Russian Roulette Center for Strategic and International Studies

On this week's episode, Maria fills in Max and Michael Kimmage after her recent trip to Kyiv. The three of them then discuss the current state of the war with Russia, and examine some of the key questions facing Ukraine and its partners as we head into 2024.

On October 31st, Max moderated a conversation between Maria and Sergei Guriev on the ideology of Putinism. Does Vladimir Putin have an ideology? If so, will this ideology help him retain power in Russia? Maria recently co-authored a report on this same topic, and the paper's findings were the main topic of discussion. Dr. Sergei Guriev is the Provost at Sciences Po in Paris, and a renowned professor of economics. Previously, he led the New Economic School in Moscow from 2004-2013. Additionally, he served as the Chief Economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 2016-2019.

Learn More:
"The Ideology of Putinism: Is It Sustainable?" by Maria Snegovaya, Michael Kimmage, and Jade McGlynn
"Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century" by Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman

On this week's episode, tune into a conversation Max had on October 24, 2023 with CSIS Senior Associate non-resident fellows, Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte. Hanna, based in Berlin, is an expert on Russian foreign policy, the Middle East, and arms control and nonproliferation. While Hanna was in DC, she sat down with Max and Michael to discuss Russia's strategy towards the Global South in the wake of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Learn More:
"Putin is Getting What He Wants," by Hanna Notte (The New York Times)
"How Russia Globalized the War in Ukraine," by Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte (Foreign Affairs)
"Russia's Axis of the Sanctioned," by Hanna Notte (Foreign Affairs)
"The Age of Great-Power Distraction" by Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte (Foreign Affairs)
"Seller's Remorse: The Challenges Facing Russia's Arms Exports," by Max Bergmann, Maria Snegovaya, Tina Dolbaia, and Nick Fenton (CSIS)

This conversation was recorded as a CSIS event on September 18, 2023. Max sat down with Lisa Aronsson, John Deni, and Paul Schwartz, to examine how sanctions-induced limits on Russia's defense industrial capacity have been impacting, and will continue to impact, Russia's ability to wage war on Ukraine, counter NATO, and remain a major actor in global arms sales. The panelists discussed the findings of recent reports they authored for CSIS, which are included in the show notes below.

Learn More:
"A War of Attrition: Assessing the Impact of Equipment Shortages on Russian Military Operations in Ukraine," by Paul Schwartz | CSIS
"Agile and Adaptable: U.S. and NATO Approaches to Russia's Short-Term Military Potential," by Lisa Aronsson, John R. Deni, and Hanna Notte | CSIS
"Seller's Remorse: The Challenges Facing Russia's Arms Exports," by Max Bergmann, Maria Snegovaya, Tina Dolbaia, and Nick Fenton | CSIS
Please click here to read an analysis by the New York Times on the findings of "Seller's Remorse."

This week, Maria interviews Max about the emerging crisis around the future of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine. Max deep dives into the mechanics of how U.S. funding for Ukraine's war effort actually works, the impact of the ouster of Kevin McCarthy from the House speakership on the funding debate, and the potential role of the EU in filling the gap if the Biden administration fails to gain additional congressional authorization to support Kyiv.

Learn More:
"U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine Is Going to Get Complicated," by Max Bergmann (War on the Rocks, 3/3/2023)

On this week's episode, Max is joined by Eric Ciaramella of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss his recent writing on possible long-term security arrangements for Ukraine while the country remains outside of the NATO alliance.
Learn More:
"How the West Can Secure Ukraine's Future: Kyiv Needs a Binding Commitment Before NATO Membership" by Eric Ciaramella (Foreign Affairs)
"Envisioning a Long-Term Security Arrangement for Ukraine" by Eric Ciaramella (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)