Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight
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Democracy is at war. We can see the forces rallied against it: autocratic states like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, techno-aristocrats, religious fundamentalists and populist demagogues.
From the trenches of Ukraine to the halls of power in the US, democratic, free values are under determined assault.
But, there are those who resist.
In 'Why We Fight' we talk to those who claim to be defending democracy; that's everyone from soldiers, protestors, activists, religious leaders, industrialists and politicians.
We find out who they are, what drove them to take up the struggle, what their work is and why their idea of democracy is worth fighting for.
Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight
The Estonian Politician: Marko Mihkelson
In this powerful episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We speak with Estonian MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson for an unflinching conversation about Russia’s imperial legacy, the modern authoritarian playbook, and what it takes to defend democracy today.
Drawing on decades of experience as a journalist and politician, Mihkelson shares eyewitness insights from the First Chechen War, the Kremlin’s early efforts to dismantle democracy, and how the West has enabled Moscow’s aggression through appeasement and inaction.
We explore:
- The roots of Russian imperialism and its resurgence under Putin
- The formation of a new authoritarian axis: Russia, China, Iran, North Korea
- How democracies are losing the information war
- Why disinformation is the autocrats’ sharpest weapon
- Estonia’s leadership in cybersecurity and digital democracy
- What the West must do to ensure Ukraine’s victory
- The dangers of Western political amnesia and moral hesitation
- The generational fight for liberty, and what it means to resist
Mihkelson argues that defeating Russia in Ukraine is essential to securing a future for free societies and sends a clear message to dictators everywhere: You will not succeed. You will be defeated.
Highlights
00:03 – Witnessing the death of Russian democracy
05:30 – Interviewing Chechen president Dzhokhar Dudayev on the frontline
10:00 – The authoritarian alliance and the long war against democracy
19:00 – How Russia uses disinformation as a weapon of war
24:30 – Estonia’s cybersecurity response and the future of digital defence
33:00 – Why the West must stop appeasing Russia
42:00 – The risk of World War III if Ukraine is not supported
53:00 – What a post-imperial Russia could look like
1:00:00 – Marko’s personal journey: from Soviet occupation to Estonian freedom
1:10:00 – A message to young democrats — and to the autocrats themselves
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Thankyou and remember:
Democracy is Non-Negotiable