What does Ukraine need to get through the winter?

What does Ukraine need to get through the winter?

Author: Chatham House November 14, 2025 Duration: 30:40

Nearly four years after Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian officials and analysts look at the prospects for a ceasefire, and at the military, economic and human cost that President Vladimir Putin's campaign has inflicted on the country. 

They discuss the Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, intended to demoralise the civilian population, and what European allies should do to bolster its defence efforts, and to rebuild the country if there is a ceasefire. 

Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Andriy Zagorodnyuk, a former Minister of Defence of Ukraine; Daryna Marchak, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture; Olha Aivazovska, Chair of the Board of the Opora Civic Network; Simon Smith, Chair of Chatham House's Ukraine Forum and Dominic Nicholls, Associate Editor of The Telegraph. 

The discussion came as Chatham House hosted a conference - 'War in Ukraine: The battleground for the future of Europe'

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Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Stephen Farrell.

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Hosted by Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox, Independent Thinking brings the institute’s private deliberations into the public ear. This isn’t a rehearsed lecture series, but a direct channel into candid, high-level discussions typically held behind closed doors. Maddox guides conversations with a carefully selected mix of leading policymakers, frontline journalists, and Chatham House’s own deep bench of experts, focusing on the international political issues that are shaping headlines and rewriting global strategies. The tone is analytical yet accessible, privileging substance and nuance over soundbites. Each episode feels like a privileged seat at a crucial roundtable, where complex topics-from shifting alliances and economic sanctions to climate diplomacy and conflict-are unpacked with clarity and intellectual rigor. Listeners gain a clearer understanding of the forces driving world events, hearing diverse perspectives clash and converge in real time. For anyone looking to move beyond the superficial news cycle and engage with the substantive arguments defining our geopolitics, this podcast offers an essential and thoughtful resource. It’s where informed opinion meets the pressing questions of our moment, fostering a deeper kind of political literacy.
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