Russian Roulette

Latest Episodes:

Max and Maria on the Alaska and White House Peace Summits Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

Max and Maria give their takes on the recent efforts to negotiate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. They analyze the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska, and then the meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and European leaders at the White House.

This episode was recorded on August 20, 2025.

Has Putinism Failed? A Conversation with Harley Balzer and Sergei Guriev Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Max and Maria spoke with Harley Balzer and Sergei Guriev about the recently released volume, Failure. Russia Under Putin.

This conversation was recorded on July 17, 2025.

Failure. Russia Under Putin is available now from Bloomsbury Publishing.

Max and Michael Kimmage Catch Up on All Things Russia and Ukraine Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

This week, Max spoke with Michael Kimmage about the recent headlines connected to Russia and Ukraine, and what they mean for the coming months.

"The Limits of Putin's Balancing Act: What the Kremlin Will Sacrifice in Pursuit of Victory in Ukraine," by Michael Kimmage and Maria Lipman (Foreign Affairs, July 2025)

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Geopolitics in the South Caucasus Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

Max and Maria are joined by Richard Giragosian and Jeffrey Mankoff to talk about the current geopolitical moment in the South Caucasus, with a particular focus on the dynamics at play in the relationships between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia.

This conversation was recorded on July 9, 2025.

Hanna Notte on What the Israel-Iran War Means for Russia Jun 27, 2025

Show notes

Hanna Notte returns to the show for a conversation with Max and Maria about what the most recent round of hostilities between Israel and Iran, plus the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, mean for Russia's own Middle Eastern strategy.

This conversation was recorded on June 25, 2025.

"Russia no longer needs Iran's help to sustain the war in Ukraine," by Hanna Notte (June 2025, Financial Times)

"Why Isn't Russia Defending Iran?" by Hanna Notte (June 2025, The Atlantic)

Bonus Episode: The Russian Wartime Economy (Live Event Recording) Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

Max moderated a live panel discussion with Maria, and two leading experts on the Russian economy, Elina Ribakova and Vladislav Inozemtsev. The conversation focused on the findings of the recent report from the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, "The Russian Wartime Economy: From Sugar High to Hangover."

A Battlefield Update from Mike Kofman Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

Max and Maria get another update from military expert Mike Kofman on the state of the frontlines in Ukraine.

This conversation was recorded on June 11, 2025.

"The Russian Wartime Economy: From Sugar High to Hangover" by Maria Snegovaya, Nicholas Fenton, Tina Dolbaia, and Max Bergmann (June 2025, CSIS.org)

"Russia's Battlefield Woes in Ukraine" by Seth Jones and Riely McCabe (June 2025, CSIS.org)

"Assessing Russian Military Adaptation in 2023" by Michael Kofman (October 2024, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)

The Ukrainian Economy Today with Elina Ribakova Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Elina Ribakova returned to the show to speak with Max and Maria about the evolution of the Ukrainian economy since February 2022.

Chokepoints and Economic Warfare with Edward Fishman May 16, 2025

Show notes

Max and Maria spoke with Edward Fishman about his bestselling book, Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare.

The State of Russia-Ukraine Negotiations with Michael Kimmage May 02, 2025

Show notes

Max and Maria welcome Michael Kimmage back to the show to provide his analysis of the ongoing U.S.-led negotiations to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine.

This conversation was recorded on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

"What if America Abandons Ukraine?" by Liana Fix and Michael Kimmage (Foreign Affairs, May 2025).

"The Zeitenwende Is Real This Time," by Michael Kimmage and Sudha David-Wilp (Foreign Affairs, April 2025).

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