11 Russia-Ukraine War Podcasts

Lex Fridman speaks with historian Serhii Plokhy about the long arc of Russian and Ukrainian history, from Kievan Rus and the rise of Moscow to the Soviet Union’s collapse and today’s war. Plokhy frames the USSR’s end as the final phase of a centuries‑long imperial breakup, with Ukraine’s 1991 independence as a decisive turning point. They unpack nationalist myths, Nazi and neo‑Nazi narratives, the role of Bandera, KGB operations, and how propaganda around “denazification” functions inside Russia. The conversation ends by linking Chernobyl, nuclear risk, and the new Cold War dynamic between the U.S. and China, asking what history can teach about avoiding global catastrophe.

The hosts focus almost entirely on the Russia-Ukraine war, examining military escalation risks, nuclear concerns, information warfare, and the potential for World War III via miscalculation or a ‘Franz Ferdinand’ moment involving NATO.

Journalist Jake Hanrahan recounts his recent reporting from Ukraine, focusing on the lived reality of civilians suddenly thrust into war as Russia’s full‑scale invasion unfolds.

Joe Rogan hosts Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti (Breaking Points) for a wide‑ranging talk on independent media, U.S. foreign policy, and the breakdown of public trust. They contrast long‑form, uncensored conversations with tightly controlled legacy media driven by advertisers, party interests, and the military‑industrial complex. A major focus is the Ukraine war, escalation risks with Russia and China, and how dissenting views are smeared or censored while weapons spending faces little scrutiny. They also explore political corruption (stock trading by Congress, SBF/FTX, Adani), industrial policy, AI and work, and a cultural reset in how Americans relate to jobs and authority.

Joe Rogan and former CIA officer Mike Baker discuss the Russia–Ukraine war, focusing on Vladimir Putin’s mindset, Russia’s military miscalculations, and the real risks of nuclear or cyber escalation in a new Cold War environment.

The hosts react in real time to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, debating whether the U.S. should intervene militarily and how far sanctions ought to go.

Joe Rogan hosts commentator Douglas Murray and comedian-podcaster Dave Smith for a tense, extended debate on Israel–Hamas, Ukraine, World War II revisionism, and the role and responsibility of popular podcasters. Murray repeatedly criticizes Rogan and Smith for platforming non-experts who, in his view, mainstream fringe or dangerous historical narratives about figures like Churchill and Hitler and contemporary conflicts. Smith pushes back that expertise has been badly discredited (e.g., COVID, Iraq) and argues that ordinary people and podcasters have every right to question foreign policy, NATO expansion, and Israeli conduct in Gaza. The conversation circles around whether criticizing Israeli policy is tantamount to enabling antisemitism, whether Israel’s war in Gaza is morally or strategically justified, and how much blame Western interventions bear for today’s wars.

Stephen Kotkin joins Lex Fridman to analyze Vladimir Putin, the invasion of Ukraine, and the longer arc of Russian and Eurasian authoritarianism in comparison with Stalin, Mao, and Hitler.

Tom Nash, a Russian-born finance YouTuber, explains how Western sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have crippled Russia’s economy, particularly through cutting off access to foreign currency and partially blocking its central bank and major banks from SWIFT.

Lex Fridman interviews Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv about Russia’s invasion, the human cost of war, paths to peace, and Ukraine’s political future. They dive deeply into ceasefire scenarios involving Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the role of NATO and U.S. security guarantees, and why Zelenskyy believes strength must precede any negotiations. Zelenskyy defends Ukraine’s record on corruption and aid usage, pushes back on Russian propaganda, and explains how language, history, and personal loss shape his stance. The episode is framed by Lex’s reflections on language, translation, and his goal of using conversations—even with adversaries—to push toward peace.

The hosts discuss the Russia-Ukraine war’s military trajectory, the emerging contours of a possible peace deal, and the role of U.S. diplomacy versus European mediators. They argue sanctions on Russia are historically severe, potentially effective in forcing compromise, but also likely to trigger major second-order effects, including recession risks and a tighter Russia–China alignment.