Independent Russian-language Channel RTVI Revives US-Russia TV Space Bridges with a Launch of a New Live Show

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - 06/20/2017 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

RTVI, a Kremlin-free Russian-language television network with media teams in New York, Berlin, Tel Aviv, Washington D.C. and Moscow, has started a new live talk show featuring daily polemics on toughest issues and crosstalk between politicians, experts, journalists and academicians. 

A 90-minute political bout Here and There was launched Monday afternoon from studios in Washington D.C. and Moscow.  First guests included Daniel Fried, a former Coordinator for Sanctions Policy at the US State Department and Thomas Melia, USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia for the U.S. side, among others.  The Moscow panel was represented by political commentator Dmitry Oreshkin, congressmen Konstantin Zatulin and Aleksey Chepa, and senator Frants Klintsevich.  The discussion, which focused on the Western sanctions on Russia, was led by RTVI anchors Anton Khrekov in Moscow and Tikhon Dzyadko in Washington.

The uncensored exchange of opinions brought to light some extraordinary revelations from the experts, highlighting the fact that Russian drive into Ukraine was in fact stopped by the U.S.-led sanctions.

“I think sanctions in relation to Ukraine were effective … because they stopped further Russian aggression. I think without the sanctions and the unity of the West that they represented, and of course without the strength of the Ukrainian people that defended their own country, the Russian aggression would have gone much further -- I think there would have been a drive at Mariupol,” said Daniel Fried during the show.  “I think that it is unfortunate that Russia chose the path of general aggression against its neighbor Ukraine [and] against the Unites States with its cyber-hacking. This will lead Russia to no good end.”

Mariupol is a Southern Ukrainian city, which is close to the Russian border and to the rebel stronghold Donetsk.  The city remained under control of the Ukrainian troops at all times since the separatist movement started in 2014 in Eastern Ukraine. 

The guests also discussed such topics as new sanctions against Russia and Brexit.

Here and There can be seen live Monday through Thursday at 2-30 EST on RTVI Facebook channel and via Hotbird satellite, with same day rerun airing on RTVI cable channels in the U.S. Recorded shows are available on RTVI.com and on RTVI mobile app.

With studios in New York, Tel-Aviv and Moscow, and bureaus in Washington D.C., Berlin and Kiev, RTVI broadcasts and streams content to audiences in U.S., Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, Ukraine and Russia, among other countries. Fundamental values of the RTVI brand are objectivity, immediacy, openness, accessibility and on top of all, unity, helping Russian-speakers from different countries find common ground through a channel that shares their language, culture and beliefs.