Schuman Talks with Ilya Ponomarev on Russia, Ukraine and Putin скачать в хорошем качестве

Schuman Talks with Ilya Ponomarev on Russia, Ukraine and Putin

In the 53rd episode of Schuman Talks, host Jeff Fountain speaks with Ilya Ponomarev, former member of the Russian State Duma and the only Russian parliamentarian who voted against Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to reshape Europe’s geopolitical landscape, this conversation explores the deeper political, moral, and spiritual questions surrounding the conflict, the future of Russia, and the role of faith in public life. Ponomarev was one of the first Russian political figures to publicly predict that Russia’s annexation of Crimea could lead to a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. After opposing the annexation, he was expelled from the Russian parliament and now lives in exile. In this conversation, he reflects on his personal journey and offers insights into the internal dynamics of Russian politics and the future of the region. The dialogue also reflects on the broader values that shaped Europe after the Second World War. As the slides recall, the Schuman Declaration of 1950 laid the foundation for a European project rooted in peace, cooperation, freedom, and the common good — values that are now being tested by renewed war on the continent. This episode offers a rare perspective from a Russian political insider who broke with the Kremlin and now speaks openly about the future of Russia, the resilience of Ukraine, and the moral challenges facing Europe today. ________________________________________ Ilya Ponomarev served as a member of the Russian State Duma from 2007 to 2016. In March 2014 he became the only member of the Russian parliament to vote against the annexation of Crimea, a decision that ultimately forced him into exile. Since then he has been an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin’s regime and a supporter of Ukraine’s struggle for sovereignty. Ponomarev is the author of Does Putin Have to Die? The Story of How Russia Becomes a Democracy After Losing to Ukraine, and has survived several assassination attempts because of his political stance.