Why Russia Can’t Win

A conversation with Substack’s Diane Francis about her start in journalism, her love and respect for Ukraine, and why a Russian defeat is inevitable.

By Michael Judge

It may be an exaggeration to say that Diane Francis is the hardest working woman in journalism, but only a small one. At 77, the U.S.-born Canadian columnist, entrepreneur, professor, and author of 10 books shows no signs of slowing down. After an award-winning career as a reporter, columnist, and editor for the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, and the Financial Post in the 1980s and ’90s, she’s been a prolific National Post columnist and editor-at-large for over two decades.

But it’s her fascinating and fearless Substack column that turned me into a loyal reader. Called simply Diane Francis, it’s where, in her words, “this veteran columnist writes about power, money, tech, and corruption in America and the world.” That’s all true. But it’s her skill at uncovering the intersection of power, money, and corruption that I most appreciate in her work.

Combine this with her lifelong interest in the people, politics, and culture of Ukraine, and you have some of the best columns to b…