Jim’s Journey to Ukraine and Syria: Why He Went, Ukrainian Resolve, and Syrian Hope

Join Jim and Greg for this special edition of the 3 Martini Lunch as Jim shares why he returned to Ukraine and made his first visit to Syria, the mindset of Ukrainians entering the fourth year of war, and what he observed in Syria just months after the fall of the Assad regime.

First, Jim explains what led to his third trip to Ukraine, how he got closer to the front lines than ever before, and how his travel companions persuaded him to add Syria to his itinerary. He also describes some of the tense moments he experienced in both countries, more than on his previous visits to Ukraine.

Next, Jim recounts his time in Ukraine, detailing how locals reacted to major headlines from the Trump administration while he was there. He describes what he saw near—but not at—the front lines, including elderly Russian women wounded by their own country’s bombing yet receiving care in Ukraine. He also introduces us to “Twitch,” an American who overcame his own reluctance to follow God’s call and is now making a profound impact by helping injured Ukrainians.

Finally, Jim takes us to Syria, where he witnessed life just months after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in December and after many years of a brutal civil war. He explains the cautious optimism in parts of the country, including among Christian and Jewish minorities. And Jim offers us a verbal glimpse of Idlib, which he calls “jihad metropolis.”

Join us for all this and more from Jim’s on-the-ground reporting in Ukraine and Syria.