Did NATO provoke Russia to attack Ukraine | Serhii Plokhy and Lex Fridman

Lex Fridman Podcast full episode: • Serhii Plokhy: History...
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GUEST BIO:
Serhii Plokhy is a Ukrainian historian at Harvard University, director of the Ukrainian Research Institute, and an author of many books on history of Eastern Europe, including his latest book The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History.
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[@LexClips]

Full podcast episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5KQqJ9ulNyjkKM Lex Fridman podcast channel: kzbin.info Guest bio: Serhii Plokhy is a Ukrainian historian at Harvard University, director of the Ukrainian Research Institute, and an author of many books on history of Eastern Europe, including his latest book The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History.

[@SergeyAnatolich]

Serhii Plokhy is sitting in a closed position - he's lying, it's noticeable. Only those who do not know about the military-industrial complex of the USSR may be mistaken about Sweden and Finland. The Union has always perceived these countries as hostile in case of conflict. And Ukraine is a strategic territory, which is given an important role in the shield of the Russian Federation. Crimea has always been an autonomy and was not part of Ukraine, precisely because of its strategic importance to the USSR. Lex, don't blink, pls.

[@classicalmechanic8914]

Everyone in Ukrainian leadership is vaccinated and they are using unvaccinated Ukrainians for canon fodder because they want to hide the truth about covid vaccine. Only 34% of Ukrainians are vaccinated and less people passed away from covid in Ukraine than in some highely vaccinated countries.

[@ngs960]

@@SergeyAnatolich you are lying because you are ruzzian

[@mktdul2095]

At some point people need to start asking for evidence.

[@adrianshephard224]

Evidence of what?

[@AndriiMuliar]

Evidence of Russia aggression and tendency towards totalitarianism? 😮 Maybe you should try to think about transforming Rusia into a liberal state in order to... survive

[@dsaenz5008]

That road goes both ways.

[@destroytheboxes]

This guys ignorance is not bound. Ze wasn’t influenced by anyone? Bahahahahahahaha

[@user-et4hp9sw3n]

@@destroytheboxes Silly Gosse a better name for you

[@Victor-ov7hw]

so this guy asked Boris Johnson if he boycotted the peace negotiations and he is satisfied with a NO...alright, WHAT do we do with people like former PM from Israel Naftali Bennet confirming that indeed Boris Johnson and the west Boycotted the talks, what do we do with Erdogan and the Turks that said the same thing from the negotiations in Istanbul? I guess you believe what you want to believe, NOT THE FACTS.

[@Jaifreeman]

We (read them) simply believe what we (they) like, just like you stated.

[@bjkarana]

that is false.

[@Jaifreeman]

@matiasd.c9949 hey what you doing here? Common sense is forbidden!

[@eddievangundy4510]

Yeah this guy is a liar.

[@genegene7028]

@matiasd.c9949 good catch. For a historian he’s hard to take serious which is too bad because I was looking forward watching the 3 hour interview idea but i think I’ll skip

[@jaqenhgar2264]

Party of Regions is not Zelenskiu’s party. His party is Servant of The People, by movie title.

[@joaocarlosferro]

Actually the guest did not answer the question. He twisted it in his own ideological preference.

[@batmanyk]

there is no problem to find a reason, if you want to punch. "What ya looking at?"

[@danielkillorin9742]

@@TheThirstyOtter The RF's interests are existential. NATO is an existential threat to Russia. Why can't the US just have Ukraine's back when it comes to being invaded without having them join a globalist organization and sign a contract that requires a certain amount of money being funneled from that country into US defense contractors? Why do they choose the path that makes them money? Because they want money. Its a conflict of interest and will lead to unlimited NATO expansion and eventually Russia will have NATO missiles around their entire border. From there were just an inch away from saying Russians are terrorists and genociding them the way Israel is genociding Palestine.

[@borisnikolic3694]

@@TheThirstyOtter I agree completely. Where is the evidence that NATO made actual provocations?

[@Paul-xu6gt]

that's a lot of words just to say you are a loser

[@A.B.5KRVw]

@@TheThirstyOtter LOL The whole reason why NATO was created, was to contain and counter the Russian bear. It's basically a Anti-Russia-Alliance per definition. There is literally no other even theoretical reason for NATO to exist and never was... and you say Russians are supposed to relax and chill while NATO slowly moves toward them and adds new members to the alliance? You serious? 😅

[@DominusAlbaniae]

The Volgograd Gap… 750km from Crimea to Astrakhan. How come no one mentions it?

[@turquoiseowl]

exactly! it's like people have forgotten 1942

[@hamzamahmood9565]

​@@turquoiseowl It's like people forgot there's such thing as NUKES

[@peterg6715]

It's hard to believe it wasn't about NATO when russias been objecting to Ukraine joining NATO since 2008.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

Ukraine’s been independent since the fall of the USSR. So Putin has no right to play Ukraine’s pimp.

[@gregoryedwards9097]

@@TheHighlanderprime Yeah just know the US is their pimp now. And because of Boris Johnson's intervening, over 500k Ukrainians are either wounded or dead. Russia has treated the Ukrainians FAR better than the Israelis have the Palestinians, yet the US is not reprimanding Israel. Think about it for a minute. The US will support ANYONE so long as they get the resources they're looking for.

[@eddievangundy4510]

Of course it was about nato. If Ukraine and the West had agreed on neutrality the war never would have occurred. The parallel is to neutral Austria in 1955 at which point the Red Army moved out of Austria and never returned and that was the end of it. And Austria has been neutral and never part of Nato.

[@eddievangundy4510]

​@@TheHighlanderprimeBaloney. Great powers are going to exert influence in their regions and that's the end of it. You think we'd be okay with China having a security pact with mexico? So just stop your nonsense.

[@michaeldonnelly6747]

@@gregoryedwards9097 The US has stopped supporting Ukraine in October of 2023.

[@joeyjojojrshabadoo7462]

I would dismiss the idea if NATO actually had remained an solely defensive alliance instead of what actually ended up happen as soon as the cold war ended.

[@dragonslayer7587]

Exactly! ... NATO is a way for member countries to make money from the Military Industrial Complex. I've watched over my lifetime, how the American CIA will topple leaders of smaller countries, using "color revolutions" and coup. I don't know why so many people in America think Ukraine can win this war, or that they can change political leadership in Russia... Each time I think of the over 500,000 dead Ukrainian Soldiers, I wonder WHY the people in Ukraine don't remove Zelenskyy themselves. This guy obviously can't see how much of Ukraine is now Russian. I wonder if he knows how much death there's been...

[@TomislavPuklin-wz1bl]

People don't know that both the Soviet Union and Russia applied for NATO membership and were denied. I mean, if it isn't an anti - Soviet or anti - Russia alliance, why were they not allowed to join.

[@jasoncolleran2178]

@@TomislavPuklin-wz1bl hahaha yeah i wonder why they didnt want russia or ussr in nato ? :) look at the chaos turkey and hungery have caused now imagine you let in russia whos sole reason for joining was to unravel the alliance but you already knew all this didnt you comrade

[@TomislavPuklin-wz1bl]

@@jasoncolleran2178 Human beings, people, build all their realtions on the benefit of the doubt. USA actually invaded the Soviet Union in 1918, which you would know if you ever read any history. In 1918, a coalition of American, European and White Russian forces invaded the Ukrainian SSR but were defeated by the Red Army. So if anyone ought to have the position of paranoia of being destroyed it's the USSR. But they didn't. USSR never abandoned the ideo of a possibility of friendship with USA. Just go Google and read Khruschev and Kennedy's correspondances.

[@tboneFL]

@@TomislavPuklin-wz1bl looks like they were right about not letting russia join since putin turned out to be a blood thirsty dictator.

[@Skybij]

When did aggression start again? 2022 or 2014? Again, complete amnesia of what took place beforehand, just remember what's good for narrative.

[@user-et4hp9sw3n]

Russian invasion was in 2014, after his puppet in Ukraine was removed by the people

[@cazman182]

2014 - in response to the Russian puppet leader of Ukraine being deposed. Russia saw themselves losing a pseudo-puppet state after the Maidan revolution and took Crimea, and started operations in the Donbass.

[@danilabezmenov3489]

ivan-bots are going strong in the comments )

[@marinpetrov7498]

was thinking the same

[@cuatro336]

In Soviet Russia, post comments on YOU.

[@user-lx2sy5ms4e]

how do you explain the agreement reached in instanbull as to your view of russian empire building , and the minsk agreement for that matter

[@anthonycoon6955]

What about the security treaty russia gave Ukraine when Ukraine gave there nukes back to russia russia only follows treaties when it benefits them

[@phantom1076]

​@@anthonycoon6955it's not a treaty. It's a momerandum. It's not even an agreement. A memo is basically just a list of promise. It has no legal effect

[@ballenboy]

Russia also warned Finland to join NATO, so we refrained from joining. Now that they attacked Ukraine and are busy there we joined. I wonder what would have happened if Finland would have announced that it is going to join during peacetime.

[@user-zv7uj2so6k]

Try to guess. Finland knows very well what russia can do, unfortunately.

[@panterka.f]

you just put yourself between hammer and an anvil. Russia was trading with your tiny country for many decades peacefully, now the missiles are armed. Do you not see, you are all being used as f35 bases to threaten nuclear strikes? laughable.

[@pekkamustonen6654]

Finnish history has lasted more than two years. Things are not always black and white. We should have stayed totally out of this and any tragedy including US, China, Russia, NATO etc. what so ever. Not our fault, not our war, not our effing broblem.

[@themagiclamp7208]

Nothing wouldve happened. Finland has been neutral for a while now and Russia hasnt touched you. Now however, you painted a target on yourself. They fear mongered you into joining... dumb

[@aleksandrs1422]

As a Russian, I think it's likely Russia would have attacked. Because strategically, to Russia, Finland is a usefull partner, and NATO's an enemy. If your partner openly states he wants to join your enemy, it's at least rational to consider a preemptive strike.

[@fica375]

He can’t imagine Zelensky taking orders from the hand that feeds him. This is how you know someone is being intellectually dishonest

[@PassingTheDog]

That

[@Vedioviswritingservice]

Exactly. Zelensky is a total puppet.

[@dinismantas7265]

Shut up. He stayed and risked his life. That's a leader. Putin pissed his panties and disappeared for days when Pryghozyn moved on Moscow.

[@user-lc9pt4kn9z]

Lol, don't jealous he has balls bigger than you

[@pumahuhu365]

U belive Johnson forced Ukrainians to fight the war they did not want to fight? How? They just could lay down the weapons and welcome russians, what would Johnson do about it? People, please start to think your self and just eat propaganda.

[@billybob1773]

This guy is trying to rewrite history into something he himself can stomach

[@ngs960]

Putin is trying to rewrite the history, not Mr. Plokhy

[@danielbwest]

It's losers like you who are desperately trying to rewrite history just to absolve Russia of any responsibility

[@KK-kc1yh]

Russia is the only who tries to rewrite history. They invaded so many countries in Europe that entire eastern Europe needed to join NATO just for their safety. In other words it's Russia's fault that NATO expanded and Russia pays the consequences. NATO is not going to stop there. Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia needs to became NATO member to stop any war and genocide which Russia is going to cause in the future.

[@oleksandr8371]

Perhaps you can not stomach perspectives outside of the Russian influence.

[@TheVitkuz]

If you think that Nato is not valid reason to start war, then allow China and Russia build it military base in Cuba and Mexico.

[@quinnmichaelson6793]

Not even that, look to the reactions when China makes artificial island bases in the south China Sea lol.

[@aaronataman892]

Sure Pavel, Mexico really wants a Russian military base.

[@TheOneTwo12]

Have you informed mexicans of your idea yet? 😂😂

[@gregoryedwards9097]

@@aaronataman892 the point is, the US would flip if China or Russia did that. In which they did back in the 60s regarding the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is in retaliation to the US placing missiles in Turkey prior to that, right outside of USSR. Yet the US is supporting Israel legit fighting a population that is 50% under 18 years old. I'm American, but at least I can admit who the real perpetrator is. Of course USA is not going to paint itself as the bad guy, and we should take it as a given that we will demonize anyone we are against, which we have for centuries. It's normal for countries to do that, but at least recognize the propaganda that you're being surrounded with.

[@TheJZP]

Yup, total hypocrisy..

[@davidbowers912]

Remember as well the Lease of the Black Sea Navy Port was threatened by s Ukrainian Politician to not extend beyond 2030

[@jonsonrocket8549]

Because that lease was against Ukraine interest. Russian proxies in Ukrainian parliament of that time allowed to do this, but no Ukrainian wanted to allow the lease cause this is a threat to national security. Because of this lease, Russians could easily take over the Crimea

[@johnpiers2786]

Now their ownership rights were revoked. 😂

[@davidbowers912]

Ownership of Productive Land's Ukraine open "Land Matrix Database" Ukraine

[@technokicksyourass]

It's called sovereignty buddy... if you don't get to choose then you are just a puppet.

[@NotABadGuy.]

A few years ago I respected Harvard as an institution. Since then I met someone who graduated from Harvard Business school, he is an amazing liar, it is impressive how he sells himself. This video reinforces my view that Harvard teaches its students how to lie and get away with it.

[@Writeous0ne]

Serhii grew up in Ukraine and his parents are Ukrainian. So you can expect a pro-Ukraine twist.

[@pumahuhu365]

@@Writeous0ne that is not a twist, those are facts

[@Writeous0ne]

@@pumahuhu365 the timeline he uses is accurate, it's the same as the one Putin uses. But the twist and the conclusions are subjective not objective. EG. When he says the negotiations with NATO pre invasion were intentionally unrealistic by Putin and his conclusion is it's because Putin never really wanted to negotiate that is his subjective opinion. NATO refused Putins demands and said it's Ukraines right as a sovereign nation and a right to self determinism to join NATO so they won't block them from joining. Also it's a well known fact that when you negotiate you ask for more than you want - this is called anchoring... the logic is if you start higher then you will negotiated down to a point that you would be satisfied.

[@destroytheboxes]

@@pumahuhu365literally are not facts. He ignores much counter evidence. Either willingly or ignorantly.

[@lukeamato423]

​@@destroytheboxesyou don't know what a fact is

[@voxpopuli5324]

Of course, NATO provoked the Russian invasion of Ukraine. If Ukraine had become a member of the alliance, say in 2008, there would be no war.

[@MG-ye1hu]

With all due respect but heroism doesn't count in modern warfare. What many people didn't realize is how well prepared the Ukrainian army already was at the beginning of the war. Since 2017 they were heavily armed and trained by Nato, and had mobilized more soldiers than Russia. Even Henry Kissinger commented at some point that neutrality is not realistic anymore because Ukraine is already too much entangeled with Nato. I agree with John Mearsheimer that Putin had to invade because it was the last chance to keep control over crimea before Ukraine would join Nato.

[@petercameron2137]

the flaw with that is why does Russia need Crimea in the first place? What does that solve realistically? It's evident by the supply shortages that nato has trying to barely arm ukraine that their was no plan to pounce on russia at all. The idea that hundreds of thousands of people need to be killed millions displaced for one of the wealthiest nations on the planet to "feel more secure" is a assessment one could only make if their eyes were sewn shut by their own world view.

[@andyl8055]

Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. Ukraine definitely wasn't ready for it then, and their engagement with NATO only really expanded in the subsequent years while fighting the Russian army in Donetsk and Luhansk. Of course Ukraine engaged with NATO. They were at war with Russia. As for Russia "having to invade Crimea" it supposes they're entitled to it. I think you'll find the UN charter to which the Russian federation signed up, as well as the Bucharest agreement of the 90's (giving up Ukraine's nuclear weapons in exchange for territorial guarantees on the 1991 recognised borders that included Crimea) suggest that this was nothing more than a cold invasion.

[@clintinb5219]

@@petercameron2137it’s all oil brother the dunbas region huge reserves of oil was discovered there which will make ukrain the number 2 oil reserves in the world. This is all about oil sadly is human being are killing each other over resources. That’s also why the west is heavily invested.

[@TheOneTwo12]

Very few western weapons were in ukraine even 1year into the invasion. E.g. germans sent a few thousand helmets etc etc. educate yourself a bit pls. What stopped rus invasion initially was the Ukrainian willingness to fight the horde.

[@MG-ye1hu]

@@TheOneTwo12 The germans didn't play a role in this. It was the Trump administration that from 2017 supported Ukraine to gear up their military. There is always this retrospective romantizied picture, also towards the first and second world war, that heroism won the war. But if you look closely it's always the number of weapons and soldiers that make the difference, nothing else.

[@classicalmechanic8914]

Withdrawing from peace negotiations always means continuation of war. There is no other interpretation.

[@Gunit867899]

Do you know what the word negotiation means?

[@eddievangundy4510]

And the West withdrew from negotiations. Zelensky had a peace treaty in hand in April 22. We said no.

[@Gunit867899]

@eddievangundy4510 peace treaty on full russian conditions. Sounds like a death sentence, which is exactly what it was.

[@Skybij]

​@@Gunit867899Death sentence for who?

[@classicalmechanic8914]

@@Gunit867899 It could at least buy Ukrainians time. Ukrainian's leadership doesn't give a f*** for Ukrainian people. Because everyone in Ukrainian leadership is vaccinated and their soldiers are mostly unvaccinated. They are using unvaccinated people as cannon fodder because they want to hide the truth about covid vaccine. Ukrainians have 34% people vaccinated and there was almost no covid deaths in Ukraine. The only supporters of this madness are people like Plokhy who are living on the other side of the ocean, are too old to fight and war does not effect them or their children. Zelensky has a gun to his head by Azov if he tried to negotiate with Russia and this is the perfect formula for endless war between Slavic people.

[@martinbrezina575]

Those who decided to invite Ukraine into NATO knew full well that the Russians would perceive this as a hostile and threatening act. Quite logically, they decided to look elsewhere for allies. And China also needs someone with whom it can cooperate militarily. So the West got what it apparently wanted. The world's second and third militarily strongest nations now stand together as adversaries of the West. This has worked.

[@martinbrezina575]

Plokhy is not telling the truth that Ukraine's membership has been postponed ad acta. The claim that Ukraine will become a NATO member has been repeated 3 times in total. In 2008, 2021 and 2023. This would make no sense if it wasn't meant seriously. After all, bluffing would be extremely immoral towards Ukraine.

[@petercameron2137]

And yet the result of this war is that two seperate more powerful, better equipped and wealthier nations have just be accepted. The outcome according to your logic is disastrous for the publicly stated goals of the Kremlin, and yet still they persist and attempt to conquer without seemingly any regard to ACTUAL NATO escalation. It doesn't add up at all. If the US wanted this war and secretly planned this all Ukraine would have been armed to the teeth from the beginning. Instead the first thing NATO offered to Ukraine was a chance to flee 😂. That along with sluggish deliveries of quantatively viable supplies of heavy weapons prove that the west was NOT seeking this out and is instead reacting to a very out of control situation with comparatively idle hands. Also. States do not reserve the right to displace entire populations and fuck up the entire the global economy for everyone.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

So by your logic, Ukraine is Putin’s bitch and they have no right to self determination?

[@Gunit867899]

​@@TheHighlanderprimetou can tlel he a russian bot by name . Firstnamelastname followed by 4 numbers. Typical russian troll spreading vile propaganda

[@practicalhacksonline5747]

cuba

[@offnight.4243]

I knew this guy was full of it when he said he “can’t imagine anyone telling Zelenskyy what to do”. Let’s be serious he is just a mouth peace.

[@mitcheljames7053]

I don’t understand how any reasonable person could think that NATO had nothing to do with antagonizing this war. If Russia tried to get Mexico or Canada to join their military alliance the US would be up in arms. It’s about empire? Are you kidding me? There are a million reason why this war makes sense for Russia and a million more why the United States is responsible for dragging it out. If you did a little research about how the state departments been in Zelensky’s war the whole fucking time you might get a clue. Putin called it a “special military operation” what the fuck so you think the war in Iraq was? How long were we there?

[@YungBeezer]

You don't go to prison for calling the Iraq War a war.

[@user-wm5rt9pw5l]

In 2008, France, Germany, Italy and others blocked Ukraine's progress towards NATO. Ukraine was denied membership plan. Since 2014, the admission of Ukraine into NATO is literally impossible. From 2008 to 2022, there was no NATO expansion to the east. There is no threat of Ukraine's admission to NATO and never has existed. This is a Russian lie to justify a war of conquest.

[@brunoparis20nation]

1) western sphere and influence in the same 2) all persons believed Russia would collapse and Russia would be divided in several pieces 3) Putin trusted Europeans in 2014 who confessed they were deceitful against Russians (Hollande and Merckel confessed it) This guy is lying

[@jackhandy3776]

More narrative than reality. NATO wants this war, provoked this war, and is forcing it's continuation. To believe big bad Putin is the architect of this war is just lazy thinking - is he a good guy, hell no!

[@Helge891]

Ok. So it's nato's fault. Putin has no blame. Do you see how stupid you sound?

[@xenahx685]

He is the architect of the war, he signed territorial integrity agreements regarding Ukraine etc. Then decided to Annex Crimea and support both home grown and Russian inserted rebels in Donbass. Ukrainians are allowed to change political policies without Russian intervention. If Russia had any legitimacy in its actions or grievances then it would have likewise allowed Chechnya to secede when they fought two wars there.

[@jackhandy3776]

@@xenahx685And why did he do that? Yes for the reasons above. Russia will not let their weak point be a military base for the west, pretty logical stuff. How did Germany make their way into Russia? Location,location.....

[@Blanka1100]

Putin invaded Ukraine because he has always wanted Ukraine back as part of russian empire. Nato is bs excuse. Nato did not invade Russia. Russia always feels proovoked and needs excuses to grab somebody else's land and freedom. Everyone in Eastern Europe knows it.

[@WilkinsMichael]

Russia literally invaded, they hold no responsibility?

[@iri1088]

Man Zelenskyy really got under Putins skin I mean all those fancy red square parades and then a comedian with no political and military experience made him look like a fool and then to top it all up Prighozin almost made it to Moscow ..what a pathetic country Russia has become…

[@coolluckyme2007]

always was

[@bigmofarah9084]

The joker became a War Hero and the wannabe War Hero became a joker

[@aleksandrs1422]

0:50 "There was no chance for Ukraine to become a member of NATO" 11:06 - 11:54 "staying out of NATO is an unacceptable condition for Ukraine" huh

[@timmy-wj2hc]

This guy js a clown.

[@alaanasser3243]

Lex is so manipulative he brought this clown to counteract the information provided by Tucker Carlson.

[@TheNalimo]

Spot on!

[@Volo-sz8rr]

Yeah especially when you recognize that it is about 2008 and nato members and the second one is about 2022 and Ukraine

[@zacharypereira1450]

Yes in 2008 there was no chance of Ukraine joining NATO, Crimea was also under Ukrainian sovereignty and Russia had not been invaded. At the 11 minute mark they are taking about 2022 a full 14 years later, the security environment had drastically changed. What Russia wanted was massive restrictions on Ukraine's military, wanted a full severing of at the very least military and security relations with the West and pretty much wanted Ukraine to be militarily isolated for when Russia rearmed and decided to invade again. Look at Chechnya, Russia had a deal that ended the first Chechen War but when Russia was rearmed and ready invaded under questionable pretenses.

[@ltm277]

Fair play to Serhii to come on to your podcast. Interesting points and well worth having him on again in few years time to follow up on his thinking then

[@robertshillenn6404]

Any complete discussion of the conflict in Ukraine must include the coup d'état following the Maidan demonstrations in Kiev. The subsequent attacks by Ukrainian forces against the Russian-speaking populations in Donbass (Lugansk and Donetsk). The 14,000 civilians killed there between 2014 and 2022 are systematically ignored by the Western media. The speaker sounds reasonable, but he ignores some of the key facts.

[@dcfunhouse]

Was nuland picking the pm written into the Ukrainian constitution?

[@xxvxxv5588]

It also must include systemic oppression of ethnic Ukrainians in Russian Empire and Soviet Union. In those states Russians were dominant and privileged majority and ethnic Ukrainians marginalized minority. Russians are much more successful, numerous and influentual than Ukrainians. Idea that Russians are real victims just beyond reality.

[@grahamcartwright5141]

@@dcfunhouse I couldn't have said it better myself 👍. It scars me people don't know this fact.

[@maxsportsman2416]

@@atariukass1WRONG! It was a coupe funded by the U.S state department. Over $5 billion dollars was spent on illegally overthrowing the democratically elected president of Ukraine in 2014! This is a FACT! Victoria Nuland is literally caught on a voice recording hand picking the next presidential candidate of Ukraine. That’s the definition of interfering in a foreign country’s internal affairs. Could you imagine if China or Russia did that in Mexico or Canada, what would be the American response to such as coup on their borders?

[@Isaac-wo9ow]

@@atariukass1but a Coup did happen Also, the fact that leak audio on YT confirm Washington’s manipulation of Ukraine’s opposition The US is famous for its Coups. In the Middle East and especially in South American countries

[@alexsnow5092]

4:21 notice the unclear response, and absolutely no evidence, no names, dated etc.

[@batmanyk]

Evidence, hmm. Like Putin speech, would be evidence?

[@destroytheboxes]

@@batmanykno. One speech is not evidence. The entirety of his past and present comments are still just a small pc. Ppl who take a phrase out of context from a single speech are not serious ppl.

[@WilkinsMichael]

@@destroytheboxes The speech publicly and explicitly justifying what you are doing just before you invade seems like pretty relevant evidence and it isn't the only time the arguments have been repeated.

[@mcrick8931]

Its China's advantage to see this continue

[@andreykaminskiy2391]

The guy literally claims that Putin was afraid not that the West would make Ukraine its vassal state, but that Ukraine would become a vassal state of the West. Although it is obvious that these two different actions have the same consequence: Ukraine is a member of the EU and NATO, and it is the consequences that are the subject of concern.

[@Domesticated_Ape]

Ukraine is currently a member of neither. They wanted to join the EU, but Putin bribed their ex-leader and then invaded them, in order to stop them.

[@WilkinsMichael]

What is the big consequence that couldn’t be tolerated?

[@andreykaminskiy2391]

@@WilkinsMichael Каддафи знает ответ

[@dentroy7926]

Nothing he said can be backed up with documents or reality. They’re just narratives.

[@algirdasnausedas324]

Nice empty statements. As usual for ZZombies

[@batmanyk]

he made logical statements - for example - if reason to attack was expansion of NATO, the border will widen twice if Findland and Sweden join. So they should switch attack from Ukraine to Sweden year ago, cause Ukraine will not be in NATO soon, but Sweden almost there. You dont need anything else, to back it up. If its not right, try to disproof this

[@danielkillorin9742]

@@batmanyk The situation in Ukraine is supremely different than the very neutral finland and sweden. I bet Russia wont mind as much as they do Ukraine because: 1. ukraine has a corrupt governement with nationalist people 2. there was a civil war in Ukraine between ethnic russians and pro western ukranians 3. there was a US backed coup in ukraine which made everything there worse 4. russia has been invaded thorugh ukraine in the past There are more reasons, its just common sense that an ever expanding military organization like NATO would inevitably lead to war. Why even have such an organization if the end result is clearly war?

[@Writeous0ne]

@@batmanyk Russia and Sweden don't share a border but this is the typical kind of comment i expect from people with such opinions as yours. Russia and Finland do have a border but the truth is Russia don't care about Finland or see Finland as a threat, Finland is a very small population and they're neutral, their leadership has always been like Switzerland and Austria etc. Because they don't really act controversially or get sucked in by Western politics. Where as Zelenskyii, he got sucked in. Almost every invasion of Russia from Europe has came through Ukraine or Belarus... if anyone was going to draw up a plan to launch a ground invasion on Russia he best way to start would be though the north of Ukraine. There's a reason why George Bush and the US have pushed for Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO - not Finland. That's because these countries occupy key areas in terms of containment policy for Russia. One thing you must know when it comes to geopolitics is that the US acts on containment first, there whole foreign affair and military is based on the control and containment of any other possible super power. eg. Russia, China. Also something else you must know is that Serhii grew up in Ukraine and his parents are Ukrainian. He is not really a neutral or unbiased person to ask these questions, there is always going to be a anti-Russia pro-Ukraine twist on his opinions.

[@wolfswinkel8906]

@@batmanyk dude, nobody had any idea that Sweden and Finland had such levels of paranoia to cause them to jettison 75+ years of neutrality that served them so well throughout the most tense periods in Europe during the Cold War, over the invasion of Ukraine. Afterall they're different countries with different histories between them. I thought it was pretty commonsense. Anybody can look at a map and see NATO moving forward in peacetime.

[@user-wm1lx7eo8z]

He said he never met Zelenskiy, yet he can't imagine Zelenskiy taking orders from anybody.

[@alexiskesidis5078]

Do you ever met putin? (I’m sure not ). Yet you can imagine putin taking orders from anybody ?

[@vallab19]

Kiev did not fall within few days or weeks of 2022 Russia invasion because Putin underestimated the military strength that Ukraine had built since more than 10 years mainly with the NATO military support.

[@eagle1ear]

The real reason behind the initial failure of the Invasion of Ukraine was that the Russian Army was poorly trained and prepared ,and that they were commanded by Bozos that didn't have a clue about how to do the job Putin expected them to do. Also because Putin was surrounded by "yes men" that had siphoned off a lot of the funds meant to properly equip the Russian Army. In short, corruption.

[@zrglow4450]

NATO grooming Ukraine for transition is such a neocon thing.

[@ElanMorin]

the Russians agreed to leave Kyiv as part of an agreement initialed by the Ukrainian leadership, which they then broke at the insistence of the West, which is why the war went on.

[@vesogry]

Probably the most insane political commentator. "Zelensky won't be steered by USA". WTF is wrong with him?

[@Puchacz81]

3:00 Finland and Sweden has been already in western coalition, which means, they been seen by Russia as adverse countries before joining NATO. This argument makes no sense.

[@IvanSam1]

Finland and Sweden were already defacto in nato, they were always one snap of a finger away from joining openly. Russia had problem with ex sssr countries and western secret srevices changing political course inside of them.

[@Puchacz81]

@@IvanSam1 Yup, there is also fact that Russia did not have power to stope them from joining. Different situation then in Ukraine, where they showed in 2014 that they are willing invade if needed.

[@Blanka1100]

@@Puchacz81 Nato is bs excuse for Putin. He wants to annex Ukraine and could invade non Nato country only.

[@destroytheboxes]

Bingo. This frustrates me to no end. How can anyone use Finland as evidence to the nato non-cause. Preposterous. Totally different worlds.

[@nataliechusovitina4838]

Sweden doesn’t have common boarders with Russia and doesn’t have a lot of financial and professional connections as Ukraine, that’s why this membership is irrelevant. It’s not the same as GEorgia or Ukraine. With those countries Russia shares a lot of money and politics.

[@davide8982]

9:06 Zelensky is a useful clever idiot that destroyed Ukraine and maybe, started a global conflict. The majority of humankind is extremely stupid, that’s the only conclusion one can take of this horror show.

[@pete1853]

How did they speak about this without mentioning the overthrow of the gov in 2014?

[@deanprecio5663]

Why did Ukraine have to join Nato? Why couldn't we put put all our tax payers money towards helping them join the EU? Instead of war

[@larrysherk]

Of course. NATO has been working on this project for 25 years, and it's time the people threw NATO out.

[@Domesticated_Ape]

“Threw NATO out”?? NATO aren’t military occupiers (like Russia are). Countries have to actually request to join NATO of their own choice.

[@YoGranDaddyEvil]

NATO members asked to join. None of them want to leave.

[@natalyparubocha8897]

The capital of Ukraine is Kyiv, not Kiev as russians call it.

[@deepfuture7409]

Just watched great German documentary released few days ago from Bakhmut where reporter spends sometime with Ukrainian soldiers. All of them are very critical about sacrifice of elite soldiers in the last day of Bakhmut. We all know who was responsible for those political orders.

[@technokicksyourass]

You mean war involves politics? Say it ain't so!

[@aokiji655]

which documentary?

[@deepfuture7409]

@@aokiji655 kzbin.info/www/bejne/npKno5ygbZVnbNUsi=rQettVlyQIay41W4

[@LukeMosse]

This is bollocks, 'anytime soon' doesn't mean 'never', its an obvious fob off. They had adapted their ports for US naval vessels.

[@Vedioviswritingservice]

The Istanbul agreement was very generous to Ukraine. It didn't include any of the territories except Crimea. They were fools to decline. Now look where they are. In another year's time, they could lose another two oblasts. Kharkov and Odesa.

[@saveliyfilistovich]

Can you give a source for the Istanbul agreement?

[@JohanThiart]

Putin expected the Ukrainians to celebrate their liberation. Most of the world expected that also. The response of the Ukrainian nation surprised most of us.

[@imohitaketo451]

I conclude this man leak credibility to answer this question when he no about Boris Johnson

[@scottclaudet]

I'm losing brain cells during this discussion. These guys are blind leading the blind. There is nothing heroic about abandoning neutrality and sacrificing an entire generation of your people for a chance to join a corruption ridden international alliance

[@je7647]

this guy was a real straight up stinker. I wonder what his students think of his at harvard think of him. I doubt im intelligent as many of them, but I still find him insufferable. then again this guy is more intelligent than me, he just doesnt believe anything hes saying, himself and hes a tool.

[@Domesticated_Ape]

“Corruption ridden”? 🤣🤣 the alternative being Russia, one of the most corrupt countries on earth. Oooookaaaay

[@YoGranDaddyEvil]

So what you are saying is you are the type of person to run and flee if your country was invaded.

[@Domesticated_Ape]

You mean “corruption ridden” like Russia is?

[@barakau]

⁠shallow response. Unfortunately those that make the dumb decision to fight someone else's war never do the actual fighting. This wasn't about defending Ukraine. This has been a proxy war. Everything riding on whether US could be bothered or not. Sadly an entire generation is now gone for nothing.

[@cartuner11]

Was this entirely scripted at Langley? 😅

[@matty922117]

Oh yeah, I forgot that no one is allowed to have a pro West/US stance without being a CIA agent... smh

[@timmy-wj2hc]

You bet

[@Mike-br8zt]

Botnik

[@runs_through_the_forest]

stop spamming this comment section with nonsense, useful idiots will not magically help win this war for the moscovites, all you do is make it more obvious that stereotypical propaganda being spouted everywhere screams defeat and failure.. just accept ukraine is a country, they are an actual country and thus they have a choice. (unlike russian people, right) the ukrainian people clearly state this was the last time you tried this domination through brutality thing and europeans support them in this choice! @matiasd.c9949

[@adamsapple7193]

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

[@rosomak8244]

Judgement can be made only when things are over. That is not now.

[@ikaustralia]

"2 years later..."

[@thierryminet9682]

That guy seems to have forgotten the 1993 James Baker's "not one inch further east" assurance.

[@Trossman107]

Research those comments and the unclassified documents that go along with the conversations that were actually had and what they were in reference to. Also look into what Gorbachev himself had to say about said claims

[@Mike-br8zt]

So what, everyone around Russia remembers their occupation by Russia and the brutality of Russia.

[@jasonk6321]

You understand that is an out of context Russian talking point. Do some research. Understand its context.

[@TheOneTwo12]

Haha, feel free to add some more russian bs.

[@michaeldonnelly6747]

Unfortunately, James Baker doesn't set foreign policy for Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, etc...

[@Mordorian1984]

The man just said that the purpose is not a NATO expansion but it is same as before , the expansion of the Western influence/ Isn't that parallel things if not the same?

[@technokicksyourass]

You talk as if the "expansion of Western influence" is some planned thing. It isn't. People want to connect to the Western system because it's a superior system to the shitty Russian one. We are just better.. in every meaningful dimension... it really is that simple.

[@WilkinsMichael]

I think that is backwards. It is a rejection of Russia in favor of integration into the West by choice of the vast majority of Ukrainians just as has happened all over Eastern Europe and Russian trying to stop it with violence which is always their MO.

[@NeoZondix]

Why isn't Russian influence expanding anywhere. In fact, all Russian allies rush away from. Them, like Armenia and Kazakhstan

[@Mordorian1984]

@@NeoZondix well, it’s a complex geopolitical question, however Kazakhstan and Armenia are still dealing with RF very closely. Even Georgia is. It’s all about optics. As they say: friends are tested in the hard times.

[@NeoZondix]

@@Mordorian1984 there are no friends in politics. If someone runs away from you then you must be doing something wrong, for example ruin the word order may be one reason

[@yellowwasprakija2869]

Short answer - yes

[@mladenmatosevic4591]

Border between Finland and Russia is very difficult for any land invasion which does not exclude massive long range rocket exchange in case of war. However, hostile invasion force in eastern Ukraine would have head start of 2/3 of way to Moscow compared with any invasion since 1500.

[@sergeikuznetzov4110]

Finally! Thank you for the reasoning!

[@YoGranDaddyEvil]

NATO Lake is really cold water for Russia.

[@batmanyk]

and what the point of this "head start"? Even if we imagine they could pass Surovikin line, which they couldnt breach by the way. So they reach Moscow. Now what? Putin with his top sitting in bunker, with nuclear buttons ready. Whats the plan?

[@batmanyk]

you talk about scenarios which would be threat 100 years ago. But since nuclear weapons in the game, that is totally pointless

[@batmanyk]

And if you dont know what Putin will offer, then I can give you that. He will give you ultimatum - "Leave the country in 24 hours, or Ukraine will be totally destroyed". Your move

[@jamesturner5639]

I’m Noticing a lot of bots promoting confusion in the comment section.

[@Domesticated_Ape]

Russian ones, yes, that’s what they do

[@Hapotecario]

@@Domesticated_Ape only Putin bots exist. the rest of of the commentators are all law abiding netizens. hahahahahaha

[@NeoZondix]

​@@Hapotecariothen you're just a conspiracy theorist and dictator admirer

[@tembavj]

Sure someone disagrees with you, they must be a bot? This guy is very selective with his history. Anyone with a brain knows you cant take over Ukraine with an active 350k military at the time with just 90k Russian troops.

[@HimalayaBeard]

NATO training, NATO weapons, NATO mercenaries, NATO specialists, NATO intelligence, NATO money. ... but nothing to do with NATO. Right. =)

[@rokker333]

Russian troll.

[@HimalayaBeard]

I knew you'd like it )

[@nikolayhalachev1442]

true, true!

[@petercameron2137]

not even any effort to change the randomly generated name. A lazy human piloting a lazy propaganda machine.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

That’s right. Without NATO invasion, nothing you wrote meant a NATO threat.

[@lescobrandon2202]

Plokhy's credibility dropped to zero after calling Zelensky a hero. Also it's was the purely the NATO-cooperation and massive western financial and military aid, not Ukrainian heroism which allowed Ukraine to sustain longer war against Russia. Ukraine by themselves would have collapsed in weeks otherwise.

[@restonthewind]

"Provoke" is a weasel word that we use to justify our behavior. "He started it!" we tell our mothers as children. NATO does NATO, and Russia does Russia. The 9/11 hijackers did not provoke the global war on terror that's still ongoing. The United State chose to react to 9/11 this way, and we're paying the price for our reaction. Jews didn't provoke the Holocaust, and Nazis didn't provoke the Normandy invasion, and Japan didn't provoke Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We all make our choices and live with the consequences.

[@WilkinsMichael]

Thank you. People say "provoked" as if the word itself justifies anything. Usually criminals use the word to justify their crimes. Seems like that is what is happening with Russia.

[@NeoZondix]

People who say that Nato provoked Russia or anything should look at how it's struggling to help. Ukraine in any way, and then ask themselves, how was it threatening a country that outproduces it 3 fold in most critical equipment

[@restonthewind]

@@NeoZondix Ukraine was threatening its ethnically Russian oblasts that had declared independence after the Maidan coup, and it was refusing to implement the Minsk agreement granting autonomy to the oblasts that it had accepted before the U.K. pressured it to renege. Russia tried for seven years to settle this internal dispute within Ukraine without absorbing the oblasts (as the oblasts' legislatures wanted). Russia was as at least as "justified" in defending the oblasts' independence from Ukraine as the United State was in defending the independence of Kosovo from Serbia and other independence movements it has supported in the name of asserting its global hegemony. I'm not saying that Russia's invasion was justified, but the war Ukraine threatened on its own people wasn't justified either. Two wrongs often make a right in geopolitics. The I wouldn't say that NATO "provoked" the invasion, but I will say that the United State's indignation is the pot calling the kettle black.

[@NeoZondix]

@@restonthewind Ukraine people didn't feel threatened at all despite all your attempts to fear monger

[@restonthewind]

@@NeoZondix Then why did Crimea and the two Donbas oblasts vote to secede? You're disputing them, not me.

[@Baruk107]

The Kyiv withdrawal was literally negotiated... which sources is this man referencing?

[@ilm0001]

What are you referring to? Provide the documents about Russia withdrawal please. In fact, Russia has been defeated in Makarov as the beginning of their retreat. Study the facts and don't rely on Putin's bs propaganda.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

Right, it was negotiated by Ukraine kicking the Russian Army’s butt.

[@TheOneTwo12]

Lol, u are an avid fan of rus nazi propaganda 😂

[@iri1088]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 right, the Russians run with their tails between their legs

[@Alex-hu8gj]

Why I think this guy don't believe a word of what he's saying...The crossed hands the slurred words. He's look very worried very thoughtful measure every word carefully. I don't believe that guy...

[@Helge891]

There is so many russian bots in the comment section

[@YoGranDaddyEvil]

They have to work overtime or else they get sent to the meat grinder. Thus the mega spamming of their nonsense.@@Helge891

[@Alex-hu8gj]

Yes and still I don't believe someone talking with crossed hands and looking away when talking.

[@BaneTrogdor]

Go admire putin you russian apologist!

[@NeoZondix]

​@@Alex-hu8gjhow many interviews in foreign languages have you given

[@LeonardoGPN]

Imagine China making a military alliance with Mexico and Cuba.

[@mrdujko8657]

The US would not invade mexico or cuba. There would be very loud complaining.

[@jasonk6321]

We know America’s behavior after the Soviet Union made a military alliance with Cuba. We did not like it, but we did not invade. Our close neighbors like us. I travel to Mexico and Canada often. There’s always a lot of shit talk, but at the end of the day, they love having the security and economic opportunities next to the most powerful nation in history. The problem with the Soviet union, and Russia, is that they are horrible neighbors. Their neighbors are former subjects of the Soviet union. They know what it’s like to live under those regimes. It is horrible. Your example is poor because you want us to make a huge hypothetical jump. The United States of America has not killed millions and millions of citizens of its close neighbors like Russia has. Do a little research.

[@themagiclamp7208]

Yes we almost started a WWIII when soviets made an alliance with cuba. Because soviets backed away, we pulled out of turkey and we avoided the war. So yes, we would do the same if china or russia were on our borders

[@mrdujko8657]

They were putting nuclear weapons on the island. An alliance is one variable, but nuclear weapons is another.

[@talkbigdosmall3192]

@@jasonk6321 there were agreement had been made between soviet union and USA. do you know what was agreement? that USA never ever invade Cuba again .. do you know why USA want invade Cuba? because USA want overthrow Cuba government at the time and Cuba ask Russia to help. So peace agreement had been made Russia must dismantle all their missile and move back to soviet union, on Soviet side that USA never ever invade Cuba or overthrown Cuba government.. That why the kill civillian never happen. Same with Ukraine and Russia, on march 2022 want deal peace agreement with ukraine.. what Russia want from ukraine? Russia just want Ukraine never ever join NATO.. Ukraine can do economy partnership with West, but not NATO. btw that peace agreement been signed with both country with Turkey and Israel as mediator. So what happen next you should ask Boris... BTW do you think mexico is no terrible neighbor with US? if not why US want send army to fight with cartel, what mexico government said, that will never happen because once foreign military can do whatever they want in your country that mean it easy to overthrown government that country.. So take whatever you want whether you like or not the main problem was NATO expansion.. By the way the essay putin wrote he said " catastrophic when soviet union fall, but if someone want bring back that era that person crazy or thinking without brain". The west only take the early context, and missed the second context to brainwashed people like you to say putin want bring back soviet era.. 😂😂😂

[@Premo81]

So zelinsky wanted and had peace talk, but decided himself that he did not want peace talk? Ok😂😂

[@racimegacar]

NATO is not a defensive alliance, it's an offensive alliance!!!

[@Blanka1100]

Nato does not annex. Russia wants to annex Ukraine. Nato is bs excuse for Putin. He could invade non Nato Ukraine only.

[@WilkinsMichael]

Really, in what sense? As opposed to Russia? Who invaded Ukraine?

[@racimegacar]

@@WilkinsMichael It's not who, it's Why! That is the biggest problem of CNN listeners, wrong questions and wrong answers...

[@NeoZondix]

Oh yeah? Why does it produce less offensive stuff than Russia then. 2+2=5?

[@WilkinsMichael]

@@racimegacar Enlighten us with your genius! Did NATO invade Russia? You say they are an offensive alliance. Do you understand offensive is the invading one and not invading is the defensive one right? Who invaded who is the first and right question unless you are a warmonger.

[@artelagro]

Interesting discussion but out of date. Why can't people accept that this is a US v Russia war fought in Ukraine by european vassals.

[@Mike-br8zt]

Because they are not as naive as you.

[@petercameron2137]

Because if you break into my house and steal my things and my ideological neighboor comes to assist me it's not my neighboor perpetrating the crime. The idea that NATO's existence causes states to suddenly get the right to do whatever they please is not in the cards for the future. And besides. The first thing NATO did to assist Ukraine was offer to evacuate the president and set up a government in exile. The timeline of events points to the west being utterly unprepared for this type of war and has been forced to act because 30 years down the road this could mean war in Carpathians or worse. If Russia was truely worried about its own security it wouldn't have poured 80% of it's entire military into this conflict. They have no concern for an actual attack against them. The US has almost nothing to do with the history of animosities between these two cultures. There is a much broader story to be discovered here beyond deepstate action and cold war era meddling.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

That’s a Putin’s view of reality. Only a dictator interprets this as a war between controlling powers. It’s also profoundly disrespectful of Ukrainians’ own self determination and struggle to exist as a democracy.

[@jamesduda6017]

Ukraine and Georgia WANTED to join NATO because of the threat posed by a resurgent Russia. Their fears were well founded. Russia has historically dominated both countries. That is the basis of their desire to join NATO. Blaming NATO because Ukraine wants to be free of Russian dominance is absurd.

[@kgf2012]

Why Lex do you plus the other western reporters call Zelinsky simply a comedian. Do you know he has a Law Degree. He's not some simple comedian. He is an educated man. He has more education than many Western leaders.

[@neuro1921]

The simple fact that he compares the geopolitical importance of Ukraine with Finland, already disqualifies him. Brzeziński described the importance of Ukraine for the Russians in his Book: without Ukraine, Russia would lose or never be able to rebuild its position as a great power. Finland only plays a subordinate role for the Russians, how could he not know that?

[@moinius]

Well eventhough that was interesting, I still agree with Mearsheimer that the main cause was NATO expansion. It's simple power politics and makes sense. It doesn't really matter what Putins puts the most emphasis on when speaking publicly like in the Tucker Carlson Interview. The underlying force are security interests.

[@jurajboric786]

I would like to challenge you on that from two directions: 1. NATO expansion is in itself a false premise. NATO does not expand onto countries, countries bid for membership and after meeting technical criteria, are subject to political approval by all member states. Thus, it is not a case that NATO is intruding into the russian sphere of influence, it is the case that Ukraine, as a sovereign state has the right to allign with NATO if it chooses to do so and it is the right of other NATO members to accept or reject Ukraine (and they have been rejecting Ukraine so far) and Russia doesn't have the right to do a goddamn thing about it. 2. Putin's security interests are upheld by mutually assured destruction. There is absolutely no chance that either party would trigger a direct conflict. NATO as an alliance is a defencive alliance and so far hasn't invaded anyone as a collective (Iraq and Afghanistan wasn't a NATO invasion, despite member states were involved) and it is not reasonable to believe or assume in any way that they would invade the largest nuclear power in the world. It is only the case that Russia upheld the position that they have a right to a sphere of influence (to which they don't) and that Ukraine was forcefully being dragged away from its sphere of influence by the west (which it wasn't). Example - the collective west is not denying Belarussian alliance to Russia. Russia should not deny Ukraine to allign itself with the west if they choose to do so.

[@talkbigdosmall3192]

@@jurajboric786Belarus alliance with Russian since 1991. Only germany was NATO. Superpower country had their own doctrine that their neighbor never ever alliance with other superpower. Do you know why coup happen in kyiv? because Ukraine president want to hold agreement with west to join eu because Russia make treat to close border to ukraine. Ukraine economy mainly with Russia so when they close border their economy will decrease. Well like usually US pro at overthrown other government when they doesn't follow their order. Then the orange revolution pro western birth in ukraine, that why pro western west ukraine banned all Russia culture in Ukraine, event banned Russia language, books and etc about Russia.. So eastern Ukraine mostly Russia speaking people so they protested about banned, at the time Gang, Football support name as AZOV founded they burned alive civilian Russia speaking, after that DPR(Donestk people republic) founded to fight with AZOV.. Even zalensky sanction AZOV leader and ask them to give all weapon to ukraine official government, Azov almost fight with ukraine official military..

[@dimitartsvetkov5455]

@@jurajboric786 on both directions: At first look it seems exactly how you describe it. I totally agree. However, it may look like sugar but it is actually salt. We all know who controls NATO (the collective west headed by the US with its 750 military bases in around 80 countries). I believe that we also know that if NATO controls black sea it is a huge disadvantage for Russia (i.e. Russia will be less capable of defending itself, if it needs to). This works well for the US/NATO who are pressuring Russia on many different directions by all means possible. Russia offered to join NATO, NATO refused. Because if they agree the whole purpose of NATO after the collapse of the Soviet Union (which is to pressure and weaken Russia economically and reduce its geopolitical influence) defeats itself. And they (the collective west led by the US) don't want that because they want to tear Russia apart and use it's natural resources. The collective west is using NATO as a tool to establish influence and control over strategic geopolitical regions (some of which include the countries you mentioned above) around the world.

[@Mesamedusa]

@@jurajboric786 From an autocratic regime's standpoint: having a Russian speaking, western oriented neighbour is the greatest threath. It hates western values because western values oppose autocracy and it fears those values being drip fed to it's own population, through a Russian speaking neighbour who grows into those values. All of Eastern Europe had it's fill of "Soviet/Russian values". Ukraine just wants out too...

[@Blanka1100]

Russia is not a super power and blaming Nato expansion is like blaming a victim for calling the police because she did not want to be hurt anymore. Nato would never invade a country with nukes. Putin could invade and try to ANNEX non Nato Ukraine only. Nato is an excuse for utin. Ukraine had no chance to join Nato. He wants Ukraine as a part of Russia. He says "it is not a real country". Why didn't he invade Poland or Lithuania which border Russia and joined over 20 years ago? Because he wants Ukraine. Eastern Europe is not russian backyard. They are not Russia'sslaves anymore! Start resspecting Eastern Euroeans and their agenda. They owe Russia nothing.

[@kraz007]

Russia bad, Putin mad. There, I saved you 25 minutes of rambling.

[@nikolaikuchumov8916]

Дорогие боты, почему Путин не вытащил страну из трущоб, если он такой патриот?

[@shukhratjonochilov9867]

How impartial can be a Ukranian guest regarding this issue? Serhii Plokhy's parents are Ukranian and he spent his childhood in Ukraine.

[@xxvxxv5588]

So what? Ukrainian voices matter.

[@sixmillionaccountssilenced6721]

@@xxvxxv5588 lies matter too

[@dinismantas7265]

​@@sixmillionaccountssilenced6721and so you speak

[@xxvxxv5588]

@@sixmillionaccountssilenced6721 This is what you can find among those who spread anti-ukrainian bigotry.

[@wolfswinkel8906]

@@xxvxxv5588 for balance, Lex should invite an Eastern or Southern Ukrainian. Ohhh I bet that would be interesting...

[@yougonnaeatthat9889]

The thing about historians they always attach their own spin on things to one degree or another. Theres 10 who disagree with this guys entire take for every 10 who agree, and theres 10 more who have a differing view. My own meager reseach into the history of ukraine disagrees with numerous statements this guy has made. Ive used books dating back to the early start of our country and were used in classrooms to teach students in the US. Many date back well before WW1 and were the standard for teaching wold history at the time.

[@xkerchx]

And what do your history books say?

[@WilkinsMichael]

The whole study of history is taking little bits of knowledge and interpreting them. That is literally all historians do.

[@ElanMorin]

the answer to the question in the title is yes.

[@aloisgastager6837]

Sweden and Finland joining NATO is the worst case for the russian navy. For this and other reasons Putin damages his own country, Russia is weakened forever.

[@Exotic_Flash]

Zelensky is a smart man? You OK Lex?

[@ericfromeng]

Ah yes, the famous intellectual. The actor.

[@Exotic_Flash]

@@ericfromeng guy who dressed up like a pig (literally) and talked crap about ukr**** (in a comedy song) ... How he ended up as the head... Beyond baffling

[@barakau]

The man who has no qualms whatsoever about sacrificing an entire generation of his people

[@ahimel]

3 (+1) countries in NATO on the Russian border. Why didn’t Russia invade them but choose the one who wasn’t? Something is off… 🧐

[@miche712]

Zelenskiy is not cool or tought guy. He's just a some one puppet in the hands of a master of puppets

[@margottomasik2108]

Fantastic interview. Thank you both of you

[@Skybij]

Appel to emotion whole damn interview, no hard facts

[@john3paul]

the Korean war didn't end, it's just in a cease fire. why doesn't Serhii know this?

[@JStrummer1]

Saying NATO provoked Russia (a country of sheep that can only be ruled by tyrants which history has shown are willing to die for their dictator on foreign soil than die for their country on their own soil to rid themselves of tyranny) is like saying the security guard at the bank provoked me into robbing it.

[@user-ys4og2vv8k]

Russia would like Ukraine exactly like Belarus, its vassal state, which would be sovereign only on paper.

[@anci3ntr3turns]

This man lost credibility when he said he believed Boris and zelensky wouldn't take orders from the west. They are literally paying your salaries. 😂😂

[@funnn9557]

I hated Kissinger,,, but both of us would have laughed at this BS!

[@FREDNAJAH]

It was an excuse not a justification

[@leoniebachmann2677]

Everything went according to plan. FJB.

[@ryandalion8379]

Ok grandpa time for bed

[@NeoZondix]

Your trump was first who gave Ukraine lethal weapons bro

[@TheNalimo]

Spoken like a true man of the system, packed with contradictions. As someone else noted, first he says there was no way Ukraine would be come part of NATO, next he mentions that Russia's requirement that Ukraine must stay out of NATO was unacceptable. Bravo! Stoltenberg is proud. Loss of territory? Oh, you mean the areas that do not want to be part of Ukraine because they identify as Russian? One spectacular quote:"Once Ukrainians realized they could win on the battle field...", haha....

[@gregoryedwards9097]

Yeah, this man is throwing out the Western narrative that is full of holes and contradictions. It's really disgusting. The West is just like a movie, full of actors, with none of it being real. I understand why Xi and Putin look at the West with such disdain. No one in office has a single bone in their spine yet have millions of lives on their hands.

[@YoGranDaddyEvil]

You do seem to love the men who take control. Interesting.@@gregoryedwards9097

[@TheRedRocket95]

Zelensky and his fascist thugs murdered Gonzalo Lira. This fool is nothing more than a propagandist for the Ukrainian state.

[@blengi]

when did russia say ukraine no longer has sovereignty to choose to join nato after they had lavrov telling the world in a german newspaper interview russia respects ukraine's sovereignty to join nato, after putin asked to join nato and have it expand from moscow to vladivostok?

[@WilkinsMichael]

Russia has said even the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO was reason to invade. Where have you been?

[@blengi]

@@WilkinsMichael of course Lavrov the genius once said in an interview in Germany's Handelsblatt newspaper: *_"|2ussia will respect Ukraine's sovereignty.._*_ ..Ukraine and Georgia should make their own choices concerning joining the European Union and _*_NATO*, and that *|2ussia will respect their respective choices."_*

[@WilkinsMichael]

@@blengi They clearly did not.Remember Russia invaded Ukraine citing the chance of NATO membership?

[@NeoZondix]

​@@WilkinsMichaelyou have been under the rock bro. I doubt if you're actually interest in being provided any counter evidence, because there are oceans of it

[@NeoZondix]

​@@WilkinsMichaelit meant to tag blengi

[@chade.]

In regards to Finland, it doesn’t impose as much of a threat to invasion due to the incredibly rough terrain and weather. Very poor attack vectors. On the other hand, Ukraine is right on the Eurasian steppe. Lots of room to maneuver. With Finland and soon Sweden joining NATO they would definitely have control over the Baltic Sea.

[@bjkarana]

It's a LOT more complex than that considering the strategic importance to Russia of Karelia and the only ice free ports to the North Atlantic in the Murmansk region.

[@mrenemo3974]

@chade. Well done Russian bot. Invading a country with one of the most strong strategical nuclear weapon worldwide makes a lot of sense.

[@jonsonrocket8549]

No one has an intention to invade Russia

[@zrglow4450]

​@@mrenemo3974this guys views contradict mine so he must Russian bot.

[@OlegPasko]

From the perspective of Ukrainian population - almost noone in Ukraine supprted NATO application before the Russian invasion in 2014.

[@sterlingveil]

From the perspective of Putin, that doesn't matter much. Even if NATO was only supported by Ukrainian elites, NATO would likely still be able in a position to project threat into the heart of Russia.

[@OlegPasko]

@@sterlingveil, so he looks like a "great stategist" with Finland and Sweded in NATO now :D

[@pyotrbagration2438]

Sure , the 2013 revolution was about green peace and global warming. Nice try.

[@spyros4513]

@@OlegPaskomy friend, sweden and finland have not half of their population speaking russian, so comparing ukraine and the others joining nato is wrong, is like your ex-girlfriend joining your biggest competitor

[@OlegPasko]

​@@spyros4513, so it's like an emotional bahaviour of psychopath who stalks his ex-? :) I got your point. Just want to notice that language can't be a justification for aggression. Especially if the language was forcefully applied previously. I'm Russian-speaking, and it was like a knife in my back in 2014. Like it was said in the end of the full interview: "Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime." - Ernest Hemingway.

[@davidpalmer7952]

No one can tell Zelensky what to do except the people writing his cheques 🙄

[@michaelhinks1107]

The host just listens to Serhii Plokh's BS interpretation. No evidence at all. I lost all respect for Lex Fridman.

[@ilyaprorok7]

Ukraine were NATO Neutral before the Annexation of Crimea. i think thats very important point that gets missed. NATO neutrality was abandoned after Russian attack in 2014. which makes sense

[@mustooonly3805]

you just don't know shit history you just speaking from bbc,ccn and fox news visions because if you know history you will know it about Nato and what they where doing in Ukraine.. do you know why Russia went into creamer in 2014 and for your information rgis war started way back in 2008...you said Russia has been aggressive though history what are you really reading after USSR..name one country Russia has been aggressive towards too beside Ukraine(before 2014 tell me which country) but it funny where NATO has attacked countries, sanctions,blackmaileing and yet you name Russia but not NATO and the west ..this guy is also a liar..Finland and Sweden is no treat to Russia but Ukraine is because Ukraine is Russia and Russia is Ukraine

[@eddievangundy4510]

Russia went into Crimea after 2014 coup.

[@ilyaprorok7]

@eddievangundy4510 after 2013 revolution which happened because russian puppet president broke his promise to Ukrainian people about having EU relations. He explains everything accurately in the full interview . Don't believe conspiracy theories. Do research.

[@saveliyfilistovich]

@@eddievangundy4510It wasn’t a coup

[@hdckdsadd]

This guy is Ukrainian. No bias there at all. Also he forgot to mention the ultra-nationalists aka neo- nazis at 6:40

[@TheOneTwo12]

That’s just rus propaganda for uneducated ones..

[@YoGranDaddyEvil]

Russia has the highest population of neo-nazis on the planet. Considering Hitler hated Slavs, it will always boggle the mind when you see a Russian nazi.

[@slynt_]

What Neo-Nazis? You mean the Ruzzian ethno-nationalists invading sovereign countries because they think they have the right to any land that is "ethnically Russian" just like the real Nazis thought about any German lands? Those are the only neo-nazis I can see here

[@gw6975]

Where's Lukeshanko!! Is he dead!?

[@mjgasiecki]

Lex was really trying to push the “Ukraine is a western puppet” angle…

[@Perplexer1]

That's like saying "Did a bank provoke a thief to commit a bank robbery by building a branch with a safe on his street?". "Did you provoke your neighbor to steal your new car by parking it below his window?". "Did an attractive young woman provoke a male attacker by wearing a tight dress to the club?". How come we can clearly see who is the victim and who the person to carry all the blame in these cases, but in the case of Ukraine we can't agree?

[@user-oe2cc3tc5t]

These parallels are detached from reality. Your neighbor brings a gang of armed criminals, with a record of mass murders, to his home. The gang is harrassing and killing your relatives. You can't call the police because they usurped the functions of the police. In such circumstances you have the duty to protect your home and family with lethal force, including preventively.

[@ericfromeng]

Individual people or businesses = Geopolitical interactions Brilliant analysis.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

Good questions to ask John Mearsheimer. The man has an idiot’s blindspot about Putin in Ukraine.

[@eddievangundy4510]

Building a bank is different from building an army with interoperability of NATO weapons. And Cia all over the place as we saw in the New York Times last week. And the 2014 coup that we engineered. Victoria nuland was there handing out cookies and picking the next president of ukraine. After we ran off the democratically elected president.

[@barakau]

We can see the victim in the cases you described because most people have brains and understand the situation. Trying to describe your simple cases and then trying to compare it to geopolitics is laughable. Mearsheimer broke this down brilliantly in describing a world of anarchy. Bank robber or car thief or male attacker does not operate in a lawless society.

[@big1boston]

America needs a Solan, Interview Dr shiva.