Five More Questions for Stephen Kotkin: Prigozhin Mutiny Edition | Uncommon Knowledge

Recorded on July 11, 2023
Stephen Kotkin is the Kleinheinz Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and one of the foremost experts on Russia, past and present. Given the momentous series of events in that country over the past few weeks, we recruited Professor Kotkin to sit for another installment (this time in front of a live audience at Hoover) of our occasional Five Questions for Stephen Kotkin series. In this installment, Kotkin discusses the recent mutiny attempt by Wagner military group head Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin’s perhaps tenuous future, how the Ukrainian offensive might play out, and the future of the NATO alliance.
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00:00 Introduction
1:24 Russia and Ukraine: What happened, is this a setback?
10:20 What is it about Russia?
20:29 How does this end for Ukraine
40:12 What makes Stephen Kotkin cheerful?
51:01 Closing

[@user-fs7df1xg9v]

I can listen to Joe Pesci all day long and not get bored.

[@tuw2528]

He needs his own show, the way he explains ideas and history is phenomenal. Could listen to him hours at a time.

[@topsyturvy1982]

Stephan Kotkin is more than a professor of history, he’s an expert with humanity and insight. A thoroughly engaging conversation.

[@joannebutzerin6448]

My mother used to quote François de La Rochefoucauld, "Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue."

[@sulIy]

Well said.

[@robertfield4103]

Taught many graduate students from Vietnam, age 25~35, as a professor in Korea. In direct conversation, they repeatedly voiced the notion that the Vietnamese people harbor no animosity towards Americans despite the ravages of the war. This surprised me but also made me sense a good future for the Vietnamese people. ;-)

[@ericwillis777]

Prof. Kotkin is one of the very few who really understands what is going on. Thanks for your insights.

[@tomaspavelka4091]

YES! YES! It always makes my day when new interview with prof. Kotkin comes out. 🙂 I can listen this great historian for hours and don't get bored. Thank you for making this interviews, I wish his words could reach more people. Greetings from Czech Rep. 👍

[@jbruso123]

Stephen is one of the most relevant minds to follow for geopolitical understanding. He's a national treasure.

[@andriyandriychuk]

Watching you from Ukraine. Thanks! 🇺🇦💪🇺🇸

[@Anton-rr9kw]

Always love new content with Stephen Kotkin 😊

[@letdaseinlive]

He's a good performer... agreed.

[@6663000]

I could not be more excited to watch this video. I've been searching every day for new long-form Stephen Kotkin interviews since the "mutiny".

[@neidringhaus1915]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's always searching for new interviews with him lol

[@EastLancsJohn]

Stephen Kotkin deserves way more applause than that.

[@aaronseet2738]

Stephen Kotkin is one of the most insightful human beings I've ever come across. He speaks, I shut up and listen.

[@deanfunk8448]

The questions that were the setup for this discussion were good. Professor Kotkin's responses were excellent and on point, but his comments on Patriotism are priceless and should be inscribed on our hearts!

[@mosespray4510]

I love Kotkin's presentation style. He's so down-to-earth.

[@locketttanner96]

Take Stephen & Peter on the road and sell out theaters across the country.

[@letdaseinlive]

Exacto! Theatre at its purest.

[@blackasinc]

THIS

[@tlee7653]

A truly great man. A Patriot. An optimistic. A realist. A treasure.

[@A19csd]

What an incredible conversation. I love when intelligent and interesting people break down current affairs, politics and history in a way I understand and learn from. We don’t have to be scholars but we do need some level of knowledge when it comes to these topics. If you don’t, you are just along for the ride. I think it’s important to learn and understand why we do what we do and what we fight for. To ensure future generations don’t squander the gift, we must educate them and preach the importance of ideals and institutions.

[@bsmithhammer]

EVERYONE in this country should listen to this interview, and esp. the last 15 minutes of it. You can agree with it, or ultimately disagree with it, but it's important to hear, and to be reminded of.

[@magellan500]

There’s nothing better on a slow Saturday evening than getting to listen to a new prof. Kotkin presentation with a good craft beer at my side. Lol

[@samruttenburg7235]

Kotkin single-handedly just changed my entire worldview...wow

[@dinmavric5504]

This Five More Questions series is quite fun.

[@evaburnz]

A fantastic addition to the "Questions for Kotkin" series. Kotkin is an immense credit to civilly progressive society.

[@letdaseinlive]

You're kidding, right?

[@sulIy]

Grateful to be living in the timeline where I get to watch Robinson interview Kotkin on KZbin

[@b52-hnukesr69]

Prof. Kotkin’s ability to communicate his brilliant insights to his audience makes him one of my favorite historians and always listen to his speeches. His responses to the questions asked were outstanding leaving me with a much more complete understanding of the events. Thank you to all who contributed to the video.

[@eagle1ear]

Kotkin's wide perspective and deep knowledge is remarkable. His ability to clearly present his views in such an organized way with restraint and even occasional humor is refreshing.

[@idriwzrd]

Is it okay to be a patriot and hate your government? Kotkin is a treasure.

[@voyd1507]

It's a pure pleasure to listen to Stephen Kotkin. Thank you.

[@SauldeJongh]

A knitted tie! He's actually wearing a knitted tie. That makes my respect for him go up by almost as much as wearing THOSE shoes with THAT suit, brings it down.

[@lola6023]

Between the VDH and Kotkin interviews you are working OT on delivering exceptional content. Thank you!

[@pro-libertatibus]

VDH?

[@grzegorzrozynski8659]

Victor Davis Hanson

[@TRFan26]

Uncommon Knowledge with Stephen Kotkin as the interviewee is one the best times spent on KZbin.

[@dh7277]

i always feel optimistic after listening to Stephen Kotkin... Thank you !

[@swisstroll3]

I am a child of the Vietnam War. When “Freedom isn’t free, you have to pay the price, you have to sacrifice, for your liberty” had to share the stage with “Who’s the one to tell me why, if I’m the one whose gotta die?” Our system then made both points of view valid.

[@albertlevert2988]

Great interview. I discover Professor Kotkin for the first time. He makes Probably the most meaningful comments I’ve heard on the current Ukrainian situation. Thank you for bringing it to us.

[@cheekymonkey2]

Professor Kotkin could even teach a macrame class and make it sound amazing. Love you. Stay optomistic.

[@ElijahLim]

It is so refreshing to listen to such great conversations. Stephen Kotkin is definitely someone who makes you sit up and pay attention, the more so when he reminds us again and again that it is up to us to make the teaching of history engaging enough that students, young and old, would become captivated by how the professor knows how to lecture. @Peter Robinson, you've said before that speechwriters can only do the job if they love their Presidents. It's probably almost impossible for an interviewer to love ALL his interviewees, but you probably come close.

[@MrTylerStricker]

Best thing about Dr. Kotkin becoming a Hoover fellow is that we get to see him on Uncommon Knowledge regularly 😂

[@frodenordseth4519]

As a reasonable moderate liberal person - it is a pleasure to to listen to such a balanced well thought smart person.

[@thiccboi5011]

Stephen Kotkin sounds like a History professor out of Goodfellas

[@howardleach5340]

Even the Comments here are so well mannered and intelligent. A great mind creates greatness.

[@ChrisSmith74627]

Kotkin! Thanks Hoover Institution for publishing another Kotkin interview

[@mikeevans7381]

I love how each question has more than one question in it. That's how you do it when you get the chance to have someone like this on your show. Excellent. 💯👍🇺🇸

[@thenoblegnuwildebeest3625]

Hadn't heard about Kotkin's history of Siberia. Can't wait to read it.

[@markfrost2307]

This was incredible to listen to, what an incredible mind on display!

[@TalkernateHistory]

"The Soviet Union was a chocolate bar" I'll need to remember that one

[@dmitrykazakov2829]

Yep, without any actual chocolate bars. There was no coffee and no cream either. The builders of Communism drank acorn erzatzcoffee...

[@a2xd94]

Prof. Kotkin is the only true American Patriot amongst this crowd of so-called ‘patriots’. Facing the issues with logical takes, not nonsensical populist views that get the country nowhere but backwards from our current position. Kudos to you, professor, hopefully the rest of the right realizes that they need to aspire to be more like you and less like the more media-hungry and selfish conservatives.

[@jamesg2382]

Stephen Kotkin is such a pleasure to listen to. A wealth of knowledge and insight into Russia and China, as well as ourselves, whilst also being able to deliver with humility and humour. All is not lost. Thank you from Australia

[@peredavi]

Another excellent talk by Dr. Kotkin. Great questions and moderator. Thank you! It is so fantastic to sit on my porch in Cody, Wyoming and listen to great minds.

[@user-mn3ez2yl3u]

Love listening to Kotkin, can't wait for part 3 of Stalin!!. It's a pure pleasure to listen to Stephen Kotkin. Thank you..

[@kanlee9667]

Stephan Kotkin should become our next Secretary of State.

[@louismarshall6976]

This man is my neo historical " comfort blanket".He is like a very wise grandfather.

[@justwhenithought]

Always a delight to hear Stephen Kotkin in Hoover Ins. interview. Thank you.

[@TerryHofman]

My goodness I wish I could’ve had a prof like him years ago! Great presentation, thanks!

[@narkelnaru2710]

Lets just say that Peter Robinson is lucky to have Stephen Kotkin to make him look good. Kotkin is a treasure.

[@uralbob1]

Doesn’t get much better! These two guys are perfect together!

[@arktseytlin]

Steve talks like Tommy from "Good fellas", sure he knows about the mob :)

[@alfonsasgrinevicius7477]

Clear, down-to-earth explanations ; a deep insight into our East European events . . Greetings from Lithuania.

[@spxram4793]

I admire Stephen' Kotkin for his reference to Vietnam, and the USA being capable of winning the peace, after losing the war - this really should make Americans proud. I spent about four weeks in Vietnam in 2007, and was astonished by the people and their openness to America and other cultures as well - they are just asking for respect and the right to remember. What makes one sad, is that Ho Chi Minh, when on the search for support after their freedom fight against the French in 1954, was approaching USA first - and due to bad decisionmaking in DC, he was denied. By this, the US forced him to turn to the Russians, and the Russians again forced him to accept Chinese help. How Chinese help looks like, we all know.

[@garyschultz425]

The incomparable Kotkin. Smarts with humour. The most enjoyable listen on geopolitics out there. Wish he did more interviews! Must read his books.

[@bhal9358]

Excellent analysis of complex Geopolitics and history in Europe.

[@StereoSpace]

Fascinating interview with Mr Kotkin, as always.

[@01soalb]

Simply like always great!

[@beback_]

I absolutely love how Stephen never bites Peter's hyper partisan baits.

[@r31n0ut]

which hyper partisan baits were those?

[@dupeshway]

@@r31n0ut 1 or 2 of the questions that were closer in style to a CNN or Fox set-up, especially around US isolation. Isolation undermines the US' own regional interests and its global market dominance, this is evidentially supported, no one wants to see China set the World Trade agenda or how international laws that protect IP work. Isolation is slow self-containment, a type of containment that China is spending Trillions on their military and belt and Road initiative to break out from

[@a2xd94]

@@r31n0uttrying to bait him into parroting the hard-right bullshit take that we ‘provoked’ Russia to invade Ukraine

[@LFOD1776]

What are you talking about? Please add a time stamp.

[@gmw3083]

​@@LFOD1776It wasn't there. But America is the instigator in Ukraine. Maidan coup 2014. Victoria Nulands big project.

[@42willys4]

Knew this interview would be coming, thank you Mr. Robinson and Prof. Kotkin.

[@dr.strangelove7739]

If Dr. Kotkin would teach the "Plato to Nato" course, I would be the first to enroll! I wish I could have taken that class.

[@annfarnell1642]

More! Love both of you! Bring it on!

[@advocate1563]

I love this man. Quirky, clever, clear.

[@yoseidman4166]

Thank you! We have been waiting for this interview with Professor Kotkin.

[@JRPetruk]

At 33 minutes. Wow, What a positive vision! He makes the reason for the US experience alive in our minds again. This cannot be overestimated.

[@marktullis6484]

Kotkin is such a good thinker.

[@ffxi_karasu_ls333]

I love the Hoover Institution for content like this.

[@irongron]

Glad to see that the third instalment of the "Five Questions for Stephen Kotkin series", looking forward to the fourth!

[@machuhu5196]

Prof. Kotkin is definitely someone I enjoy listening to, but based on his voice, I can't help but think of him as an academic Joe Pesci. Does anyone else have this impression besides me?

[@JRPetruk]

How do we get Professor Kotkin a 2 hour address, OPEN to every Head of State in the world? This would be a fine feather in the hat of a global organization that can make that happen. Hello, U.N.? The leaders and the peoples of the world could use the pep talk, it would introduce Prof. Kotkin to a much wider audience, and would make life a little more unhappy for tyrants.

[@PetrLazecky]

Prof. Stephen Kotkin is such inspiring person. Real embodiment of the lifetime wisdom. Thank you for the beautiful talk. I liked the reaction of Joe Pesci to Stephen Kotlin description of FSB and Prigorhin links and relationships: "Well, what you've just described, this is exactly like how mob operates!". Well - voila! Good morning! With all respect, a "tank shipment description" story of Stephen Kotlin does not quite hold. Poland, Slovakia, or the Czech Republic may have been repairing Abrams tanks as these countries have facilities for that. These countries do not have facilities to repair Abrams tanks specifically, but they have a long history and tradition of building and assembling such weapons. Challenges with repair and logistic facilities are understood, but nothing has been done along these lines, even after two years of the war. If the lack of logistics or repair shops was the main reason preventing sending these armored vehicles, something could have been done to solve it. But nothing has been done. President Biden's responsibility and accountability for this inaction is probably different.

[@OTOss8]

ANOTHER interview with Dr. Kotkin?! My cup runneth over! Long may it do so.

[@falldog9]

So exciting to see this new episode! Thank you!

[@scottpulver]

Professor Kotkin could be the next Joe Rogan

[@2Oldcoots]

"The Soviet Union was like a chocolate bar etc.....with grooves...". That alone deserved a Standing Ovation from the Audience!

[@AmitRay47]

It was very educating to listen to Kotkin. He has a very analytical, clear, pragmatic mind. Thanks.

[@geoffhemmings6546]

Clears the cognitive fog which surrounds our problems.... Exceptional.......

[@rafaelsantana2834]

Waoooo this man is brilliant...

[@davidsleith7222]

This mans wisdom is sublime and kind. Why can't politicians be like him..

[@TheGreatWhiteScout]

Re: The last question on patriotism, I would be curious about going back in time and look at polling Americans in mid-1939 or late 1916 on the likelihood/virtue of being involved in a Pacific or European War. Come to think of it, September 10th, 2001 might be one to look at for that matter. I myself remember being a High School student in the late 1970s during what President Carter called the 'Crisis of Confidence'. But let something or someone cross a line against us? Or we elect a President to that office who understands America's potential and can mobilize public support for a worthwhile cause ("Mr Gorbachov, Tear down this wall!") and I'll think you'll be amazed,... and proud, once again.

[@jakubwieczorek1489]

11:10 "Imperial Japan gives way to a liberal democracy. Nazi Germany gives way to a stable liberal democracy". Yes, because both were defeated, occupied and had democracy effectively imposed on them forcibly. Do you think Germany would have miraculously de-Nazified and democratised itself without the defeat, occupation and political control of the Allied powers? Seeing how reluctant it was to the process of de-Nazification, how quickly after WWII it announced an amnesty for war criminals etc. and what the societal mood was prevalent among the Germans for decades after WWII - no. So Russia didn't go the path of Imperial Japan or Nazi Germany because it wasn't defeated, occupied and didn't see a new political order imposed on it. As simple as that.

[@edwardfowle2404]

Amazing!! I just love to hear Stephen talk!! Tremendous insight about so many issues. Thank You!!

[@johnd2058]

BAE WAKE UP! NEW KOTKIN JUST DROPPED!

[@jonathancahn9889]

I always enjoy listening to an exchange with Dr. Kotkin. On patriotism, we agree completely. Mark Twain's quote about patriotism comes to mind: "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." Partiotism isn't conservative or liberal - it is about shared American ideals.

[@pierceparker]

I wish I had taken the 'Plato to NATO' class with Professor Stephen Kotkin at Berkeley. He reminds me of an intellectual version of Joe Pesci.

[@byronsmithinc]

Outstanding orator Stephen is

[@Christiaanwebb]

Kotkin = Brilliant

[@Alex-hu5eg]

Finally, Kotkin!❤ greetings from Hungary

[@roberhow2441]

A true scholar and influential person. Good to have SK

[@ffleischer]

Brilliant on so many levels🤌🏻

[@psmith6512]

Great interview, thank you.

[@ultimaratio7373]

Mr Kotkin is a true scholar and a great communicator. The clarity, erudution and dry humor on display are a testament to this . I also find myself in agreement with his take on patriotism, unfortunately it's a term that's been politicized and used as cover to promote chauvinism and bigotry: "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel".

[@user-gn3yr5ej4x]

A true scholar and influential person. Good to have SK. Much respect to Professor Kotkin. Thank You for this interview..

[@JieSuCabc]

Thanks both of you for the wonderful conversation.

[@ed19742006]

kotkin is always a blast

[@schoocg]

Damn I am getting older and in true physical pain and no end in sight . Good days are probably no more. But to lessen that reality I focus , when I can, to do two things per day: think of my children and wish them the best , second, to learn something new every day. But today I add to that list a third thing. And that is , “I truly was enlightened by Steve’s wisdom and perspective”. It’s a much better day today. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and I am better for it. Greg