Unyielding Resolve: Captive Nations and the Path to Freedom with Paula Dobriansky

Liberty and Leadership

Roger welcomes Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, the former Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs and editor of her father Lev Dobriansky’s newly released book, “Unyielding Resolve: Captive Nations and the Path to Freedom.”

Together, they discuss Lev Dobriansky’s work advocating for the rights of captive nations, his role in establishing an annual Captive Nations Week proclamation signed by U.S. presidents, the historical significance of the captive nations concept and its continued relevance today - particularly in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Plus, reflections on the legacy of President Ronald Reagan and the importance of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.

Paula is a foreign policy expert and holds degrees in Soviet political and military affairs from Harvard University and is the recipient of the Secretary of State’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal. She serves as the vice chair of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, as a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and as a member of the TFAS Board of Trustees

During TFAS D.C. Summer Programs, TFAS holds the annual “Dobriansky Lecture on Political Economy” in memory of her father Lev Dobriansky who was a longtime professor at Georgetown University and the U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas. Lev was also the founding director of the first TFAS program in 1970.

The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS president Roger Ream and produced by Podville Media. If you have a comment or question for the show, please email us at [email protected]. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support.

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Chapters

1. Introduction to Ambassador Paula Dobriansky (00:00:00)

2. Lev Dobriansky: Professor, Ambassador, Author (00:09:00)

3. The Making of "Unyielding Resolve" (00:22:07)

4. Captive Nations: Origins and Significance (00:35:05)

5. Ukraine's Importance in Russian Imperialism (00:51:51)

6. Reagan Administration and Cold War Impact (01:04:10)

7. Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (01:26:24)

8. Closing and Book Information (01:29:44)