Mike Baker sits down with Kyiv Post correspondent Jason Jay Smart to reveal how Russians - and their media - are reacting to President Donald Trump’s push for peace in Ukraine.
From Kremlin spin to public perception, Smart explains the surprising ways Trump’s diplomacy is playing inside Russia.
About Mike Baker
Mike Baker is widely recognized as a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) covert field operations officer with a career spanning nearly 2 decades.
During his time with the CIA, he specialized in counterterrorism, counternarcotics, and counterinsurgency operations across various global theaters, including Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the former Soviet Union.
After leaving government service, Baker transitioned into the private sector, where he co-founded and became chairman or CEO of global intelligence and security firms such as Diligence LLC (later Portman Square Group).
He applies lessons learned from his intelligence career to advise clients on risk management, investigations, and security, and frequently appears as a TV commentator and host on geopolitical and national security matters.
About Jason Jay Smart
Jason Jay Smart is a Kyiv-based national security strategist, geopolitical analyst, and political consultant with extensive international experience across four continents.
He advises presidents and global leaders on national security, political risk, and strategy.
Smart is widely recognized for his work countering Russian influence, which led to him being blacklisted by the Kremlin and declared persona non-grata in Russia in 2010.
He is a prolific commentator on post-Soviet politics and global security, frequently appearing on Ukrainian and Russian-language TV and publishing analyses on platforms like YouTube and X.
