Summary

Simon Shuster (X, Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn ) to discuss President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine. Simon is a senior correspondent at TIME.

What You’ll Learn

Intelligence

Zelenskyy’s career pre-Presidency
Reactions to the 2022 Russian invasion
Ukrainian public opinion of Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy’s relationship with Ukrainian intelligence

Reflections

Contagious courage
Leadership styles, techniques, and unique skills

And much, much more …

Quotes of the Week

“In researching [Zelenskyy’s] transformations as a person from comedian to politician to wartime leader, I also thought a lot about what qualities have remained consistent in him. And one of them for sure is this kind of, “go get ‘em” confidence … He just has this abiding confidence in his own ability to think on his feet, to not lose his balance, to just go into a new and unfamiliar space or a set of challenges and wing it, so to say.” – Simon Schuster

Resources

SURFACE SKIM

Spotlight Resource

The Showman : Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky, Simon Shuster (William Morrow, 2024)

SpyCasts

Beginner Resources

What to know about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, I. Pereira & P. Reevell, ABC News (2022) [Short article]
A Brief History of Modern Ukraine, BBC, YouTube (2022) [3 min. video]
Ukraine conflict: Simple visual guide to the Russian invasion, BBC (2022) [Short article]

DEEPER DIVE

Books

Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine's War of Independence, Y. Trofimov (Penguin Press, 2024)
Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine, D. Petraeus & A. Roberts (Harper, 2023)
The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine, S. Plokhy (Basic Books, 2021)

Primary Sources

All Intelligence Agencies of Our Partners are Informed of the Current Threats and Prospects – Address by the President (2024)
Freedom must always prevail when challenged – speech by the President of Ukraine at the National Defense University of the United States (2023)
Address by the President: Ukrainians are a symbol of invincibility (2022)
Address by the President to Ukrainians at the end of the first day of Russia's attacks (2022)
Constitution of Ukraine (1996)
Act of Declaration of the Independence of Ukraine (1991)
Act of Proclamation of Ukrainian Statehood (1941)
Ukrainian Proclamation of Independence (1917)

Wildcard Resource

As Simon mentioned in this episode, President Zelenskyy won the Ukrainian version of one of Erin’s favorite shows, Dancing With The Stars, in 2006.
Watch some of his winning dances with partner Olena Shoptenko here.

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“Zelensky, Ukraine & Intelligence” – with Simon Shuster 01:10:10 Share

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“Zelensky, Ukraine & Intelligence” – with Simon Shuster