The battle between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russia separatists in Donbas is settling into a tense and fragile stalemate.
But the real battle between Moscow and Kyiv is only just beginning.
If 2014 was largely defined by the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, now -- with both countries economies devastated by the conflict -- the coming year will likely be defined by a war of governance. Moscow is doubling down on its statist authoritarian model, while Ukraine is attempting to create a European-style free-market democracy.
And a lot is riding on which model wins.
On the latest Power Vertical Podcast, we discuss this front in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Joining me are Kirill Kobrin, editor of the Moscow-based history and sociology magazine Neprikosnovenny Zapas; Natalya Churikova, managing editor of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and host of the program European Connect; and Andreas Umland, a professor of Russian and Ukrainian history at Kyiv Mohyla Academy and a senior research fellow at the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation in Kyiv.
Also on the podcast, we look at the military situation in the Donbas and examine the respective strategies of Moscow and Kyiv.
Enjoy...
Listen to or download the podcast above or subscribe to "The Power Vertical Podcast" on iTunes.