What is it like reporting from Kyiv as Ukraine marks 35 years of independence in the middle of war?

On this episode of Peace and Power Ukraine, host Gary Marx is joined by Shelby Wilder, Newsmax foreign correspondent, journalist, and documentary filmmaker, reporting from Kyiv on Ukraine’s Independence Day. Wilder describes a capital that remains defiant and proud even as Ukrainians face some of the most dangerous conditions since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Wilder recounts how she first entered Ukraine as a freelance journalist in 2022 with little more than her protective gear and a seat aboard a humanitarian cargo flight—and how Ukraine eventually became a major focus of her career.

The conversation covers:

• Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day and the mood in Kyiv
• Wilder’s journey from freelance journalist to Newsmax foreign correspondent
• Ukraine’s internal political tensions and calls for wartime elections
• Interviewing President Zelenskyy at the Chernobyl nuclear site
• Reporting through blackouts, missile attacks, and brutal Ukrainian winters
• The human stories and resilience that keep Wilder returning to Ukraine

Wilder also reflects on interviewing Zelenskyy one-on-one, pressing him for answers about U.S. support, and why some of the most important stories of the war are not about military strategy or geopolitics, but ordinary Ukrainians trying to raise families, attend school, and live their lives under extraordinary circumstances.

00:00 — Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day
01:42 — The Mood in Kyiv
04:23 — How Shelby Wilder Became a War Correspondent
07:58 — Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Politics & Wartime Elections
12:02 — Political Tensions Inside Ukraine
16:18 — Elon Musk, Starlink & Ukraine
19:06 — International Support on Independence Day
21:52 — Interviewing Zelenskyy at Chernobyl
26:44 — Reporting Through Ukraine’s Brutal Winters
30:10 — Shelby’s Path into Journalism
31:23 — Pressing Zelenskyy for Answers
33:15 — Why Ukrainians Continue to Fight

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