Few voices in Britain today cut through the cultural fog with the clarity and courage of Konstantin Kisin. A Russian-British satirist, political commentator and co-host of the Triggernometry podcast, Konstantin’s reputation has been built on his fearless takes and sharp wit. First on the comedy circuit and now through one of the most widely watched shows of its kind in the UK.
His bestselling book An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West captured a moment, blending a deep appreciation for liberal values with a warning: we are squandering what made the West great. With one foot in Russia and the other in Britain, few are better placed to diagnose the ailments afflicting both.
Why did we invite him on?
Konstantin’s political compass is not left or right. It is honest. At a time when many flinch from uncomfortable truths, he has built a career on saying what others will not.
We wanted to explore three things: what a second Trump presidency might mean for the world, whether Britain has truly broken the back of wokeness, and what the West can learn from a place as unexpected as Uzbekistan.
In all three areas, Konstantin offered the kind of frank insight that is so rare and so necessary.
What did we talk about?
We began with the cultural reset many on the right are hoping for. In both the US and the UK, it appears that the momentum behind progressive ideology is slowing, but Konstantin warns that institutional capture is far from over. The cultural pendulum may be swinging, but the underlying structures remain largely intact.
We then turned to the war in Ukraine. With family ties on both sides of the conflict, Konstantin’s view is rooted in moral clarity rather than tribalism. He believes the West has failed Ukraine by offering rhetorical solidarity without the material support necessary to change the outcome of the war. In his view, the likely result will be a poor settlement that satisfies no one and risks long-term instability. He also highlighted the wider strategic cost, including the possibility of nuclear proliferation if smaller nations lose faith in Western security guarantees.
Our conversation also explored Britain’s failure to deal seriously with Islamist extremism. Konstantin argued that it is possible to welcome moderate Muslim citizens while firmly rejecting those who reject the values of the society they have entered. Drawing comparisons with countries like Uzbekistan, he noted that many Muslim-majority nations take a far firmer line on extremism than Britain currently does. The result, he suggests, is a society that fails to protect itself while burdening the very communities it claims to protect.
We ended by asking what still gives him hope. For Konstantin, the answer lies in the quiet sensibleness of the British public. Despite the failures of its institutions and the cowardice of many in public life, Britain still has the cultural resources to recover.
Whether it will find the will to use them is another question.