What price victory? Ukraine on the front foot
Economist Podcasts
The Economist
4.3 • 5K Ratings
🗓️ 27 May 2026
⏱️ 19 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Economic support, drone capability, defence under new management: the tide may have turned for Ukraine. But domestic politics and perceptions will define what kind of win the country might hope for. We examine how Home Depot, the world’s largest DIY chain, is a window into America’s ailing housing market. And what is pinching the supply of England’s famed cricket bats.
Guests and host:
- Oliver Carroll, Ukraine correspondent
- Vinjeru Mkandawire, news editor
- Andrew Rummer, Britain contributor
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Ukraine war
- America’s housing market, Home Depot
- cricket bats, supply chains
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Economist. |
| 0:09.6 | Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. |
| 0:12.8 | I'm Jason Palmer. |
| 0:19.2 | Today on the show, how Home Depot is America's housing market bellwether |
| 0:23.5 | and the supply chain choke point for cricket bats. |
| 0:31.7 | But first... |
| 0:51.3 | ... But first... The latest... The latest news from Ukraine paints a brutal picture of Russian intent. Missile and drone strikes on Kiev over the weekend were among the |
| 0:55.6 | worst of the war. Yesterday, the Kremlin warned of more consistent systematic strikes on the |
| 1:02.1 | military-industrial complex, as opposed to the many civilian targets from the weekend. This is not |
| 1:09.0 | the aggression of an invading force finishing the job. |
| 1:12.9 | It seems more like the recklessness that comes with being on the back foot. |
| 1:17.2 | Ukraine at last is doing more than surviving. |
| 1:20.6 | There's more hope on the ground than there has been in some time. |
| 1:24.9 | But if victory comes, at what cost will it come for the body politic? |
| 1:32.7 | Things have not looked this good for Ukraine for some time. |
| 1:37.6 | Oliver Carroll is our Ukraine correspondent. |
| 1:40.2 | A bitter winter has now given way to a story of momentum. |
| 1:44.5 | But as Saturday's mass strike on Kiev showed, Russia still remains a brutal adversary. |
| 1:52.7 | The question still for Ukraine is how long its strategic reserve, its people and its resources, can sustain the battle. |
| 2:00.1 | And even if it can, what kind of country can survive? |
| 2:03.7 | So just give us a snapshot for the moment how Ukraine is doing on the battlefield, Ali. |
| 2:08.4 | The news from the front line is very promising. Ukraine is basically now inflicting casualties on Russia |
... |
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