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The Charles T. McDowell Center for Global Studies and Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center

The Power Vertical Podcast by Brian Whitmore covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today. Brian Whitmore is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council Eurasia Center and Russia and Eurasia Specialist and Assistant Professor of Practice at the Charles T. McDowell Center for Global Studies at The University of Texas at Arlington.

The Power Vertical Podcast by Brian Whitmore

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore breaks down the most damaging corruption scandal of Zelenskyy’s presidency, as Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies allege that close associates of the president plotted to skim nearly $100 million from the energy sector amid nationwide blackouts caused by Russian strikes — and with signs of a troubling Russian link inside the scheme. At the same time, reports have surfaced that the United States and Russia have discussed a possible peace deal without Ukraine’s participation, one that appears to demand near-total capitulation from Kyiv. Brian is joined by Michael Carpenter and James Sherr to unpack what this means for Ukraine’s political stability, Western support, and the broader direction of the war.

UKRAINE'S PERILOUS MOMENT

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with military analyst Michael Kofman about the intensifying battle for Pokrovsk — a key Ukrainian stronghold under mounting Russian assault. With nearly a third of front-line fighting concentrated in or near the city, the discussion examines why Pokrovsk matters strategically, what its potential fall could mean for Ukraine’s defenses, and how the narrative surrounding it shapes perceptions of the war’s trajectory.

THE POKROVSK ENDGAME - AND AFTERMATH

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Kyiv-based analysts Peter Dickinson and Mykola Bielieskov about the escalating Russian assault on Pokrovsk. They discuss what the city’s fate means for Ukraine’s defensive strategy, the morale of both sides, and the evolving story of the war’s perception in the West.

THE BATTLE OF POKROVSK

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with James Sherr, Honorary Fellow at the International Center for Defense and Security in Tallinn. They unpack a week of geopolitical whiplash — from talk of U.S. Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine to sudden reversals and new sanctions on Russia. Whitmore and Sherr break down what this rollercoaster reveals about the state of the war, the shifting diplomacy around it, and Europe’s evolving stance at the latest EU summit.

WAR, DIPLOMACY, AND POLITICS

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with former Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodniuk, chairman of the Center for Defense Strategies in Kyiv. They discuss Zagorodniuk’s concept of “strategic neutralization,” Ukraine’s emerging theory of victory focused on systematically denying Russia’s ability to achieve its military objectives rather than seeking total defeat. The conversation explores how this strategy plays out across the Black Sea, ground, air, cyber, and information domains. Whitmore and Zagorodniuk also examine how recent diplomatic developments and shifting battlefield conditions could shape Ukraine’s long war strategy.

HOW UKRAINE WINS THE WAR

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Laura Thornton of the McCain Institute, David Smith of the Moldova Small Enterprise Alliance, and Corina Rebegea of Accountability Lab about Moldova’s pivotal parliamentary elections. With Russia deploying disinformation, crypto scams, and even the Orthodox Church as tools of influence, the stakes extend far beyond Chisinau. The panel unpacks how this “multi-vector war” could reshape Moldova’s democratic trajectory, impact Ukraine and Romania, and alter the balance of security across Europe.

THE BATTLE FOR MOLDOVA

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Michael Carpenter, Senior Fellow for Transatlantic Affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and James Sherr, Honorary Fellow at the International Center for Defense and Security. They unpack Russia’s latest drone incursions into NATO airspace, the EU’s proposed “drone wall,” and Moscow’s broader sabotage campaign across Europe. The discussion explores whether these escalations mark a new phase in Russia’s hybrid war and what the West can do in response.

RUSSIA'S WAR ON EUROPE

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Joseph Webster, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center, about the contours and contradictions of the Sino-Russian “no limits” partnership. They explore how China has helped keep Russia’s economy and war machine afloat by purchasing hydrocarbons, supplying dual-use technology, and providing economic lifelines—all in broad daylight. The discussion also examines the limits of this relationship, including its asymmetry, potential pitfalls in Central Asia, and the challenges it poses for Western strategy.

THE CHINA FACTOR

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Max Bergmann of CSIS about Vladimir Putin’s return to the global stage. From Beijing’s military parade with Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un to a red-carpet summit in Alaska with Donald Trump, Putin is no longer isolated. We unpack what this means for the emerging authoritarian axis, the future of the West’s unity, and the impact of U.S. security cuts to Europe.

THE END OF PUTIN'S ISOLATION

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Anton Shekhovtsov, director of the Centre for Democratic Integrity in Vienna and author of Towers of Europa, about Vladimir Putin’s eliminationist war against Ukraine and his quest for “symbolic immortality.” They discuss how ideology, historical revisionism, and the dehumanization of Ukrainians shape the Kremlin’s motivations, and why understanding Putin’s drive for symbolic immortality is key to grasping the genocidal nature of the war. The conversation also explores evolving Russian political myths, the manipulation of culture and history, and what Europe must do to meet the security challenges of a rapidly changing world order.

PUTIN'S DEADLY IMMORTALITY QUEST

Should the United States and its allies consider broadening its approach to sanctions against Alyaksandr Lukashenka's authoritarian regime in Belarus to include its Russian enablers in Vladimir Putin's Kremlin? Should the West instead look at imposing sanctions on the Putin-Lukashenka Axis of Autocrats?

On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks to David Kramer, who served as Assistant Secretary of State in the administration of President George W. Bush about the West's options in Belarus as well as recent developments in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

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Confronting the Axis of Autocrats

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