The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) is pleased to introduce a special Chain Reaction podcast series: The Continent.

The Continent explores how the war in Ukraine is changing Europe’s politics and security. Host Aaron Schwartzbaum will “visit” a country on each episode, learning about key dynamics and trends from local experts.  To be the first to know about new episodes, please subscribe to our mailing list and follow us on Twitter @FPRI. 

Latest Episode:

About the Host:

Aaron Schwartzbaum

Aaron Schwartzbaum is a Fellow  in the FPRI Eurasia Program, and is founder of the FPRI’s BMB Russia. He now works with the BMB team as an advisor and columnist. Aaron received an MA in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), with concentrations in International Political Economy and International Economics. Prior to starting at SAIS, he worked at Eurasia Group as a researcher for the Eurasia and Global Macro practices. Aaron holds a BA in International Relations and Russian from Haverford College, and has completed the Overseas Language Flagship program in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

 

Explore Past Episodes:

KZ Right Now: Kazakhstan’s Politics in a Changing Global Order

The Continent takes a (slight) detour to learn how trends over in Eurasia compare with what we’re seeing in Europe. The complicated neighbor is the same; what about the domestic and geopolitical landscape? Temur Umarov offers insights on the...

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Apocalypse Chisinau: Identity Politics in Moldova

How much do Moldovan politics rhyme with some of what we’ve seen in Ukraine? FPRI Senior Fellow Ecaterina Locoman sheds light on language politics, Ukraine war spillover, and frozen conflict.  The Continent explores how the war in Ukraine is changing...

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Defense 101: Military Basics and the War in Ukraine

Robert Hamilton and Rick Landgraf join Aaron to tackle (almost) every question you were too embarrassed to ask about the defense and security issues central to Ukraine. Term by term, concept by concept, jargon by jargon. No acronym is...

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Powderkeg Party: Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

On this special double feature, The Continent visits the Balkans. How do we make sense of continued nationalism, the conflict it spurs, and Russia’s regional influence? Mladen Mrdalj and Jasmin Munjanovic join to discuss. Related Reading: Hunger and Fury:...

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The Fast and the Pistorius: Germany’s Remilitarization Plans

Germany announced bold remilitarization plans after Russia’s latest invasion of Ukraine. A year later, where do we stand? Minna Ålander returns to The Continent to discuss progress made, and the challenges ahead. The Continent explores how the war in Ukraine...

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The Continent: Turkey to Victory

As we return to The Continent, what is the latest on Turkey’s upcoming election? Who is running, what is driving Turks to vote, and what does the result mean for Ukraine and beyond? FPRI’s Director of Research Jim Ryan...

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We Can France if We Want To: What Does Paris Want for Ukraine and Europe?

As we drop by Paris, what is President Macron’s angle, diplomatically or otherwise, in the Ukraine War? And how do populists on both the right and left play in? This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on November...

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Giorgia on My Mind: Italy’s Rightward Turn and Its Implications

What spurred Italy’s right wing populist wave? And what does it mean for EU policy? Federico Santi joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss.  This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on October 20, 2022.  The Continent explores how the war...

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Stuck in the Magyar: Why is Hungary the “Bad Boy” of Europe?

How did Hungary stray from the liberal democratic path? What does that mean in practice? And what explains its contrarian position on Russia within the EU? Andras Toth-Czifra and Marta Pardavi join Aaron to discuss all things Hungary. This...

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Bloc Party: The EU and the War in Ukraine

We’ve looked how the war in Ukraine has impacted politics in several countries, but what about the EU as a whole? Charles Lichfield joins to discuss. This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on September 14, 2022.  The...

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