Episode Details

Today (24th February) marks the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — a war that began in 2014 with the seizure of Crimea and has since become one of the defining geopolitical conflicts of our time. Over the weekend, Ukraine again faced waves of drone and missile attacks, while European foreign ministers meeting in Brussels struggled to agree a new sanctions package. US-brokered talks in Geneva have stalled, and questions remain about what happens next. Meanwhile, Cabinet Ministers are convening, ahead of a special meeting of European leaders to mark four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Taoiseach Michael Martin is expected to commit to advancing Ukraine’s EU membership, when Ireland holds the EU Presidency later this year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the world later on today, via video link with the European Parliament. To discuss the global political picture and the local impact here in Clare, Alan was joined by Professor Donnacha Ó Beachain of Dublin City University, a native of Newmarket-on-Fergus and expert in post-Soviet politics, and Mariya Nikishanova, originally from Irpin in Ukraine and living in Ennis for more than a decade. Image © Mathias Reding from Pexels via Canva