Episodes

  • Four Years of the War in Ukraine (Live Event)

    Four Years of the War in Ukraine (Live Event)
    Feb 26 2026
    Max and Maria spoke with Hanna Notte, JP Gresh, and Michael Kimmage at a live CSIS event marking the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This conversation was recorded on February 23, 2026. For the video recording of this event, please go to CSIS.org. "Putin Had High Hopes for Trump. They Have Been Dashed," by Hanna Notte (The New York Times, February 2026). Preorder We Shall Outlast Them: Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West, by Hanna Notte (W.W. Norton & Company, August 2026).
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Ukraine's Ongoing Energy Crisis

    Ukraine's Ongoing Energy Crisis
    Feb 12 2026
    Max and Maria were joined by Andrian Prokip and Tim McDonnell to discuss the relentless Russian bombardment of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and what this means for average Ukrainians trying to survive the winter months. Be sure to explore Tim McDonnell’s newsletter, Semafor Energy.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • Thresholds of Survival: The Latest Report on Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation by Jade McGlynn

    Thresholds of Survival: The Latest Report on Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation by Jade McGlynn
    Jan 22 2026
    Max and Maria spoke with Jade McGlynn about her latest report on Ukrainian resistance in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. "Thresholds of Survival: The Resistance in Occupied Ukraine" by Jade McGlynn (January 2026, CSIS.org)
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Adam Entous on U.S.-Ukraine Relations in 2025

    Adam Entous on U.S.-Ukraine Relations in 2025
    Jan 8 2026
    Max and Maria spoke with Adam Entous of The New York Times on his in-depth investigation exploring the Trump Administration's policies towards Ukraine in 2025. This conversation was recorded on January 7, 2026. "The Separation: Inside the Unraveling U.S.-Ukraine Partnership" by Adam Entous (The New York Times, December 2025).
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 20 mins
  • Sergey Radchenko on Ukraine Peace Negotiations

    Sergey Radchenko on Ukraine Peace Negotiations
    Dec 18 2025
    Max and Maria spoke with Sergey Radchenko about the state of affairs in peace negotiations over Ukraine as we come to the close of 2025. They discuss the different parties' goals and positions, and how this current round of negotiations compares to the talks in Istanbul at the start of the full-scale invasion back in 2022. This conversation was recorded on December 12, 2025. "America's Magical Thinking About Ukraine: A Bad Deal Is Worse Than No Deal," by Sergey Radchenko (Foreign Affairs, December 2025). "The Talks That Could Have Ended the War in Ukraine: A Hidden History of Diplomacy That Came Up Short — but Holds Lessons for Future Negotiations," by Samuel Charap and Sergey Radchenko (Foreign Affairs, April 2024).
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • The Latest 28-Point Peace Plan for Ukraine

    The Latest 28-Point Peace Plan for Ukraine
    Dec 1 2025
    Max speaks with Michael Kimmage about his immediate reactions to the new 28-point peace plan for Ukraine, and the rapid-fire diplomacy taking place in response to its release. This conversation was recorded on November 24, 2025.
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • The Increased Level of Repressions Within the Russian Elite

    The Increased Level of Repressions Within the Russian Elite
    Nov 20 2025
    Max and Maria spoke with Nikolay Petrov and Mikhail Troitskiy, two leading experts on the contemporary Russian elite, to discuss the current status of this ruling group inside Russia today, and why it finds itself increasingly under pressure from state security organs. This conversation was recorded on November 13, 2025. "Отцы и дѣти: Генеалогическое исследование российской власти" (Proekt.media, November 2025) "Transition without a successor: The transformation of Putin’s regime," by Vladimir Pastukhov and Nikolay Petrov (NEST, September 2025) "Managing multiple audiences: dual-track signals and the silencing of Russia’s globalized elites before the invasion of Ukraine," by Mikhail Troitskiy (Post-Soviet Affairs, June 2025)
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Russian and Ukrainian Battlefield Adaptations with Dara Massicot and Kateryna Bondar

    Russian and Ukrainian Battlefield Adaptations with Dara Massicot and Kateryna Bondar
    Nov 10 2025
    Max and Maria had a livestreamed conversation in the CSIS Brack Studio with Dara Massicot and Kateryna Bondar to discuss Russian and Ukrainian battlefield adaptations and technological innovations. This conversation took place on November 5, 2025. A video recording is available at CSIS.org. "How Russia Recovered: What the Kremlin Is Learning From the War in Ukraine" by Dara Massicot (Foreign Affairs, October 2025) "How and Why Ukraine's Military Is Going Digital" by Kateryna Bondar (CSIS.org, October 2025) "Russia's War in Ukraine: The Next Chapter" by Max Bergmann and Maria Snegovaya (CSIS.org, September 2025)
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins