masha, the floor is yours. thank you. [applause] masha: so i'm going to put bigger language to this mission. i have the strange experience of having written about russia for several decades now in two languages. and not only do i write in two languages, russian and english, but i've used sources in both languages. one thing that happens -- i'm sure this is the expense of many people in this room -- one thing that happens if you are studying russia and using russian language and english language sources, especially when you're talking about soviet history, there is a real lack of language. language as a tool of understanding. that basically in order to write about the soviet period, you have to rely on foreign researchers who had hugely imperfect information. for they had the advantage of having -- but they had the advantage of having analytical language, analytical language that was worked out collaboratively. and all we have to rely on for the soviet period for russian language sources are individual accounts. there is n

journalist masha gessen is a vocal critic of both the kremlin and donald trump. last year, masha was convicted in absentia and sentenced by a moscow court for reporting on the conflict in ukraine, and their recent reporting explores how authoritarianism can take root even in a democracy. arguing in the new york times that, quote, the barrage of trump's ideas is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. masha gessen joined me in new york to put into context this critical moment for the united states and the rest of the world, as well. masha gessen, welcome back to the program. >> it's great to be here. >> i want to ask you, because you have survived and lived through your own autocracy in in russia. so talk to me about what appears to be a 180 in u.s. speak and relations with russia over ukraine and of course, with europe. this week, president trump called zelenskyy the dictator, amongst other kind of putin talking points. what do you see happening? >> i see trump adopting putin's language. i see moscow reeling from, you know, their wildest dreams coming true faster

masha... "a all”, an: post.concerned, they are not 1 him. i should potentiallyi potentiaiii; 2�*s goes to cards potentially if it goes to the floor, it will to the the floor,—it will go to the senator booker has floor. senator cory booker has said he likes mr kennedy's message about making food healthy again in america. when michelle obama in the the lady had a hooseg the first lady had a ., w w w w about making that campaign about making that healthy it healthy for schoolchildren, it was derided by -=:: the so there is a lot accusations of of accusations of hypocrisy. 1717 of accusations of hypocrisyl 11 11 of democrats messaging from thgtégiessaging from rfk. but �*they thbtégiessaging from rfk. but �* they will go out and whether they will go out and vote to him, i doubt it. we are at the stage where, 7—7 i177 7—77 7 7 7 7 7 i before, because i before, beca7use it advanced z: advanced to the 7 advanced to the floor,7it hasadoanced to the floor, it probably likely, i will be is probably likely, i will be surpr

. ne reed ee'en between masha,” ma'or towns in there's. he read eten between - major towns in greenlandzero development. so, denmark's neglected greenland. they don't have the capacity to defend — they don't have the capacity to defend greenland in any way. they— defend greenland in any way. they can't even denmark they can't even defend denmark in they can't even defend denmark - in fact, _ they can't even defend denmark in fact, their gdp per itself. in fact, their gdp per capita — itself. in fact, their gdp per capita and their population is much — capita and their population is much like the state of colorado in the _ much like the state of colorado in the us _ much like the state of colorado in the us. and if you asked colorado, _ in the us. and if you asked colorado, "can you defend greenland and develop it?" colorado _ greenland and develop it?" colorado would be unable to. that's — colorado would be unable to. that's how i, and i think many in the — that's how i, and i think many in the states — i don't in the united states — i don't speak— in the united states — i don't speak f

new york times columnist masha gessen and others talked about society and the state of journalism there. they address independent journalists use of the internet and social media censorship and russia's relationship with the new trump administration. the george washington university eliot school of international affairs hosted the one hour event, oak hello, everyone. welcome. hello, everyone. yes, very thanks for joining us this night. my name is greg. i'm the director of the russia program at the george washington university and it's really great to see so many people here, too, who's interested in understanding russian society and how we can use media to address the contemporary changes that are going on on the regime is probably swift. and so it's something to tell. entering right now. so today i'm pleased to. welcome you to the old school for a talk on the unique insight offered by the russian in the independent media archive, which is a groundbreaking data set that captures the rolling landscape of russia's so far semi-closed society by preserving and then aligning the work, indepe

the so called interest that you do a triangle at be called the reverse, the triangles guy that was masha, i guess china. and i don't think there's a lack of understanding of the relationship between moscow in space in which has the salt lake, which has been stable, which has been really deep royalty between the 2 countries. national conditions. uh yes, uh they want to focus on china. they want to contain the rise of china. i do want to keep trying that down as no one is the known as well as the world. you know, it's, it's not the good deal to have it be power competition, beach in washington to buy. do you use? washington talks about the detroit said they do, they often side to what to read. it has said that, you know, as like peas, as the most plans, they want to be more careful. they want to be more advice in terms of technology that want to be better and in terms of the mid 3 wiping the rate. so that to the opponent will somehow at stating peace will be squared away. this is a strength of theory. this is the stupidest theory, because if it was pressing the minutes went private is the

honestly, i think that my colleagues are doing incredible job and they are that to these examples that masha mentioned and i mentioned how how they get in touch with military people and make them confess, do we have this historical record really important at the same time, i know that we constantly are in conversation about. do we feel anything? do we understand what is going do we feel the air? because it's it's it's crucial for the journalist to feel the air. i honestly i don't know, because i have a i there are very small connections left in russia just i don't have any relatives just the couple of friends and i the the window closing because there were we are using zoom and they are saying to me we are praying for what's up and youtube. we are praying for because this window might be closing and that then we it's our window to the world. we are praying, but at the same time, the youtube is also being well demolished. but shut down somehow. and i think that and i, i can't imagine how you can for instance my colleagues and right they are preparing a big story about the it's an a year ago t

it's me and masha now. i'm a single dad. my wife and my stepdaughter have left.cissist clinically clinically diagnosed. and i can draw a parallel from what it's like having that relationship. you know what a narcissist would do? they would try and rid you of any meaningful relationship or alliance that you have. and that's the first and most important step. keep those alliances. if your politicians cannot do that, that do it yourselves. you know, build those bridges and keep kind of believing that, you know, change is coming because change is always coming. and, you know, we're here not because we're the smartest or the fittest or anything. we're here because we're adaptable. and all you need to do is just adapt to use that soft power to keep your allies, at least, you know, on the interpersonal level. and then, trust me, sooner or later, any narcissistic relationship, any toxicity goes away. and it's where you want. it's all about where you want to be when that ends. so that's kind of advice for me. i'm happy because, you know, i have my five year old sleeping i