When it comes to all things international, there probably isn’t a more popular and engaging commentator in town than Nick Hayes.

Nick, a professor of history who holds the university chair in critical thinking at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn., is a regular featured commentator on MPR’s public affairs program "Midday." He’s also appeared on PBS’ "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer" and on NPR’s "Morning Edition," "All Things Considered" and "Public Radio International’s Marketplace."

His work has appeared in many publications as well -- from The Moscow Times to Newsweek International to the Star Tribune. (That’s where I got to know Nick. I was an editor at the Star Tribune, and Nick was writing about the decline of the Soviet Union as well as assisting the newspaper’s reporters on their stories about what was going on in that part of the world.)

Nick’s an expert on Russia and Eastern Europe, and his analyses of world events have always struck me as exceptional for two reasons: He doesn’t state the obvious and instead offers a fresh insight, and he says it in a way that doesn’t require an advanced degree in international studies to understand.

All of which makes me very pleased to announce that Nick has agreed to become a regular contributor to MinnPost, reporting and analyzing international affairs in the way that Nick does so well: informed and sophisticated insights told in a conversational and engaging voice. And when appropriate, Nick will discuss Minnesota connections to world events.

Check out today’s post in which Nick describes becoming fascinated with the Soviet Union while growing up in Minneapolis and the lessons he’s learned traveling and reporting from that part of the world. Nick has some advice if you want to understand Vladimir Putin and people with power.