What happens to NATO, Europe, and Ukraine? A conversation with the Former Deputy Allied Commander of NATO

What happens to NATO, Europe, and Ukraine? A conversation with the Former Deputy Allied Commander of NATO

Author: Mark McNamee March 20, 2025 Duration: 34:33
Please note that this was recorded on Tuesday evening, March 18 Kyiv time, so events could have developed significantly by the time of publication. Is NATO dead? Will Russia honor the ceasefire and work towards peace?  Is Putin playing Trump?  Can Europe protect Ukraine without the US? These are the questions of the day and the answers will define the next generation. General Sir Richard Shirreff, Former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, provided his answer to these questions, and more. Listen in to hear more about what to expect in the coming days, months, and years. General Sir Richard Shirreff, Former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and Founder of Strategia Worldwide. Sir Richard Shirreff was born in Kenya and educated in England at Oxford.  In his 37-year career, he commanded soldiers on operations at every level, including combat in the Gulf War of 1991 as a tank squadron leader and again in Iraq as a divisional commander, together with other operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Bosnia. He commanded NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and his final military assignment was NATO’s 4 Star Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) from 2011-2014. In February 2016, he co-founded Strategia Worldwide Ltd, a global risk advisory company. He joined GLOBSEC’s Future Security Defence Council in February 2023.  In 2016 he published his novel ‘2017: War with Russia’.  To learn more, visit: https://ubn.network/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/Mark-McNamee/

We are living through events that will define our century, and History in the Making: The War in Ukraine is an attempt to make sense of them as they unfold. Host Mark McNamee brings his deep knowledge of Eastern Europe to the fore, not just to recount headlines, but to untangle the complex historical, cultural, and political threads that led to this moment. This isn't a dry recitation of facts; it's a grounded exploration of how a conflict reshapes a nation's identity and the global order. Each episode moves between the sweeping strategic picture and the intimate, human stories of those living through the war, highlighting a profound resilience. You'll hear analysis that connects past empires to present-day battles, and conversations that reveal the personal cost and extraordinary fortitude within Ukraine. The goal of this podcast is to provide context and clarity, offering a nuanced perspective that goes beyond the news cycle. By focusing on the people, the history, and the on-the-ground reality, Mark creates a vital record of a world changing in real time. Tune in for a thoughtful, comprehensive guide to understanding not just what is happening, but why it matters for all of us.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 79

History in the Making: The War in Ukraine
Podcast Episodes
The story of a volunteer who decided to go to the front [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:18
What would inspire a young Ukrainian man to leave his civilian life, voluntarily sign up for the military, and start training in order to be sent to the front? What do his friends and family think about his choice? How w…
Stories from the Front, Predictions for the Future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:20
In this episode, Pavlo Narozhnyi - Founder of Reactive Post, an NGO that provides support to soldiers on the front lines - shared stories from the frontlines in the war, while also describing where the war is today and h…
Show Introduction: Who I am and What the podcast is About [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:08
In this introductory episode of the podcast, I introduce myself - my personal, academic, and professional background - what the podcast will be about, and why I have moved to Ukraine to start a business. In short, I have…