logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
27m 30s

Beyond the bullets: we go to Ukraine

The Economist
About this episode

We take a look at the grim conditions in and prospects for the frontlines in the country’s east and north. But not all of the fighting is military in nature. We examine a far wider cultural revival going on (10:59), in music and fashion and long-forgotten ingredients and methods of Ukrainian cuisine (19:13). “Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow” sung by Andriy Khlyvnyuk


Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Sprawl of duty: Trump’s tariff drama
Once again President Donald Trump extended the deadline for spine-stiffening tariffs to go into effect on trading partners. We look at the effects of all the uncertainty. Brazil once dominated the world of football; we ask where it went wrong and assess the route to a comeback. A ... Show More
21m 53s
Yesterday
The French reconnection: Macron in Britain
Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss. Gangs have infiltrated many of Latin America’s mining operati ... Show More
21m 10s
Jul 7
Trump card: can he broker a Gaza deal?
While Israel and Hamas officials discuss a ceasefire via mediators in Qatar, a key meeting will take place at the White House today, when Israel’s prime minister talks to the US president. Why the Chinese Communist Party is removing alcohol from official events. And remembering J ... Show More
21m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
Beyond the bullets: we go to Ukraine
We take a look at the grim conditions in and prospects for the frontlines in the country’s east and north. But not all of the fighting is military in nature. We examine a far wider cultural revival going on (10:59), in music and fashion and long-forgotten ingredients and methods ... Show More
27m 30s
Mar 2025
Buck off: US pauses Ukraine aid
In an effort to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table, America has paused military help to the war-torn country. What will this mean on the ground? Our correspondent explores a new cryptocurrency craze, visiting Turkey’s bazaars to meet people trading goods using stablecoins (9: ... Show More
22m 36s
Aug 2024
Enter staged right: misinformation feeds Britain’s riots
Unrest across the country has been driven in part by the provably false claims of right-wing provocateurs. We examine the real concerns underlying the violence, and how to end it swiftly. Japanese politics had until recently been anachronistically tame; not so now that the social ... Show More
22m 37s
Jan 2025
Don’t mention the war: Russia’s internal tensions
There is no simplistic split of sentiment about Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. But what most Russians want is a return to normal that now seems impossible. Our The World Ahead series continues with a look at what is to come in British politics (9:16). And the delicate business ... Show More
22m 9s
May 22
Suspicious mines: Putin-proofing the Baltics
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia know their borders may be the next front for Russian aggression. They do not want to deploy mines and razor wire—but they must. Our correspondent visits the American city of Baltimore to investigate a national drop in violent crime (9:46). And a swee ... Show More
23m 45s
Aug 2024
Electric eye: AI is helping fight terrorists
Predicting political violence is a painstaking job. Now AI is helping analysts look for clues and throwing up fascinating insights into the shifts that may indicate a strike is coming. Why Cuba could be heading towards economic and social collapse (11:01). And our correspondent v ... Show More
26m 19s
Sep 2024
Missile-stop tour: Zelensky in America
Ukraine’s president is again on American shores, trying to secure support of all kinds. He needs it—diplomatically, militarily and politically. America’s tendencies toward “woke” discourse and policies have permeated its politics, but our analysis finds that “peak woke” is alread ... Show More
23m 29s
Apr 2
Ballot from the blue: will Ukraine hold a poll?
Months ago, holding an election in wartorn Ukraine seemed impossible. Now plans are being made. Our correspondent explains the prospects for the campaign – and the chance of a ceasefire, which must precede it. How did “The Economist” cover American tariff hikes in the 1930s (8:29 ... Show More
23m 7s
May 27
Soldiers’ fortune: Ukraine’s prisoner swap
No one knows which soldiers will be on the buses; many families simply come in hope. As the wider war grinds on, our correspondent witnesses a mix of joy, confusion and disappointment. Big American brands once had it easy in the global marketplace. Now they bear the brunt of anti ... Show More
25m 26s
Sep 2024
War or less? Lebanon on the brink
For now, Israel’s moves seem to be posturing, a means to intimidate Hizbullah into backing down. But there remains a prospect of a ground invasion—and another pointless war. Our swing-state series starts with a state that only recently became swing-y: North Carolina (10:08). And ... Show More
27m 36s