Russian Roulette

Latest Episodes:

War, Inflation, and Putin's Paranoia: has Russian Public Opinion Begun to Shift? May 14, 2026

Show notes

Max and Maria welcome back Dr. Sam Greene, professor of Russian Politics at King's College London, to discuss the state of Russian public opinion today, and whether domestic conditions have begun change given the state of the economy, war, and reports of increasing paranoia in the Kremlin.

The Ukrainian Defense Industry and Europe’s Untapped Arsenal Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Max and Maria welcome back Elina Ribakova to discuss her latest piece in Foreign Affairs, exploring the Ukrainian defense industry and its potential capacity to help Europe secure its own defense.

The History of Russian Feminism with Julia Ioffe Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

Max and Maria are joined by journalist and author Julia Ioffe to discuss her recent book, Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy.

Motherland is available now from HarperCollins Publishers.

How the Iran War and the Price of Oil Impact the Kremlin's Calculus Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Max and Maria are joined by Hanna Notte and Janis Kluge for a deep dive on how the Iran war and turmoil in global energy markets continue to impact Russian foreign policy.

This conversation was recorded on March 25, 2026.

BONUS EPISODE: What the Iran War Means for Russia Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

Max sat down with Michael Kimmage for a rapid fire session running over the potential implications of the ongoing war in the Middle East for Russian foreign policy.

This conversation was recorded on March 19, 2026.

Transnational Corruption in Foreign Policy Today Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

Max and Maria spoke with Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon about how authoritarian and illiberal governments leverage transnational corruption as part of their foreign policies and global strategies.

This conversation was recorded on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

"The Age of Kleptocracy: Geopolitical Power, Private Gain" by Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon (Foreign Affairs, February 2026)

Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politicsby Alexander Cooley and Alexander Dukalskis (Oxford University Press, 2025)

Eric Ciaramella on How Europe Can Arm Ukraine Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

Eric Ciaramella of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace returned to the show to discuss his recent article with Sophia Besch on the ways that European states can support Ukraine militarily without the involvement of the U.S. Max and Maria asked him about his piece, the funding questions behind its ideas, and Eric's overall assessment on peace negotiations with Russia.

This conversation was recorded on February 26, 2026.

"Fortress Ukraine: How a Coalition of the Willing Can Rearm Kyiv Without Washington," by Eric Ciaramella and Sophia Besch (Foreign Affairs, January 2026).

"What If Trump Gets His Russia-Ukraine Deal?" by Eric Ciaramella (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, February 2026).

Four Years of the War in Ukraine (Live Event) Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

Max and Maria spoke with Hanna Notte, JP Gresh, and Michael Kimmage at a live CSIS event marking the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

This conversation was recorded on February 23, 2026. For the video recording of this event, please go to CSIS.org.

"Putin Had High Hopes for Trump. They Have Been Dashed," by Hanna Notte (The New York Times, February 2026).

Preorder We Shall Outlast Them: Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West, by Hanna Notte (W.W. Norton & Company, August 2026).

Ukraine's Ongoing Energy Crisis Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

Max and Maria were joined by Andrian Prokip and Tim McDonnell to discuss the relentless Russian bombardment of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and what this means for average Ukrainians trying to survive the winter months.

Be sure to explore Tim McDonnell’s newsletter, Semafor Energy.

Thresholds of Survival: The Latest Report on Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation by Jade McGlynn Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

Max and Maria spoke with Jade McGlynn about her latest report on Ukrainian resistance in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.

"Thresholds of Survival: The Resistance in Occupied Ukraine" by Jade McGlynn (January 2026, CSIS.org)

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