A Russia-Ukraine conversation

December 26, 2024

Here is a fascinating discussion I had with two prominent journalists, one Ukrainian and one Russian, about the war and what will happen in coming months. It occurred after this year’s Peterson Literary Fund conference and was organized by Foundation Chair and political scientist Lisa Shymko. The Fund is a unique, international awards and grants organization established and endowed by Canadian philanthropist Stanley Peterson.

Yaroslav Trofimov and Mikhail Zygar provided important insights in this conversation about the war, Putin, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and Donald Trump’s objective to end the war by January 20.

Stanley Peterson was born in Poland and spent years in gulags and refugee camps during World War II. Multi-lingual, he and his wife immigrated to Toronto Canada. They worked as house servants, but Peterson was encouraged by his employer to study accounting. He graduated and rose up the ranks as a civil servant and also made a fortune investing in the stock market. He endowed and set up this unique Fund to award prizes and grants to writers and translators for the best nonfiction books, written in English or Ukrainian, that promote a better understanding of Ukraine-related topics relevant to a global audience.