Best Mark McNamee Podcasts (2025)

1
He's back! A conversation with Marijn Markus about all things Ukraine, and much more 42:32

4d ago42:32

42:32

Drones, Europe stepping up, Trump, ceasefire talks, George Orwell, why Trust is stranger than Fiction, the information war, the importance of the internet...we talked about nearly everything under the sun. My favorite quote - "Pacificism is a privilege" by a Bucha survivor commenting on the peaceniks in the West simply calling for "peace" at any co…

1
The latest from the front - a conversation with a military expert 40:56

11d ago40:56

40:56

What is the outlook for Russia's current offensive? Can the front be stabilized in the coming months? And if US support is stopped, what happens with Starlink and air defense? Will European support be adequate? Ukraine's own drones? In this episode, Pavlo Narozhnyi - a renowned Ukrainian military expert - shared stories from the frontlines in the w…

1
Norway has $1.8 trillion in its Wealth Fund - will it give some to Ukraine? 53:08

25d ago53:08

53:08

Will Norway tap its massive Sovereign Wealth Fund and provide Ukraine what's needed to win the war? Norway has enjoyed both higher volumes and prices of gas exports to Europe once Russia stopped sending gas to Europe in 2022. And as a founding NATO member with a border with Russia, Norway not only has the financial capacity to help Ukraine win the …

1
He signed up to be a Storm Trooper at the front 46:47

1M ago46:47

46:47

Angel, soldier of the Ukraine Foreign Legion. Rest of his profile is unavailable in order to protect his and his family's identity. Storm troopers fulfill what are assuredly the most dangerous and difficult tasks of anybody in the military. And the survival rate is not good. What do they do exactly? What does a day look like for them? How do people…

1
A conversation with Dr. Radchenko on the ongoing talks 32:55

1M ago32:55

32:55

Please note that this episode was recorded on Saturday March 22, before ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia As we enter talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine (potentially among others), its worth stepping back and understanding the historical approach to talks by the Kremlin as well as the White House. What are some of the major continuities in for…

1
What happens to NATO, Europe, and Ukraine? A conversation with the Former Deputy Allied Commander of NATO 34:33

2M ago34:33

34:33

Please note that this was recorded on Tuesday evening, March 18 Kyiv time, so events could have developed significantly by the time of publication. Is NATO dead? Will Russia honor the ceasefire and work towards peace? Is Putin playing Trump? Can Europe protect Ukraine without the US? These are the questions of the day and the answers will define th…

1
Now that Trump blew up the international order, will Europe save Ukraine? 38:46

2M ago38:46

38:46

Considering Trump's hostility towards Ukraine and Europe, and consistent concessions to Russia, we've reached an extremely worrying point in the war. Where do talks go from here? Has Europe gotten the message that they must take care of their own security? Will Europe step up to protect Ukraine? Has the US done permanent damage to its standing in t…

1
What the hell just happened in the Oval office and where are things going now? 29:31

2M ago29:31

29:31

So what happens now? Trump now has suspended aid to up the ante in the talks over the rare earth mineral deal. How will Zelenskyi respond and where will things go? This was recorded on Tuesday morning Kyiv time March 4th so hope its not out of date by the time of publication hopefully by Thursday/Friday. I remain still cautiously optimistic - the i…

1
As talks are set to begin, yes we should be concerned, but don't panic (yet) 31:14

2M ago31:14

31:14

Formal talks are now imminent, and US rhetoric in the lead-up to that has unfortunately caused alot of worry, and justifiably so. But it is only a start in what will be a long process. In this episode, I provided my quick view on how we should interpret what has transpired over the past week, including at the Munich Security Conference. And yes, I …

1
Can Trump's policy of "Peace Through Strength" work? 41:20

3M ago41:20

41:20

Now that we know who the US president is and more about US policy towards Russia, I brought back on the show again my professor from graduate school, John Harper. Last time we spoke late in 2024, we didn't know who would be in the White House, much less what the US policy towards the war would be this year. Now we do know, so what know? What does h…

1
Reasons to get optimistic about Trump's policy on the war - a chat with a DC insider 44:04

3M ago44:04

44:04

“Jake Sullivan used to give the bully (Putin) his lunch money. We’re not going to do that” - Mike Waltz, US National Security Advisor Comforting words shared on my latest podcast! Good to have a former Green Beret instead of a lawyer driving US foreign policy. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Steven Moore, a DC insider fresh off of trips to …

1
How do Russians support this war? A deep dive into Russian political culture with an expert 47:48

3M ago47:48

47:48

Approaching the 4th year of this war, polls have consistently shown that an overwhelming majority of Russians still support the war. How do Russians stay supportive of the war despite everything – not only the unending atrocities inflicted on Ukrainians but also the extreme level of Russian casualties? What is it about the Kremlin’s ideology that c…

1
Enough about Trump - What about Europe and its policy towards Ukraine? Part 2 30:18

3M ago30:18

30:18

And in the 2nd part of this episode, we will dive into the question: Who is set to emerge as the new leader of Europe? My guest and I have some ideas... I had the pleasure of interviewing my former colleague and Europe political and economic expert, Martin Belchev, to discuss Europe's future and its policy towards Ukraine security future in this Tr…

1
Enough about Trump - What about Europe and its policy towards Ukraine? Part 1 34:37

4M ago34:37

34:37

We've heard enough about Trump, but what about Europe and its policy towards Ukraine? And what about Europe's own security future in this Trump era? Europe couldn't be weaker than it is is at the moment. Weak economies across most of the primary countries while political crises are flourishing. A leaderless Europe in political disarray now faces an…

1
Ukraine is Not a Part of Russia; It's a Part of Western Civilization 53:41

4M ago53:41

53:41

Did you know Kyiv is nearly 1,000 years older than Moscow? Did you know Ukrainian is far older than the Russian language? Did you know Russians can’t understand Ukrainian? Did you know Russia even stole its name “Russia” from Ukraine? In this episode, I greatly enjoyed speaking with Igor Osypenko, the director of OLOS-Foundation, which is devoted t…

1
A Christmas Special: Stories from a Soldier of the Foreign Legion 38:52

4M ago38:52

38:52

This one is a bit of a Christmas special, recorded right before the holidays and touches on a number of remarkable – perhaps mystical – moments of a soldier at war. Listen to the story of Angel (his call sign, not revealing his real name to protect his and his family’s identity), a soldier who joined the Ukraine foreign legion at the outset of the …

1
Just Released after 2.5 Years as a POW - The Story of Gennady Kharchenko 40:57

5M ago40:57

40:57

2.5 years as a POW under Russian captivity. Daily beatings and humiliation. A bombing of his barracks by Russians while in captivity. And even met Steven Seagal, who challenged a Ukrainian POW to a fight...only to then back down... And now that Gennady has been released, you'll be amazed to hear what he's going to do next. Gennady Kharchenko, Soldi…

1
The other war in Ukraine - fighting corruption: a conversation with an anti-corruption expert 32:49

5M ago32:49

32:49

What is the corruption situation like in Ukraine and what does the future look like? Will Ukraine be successful in reducing corruption in the coming years and become more like a Western nation? In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Oleksandra Keudel, who is a renowned expert in politics and governance, about the corruption enviro…

1
Children and the War 23:33

5M ago23:33

23:33

The psychological damage to children has been one of the most underreported stories of this horrific war here in Ukraine. How are children coping, especially those who have lost parents and other family members? In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Oksana Lebedeva, the founder of the NGO Gen.Ukrainian, which is devoted to the mental…

1
In honor of the millions of victims of the Ukrainian famine (Holodomor) of 1932-33: A discussion with an expert 47:10

5M ago47:10

47:10

Did you know Russia starved to death at least 4 million Ukrainians in a single year? The Ukrainian man-made famine of 1932-33, known as the Holodomor in Ukrainian, is recognized by most Western nations as an act of genocide conducted by Moscow on the Ukrainian people. In light of the annual commemoration of the Holodomor on November 23, 2024 (alway…

1
US Elections and Ukraine: what will happen and why we should care 1:01:06

6M ago1:01:06

1:01:06

Who's going to win the US elections, and what will the impact be on Ukraine? Could we be moving towards peace in 2025? And ultimately why do we in the West need to even care about supporting Ukraine? To answer these questions, I did something a little bit different in this episode and had my old co-worker and friend Martin Belchev, Practice Leader …

1
One man's fight against Kremlin disinformation - the story of Marijn Markus 37:26

6M ago37:26

37:26

For those of you who support Ukraine on social media – and LinkedIn specifically – many of you may have wondered: Who is Marijn Markus? Marijn is one of the most consistent and outspoken supporters of Ukraine for years now – but he’s not Ukrainian, isn’t from the military, doesn’t work directly for a government, and has no formal academic backgroun…

1
Can the Cold War past tell us where the war is going? A conversation with an historian Part 2 31:32

7M ago31:32

31:32

How and when will the war in Ukraine end? Can history teach us any lessons where this war is going? This is Part 2 of my interview with Professor Harper is an expert on US Foreign Policy and the Cold War, having written 4 books related to the Cold War and teaches a course at SAIS titled American Foreign Policy Since World War II. Originally from th…

1
Can the Cold War past tell us where the war is going? A conversation with an historian Part 1 26:05

7M ago26:05

26:05

How and when will the war in Ukraine end? Can history teach us any lessons where this war is going? The clear answer to all of this is that we indeed can find useful analogies in the Cold War to understand where this current war is going and predict its future. US foreign policy towards Moscow during the Cold War proves to be highly instructive to …

1
The untold story of tens of thousands of children kidnapped and traumatized by Russia 42:16

7M ago42:16

42:16

In this episode, I had the pleasure to speak with Jane Alieva, arguably one of the busiest women in Ukraine who has devoted her life to helping the tens of thousands of children traumatized by Russia. Jane runs and/or is a part of 3 different charity groups currently, all committed to helping kidnapped children and other victims of Russia's war. Li…

1
An Enemy of the State in Russia, But a Real Patriot in Ukraine 50:39

8M ago50:39

50:39

Today I spoke with Roman Sulzhyk, a real Ukrainian patriot who has embraced his life's mission and decided to come back home to Ukraine to help rebuild his country. Roman has been a part of Ukraine's independence movement from the first Orange Revolution in 2004, to the Maidan in 2014, to the war today. He has a fascinating perspective, having seen…

1
A Ukrainian soldier who survived a Russian POW Camp: The Story of Bogdan Zarytsky Part 2 41:36

8M ago41:36

41:36

What's it like to be a Ukrainian prisoner of war held in Russian captivity? How do you survive the torture and beatings? This is Part 2 of my interview with Bogdan Zarytsky, a Ukrainian soldier who was taken as a POW into Russian captivity. In this episode, Bogdan tells us about the end of his time at the camp in Olenivka, transfer to a detention c…

1
A Ukrainian soldier who survived a Russian POW Camp: The Story of Bogdan Zarytsky Part 1 26:50

8M ago26:50

26:50

What's it like to be a Ukrainian prisoner of war held in Russian captivity? How do you survive the torture and beatings? This the story of Bogdan Zarytsky, a soldier of the Azov Battalion. In this first part of our interview, we discuss Bogdan's life as a soldier before the full-scale invasion in February 2022, then fighting in Mariupol and the Azo…

1
The story of a volunteer who decided to go to the front 33:18

9M ago33:18

33:18

What would inspire a young Ukrainian man to leave his civilian life, voluntarily sign up for the military, and start training in order to be sent to the front? What do his friends and family think about his choice? How would you feel just days away from joining the Ukrainian military amid this extremely bloody war with Russia? To understand what it…

1
The energy situation, mobilization, & the labor market: A chat with Ukrenergo's HR Director 59:15

9M ago59:15

59:15

You think your job is hard? Imagine being the HR director of one of the most important companies in a country that has been at war for more than 2 years, is managing a labor market struggling from an outflow of refugees and loss of men to mobilization, and all while trying to recover after a 30% drop in GDP. Your company's task includes the transmi…

1
Investing in Ukraine: The Need for Transparency and Strong Government Relations 43:48

9M ago43:48

43:48

In this episode, my guest Kateryna Odarchenko, government relations specialist and head of political consultancy SIC Group, discussed some of the top investment challenges in Ukraine, including the need for strong government relations teams, the importance of transparency, the recent passage of the Lobbying Law in Ukraine, the evolving Ukrainian bu…

1
What it's like to be the wife of a Ukrainian soldier, held prisoner by Russia? Part 2 25:05

9M ago25:05

25:05

This is the second part of the episode of what is it like to be the wife of a Ukrainian soldier captured by the Russians and beaten and tortured as a prisoner of war? This is the story of Natalia Zarytska, the founder of "Women of Steel", an NGO dedicated to saving the soldiers who fought in Mariupol and at Azovstal in 2022. Despite being told her …

1
What it's like to be the wife of a Ukrainian soldier, held prisoner by Russia? Part 1 36:45

10M ago36:45

36:45

What is it like to be the wife of a Ukrainian soldier captured by the Russians and beaten and tortured as a prisoner of war? This is the story of Natalia Zarytska, the founder of "Women of Steel", an NGO dedicated to saving the soldiers who fought in Mariupol and at Azovstal in 2022. Despite being told her husband was dead multiple times, scared fo…

1
Stories from the Front, Predictions for the Future 49:20

10M ago49:20

49:20

In this episode, Pavlo Narozhnyi - Founder of Reactive Post, an NGO that provides support to soldiers on the front lines - shared stories from the frontlines in the war, while also describing where the war is today and his vision of how the war develops in the coming year(s). Filled with anecdotes from soldiers' experiences, plus the broader pictur…

1
Show Introduction: Who I am and What the podcast is About 15:08

11M ago15:08

15:08

In this introductory episode of the podcast, I introduce myself - my personal, academic, and professional background - what the podcast will be about, and why I have moved to Ukraine to start a business. In short, I have been passionate about this region my entire life and have studied and worked on it my entire academic and professional career. Fo…

1
141. ANALYSIS: Marlene Laruelle on the ideology of Russia’s regime, connection to far-right movements in Europe and why Putin’s maintains popularity in Russia 23:34

1+ y ago23:34

23:34

Dr. Marlene Laruelle, Research Professor of International Affairs and Political Science at George Washington University, discusses the ideology of Putin's regime, why Putin maintains domestic support despite the on-going costs of Russia's war in Ukraine, and Russia's relationship to far-right political elements in Europe and the United States. More…

1
140. PERSPECTIVE: Former US soldier Carl ”Grinch” Larson on fighting in the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine 24:08

1+ y ago24:08

24:08

Carl "Grinch" Larson, a former US soldier who served in Iraq, and then spent 6 months in 2022 fighting in the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine, discusses fighting as a foreign national in Ukraine; differences between fighting in Ukraine and fighting for the US army in Iraq; challenges and lack of equipment for Ukrainian troops; and t…

1
139. UPDATE: Maksym Yali on life in Kyiv and possible gains for the counteroffensive before winter 10:55

1+ y ago10:55

10:55

Maksym Yali, Head of a Center for New World Order and Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses the mood in Kyiv and possible gaind for Ukraine's counteroffensive before winter. Maksym Yali on X (twitter): @maksymyali Jessica Genauer on X (twitter): @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genau…

1
138. ANALYSIS: Miriam Hess on Ramzan Kadyrov’s place in Russian politics; Chechen fighters on both sides in the war in Ukraine; and the future of the Republic of Chechnya 23:28

1+ y ago23:28

23:28

Miriam Hess, Associate Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations, discusses Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's place in the domestic Russian political landscape and relationship to Putin, Chechens fighting on both sides in the war in Ukraine, and the possible future of the Republic of Chechnya if Putin were to no longer be in power. More about…

1
137. ANALYSIS: Mark McNamee on Ukraine’s economic opportunities and challenges 26:34

1+ y ago26:34

26:34

Mark McNamee, Europe Director at Frontier View, discusses the economic opportunities and challenges in Ukraine, the mood in Kyiv, the on-going counteroffensive, and political and economic pressures in Russia. Mark McNamee in Frontier View Insights on Implications of Russia's withdrawal from the grain deal, August 2023 Mark McNamee in Frontier View …

1
136. ANALYSIS: Catrina Doxsee on Wagner mutiny, Prigozhin’s relationship to Putin, and the future of the Wagner group 30:42

2y ago30:42

30:42

Catrina Doxsee, associate director and associate fellow for the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), discusses the Wagner mutiny, Wagner's relationship to the Russian state, the relationship between Yevgeny Prigozhin and Putin, and the future of Wagner activities in Africa and elsewhere. More a…

1
135. ANALYSIS: James Acuna on intelligence drones, open source intelligence, the information domain and the war in Ukraine 25:30

2y ago25:30

25:30

James Acuna, founder of Frontier Vectors security and business consultancy and former CIA officer, discusses the use of intelligence drones in Ukraine, the way in which open source intelligence has impacted the war, and the information domain. More on James Acuna: Founder of Frontier Vectors security and business consultancy based in Tallinn, Eston…

1
134. ANALYSIS: Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria on forced deportations of Ukrainian children, allegations of genocide, and implications of the ICC arrest warrant for President Putin 23:21

2y ago23:21

23:21

Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, PhD candidate at the T.C. Beirne School of Law at the University of Queensland, discusses the forced deportations of Ukrainian children to Russia, atroctiy crimes, allegations of genocide and the implications of the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants for President Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova. Yvonne Breitw…

1
133. ANALYSIS: Edward Price evaluates on-going risks, Ukraine’s financial strategy, and global economic implications of the war in Ukraine 16:33

2y ago16:33

16:33

Edward Price, former British Trade Official, Principal for Geopolitical Forecasting at Ergo Intelligence and non-resident Senior Fellow at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, discusses Ukraine's financial strategy, on-going risks and global economic implications of the war in Ukraine. More about Edward Price Edward Price on The Man Fin…

1
132. ANALYSIS: Alexander Titov on Russian imperialism, and mechanisms of territorial appropriation, in light of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine 20:37

2y ago20:37

20:37

Alexander Titov, Lecturer in Modern European History at Queen's University Belfast, discusses imperialism in the Northeast Asian region, Russian imperialism, common mechanisms of appropriation of former imperial territories, and possible echoes of patterns of imperial territorial conquest in Russia's current full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Alexande…

1
131. UPDATE: Maksym Yali on expected Ukrainian counteroffensive - when, where and what’s at stake 13:41

2y ago13:41

13:41

Maksym Yali, Head of a Center for New World Order and Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, comments on when we are likely to see the Ukrainian counteroffensive commence, what's at stake and where it might take place. Maksym Yali on twitter: @maksymyali Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More abo…

1
130. ANALYSIS: Daria Isachenko on Turkey-Russia relations, Nagorno-Karabach, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and trajectory of relations in 2023 23:13

2y ago23:13

23:13

Daria Isachenko, Associate at the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), discusses Turkey's relations with Russia in light of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Turkey-Russia relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, war in Ukraine, Presidential elections in Turkey thi…

1
129. ANALYSIS: Oleksa Drachewych on echoes of history in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - implications of Bolshevik revolution; use of WWII narratives & brutal historical echoes in Russia’s invasion 22:37

2y ago22:37

22:37

Oleksa Drachewych, Assistant Professor in History at Western University, discusses the echoes of history in Russia's invasion of Ukraine: implications of the Bolshevik revolution and its aftermath, the use of narrative and symbols from World War II, and the brutal echoes of history in the way in which Russia has been carrying out the current invasi…

1
128. DEEP DIVE: Jenny Mathers on heroism, gender and war - in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 29:42

2y ago29:42

29:42

Jenny Mathers, Senior Lecturer in International Politics at Aberystwyth University discusses the intersection of gender, heroism, security and war - in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine: types of heroism, different trajectories of the Ukrainian armed forces and the Russian military, and how the war might play out this year. Jenny Mathers on Ukr…

1
127. ANALYSIS: Luca Anceschi on Central Asia and Russia’s invasion - recalibration of relations with Moscow, role of China in the region & view of the invasion from the region 17:44

2y ago17:44

17:44

Luca Anceschi, Professor of Central and East European Studies at Glasgow University, discusses the way in which Russia's invasion of Ukraine has impacted the Central Asian region: recalibration of relations with Moscow, how the region will navigate relations with both China and Moscow, and how the invasion is being viewed from the region. Luca Ance…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Mark McNamee Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide