Best FPRI Podcasts (2026)

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The Brief, In Brief 25:47

Play Pause

12d ago25:47

25:47

In which the current editor in chief of the Bear Market Brief talks to a former one about an important question: in the big picture what actually happened in Russia this year? Also, how do you go about making a news brief? Subscribe to the Bear Market Brief This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get ac…

1
Never Again Alone | Finland in NATO 52:03

16d ago52:03

52:03

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This week, we go even further north, to Finland, one of the alliance’s newest members. Like the other frontline states we’ve visited this season, Finland shares a turbulent and complicated history with Russia that has long molded its security and foreign policy. But unlike the other frontline states, it was not a…

1
Russia Above Ground, Russia Below Ground 44:40

18d ago44:40

44:40

Howard Amos and Nina Zakharkina-Berezner join to discuss the lived reality of modern Russians in the country's periphery and informal, dissident spaces that exist under the radar. Related Links: Howard's book Howard and Nina's podcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes,…

1
Integration Through Art: Documentary and Dance in Estonia 24:01

25d ago24:01

24:01

Over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees have come to Estonia at some point since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Of those, tens of thousands remain in the country, building their own communities and integrating with local Estonians. For many, art is an important assertion of Ukrainian identity, but also a bridge to their new neigh…

1
Understanding Unmanned Naval Systems 26:54

26d ago26:54

26:54

We have spent a lot of time talking about Combat Collaborative Aircraft, or CCA. On this episode, Aaron sat down with Billy Byrne, the Director of Strategy for Defense at Saildrone. The two talked about the future of unmanned naval systems, the lessons learned from Ukraine’s operations in the Black Sea, the challenges of operating in the Indo-Pacif…

1
Windows of Opportunity | Latvia in NATO 59:45

1M ago59:45

59:45

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This week, we go back North to the shores of the Baltic Sea for the perspective from Latvia. In this episode, we’ll hear from three Latvian experts on the evolution of the country’s defense posture, NATO cooperation, and its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We’ll also hear about what’s happening on the d…

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On the Coasts of Conflict | Romania in NATO 1:03:03

2M ago1:03:03

1:03:03

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This week, we are looking further south along NATO’s eastern flank at Romania. Romania has long advocated for increased NATO and US presence in the Black Sea. Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the importance of the Black Sea and Romania’s role have been reflected in an increased NATO presence and multip…

1
The Multipolar, the Merrier: US Foreign Policy in a Brave New World 32:36

2M ago32:36

32:36

In a rapidly evolving world where Washington might not have the same sway it used to, how should the US best position itself? Who are the “schools” or “camps” contesting the direction of foreign policy. In this episode of The Continent, Emma Ashford joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to talk about American grand strategy and her recent book First Among Equal…

1
The Battle for Memory: Populism vs. Pluralism in Public History 46:16

2M ago46:16

46:16

Baltic Ways presents a bonus episode from our partners at the EUROPAST podcast. The EUROPAST podcast explores Europe’s most pressing challenges of public history, investigating the complex and contested spaces of public memory, memory activism, and best practices for engaging the public in a dialogue about the past. In this episode, hosts Professor…

1
For Our Freedom and Yours | Poland in NATO 1:01:25

2M ago1:01:25

1:01:25

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This season, we are looking at NATO from a bit of a different vantage point, specifically that of the frontline states. How are frontline states investing in and planning for their defense? How are they thinking about their role and contributions in the Alliance and on the world stage? How have their historical e…

1
The State of Baltic Studies 34:57

3M ago34:57

34:57

What is the ongoing relevance of Baltic Studies? As the new academic year gets underway, we speak with three scholars in the field about what it means to study the Baltic region today. What challenges is the field facing, and what might the future look like? What does the broadening of Baltic Studies beyond the three Baltic states mean for the fiel…

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Continued Conversation About Collaborative Combat Aircraft 38:17

3M ago38:17

38:17

Introducing our new monthly podcast series, Behind the Front, which features conversations with industry experts on challenges and opportunities facing the technology, space, and national security sectors. This week Aaron Stein sat down with Scott “FUG” Gilloon, who currently serves as the Sector Vice President of Air Force Strategic Development an…

1
Kyiv Dispatch 29:51

4M ago29:51

29:51

A flurry of back-and-forth diplomacy, a renewed Russian offensive, and a rare outburst of protest in Ukraine. The Kyiv Dispatch with Aaron Schwartzbaum and Fabrice Deprez returns to break down what's actually happening and most importantly, how people on the ground are feeling about it. For more reporting and stories from Ukraine, be sure to follow…

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Kyiv Dispatch: Third Time's the Charm 29:51

4M ago29:51

29:51

A flurry of back-and-forth diplomacy, a renewed Russian offensive, and a rare outburst of protest in Ukraine. The Kyiv Dispatch with Fabrice Deprez returns to break down what's actually happening and most importantly, how people on the ground are feeling about it. For more reporting and stories from Ukraine, be sure to follow Fabrice’s newsletter, …

1
Drones and the Future of War 36:20

5M ago36:20

36:20

Are drones the future of war? What lessons can be learned from Ukraine for the Taiwan contingency? To discuss these topics and more, FPRI President Aaron Stein sat down with Lorenz Meier, CEO of Auterion, to discuss drones and the future of war. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Whither Strong? Exploring Conceptions of Russian Power 31:38

5M ago31:38

31:38

Why does Russia play such an important role in geopolitics? If it's because of 'strength'... what does strength even mean? And why do conceptions of Russia's strength vary so extremely? Seva Gunitsky joins Aaron Schwartzbaum on this week’s Bear Market Brief podcast. Related Reading Russia is both weak and strong - that's the problem by Seva Gunitsk…

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Whither Strong? Exploring Conceptions of Russian Power 31:38

5M ago31:38

31:38

Why does Russia play such an important role in geopolitics? If it's because of 'strength'... what does strength even mean? And why do conceptions of Russia's strength vary so extremely? Seva Gunitsky joins Aaron Schwartzbaum on this week’s Bear Market Brief podcast. Related Reading Russia is both weak and strong - that's the problem. by Seva Gunits…

1
Future of Collaborative Combat Aircraft 20:47

5M ago20:47

20:47

How might combat collaborative aircraft be used to fight a war in Europe? Or the Indo-Pacific? To discuss these questions, and the latest from the YFQ-44A, President Aaron Stein sat down with Andrew Van Timmeren, the director of air dominance systems at Anduril Industries, about what he and the company are working on. FPRI’s new project, Behind the…

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From Russia with Risk 31:24

6M ago31:24

31:24

Here on the Bear Market Brief, a lot of what we focus on is, simply put, risk: what might happen, and what might it mean? On this episode, geoeconomic and country risk expert Rachel Ziemba joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to delve in the discipline of Political Risk: how does one "do" the field? Bear Market Brief features a weekly newsletter and a monthly …

1
From Russia with Risk 31:24

6M ago31:24

31:24

Here on the Bear Market Brief, a lot of what we focus on is, simply put, risk: what might happen, and what might it mean? On this episode, geoeconomic and country risk expert Rachel Ziemba joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to delve in the discipline of Political Risk: how does one "do" the field? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this w…

1
Part 2 | Surviving Two Years in Russian Captivity 51:11

7M ago51:11

51:11

Listen to Part 1 here. In this special two part episode of Chain Reaction, Senior Fellow Rob Lee interviews Yevgeniy Malik, a squad leader in Ukraine's 36th Marine Brigade. Malik fought in Mariupol during the beginning of the war and defended the Illich Iron and Steel Works. He spent more than two years in captivity in Russia as a prisoner of war f…

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Part 1 | Surviving Two Years in Russian Captivity 1:07:26

7M ago1:07:26

1:07:26

In this special two-part episode of Chain Reaction, Senior Fellow Rob Lee interviews Yevgeniy Malik, a squad leader in Ukraine's 36th Marine Brigade. Malik fought in Mariupol during the beginning of the war and defended the Illich Iron and Steel Works. He spent more than two years in captivity in Russia as a prisoner of war from April 2022 to Septe…

1
What E-Estonia Can Teach the US 27:13

7M ago27:13

27:13

This week technologist Joel Burke, author of the recently published Rebooting a Nation: The Incredible Rise of Estonia, E-Government and the Startup Revolution, joins Indra Ekmanis on the Baltic Ways podcast. He shares his insights on Estonia’s rise as a leader in e-government, technological exports in a globalized world, and what the US has to lea…

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What E-Estonia Can Teach the US 27:13

8M ago27:13

27:13

Technologist Joel Burke is the author of the recently published Rebooting a Nation: The Incredible Rise of Estonia, E-Government and the Startup Revolution. He shares his insight with Indra Ekmanis on the country’s rise as a leader in e-government, technological exports in a globalized world, and what the US has to learn from Estonia in a moment of…

1
Gradually, Then Suddenly: Georgia's Slide Into Authoritarianism 34:02

8M ago34:02

34:02

Since November of last year, the small country of Georgia has seen daily protests against its increasingly authoritarian government. For over 150 straight days Georgians have been in the streets demanding that their country return to the path of European integration, and halt what they describe as its slide toward becoming a Russian client state. B…

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The War’s Impact On Russia's Regional Power Dynamics 16:58

8M ago16:58

16:58

In this episode of Report in Short Aaron Schwartzbaum speaks with András Tóth-Czifra about his recent report, “The Kremlin’s Balancing Act: The War’s Impact On Regional Power Dynamics.” In the report, Tóth-Czifra explains the shift of government control, highlights instances of pushback, and identifies limitations on the Kremlin's strategy going fo…

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You Don't Know Until You Go | Views of the US From European Capitals 36:37

8M ago36:37

36:37

Persistent reports indicate that the Trump Administration will de-emphasize the US commitment to European security in favor of an emphasis on defending the US homeland and shifting resources to the Indo-Pacific. This follows a long-running critique of America’s European allies for investing too little in their own defense, a critique that predates …

1
The Feminists Defending Ukraine 26:47

8M ago26:47

26:47

Ukrainians have resisted Russia’s aggression for years. Since the full-scale invasion of their country in 2022, Ukrainian women in particular have taken on important roles on the frontlines, in civil society, and at home. Gražina Bielousova’s research examines how Ukrainian leftist feminists advocate for their causes at home and abroad, facing dist…

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The Feminists Defending Ukraine 26:47

9M ago26:47

26:47

Ukrainians have resisted Russia’s aggression for years. Since the full-scale invasion of their country in 2022, Ukrainian women in particular have taken on important roles on the frontlines, in civil society, and at home. Gražina Bielousova’s research examines how Ukrainian leftist feminists advocate for their causes at home and abroad, facing dist…

1
After the Collapse: Tragedy in Serbia Sparks a Movement 34:34

9M ago34:34

34:34

On November 1 2024, the roof of a newly €55 million renovated railway station in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second biggest city, collapsed and killed 16 people. The deaths sparked Serbia’s largest wave of student-led anti-government protests since Yugoslavia’s disintegration in 2000.Mid-March protests in Serbia saw roughly one in twenty Serbians participat…

1
Tariff Tiff or Trade Tragedy? 40:50

9M ago40:50

40:50

The Trump Administration has thrown global financial markets into chaos with its massive but on-again, off-again tariffs against America's trading partners, both large and small. The White House has at times framed the tariffs as a revenue generation scheme, at other times framed them as an attempt to return manufacturing to the US, and at still ot…

1
Trump 2.0 and the Baltic States 48:54

9M ago48:54

48:54

This week on Chain Reaction, we feature an installment of the Baltic Ways podcast. Host Indra Ekmanis welcomes back professors Margarita Šešelgytė (Vilnius University), Daunis Auers (University of Latvia), and Andres Kasekamp (University of Toronto) for a roundtable discussion on the first two months of Donald Trump’s second term and the US adminis…

1
Trump 2.0 and the Baltic States 48:54

9M ago48:54

48:54

The Baltic Ways podcast welcomes back professors Margarita Šešelgytė (Vilnius University), Daunis Auers (University of Latvia), and Andres Kasekamp (University of Toronto) for a roundtable discussion on the first two months of Donald Trump’s second term and the US administration’s impact on the Baltic countries and broader Europe. This episode was …

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Rumble in the Oval: Strategy or Spectacle? 34:28

10M ago34:28

34:28

The two weeks after Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky’s Oval Office clash have precipitated drastic shifts in transatlantic relations and the potential trajectory of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Now a possible ceasefire is on the horizon. This week on the Bear Market Brief podcast, host Aaron Schwartzbaum and Maximilian Hess make sense of the Oval Of…

1
Rumble in the Oval: Strategy or Spectacle? 34:28

10M ago34:28

34:28

The two weeks after Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky’s Oval Office clash have precipitated drastic shifts in transatlantic relations and the potential trajectory of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Now a possible ceasefire is on the horizon. This week on the Bear Market Brief podcast, host Aaron Schwartzbaum and Maximilian Hess make sense of the Oval Of…

1
Historical Justice in the Baltic States 29:56

10M ago29:56

29:56

Since restoring their independence, the Baltic states have focused on pursuing historical justice related to Soviet crimes, which included widespread repressions and mass deportations. Under the influence of international actors, the Baltic states have also engaged in political processes associated with Holocaust justice. Political scientist Dovilė…

1
NATO's Past, Present, and Very Uncertain Future 34:15

10M ago34:15

34:15

Although NATO has survived - and even thrived - for over 75 years, its future looks more uncertain now than at perhaps any other time. The Alliance confronts not only a resurgent Russia, but serious questions over the US commitment to European security and the ability of European Allies to fill the gap a US withdrawal from Europe would leave. To di…

1
An Inflection Point: The Military Situation in Ukraine 30:11

10M ago30:11

30:11

While the military situation in Ukraine continues apace, with grinding Russian assaults gaining ground daily, but at a reduced pace and increasing rate of casualties, the diplomatic situation is changing rapidly. A flurry of US diplomatic activity aimed at ending the war has unnerved Ukrainians and America's allies, who fear the US is preparing to …

1
Understanding Russian Narratives on the West, Ukraine, Russia, and the World 38:14

10M ago38:14

38:14

Sometimes lost among analysis of Russian malign actions around the world - from invasions of its neighbors, to sowing chaos in democratic societies, manipulating democratic elections, and weaponizing corruption - is analysis of why Russia does what it does. In other words, what is it about the Russian model of how the world works that causes it to …

1
Report in Short | Russian Strategic Culture and the War in Ukraine 31:18

11M ago31:18

31:18

In this episode of Report in Short, Aaron Schwartzbaum speaks with Lieutenant Colonel Denys Yurchenko, about his recent FPRI report “Russian Strategic Culture and the War in Ukraine." In the report, Yurchenko observes Russia's intentions through the lens of strategic culture theory and explains why understanding Russian strategic culture can help e…

1
Destigmatizing the Roma: The Most Forgotten Community in Lithuania 29:27

11M ago29:27

29:27

Baltic Ways presents a bonus episode from our partners at the EUROPAST Podcast. The EUROPAST Podcast explores Europe's most pressing challenges of public history, investigating the complex and contested spaces of public memory, memory activism and best practices for engaging the public in a dialogue about the past. In this episode of the EUROPAST P…

1
The Art of the Alliance 47:57

12M ago47:57

47:57

This week on The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond: In this episode we look back at a defining year in NATO history and we look ahead to the challenges and the opportunities positioned to shape the alliance in the coming years and decades. Featured guests: * Nina Soljan, Head of NATO Affairs and Security Policy, NATO Headquarters * Susan Colbou…

1
With So Much Drama in the NSC: Trump, Russia, and the Strategic Context 35:25

12M ago35:25

35:25

This week on the Bear Market Brief Where does the US stand in the world as Trump (re)assumes office? How is his approach towards Ukraine shaping up? Stephen Wertheim, Senior Fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to explore the broader context and drivers of how policy t…

1
With So Much Drama in the NSC: Trump, Russia, and the Strategic Context 35:25

12M ago35:25

35:25

Where does the US stand in the world as Trump (re)assumes office? How is his approach towards Ukraine shaping up? Stephen Wertheim, Senior Fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to explore the broader context and drivers of how policy towards Russia will, and will not, b…

1
NATO's Future | The Philadelphia Perspective with Rep. Brendan Boyle (PA-02) 25:19

1y ago25:19

25:19

Rick Landgraf sits down with Representative Brendan Boyle (PA-02) to discuss the Congressman's role in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's political committee, future challenges facing the alliance, and the relevance of NATO on a local level. Explore from The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.subst…

1
Baltic Leadership in the European Commission 20:24

1y ago20:24

20:24

Ben Gardner-Gill sits down with Lithuanian political scientist Andžej Pukšto to talk about the results of the 2024 European elections, with a focus on two Baltic members of the European Commission: Kaja Kallas of Estonia and Andrius Kubilius of Lithuania. Both former prime ministers, Kallas and Kubilius have unique challenges ahead of them as Russi…

1
Baltic Leadership in the European Commission 20:24

1y ago20:24

20:24

Ben Gardner-Gill sits down with Lithuanian political scientist Andžej Pukšto to talk about the results of the 2024 European elections, with a focus on two Baltic members of the European Commission: Kaja Kallas of Estonia and Andrius Kubilius of Lithuania. Both former prime ministers, Kallas and Kubilius have unique challenges ahead of them as Russi…

1
The Precipice: The War in Ukraine Hangs in the Balance 33:44

1y ago33:44

33:44

Between a Russian offensive and the reelection of Donald Trump, the war in Ukraine hangs in the balance. Janis Kluge joins host Aaron Schwartzbaum to explore how we got here and what might happen next. Explore more from the Bear Market Brief Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe…

1
The Precipice 33:44

1y ago33:44

33:44

Between a Russian offensive and the reelection of Donald Trump, the war in Ukraine hangs in the balance. Janis Kluge joins host Aaron Schwartzbaum to explore how we got here and what might happen next. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearmarketbrief.substack.c…

1
Between Oceans: NATO's Indo-Pacific Partnerships 52:50

1y ago52:50

52:50

In this episode we explore the history and evolution of NATO’s relationships with its Indo-Pacific partners, the alliance’s role in the growing US-China rivalry, and look ahead to a new era of NATO engagement outside of the Atlantic in a time of increasingly interconnected global conflicts. Featured guests: Gwendoline Vamos, Senior Officer, Asia-Pa…