Q&A: Russia's veto power, Nato's Article 5, and Putin's succession plan
Ukrainecast
BBC
4.7 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 2 October 2025
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Is Ukraine seeing an exodus of young men? Why does Russia have veto power over UN resolutions? And would Moscow defend Minsk if Nato allies invoked Article 5 in response to an attack by Belarus?
To answer your questions, Lucy Hockings is joined by senior digital journalist Laura Gozzi, and Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse. The team also discuss US aid, China’s role in the conflict, and whether Vladimir Putin is grooming a successor for the top job in the Kremlin.
Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings. The producers were Laurie Kalus and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The social producer was Sophie Millward. The executive producer was Lewis Vickers. The series producer is Chris Flynn. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480
You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.4 | It's 1,317 days since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. |
| 0:11.9 | And after another major Russian strike, it lasted 12 hours last weekend. |
| 0:16.6 | Vice President J.D. Vance's revelation that the US was considering a Ukrainian request for long-range |
| 0:22.8 | tomahawk missiles was interpreted by some as the latest sign of Washington's waning |
| 0:28.1 | patience with Moscow. But despite Keeves' insistence that the ability to strike deep inside |
| 0:33.6 | Russia could give the Kremlin more incentive to pursue a peace deal. |
| 0:42.1 | The conversation around Europe in recent weeks has been about a growing war, not a conflict, |
| 0:43.3 | approaching its conclusion. |
| 0:46.7 | And ahead of this informal summit we saw this week in Copenhagen, |
| 0:52.9 | the Danish Prime Minister Matta Fredrickson was clear that Russian aggression is not only a problem for Ukraine. I think we have to leave our national perspective, |
| 0:56.6 | talking about security in Europe, |
| 0:58.4 | and look at the pattern with the hybrid war going on, |
| 1:02.1 | and look at the war in Ukraine, |
| 1:04.8 | not as a war in a European country, Ukraine, |
| 1:08.2 | but as a Russian attempt to threaten all of us. |
| 1:12.4 | So as NATO allies continue to emphasize their long-term will to defend one another, |
| 1:18.0 | has the West exhausted its diplomatic efforts to talk Putin down. |
| 1:22.9 | As always, our team are here to answer all of your questions on this episode of UkraineCast. |
| 1:28.2 | Ukraine cast from BBC News. |
| 1:31.1 | This is a sovereign nation under unprovoked attack. |
| 1:35.2 | We are ready to finish this war as quick as possible. |
... |
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