Faith, Energy Attacks, and Peace Through Strength w/Pavlo Unguryan

In this episode, former Ukrainian parliamentarian Pavlo Unguryan joins Andrew Langer from inside Ukraine—where repeated drone and missile attacks have disrupted power, heat, water, and internet access—to describe what daily life looks like nearly four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion. Unguryan explains how strikes on energy infrastructure create cascading challenges for entire cities, and why Ukraine’s resilience has become a defining feature of the war. The conversation traces key turning points from 2014 to the present, including Unguryan’s view of the Budapest Memorandum and what it implied after Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal, as well as how Russia leveraged energy and influence campaigns across Europe. They also dig into Russia’s ideology and information warfare—including the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and allegations of religious persecution—arguing that Ukraine is defending national security against infiltration while still protecting religious freedom. Finally, Unguryan shares what “peace” should mean in practice—warning against deals without justice—and outlines a vision for a postwar Ukraine built on security, investment, rule of law, and values, alongside long-term rebuilding efforts through the Ukraine Rebuilding Alliance. 00:00 — Intro + Pavlo Unguryan joins from Ukraine 00:02 — Power, heat, water, and internet disruptions after strikes 00:04 — Russia’s miscalculation + “David vs. Goliath” framing 00:06 — Odessa, the Black Sea, and “weather as a factor” in war 00:10 — 2014 and the Budapest Memorandum debate 00:14 — Obama-era response, Nord Stream 2, and energy leverage 00:17 — Post-Soviet rebuilding, myths, and Russian interference 00:22 — Putin’s goals, population, and “holy war” rhetoric 00:27 — Russian Orthodox Church, intelligence influence, and religious freedom 00:33 — What peace looks like: “peace through strength” 00:41 — Postwar vision: defense, economy, investment, and anti-corruption 00:46 — Closing + guest bio