In conversation with Masha Gessen

Russian-American journalist and thinker Masha Gessen is one of the world’s most prominent anti-Putin activists, and a leading voice on authoritarian regimes. As a columnist for The New York Times and staff writer at The New Yorker, Gessen tirelessly dissects power dynamics from Moscow to Washington - and back again. Gessen has been widely praised for their books on Vladimir Putin, Pussy Riot, Donald Trump, and LGBTQ rights. The Future Is History (2017) won the prestigious National Book Award, and in May 2026, Gessen received the very first Pulitzer Prize for Opinion Writing for their entire body of work. During this unmissable evening, Gessen reflects on today’s many geopolitical challenges and how Europe can face leaders like Putin and Trump.