In 2025, Ukraine is facing unprecedented pressure from one of its key partners, the United States. The Trump administration has chosen not to act as Ukraine’s ally, but rather as a mediator between Ukraine and Europe on the one hand, and Russia on the other.
This shift has fundamentally changed the geopolitical framework of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Around the world, the language of victory has largely been replaced by the language of peace. Yet under current conditions, “peace” often implies that Ukraine will not regain its occupied territories—and such a peace may, in fact, amount to Ukraine’s defeat.
In this episode, we explain why this is a dangerous path. We also look back at 2025 and summarize its key developments
***
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian journalist and public intellectual, the head of the international department at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, and author of the podcast “L’Ukraine face a la guerre”, “Ukraine facing the war”, in French.
***
Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media platform about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine.
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en
***
SUPPORT:
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld
Your help is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.
You can also contribute to our volunteer missions to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians.
Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.
***
CONTENTS:
00:00 - Introduction
01:46 - US's shift from ally to mediator in Russia-Ukraine war. The impact of the Trump administration's approach to military aid.
06:13 - Trump and Putin's similar world vision regarding spheres of influence.
07:03 - Key elements of proposed peace plans: territorial concessions, security guarantees, and military withdrawal.
08:38 - Ukraine's public opinion against territorial concessions.
13:55 - The "fog" of peace negotiations occurring amidst ongoing total war and Russia's strategy of buying time.
17:33 - Legal and moral challenges of territorial concessions and skepticism about the legitimacy of peace plan negotiators.
20:48 - The escalation of the war, increased civilian suffering due to infrastructure bombardments, and Ukraine's strategy to target the Russian economy.
25:01 - Ukraine's dilemma in peace talks and Russia's strategy of worsening conditions over time.
29:04 - Donald Trump's political weaknesses and Zelenskyy's strategy
30:57 - The security situation on the front line: the rise of drone warfare, its increasing danger to civilians, and the expanding "kill zone."
39:07 - Ukrainian internal politics: the war against corruption, the role of civil society, and Zelenskyy's responsiveness to public opinion.
46:45 - Concluding remarks and a call for support for UkraineWorld.
All content for Explaining Ukraine is the property of UkraineWorld and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In 2025, Ukraine is facing unprecedented pressure from one of its key partners, the United States. The Trump administration has chosen not to act as Ukraine’s ally, but rather as a mediator between Ukraine and Europe on the one hand, and Russia on the other.
This shift has fundamentally changed the geopolitical framework of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Around the world, the language of victory has largely been replaced by the language of peace. Yet under current conditions, “peace” often implies that Ukraine will not regain its occupied territories—and such a peace may, in fact, amount to Ukraine’s defeat.
In this episode, we explain why this is a dangerous path. We also look back at 2025 and summarize its key developments
***
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian journalist and public intellectual, the head of the international department at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, and author of the podcast “L’Ukraine face a la guerre”, “Ukraine facing the war”, in French.
***
Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media platform about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine.
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en
***
SUPPORT:
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld
Your help is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.
You can also contribute to our volunteer missions to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians.
Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.
***
CONTENTS:
00:00 - Introduction
01:46 - US's shift from ally to mediator in Russia-Ukraine war. The impact of the Trump administration's approach to military aid.
06:13 - Trump and Putin's similar world vision regarding spheres of influence.
07:03 - Key elements of proposed peace plans: territorial concessions, security guarantees, and military withdrawal.
08:38 - Ukraine's public opinion against territorial concessions.
13:55 - The "fog" of peace negotiations occurring amidst ongoing total war and Russia's strategy of buying time.
17:33 - Legal and moral challenges of territorial concessions and skepticism about the legitimacy of peace plan negotiators.
20:48 - The escalation of the war, increased civilian suffering due to infrastructure bombardments, and Ukraine's strategy to target the Russian economy.
25:01 - Ukraine's dilemma in peace talks and Russia's strategy of worsening conditions over time.
29:04 - Donald Trump's political weaknesses and Zelenskyy's strategy
30:57 - The security situation on the front line: the rise of drone warfare, its increasing danger to civilians, and the expanding "kill zone."
39:07 - Ukrainian internal politics: the war against corruption, the role of civil society, and Zelenskyy's responsiveness to public opinion.
46:45 - Concluding remarks and a call for support for UkraineWorld.
Ukrainian children, kidnapped and reprogrammed by Russia - with Kateryna Rashevska
Explaining Ukraine
44 minutes 25 seconds
2 months ago
Ukrainian children, kidnapped and reprogrammed by Russia - with Kateryna Rashevska
In this episode, we discuss how Russia destroys Ukrainian families, kidnaps Ukrainian children — including those who have parents — and reprograms them, changing their identity, their way of thinking, their lifestyle, their homes.
***
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Kateryna Rashevska, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer, expert at the Regional Centre for Human Rights, and a tireless fighter for the liberation of Ukrainian children.
***
Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine.
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine
***
The podcast episode is produced by UkraineWorld with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund as a part of the Strong Civil Society of Ukraine - a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by Norway and Sweden. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of UkraineWorld and can in no way be taken to reflect the views the Government of Norway, the Government of Sweden and ISAR
***
SUPPORT:
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld
Your help is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.
You can also contribute to our volunteer missions to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians.
Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.
***
CONTENTS:
00:00 Kateryna Rashevska, a lawyer at the Regional Center for Human Rights
02:00 How many Ukrainian children were deported to Russia?
03:37 Why does Russia use words like "rescue" or "salvation" instead of "deportation"?
04:48 Ignoring the law: Why Russia refuses to return Ukrainian children
07:54 Militarizing Ukrainian children and the role of "UNARMIA" (Young Army)
08:25 Russia's plan to destroy the Ukrainian nation
10:36 Russia re-education: Children were taken to “camps” in Crimea and separated from their parents
15:33 The horror for parents: Losing contact and facing deprivation of parental rights as coercion
20:45 Will Putin or Lvova-Belova ever face justice?
25:33 Analysis of Melania Trump's letter to Putin
30:26 The humanitarian obligations Russia has failed to meet
35:05 Kateryna talks about her work: Submitting evidence to the ICC, proposing sanctions, and providing legal assistance
Explaining Ukraine
In 2025, Ukraine is facing unprecedented pressure from one of its key partners, the United States. The Trump administration has chosen not to act as Ukraine’s ally, but rather as a mediator between Ukraine and Europe on the one hand, and Russia on the other.
This shift has fundamentally changed the geopolitical framework of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Around the world, the language of victory has largely been replaced by the language of peace. Yet under current conditions, “peace” often implies that Ukraine will not regain its occupied territories—and such a peace may, in fact, amount to Ukraine’s defeat.
In this episode, we explain why this is a dangerous path. We also look back at 2025 and summarize its key developments
***
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian journalist and public intellectual, the head of the international department at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, and author of the podcast “L’Ukraine face a la guerre”, “Ukraine facing the war”, in French.
***
Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media platform about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine.
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en
***
SUPPORT:
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld
Your help is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.
You can also contribute to our volunteer missions to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians.
Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.
***
CONTENTS:
00:00 - Introduction
01:46 - US's shift from ally to mediator in Russia-Ukraine war. The impact of the Trump administration's approach to military aid.
06:13 - Trump and Putin's similar world vision regarding spheres of influence.
07:03 - Key elements of proposed peace plans: territorial concessions, security guarantees, and military withdrawal.
08:38 - Ukraine's public opinion against territorial concessions.
13:55 - The "fog" of peace negotiations occurring amidst ongoing total war and Russia's strategy of buying time.
17:33 - Legal and moral challenges of territorial concessions and skepticism about the legitimacy of peace plan negotiators.
20:48 - The escalation of the war, increased civilian suffering due to infrastructure bombardments, and Ukraine's strategy to target the Russian economy.
25:01 - Ukraine's dilemma in peace talks and Russia's strategy of worsening conditions over time.
29:04 - Donald Trump's political weaknesses and Zelenskyy's strategy
30:57 - The security situation on the front line: the rise of drone warfare, its increasing danger to civilians, and the expanding "kill zone."
39:07 - Ukrainian internal politics: the war against corruption, the role of civil society, and Zelenskyy's responsiveness to public opinion.
46:45 - Concluding remarks and a call for support for UkraineWorld.
