial influence is essential for the future of global democracy. Listen in English via YouTube and Spotify , in Polish via YouTube and Spotif y and in Czech via YouTube and Spotify .…

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Episode 204: Book Talk: Fjaka: A season for Croatia 1:06:28

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In this episode, all three hosts discuss a turbulent week in the region, starting with the Romanian Constitutional Court’s decision to annul the presidential election, followed by developments in Ukraine and Georgia. They also celebrate Bulgaria and Romania’s entry into the EU Schengen Area. Later, Alexandra and Nina talk with Aleksandra Wojtaszek, a Polish translator and journalist, about her book Fjaka: A Season for Croatia . They delve into topics like tourism, the recent war, and the Dalmatian concept of fjaka—a state of relaxation and acceptance. The interview offers a deeper look at Croatia beyond its beaches, weaving a vivid narrative of its history and culture. In exclusive content for Patrons, Aleksandra speaks about Croatian language and she examines whether the breakup of Serbo-Croatian into distinct Croatian and Serbian languages mirrors the broader cultural and political desire for differentiation. Aleksandra’s book: Fjaka: A Season for Croatia can be found here in Polish language: https://czarne.com.pl/katalog/ksiazki/fjaka and here in Slovak: https://www.absynt.sk/fjaka Become a patron, join us at: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope…

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Episode 203: In Albania, past trauma still haunts the present 46:07

acum 17 weeks46:07