Transnational Corruption in Foreign Policy Today

Transnational Corruption in Foreign Policy Today

Author: CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies March 20, 2026 Duration: 53:10
Max and Maria spoke with Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon about how authoritarian and illiberal governments leverage transnational corruption as part of their foreign policies and global strategies. This conversation was recorded on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. "The Age of Kleptocracy: Geopolitical Power, Private Gain" by Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon (Foreign Affairs, February 2026) Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics by Alexander Cooley and Alexander Dukalskis (Oxford University Press, 2025)

Dive deep into the political landscape, historical currents, and rich social fabric of a vast and consequential region with Russian Roulette. This podcast from the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program is guided by hosts Max Bergmann and Dr. Maria Snegovaya, who bring their expertise to nuanced conversations that move beyond headlines. Each episode delves into the forces shaping Russia and the diverse nations of Eurasia, unpacking everything from foreign policy and internal power dynamics to cultural shifts and societal transformations. You'll hear insightful analysis and engaging discussions with a range of experts, offering listeners a clearer understanding of the complex challenges and opportunities within the post-Soviet space. Produced by Tina Dolbaia and Nick Fenton, the podcast consistently provides context and depth on a part of the world where history is always present. For anyone curious about the intricate politics, compelling stories, and human experiences that define this area, this series serves as an essential guide, making sense of a region that often seems enigmatic from the outside.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 156

Russian Roulette
Podcast Episodes
Maria's New Book: "When Left Moves Right" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:55
On this week's episode, listen to Max interview Maria on her new book, "When Left Moves Right: The Decline of the Left and the Rise of the Populist Right in Postcommunist Europe." Max and Maria were joined by Dan Kelemen…
Russian Influence Operations in 2024 with Catherine Belton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:03
This week, Max and Maria were joined by acclaimed reporter, Catherine Belton. Catherine currently writes for the Washington Post, and has written extensively on the Russian elite and security services. Max, Maria, and Ca…
Aid to Ukraine and the Future of the War with Michael Kofman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:04
Michael Kofman, a leading expert on the Russian military and a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace joined Max, Maria, and Michael Kimmage, to discuss the status of further Western military and…
Russia, Ukraine, and the Question of Containment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:52
This week, Max and Maria were joined again by Michael Kimmage, and Michael's frequent co-author and a fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, Liana Fix. Recently, Michael and Liana published a piece in For…
Maria Reports Back After a Trip to Ukraine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:28
On this week's episode, Maria fills in Max and Michael Kimmage after her recent trip to Kyiv. The three of them then discuss the current state of the war with Russia, and examine some of the key questions facing Ukraine…
The Ideology of Putinism with Sergei Guriev [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:49
On October 31st, Max moderated a conversation between Maria and Sergei Guriev on the ideology of Putinism. Does Vladimir Putin have an ideology? If so, will this ideology help him retain power in Russia? Maria recently c…
Russia and the Global South with Hanna Notte [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:16
On this week's episode, tune into a conversation Max had on October 24, 2023 with CSIS Senior Associate non-resident fellows, Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte. Hanna, based in Berlin, is an expert on Russian foreign polic…
Russia as a Strategic Threat: Ukraine, NATO, and Beyond Europe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:59
This conversation was recorded as a CSIS event on September 18, 2023. Max sat down with Lisa Aronsson, John Deni, and Paul Schwartz, to examine how sanctions-induced limits on Russia's defense industrial capacity have be…
Security Assistance to Ukraine Under Threat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:18
This week, Maria interviews Max about the emerging crisis around the future of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine. Max deep dives into the mechanics of how U.S. funding for Ukraine's war effort actually works, the impac…
Eric Ciaramella and Ukrainian Security Outside of NATO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:08
On this week's episode, Max is joined by Eric Ciaramella of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss his recent writing on possible long-term security arrangements for Ukraine while the country remains…