Historian Timothy Snyder: Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Is a Colonial War

We speak to Yale University historian Timothy Snyder about his latest article for The New Yorker, "The War in Ukraine Is a Colonial War." Snyder writes about the colonial history that laid the foundations for the Russian war in Ukraine, such as Russia's imperial vision and how leaders including Hitler and Stalin have aimed to conquer Ukrainian soil on different premises. "The whole history of colonialism … involves denying that another people is real. It involves denying that another state is real," says Snyder. "That is, of course, the premise of Russia's invasion of Ukraine."
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[@browngreen933]

Snyder's definition of European colonialism fits modern Israel-Palestine perfectly.

[@erdood3235]

Where Israel is the colonizer, right? I want to make sure

[@JakobVirgil]

yep

[@browngreen933]

@@erdood3235 Yes, European Jews colonizing Palestine, today's Israel.

[@letsomethingshine]

What definition of colonialism DOES NOT fit what Zionists do to "the violently reacting weakly" Palestine?

[@terencemckenna6468]

Yeah. But, he sounds neo liberal, so Israel is probably a saint in his book.

[@critterfritter69]

Finally someone on your channel who makes sense. Telling Ukraine they have to stop is every bit as colonial as what the Russians are doing.

[@jessikabat6200]

His books are INCREDIBLE!

[@Superknullisch]

Hear, hear! I second that, good sir!

[@roberturlich96]

I am a complex being 59% Polynesian, the remainder a curious mix of Nordic, Slavic Celtic and less than 1% Amerindian some how I must live with my complex self. Consensus between competing elements works to see all needs are met. To borrow from Ganhiji, "The world has sufficient for our needs but not for our greeds." Truth for Gandhi is truth for the universe. Let us see peace together.

[@schmoborama]

uh yea sure completely ignoring the fact that he's trying to get 10s of 1000s more people killed at best, nuclear war at worst, he "makes sense". 🙄 and also his ignoring the geopolitics of europe, completely ignore the expansion of Nato, his sabre-rattling feel-good bullshit like "whether we arm them or not, they're going to fight". With fucking twigs? He has evidence that they're going to fight to the death? Is this fucking Fox News? No, he's just a typical lying bullshit artist reichwinger. There's not one fucking thing wrong with giving ukraine just enough help so that they can negotiate, and also be willing to re-negotiate all the times that the US lied and threatened Russia, creating this war in the first place. "- we have a very strong tendency, in the west, in the US, on the left, often" He's trying soooooo haaaaard to make colonialism look like it's not a Rightwing thing. Which it so obviously is.

[@andresarboledalasso1139]

Snyder schooling both interviewers and their audiences is priceless. Grate guest!

[@MarcF.Nielssen]

Who grates what?

[@andresarboledalasso1139]

@@MarcF.Nielssen sorry, I don’t understand your question.

[@MarcF.Nielssen]

@@andresarboledalasso1139 I think it's a grate question. Sorry if English is your fourth language.

[@andresarboledalasso1139]

@@MarcF.Nielssen in deed, maybe it is a grate question, when formulated correctly. And yes, English is not my mother tongue; slang, street slur, colloquialisms, idioms and informal expressions in general are not my strong; but at least I know several languages 🖖🏼😎

[@MarcF.Nielssen]

@@andresarboledalasso1139 This is grate in deed.

[@bang4buck326]

speaking about colonialism.... Nobody ever sanctioned UK, France, Spain , nor they ever been made accountable

[@omusialo]

A few hundred years late on this counterthought no?

[@behemoththekitty]

And who was supposed to sanction who? Back then there weren't any international courts, international crime wardogs, humanitarian coalitions, economic alliances etc, but they all sprung up as a result of either WW2 or European 20 century progressivism.

[@patriziacasagrande3833]

Anyone ever heard of Palistine? Hawaii? Philippines Puerto Rico cuba etc speaking of colonialism. The issue here is not colonialism, Russia is not going to take Ukraine, it is going to destroy it so that NATO missiles will be delayed for a long period. It has divested of it empire in the 90's. .

[@dipthongthathongthongthong9691]

But but but yOuRe dOinG wHAtaBOuTism HistoRiCAl cOnTExt DOEsNt mAttER tHe US CAn ScolD ANd SHAme AnYONe iT wANts

[@dipthongthathongthongthong9691]

@@patriziacasagrande3833 Correct. DN pushing this conquest narrative is irritating. Russia knows the trouble with invading, occupying, and trying to subdue a population. Like all of us, it’s watched the US in action over the last 30 yrs. It’s taken the parts of Ukraine that were relatively welcoming to it. It doesn’t want to get bogged down fighting insurgencies. As for the other regions, as you say, its position seems to be, we asked you to stay neutral, and you didn’t listen, so now we’ll leave your Nazi strongholds in ruins and head back east.

[@vairavike-freiberga1728]

Dear Timothy, Thank you so much for your brilliant work, erudition, logic and plain good sense! From Latvia with love, VVF.

[@njits789]

I'm sending the same sentiments from Belgium.

[@ennediend2865]

The same from France🇨🇵

[@SPohl-zy4rz]

Great interview with an excellent guest. My heart goes out to all of Ukraine.

[@IrmafromRussia]

Media doesnt show very important facts which are important to understand the reasons of the conflice 1/ It was Ukraine who started the war in 2014 2/ Ukraine discriminated Russians, their language and culture were cancelled, people were killed in burned 3/ They were boming Donbass for 8 years, since 2014. 14k people were killed 4/ Russia asked to stop killing Russians in Ukraine for many times. Minsk Agreement was signed which required Ukraine to stop killing Russians. Ukranian president signed it, but refused to follow.. 5/ Russians were not just killed, but tortured (cut heards etc), thich was confrimed by Human Rights Watch.. Actually Ukraine was killing Russians for 8 years, and no one reacted..

[@marctwain8273]

exzellent the surching of a word for universities

[@saikee2404]

As a Ukrainian I really appreciate this historian. God bless America and its people. 🇺🇦❤️🇺🇸

[@wonder6789]

He is excellent.

[@oszyfon]

Yeah, look what did the USA with your country. They dont fight for you do they? Not a single american wants to go war for your country and Ukraine never will be a NATO nato member. Ukraine will be totally destroyed and dissapear from the map thank to the great liberal hegemony strategy the USA follows from the 90's. I love liberal demokracies thats why Im living in one. But not everyone like that you should understand that especially if you are liberal.

[@mesofius]

@@OneSeasonMan how wonderful would it be to exterminate "these people" right?

[@ElijahSmith]

@@OneSeasonMan what are you even talking about? are you an imperialist?

[@germanCrowbar]

@Elijah Smith By imperialist, you probably mean your own government.

[@filibertobonaventura3754]

Finally someone that calls a fact by it's true name....fed up with the excuses from the left leaning always bull...ING people....

[@andresvillarreal9271]

The question of whether "we" should accept a compromise solution in Ukraine sent shivers down my spine. "We" can be another colonial empire or we can stop thinking like colonialists. At the end of both world wars, the "good" colonialists drew countries and borders on maps, creating countries where they did not exist and changing the size and shape of existing countries. They rarely took the correct decision. Most of the supposedly good-intentioned rulers of the dying colonial powers of the time just took decisions based on their warped colonial thinking.

[@teresaz-l2963]

👍👍👍

[@ubroc]

What modern nation state isn't a multi ethnic composite state? What ethnic group of any size isn't present in more than one country. The idea that every ethnic group should have their own state or the state is illigitimate is a fallacy.

[@andresvillarreal9271]

@@ubroc Just out off the top of my head, Israel, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Japan.

[@CountryFriedCracka]

@@ubroc yes it is a fallacy except for the fact that the people in eastern Don Bass have been persecuted by the Ukrainian government

[@ubroc]

@@CountryFriedCracka Vlad, right, were people in Georgia being persecuted before Russia invaded? Kherson?Crimea?Luhansk?Zaphoriza? Russia invaded Donbass in 2014 after the people of Ukraine let Vlad know they didn't want to join the EAEU.

[@pjc8682]

Probably most valuable (informed, balanced, realistic) take by a Western historian on current developments in this part of Europe.

[@truemamrdi4all]

Says who?

[@truemamrdi4all]

@Jon Little Is he an authority? Or does he just like anyone who shares his opinionated views?

[@thelastofthehitachi972]

@@truemamrdi4all this is about history, not about an opinion

[@truemamrdi4all]

@Jon Little On self-righteous idiots? I dare to confirm.

[@aurockscastillo5460]

He's literally a Ukrainian partisan

[@jamesl9371]

Suggestion: give the guest a 30 second warning about time running out instead of 10 seconds

[@jonathanedwardgibson]

This unprofessional behavior stretched’s across decades.

[@wachowski9525]

Tariq Ali just stopped talking in the past when Amy did that to him...10 seconds is no amount of time to do anything lol, so he just said "yep ok" and stopped talking haha.

[@cliffgaither]

James L ● Amy Goodman has become extremely questionable in regard to the people she interviews for the Russian / Ukrainian issue ... but that :: "You have 10 seconds !" is pitifully annoying. If she would talk less ... ask concise questions ... there would be more time for the person being interviewed.

[@mika66]

Have you ever thought there may be a reason for that? 30 seconds is a lot of time for tv. Unless guests are highly experienced at speaking within a very limited amount of time it is possible to become frozen thinking time will run out too soon.

[@cliffgaither]

@@mika66 :: That really doesn't change Amy Goodman's style of interviewing :: her intro. is long-winded her questions can be, sometimes, a paragraph-long she, sometimes, breaks-in w / another question or comment ... just when the person is saying something truly interesting ... we never hear the completion of the original statement ... John Perkins ( author of _Confessions of An Economic Hit-Man_ ), was the only one she interrupted, who then _returned_ to finish his original statement. She talks too much ! That time should be devoted to the person interviewed. There wouldn't be a necessity to "warn" the speaker about time-constraints ; time-limitations.

[@Longtack55]

A "colonial war" only for the Soviet colony dissolution in 1991 that Putin wants to glue together again as his swan-song. Imagine if Britain wanted India and the USA back?

[@TheKRL78]

That's propaganda

[@henrylee2792]

@@TheKRL78 what is not propoganda then?)

[@tanyaalex3767]

@@TheKRL78 no. It's true. Putin himself said that the collapse of the USSR was the greatest historical mistake. without Ukraine, the USSR does not exist. Putin is disappointed in Ukraine. he is a fascist

[@patriciabryden2429]

Exactly the case with Palestine and Israel'stake over, with the backing of 'the West'.

[@weblightstudio8215]

Its quite funny the way they throw their energy into the Ukrainian narrative only to have the Palestinian one appear like a turd in the punch bowl to measure their hypocrisy

[@fuckbankers]

Our report reveals the true extent of Israel’s apartheid regime. Whether they live in Gaza, East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, or Israel itself, Palestinians are treated as an inferior racial group and systematically deprived of their rights. We found that Israel’s cruel policies of segregation, dispossession and exclusion across all territories under its control clearly amount to apartheid. The international community has an obligation to act Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

[@fuckbankers]

Our report reveals the true extent of Israel’s apartheid regime. Whether they live in Gaza, East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, or Israel itself, Palestinians are treated as an inferior racial group and systematically deprived of their rights. We found that Israel’s cruel policies of segregation, dispossession and exclusion across all territories under its control clearly amount to apartheid. The international community has an obligation to act Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

[@weblightstudio8215]

@North Korea Is Best Korea It is a legitimate part of the hypocrisy we unveil. You hate it because it it stings. Anyway I comment on hundreds of videos without Palestine coming up. Sometimes I mention Yemen, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela, Guatemala, Iran, Vietnam, Angola, Ethiopia and others, depending on which round of murder needs a mirror

[@dipthongthathongthongthong9691]

@North Korea Is Best Korea I hate how you think all historical/ geopolitical events exist in vacuums.

[@inevolution1]

One of the most honest persons I’ve ever heard. The truth is the truth. When we perceive it has that whatever action we take going forward comes from the truth and the out come will be that… more truth 🙏

[@asdilia693]

This person lied to you openly.

[@roberturlich96]

Yes indeed. What happens if Biden is impeached ? Not a good look for US Presidency nor US hegemony.

[@robbiewizz658]

Your having a laugh mate with statements like that … Absolute rubbish.

[@inevolution1]

@@robbiewizz658 thank you Robby I appreciate laughing at me all the time🙏

[@BORYJUSTME]

Let the Puertorican people known we are the oldest colony in the world. Thanks to the Jones law. So if WASP is going to talk why is they don't give Puerto Rico statehood , and if American feels that Puerto Rico is going to be a burden for tax payers. Giving us the undinaible rigth which is independence. For 124 years the coartion of sedicion gaw law which impresion a person for just owning a Puertorican flag. Enough of the double standard.

[@waltonsmith7210]

Yeah it's weird most Americans just dont seem to care about the fact that we have an active colony of a few milliom people-more than lots of states.

[@zoltankessel9257]

@Neil Rusling was to vote about independence or becoming a US state? If the later we know what the answer is....

[@TheNoblot]

time travel on & the wrong rhetoric, AMERICA WASHINGTON TODAY IS A COLONIALIST EMPIRE "economically" IT TREATS EVEN HIS OWN CITIZENS as animals, 🤑🤐🐕‍🦺🐑 since 1776/ FED 1913 is the new colonial power that is collapsing & are the ones that keep our good professors paycheck coming, since is all about money all this BS about history and colonialism is just a lot of BULL as expected. However all BS is important as it is the way to discern the fake from the truth. the real from fiction, therefore it is not BAD to have our professor talk about something that He, might know but wishes to ignores however the good point is that gives those that do understand perceive how Money buys minds control nations and pays propaganda. reason why all wars are money wars as all university's are conditioning of students and schooling is telling you what to think & not how to think.😥👽😥🤐🤑🤗

[@nowthenzen]

Spot on! Two wrongs make a right! What about this other problem over here! The majority of Puerto Ricans vote to keep things as they are, but what the hell about them, right! Just force them to vote your way bc you know you are right!

[@nowthenzen]

@@waltonsmith7210 an active colony that consistently votes to keep things the way they are

[@MANNY33100]

How would you describe the US invasion/war against Vietnam, Korea, Panama, Siria, Afganistan, Lybia, Iraq, etc. Not a colonial war?

[@thermodynamics458]

Yes, mostly imperial wars. So what? This gives Russia a pass for its hideous behavior?

[@MANNY33100]

@@thermodynamics458 No, but it does not give you a pass to criticize other countires for doing the same thing. Not holier than thou.

[@brianwheeldon4643]

Hah Hah Hah, you've summed it up in one question Manuel. Brilliantly done! Again it includes the statement- follow the money. And if we, primarily the USA in today's world continues in this way, we pretty soon won't have a living world to worry about.

[@dkoz8321]

OK, lets say that all those wars were America's Colonial Wars. So what? Is that a justification for Russia's colonial war against Ukraine. Whataboutism is not a justification.

[@MANNY33100]

@@dkoz8321 It´s not a justification. The point is your Holier than thou actitude is out of place. Worry about all the damage your country has done to the rest.

[@robertbrennan2268]

Excellent and illuminating analysis. Ukraine's post-colonial independence struggle is similar to Ireland's.up to at least 1922. Russia's invasion on behalf of the Donbas-Luhansk enclave is equivalent to Britain invading Eire 30 years after its independence. That would be in 1952. The issue of Ulster is alive political problem - but constitutional solutions not military ones are now in (slow) play, following the 1999 Good Friday Agreement. Russia under Putin since 2014 has rejected constitutional legalities. Note: In both 1914-16 and in 1940 elements of Irish Nationalism sought assistance from Germany. Had the Wehrmacht landed in Eire there would have been elements of the IRA in support. This si the tragic reality of anti-colonial struggles. This takes nothing away from the more than 100.000 young Irish men who volunteered to fight against Nazism in the British military. Any big power summitry over the heads of Ukrainians is equivalent to Munich "Agreement" with Hitler.. And is "pie in the sky"! Note: Ireland's Famine of 1840s and the Holodomor of 1932. Note the suppression of the Irish language and the suppression of Ukraine's language. The parallels are instructive.

[@tanyaalex3767]

Thank you very much for understanding the situation in Ukraine. you have described very accurately what is happening in my house right now. I am very sorry that many Europeans and Americans do not perceive Ukraine and its people as a unitary state, we have always been considered Russians, but this is not so. we have a foreign country and we love it very much, we want to build democracy and fight for a rule of law, but Russia, which occupied us 400 years ago, cannot put up with the existence of the Ukrainian nation. they staged a real genocide of Ukrainians. thank you world for your support. I want to live in a free country without fascist Russia.

[@joaomartins7413]

What these people do under the mask of historian, Mr. Timothy Snyder, like Mr. Francis Fukuyama and many others, is a poor and simplistic "politico-moral philosophy".

[@j.d.snyder4466]

Putting Snyder and Fukuyama in the same political grouping is absurd. What are you trying to say?

[@leonieromanes7265]

How so?

[@yurielcundangan9090]

WE Cannot let another 2 years of this go on its time for the American ppl. to drag every corrupt politician out of the office

[@vitomanza8341]

Do it soon or who knows what will happen

[@TM-sm5qy]

Bubble and line, pamphlet. Must rec fifty percent of vote to be elected.

[@nunoa.fernandes6541]

Why isn’t Amy breaking the sound barrier? I could listen to this on CNN! I want to see Scott Ritter!

[@TheShadowfakx]

Sold selectively years ago. her legacy has been unrepentantly sullied.

[@homerbeer943]

I understand Ritter started reporting for RT after he became a registered sex offender. I wonder why.

[@ARE_YOU_SICK_OF_YT_CENSORSHIP]

@@homerbeer943 no respectable news agency would hire him perhaps

[@franklinwilkerson2061]

@@ARE_YOU_SICK_OF_YT_CENSORSHIP actually Ritter and a plethora of independent journalists have been silenced from mainstream media because of their anti-imperialist views and could only get hired from companies like RT and TeleSur. Mainstream media is a joke! stenographers for the establishment.

[@Romana6794]

@@TheShadowfakx In what way?

[@patriziacasagrande3833]

We are waiting for European and now United States to respect sovereign rights and treaties. New and old. Today indigenous people are waiting for the colonial USA to respect the human rights , the sovereignty, and treaties made years ago. Today they still disparage these peoples o their land , especially in Oklahoma.

[@wombat5274]

Ok. This video is about Russia and Ukraine. Just because the US has and continues to do bad things, doesn't mean it's ok for Russia to do the same bad things. This is just whataboutism.

[@letsomethingshine]

This is certainly true, Russia is just doing to Ukraine what USA did to Texas. "American interests" of the rich are very similar to "Russian interests" of the rich.

[@dannymayhem3349]

@@wombat5274 not really mate. It's a whole lot of the pot calling the kettle black. It's easy to be anti-colonial in theory, and when it's convenient and in line with state policy, and a whole nother thing to be anti-colonial in practice. Pointing the finger at Russia without being critical of the state is hiding behind the flag.

[@patriziacasagrande3833]

@@wombat5274 projection has been the national sport of the usa for over 250 years. To be the leader of such high ideas and the global critic , have to be the example. In short we are waiting for some country the take the lead and walk the talk . Internally the USA too is failing, if the objective is a sovereign, non colonialist, respectful democracy of the world. If the goal is to let oligarchs profit from the world chaos created intentional, it a hugh success. Those who enjoy being critics of others are always the biggest hypocrite. Exp. 2 party democracy, Republican fascist party, minority rule in democracy trump, stacking of a supreme court, 250 + yrs of empire building , murder in Vietnam afganistan Iraq Libya Somalia Chile Honduras Guatemala Panama etc etc. Would be better if the USA could bring a little justice to it's own internal problems to demonstrate how a democracy equality liberty fraternity and justice for all works. Too easy to point the finger at other as a distraction criticize others so as to claim, " we are no worse than anyone else. The war was created with intentions to stimulate wealth and power.

[@wombat5274]

All you are saying is, that the US is a hypocrite, and what about when the US does this or that. Call out the US all you want but it is just whataboutism when the issue is about Russia invading Ukraine. You and the other commenter just want to talk about how the US is bad, which most people watching DM already know, and not talk about how Russia is currently invading Ukraine.

[@joshbell5387]

So this guy is saying it's a fight to the death. Got it. Good luck Ukraine.

[@juanrodriguez5404]

Well duh what do you expect? This is no picnic. The Ukrainians know this is victory or dead. It is what it is.

[@wachowski9525]

@@juanrodriguez5404 Ukrainians know it is either death, or losing to a lesser amount. Ukraine has already lost in many ways.

[@juanrodriguez5404]

@@wachowski9525 tell it to the Ruskins who just lost a state of the art tank!!!!!

[@hazelwray4184]

@@juanrodriguez5404 It's viewed as victory or death to the Russian elite. However, Zelensky did have the option to honour and implement Minsk II.

[@juanrodriguez5404]

@@hazelwray4184 tell it to the Ukrainians who have been murdered and kidnapped by the Russians.

[@derry667dingo]

I love the way Timothy Snyder refuses to allow leading questions reframe his answers. It’s obvious that he knows that some of the questions are trying to drag him into justifying certain points history out of the context he thinks is important (eg 1940s Ukrainian Nationalism) but he still makes sure he gets all the context across. He’s obviously pro-democracy in a very fundamental way and he’s too clever to pull a “gotcha” question on.

[@Bisquick]

I mean...the whole issue is "the context he thinks is important" is the most narrow superficial nebulous _materially ungrounded_ bs which falls apart under even a modicum of scrutiny. The OUN and UPA are not irrelevant, there's a direct line of historical continuity and US cultivation of these forces by the CIA immediately post-WWII that leads directly to all these ultranationalist parties, Svoboda, C-14, Right Sector, AZOV, etc. uncoincidentally utilized by the US in '14 in enforcing the coup of Yanukovych which is revealed pretty explicitly not only by these parties who basically openly brag about it but also betrayed by Victoria Nuland's leaked call "magically" picking the new president in Yatseniuk. Par for the course for the "full spectrum domination" of global US empire and its ubiquitous consent manufacturing apparatuses for the perpetuation of capitalism at quite literally all other costs (like say, _literally destroying the earth_ for instance). Cui bono? As usual, the military industrial complex. The empire feeds off the republic. William Casey, demonic arcon aka CIA director under Reagan, comes to mind regarding the efficacy of Operation Mockingbird: _"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false."_ Surely he's giving two big thumbs up in hell, which at this point is probably hard to distinguish from the world he helped create for us.

[@nedkelly8495]

Sad to read your comment. U r easily bought. Perhaps a basic history lesson on Russia/ukrsine & international laws might help u see that this professor fellow is doing lil more than faaa-ting. Having this twit as guest DN tarnished it's own reputation. Sad really. (frm NZ).

[@Kwelinzito]

How does this poor excuse of a historian characterize the invasion and occupation of Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan by the same countries that point fingers at Putin? A Sunday family picnic?

[@RoxanneM-]

That you didn’t listen to the short interview here says it all. But hey, don’t take it from me but try to do some research before opening your mouth.

[@Kwelinzito]

@@RoxanneM- - no, my mouth was never open about anything. But the professor did specifically state that at the heart of colonialism is the denial of existence of the colonized by the colonizer. With American boots still in Syria and Iraq, the end result is the same. That denial is also routine for Palestinians by Israel. Face it, this war has really brought out America’s and Europe’s racism to the surface. And the real, not imagined, international community knows it. Your heart bleeds for your Ukrainian kinsfolk and that’s understandable. At the US-Mexico border, according to a DN report, 10,000 Ukrainian refugees are processed daily while 1 million Latino and Haitian asylum seekers have been deported. And this is not me “talking”. In case your biased mind wondered, pointing out America’s atrocities in the ME doesn’t mean automatic support for Russia in this war.

[@jasonsmith1155]

@@RoxanneM- Seems like a legit question to me, but let me guess, the supervisor at the Ukraine troll farm told you to "Deflect/Deny/Counter accuse?" It's an old saying in U.S Federal Law Enforcement (I shit you not) and I imagine it's the only way to deal with legit questions and a great way to oppress the truth in service of power.

[@hans-martinadorf3834]

Absolutely phantastic analysis. Hadn‘t heard of this „colonial war“ perspective before. I wish the Ukrainians the success they need to not being colonialized by the Russians.

[@merropcs110]

They d rather be colonized by US . Here comes $$$$$$,,🤣

[@tomekjaglinski2123]

They was colonialized,such as DDR,all members so called Warshaw Pact,but they suffer lot more...

[@RobBCactive]

Really? The Russians talking about Greater Russia and assuming the right to coerce their neighbours based on distortion of past history makes it clear.

[@mjsalem922]

Wow. How can you have such a discussion without discussing what the US & NATO did to cause this war.

[@cliffgaither]

MJ Salem ● Democracy Now! has really failed the listeners on this issue ; at least we know for future reference ; other stories ...

[@cliffgaither]

@Neil Rusling ● To ignore the full context of this issue ... is to deliberately prefer propaganda to historical information. 1. The United States promised Russia that NATO would not advance "one inch" to Russia's Border. NATO had been the provocateur ... the United States facilitated the over-throw of Yanakovich ... through the Ukrainian Right-Wing Elements ( AZOZ Neo-Nazis ). 2. The United States Sighed a Nuclear Agreement w / Iran. International Observations agreed that Iran was following The Agreement. That same Agreement was broken by the United States. 3. The United States has a long, long history of breaking Treaties w / Native-Americans. 4. Putin, if you review his International Actions, is known NOT to Lie. 5. The United States is a Rogue-State that has assassinated leaders of other countries / over-thrown Democratically-Elected Governments / has destabilized Countries ( Yugoslavia\ Libya\Iraq\Vietnam ... ) / has installed Dictatorships in the place of Democracy ... Before Putin & Russia can be criticized, we should definitely stay ahead of the Crimes of the World's Greater Hegemonic-Force.

[@RobBCactive]

Putin caused the war, his bad decisions, his genocidal narrative, his strategic incompetence

[@RobBCactive]

@sakor88 that applied to bases in the BDR when the DDR was failing before the USSR collapse when agreeing German re-unification. It was a verbal assurance which was kept to this day, NATO didn't move into ex-DDR. Baker & co under Bush1 could not be talking about a post-collapse of Warsaw pact & USSR after the coup against Gorbachev. Gorbachev's officials would not tell the US ones, even if they did know their fate and Baker & Bush1 could not bind future governments by a smoked filled room secret deal. Russia signed and ratified several treaties, which they have blatantly broken, so they blow smoke with such stories that are objectively ludicrous if you look into them. US dealings with first nations doesn't justify Russia breaking the peace in Europe and threatening WW3.

[@cliffgaither]

@sakor88 ■ 1. _Promised_ is the key word. Gorbachev thought he was making a _Gentlemen's Agreement_ w / G.H.W. Bush when they discussed the issue of NATO's Future Actions. It was Gorbachev's lack of International Dexterity _not_ to have It written in some Form of an Agreement ... so ... there is No Documentation of that Conversation ... & consequently, nothing to satisfy your need for _Documents._ The Issue was discussed w / Presidents who came after G.H.W. Bush ... which means ... the United States doesn't respect Formal Treaties nor Gentlemen's Handshakes ... no matter who is President. What do you think happens to a Country's International Street-Credibility if Agreements are not respected ? 2. The USSR is Russia. The distinction of The USSR doesn't change the many Centuries of Russia's Existence. 3. If the Native-American Issue is too much Ancient History for you ... then maybe the United States breaking the Iran Nuclear Deal better suits your Modern-Sense of Time ... maybe the United States' orchestral conducting of The Coup against Yanakovich ... is an even better example of Present-Day, International Untrustworthiness. 4. You can definitely discuss Russia's misbehaving w / o mentioning the United States ... but when the United States helps the Ukrainian's Right-Wing Elements over-throw the Democratically-Elected Government of Yanakovich to undermine The Russian Federation ... then it becomes impossible for the United States to stand aloof from Russia's mis-deeds. _( Nuland was there, in the Ukraine, during the earliest stages of The Coup against Yanakovich ... she had already picked his successor. )_

[@najeehouse78]

I’m not buying what the professor is selling. I wish Africans, and Black Americans had outside nations giving Billions in aid since we’re on the subject Colonialism

[@letsomethingshine]

"Aid" is often just loans. So keep that in mind. Also African Nations are not considered strict/necessary allies of the USA at least, but for the USA Ukraine has been a long time ally since they used it as a base to infiltrate the USSR and kill it from within.

[@francie2915]

If only the billions being given to Ukraine proxy war and to Israel killing Palestinians and to all its ongoing wars were being given to all the needy Americans including Native Americans, Blacks…what about all the former middle class now homeless since Covid; our schools;free healthcare;free college education;renewable energy…the whole country right here at home suffers because America’s highest priority is still empire building and it is destroying us.

[@Juanmore888]

Excellent analysis of the Ukrainian issue. I have read several books about the history of the region and can see why the Ukrainians want their freedom from foreign domination.

[@MarkoMijuskovic]

Shameful for Democracy Now that this is the kind of guests they bring in these days. If only professor Cohen was still alive to dismantle this clown and his mainstream media talking points.

[@dipthongthathongthongthong9691]

Agreed. Steve is sorely missed.

[@hughjassle5876]

If we say "colonial" everyone will know it's bad. 🤦‍♂️

[@germanjohn5626]

Just like people will believe anything if it is prefaced with "a recent study shows"... people are programmed to act certain ways if the buzzwords or buzz phrases are used.brainwashing at its best.

[@joshbell5387]

Lol, the depth of this historians analysis on the war runs deeep. What a joke.

[@casteretpollux]

Yep. Except its clearly defensive, not colonial.

[@maymay4847]

kkkkkkkkkkk, yup!

[@_masssk_]

Ukrainian here. It's first time I see a person who speaks about Ukraine so deeply. I'm impressed.

[@jasonsmith1155]

Shouldn't you be fighting for democracy so it can benefit the U.S arms industry? Blinken would not approve of you spending time commenting on youtube when you could be killing people or getting killed because....Democracy.

[@Knockturnall1]

I disagree with this so called historian. Western paid of course.

[@nowthenzen]

people don't understand how much history there is and how little of it we actually know or even understand

[@brentriley4911]

... then why did the Minsk agreement specify for the Donbas to remain under Uk sovereignty?

[@JamesC785]

Donbas & Crimea are part of Ukrainian sovereign territory & internationally recognised as such.

[@bogdanyer]

Minsk agreements were impossible to implement. Ukraine has refused to implement their side of it, whils Russia is denying access to the Ukrainian Russian border in Donbas. Saying that it is a pre requisite step for elections. And it is obvious that while Ukraine does not have control of the region or there are no peacekeepers there, there is no way to have transparent elections. Ukraine has asked multiple times for UN peacekeeping troops there to facilitate the process, it was always sabotaged by Russia. Russia insisted that first must come elections, changed to the law etc and then they MIGHT agree to other things in Minsk agreements. The reason Russia has agreed to Minks was that if implemented how they wanted it, Russia would have a permanent foothold in Ukrainian internal politics through protected by law governments of DPR and LNR. When Russia understood that Ukraine will not implement them, they tried to pressure them through other means to do it. When they understood that that will not happen they started to prepare for war.

[@magpiegirl3783]

My understanding is that the Russians wanted to appoint the area governors in the Donbas who would have a veto in the Ukranian parliament thus giving Russia ultimate interference in the Ukranian government. Russia seems happy enough to have control over its neighbours without necessarily bringing them back under a USSR banner - perhaps that's economic.

[@feedyourmind6713]

But Russia sees the agreements as broken by Western "undue economic influence"

[@feedyourmind6713]

@North Korea Is Best Korea Russia watched the O admin give The Big Guy Joe Biden Ukraine, which he and his family demonstrably benefitted from. Vlad got a pro-Russian (ever ask why he's pro Vlad, yet? Russian gave them a much better deal on energy and other assistance, than the EU offered) President elected (no one disputes his bona-fide victory), whom the US ousted, in violation of the Uke Constitution. So, If Russia had allowed the EU to complete the deal, that would, in your opinion, be normal economic influence, while Russias' offer was the undue one, eh? See how flawed and stupid an agreement it was? Your concession first.

[@tokyo.peking]

OMG What a outdated thinking. Who could say that professor thinks in category like black ppl in africa / english conquerors but in 21st century ? He even can not see political issues in this conflict....pity.

[@richardcory5024]

Garbled comment.

[@tokyo.peking]

@@richardcory5024 Maybe yours. You really think that Russia must attack anyone because of "resources" like British Empire for example. They have everything.

[@richardcory5024]

@@tokyo.peking The former US Secretary of State Zbigniew Brezinski said that the Soviet Union was "Upper Volta" with rockets. That could mostly be said of Russia today. It exports oil, gas, nitrogen, palladium and nickel and virtually nothing else. It does not make anything anyone in their right minds wants to buy. It is a zombie economy once the effects of sanctions are factored in. What they do export very successfully is destruction and terror so we should at least congratulate them on that.

[@tokyo.peking]

@@richardcory5024 Records show that WEST has and can produce virtually ===NOTHING=== without CHINA. So west is ZOMBY PERSON And poor economy on EMPTY PAPER DOLLAR firces west to BULLY and STEAL around the world. If you analyse steps west did against Rossia you will conclude that they basically act like a bunch of drunken cowboys : " if you don't give us more whiskey we will demolish saloon and kill sheriff "

[@tokyo.peking]

@@richardcory5024 Who is best in festruction and oroduction of terror ? Who invented ISIS terorist, who destroyed MIDLLE EAST abd priduced million victims , Rossia ??

[@LowescC]

never takes Tim a very long time to drop the J bomb......( is he this broad about his definition of "colonialism" when it comes to Israel...?? )

[@queenredspecial]

Amy, please invite John Mearsheimer to the show. Noam Chomsky. Scott Ritter. Gonzalo Lira. Pepe Escobar. I am astonished that they have not been heard from on your show.

[@cliffgaither]

queenredspecial ● Amy Goodman can't be trusted w / this subject. Juan Gonzalez is somewhat better.

[@JD-jc8gp]

Democracy Now is increasingly looking like compromised fake-left.

[@thegalaxylab]

@@cliffgaither she is a media gatekeeper at the deepest level. At essence a liberal democrat.

[@cliffgaither]

@@thegalaxylab :: I've had to stop watching Democracy Now! w / the regularity I once did ... she has had some good interviews and views ... her questioning of Bill Clinton was one of her high points ... but I never thought of her as "a gatekeeper". This Russia/Ukraine War hasn't helped her reputation for contextual history.

[@clintcoop5717]

I used to watch DN that was well over a decade ago it's garbage now compared to back then as most things have become 💯

[@estelleaustin9205]

Voiced many of my thoughts!

[@JoeJoe-di4oj]

2022 I don't think anyone could imagine that we would see War like this in our time. and we are a part of History and we are a part of so much history that I think we're all tired of being a part of everything that's been Historic lately

[@cliffgaither]

Joe Joe ● I hear you ! But History is exciting. We can't learn without It ! AND yet, It keeps repeating AND repeating because we don't learn. What Good is It ? The Good comes when not _all_ can be fooled by the likes of Timothy Snyder. Yes ! You're right ! This War is yet another example of the tragedies of History that we _all_ must face ... but it has stimulated Human Interest in Regions of the World that are Ancient in Time. Yes ! History is mentally-draining ... but It also causes _us_ to Think about the Past ... the Present ... the Future ... the Glorious Histories yet to come ... in spite of the historical exhaustion.

[@clintcoop5717]

Bahahaha this isn't anything buddy it will get far far worse...As it was written 1,000's of years ago....

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

@@clintcoop5717 troll, troll, trolling down the river...

[@clintcoop5717]

@@sharondavid-melly1498 go to bed

[@clintcoop5717]

@@sharondavid-melly1498 is that all you lefty's have to say is troll or not etc. . 🤣🤣🤣😭😭🤣

[@michaeldecastro5088]

If anyone knows the history of the CIA in Ukraine it would be Putin not Snyder.

[@letsomethingshine]

Yes, Putin's whole career was as spy-master to the KGB. The CIA is grossly controlled by the rich in the USA for their own interests against the better people that are often much poorer and labeled as "middle class" to get them to become complaisant. Putin is very rich indeed, he would know about the various ways of lying and manipulating.

[@desmondho3736]

If the Minsk agreement were adhered to and implemented and Ukraine stay neutral, not apply to join NATO. THIS war wouldn't have started. For eight (8) years, since 2014 Donbass have been bombarded, 14000 Ukrainian death. But where the USA and Western countries and NATO, have they condemn the Ukraine Azoh battalion for the killings and human rights violation. Where is human rights watch? Where is human rights watch?

[@JamesC785]

LOL - check you numbers & leadership of the Wagner grope for neo nazis.

[@nickbrodziak611]

Totally right. Never mentioned in the MSM

[@RobBCactive]

That's total BS, Russia claims that in propaganda but never filed complaints with evidence, meanwhile the independent UN monitoring force in the region noted shelling of schools and civilian targets by the insurgent areas of Ukraine border areas. As for Azov battalion the 2014 leaders left and their party scored only 2% in elections. Russia should focus de-nazification within its own Kremlin.

[@JamesC785]

@@RobBCactive The Wagner Grope has proud neo-Nazi leadership, as do the DPR & LPR.

[@JamesC785]

No-one was being killed in the Donbas region of Ukraine before the 'little green men' & Wagner Grope invaded in 2014.

[@filippmuzychenko6379]

Professor of Ideology presented a fascinating take on the current crisis. However, comparing Western Colonial Empires to the relationship between Russia and Ukraine is filled with contradictions. During Soviet Union, ethnic Ukrainians held high ranking positions in government, military, academia and were prominent in fields of arts, culture and society. Kruschev literally took Russian Crimea and gifted it to Ukraine. Most Ukrainians did not see themselves as being colonized nor did Russians saw them as such. Ukrainians were not second class citizens and were full participants of public life in Soviet Union. Please compare these facts to European Colonialism in Asia, Africa and the New World. P.s. I want to thank you for promoting this war. Ukrainian people are forever in debt to you and people like you.

[@filippmuzychenko6379]

I was joking when I thanked him for promoting the war. Promoting this war is a crime.

[@michaelg7520]

Didn't know he was an expert on post-colonialism as well. Guess that's how you get tenure at Yale..

[@48677]

Russia itself colonized Crimea. And the example of Russia-Ukraine can be compared to England-Ireland or England-Scotland. It's still colonialism.

[@patrickvangelder3349]

@@filippmuzychenko6379 starting a war is the biggest crime

[@maryxmas9921]

wow, westsplaining.

[@javiertorres4703]

Amy Goodman a voice for the US imperialism on this matter

[@elfrad1714]

US imperialism is not the only imperialism.

[@javiertorres4703]

@@elfrad1714 That’s BS. Look how Russia treats Venezuela and Cuba compared to the US with Colombia and Dominican Republic. Ohh the US has colonies, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and won’t give Guantanamo to Cuba. Stop this BS about Russian imperialism.

[@elfrad1714]

@@javiertorres4703 Imperialism is imperialism. And you obviously know nothing about the history of Eastern Europe or of the Soviet Union. You hate the Americans so much you are ignoring that others are also capable of the same crimes.

[@pissfather6798]

yeah and let me guess Imperial Japan was anti-colonialist and fighting against US Imperialism too

[@thornil2231]

@@elfrad1714 and?

[@scottparr5606]

Thank you for bringing colonialism to the forefront. There are many places on the planet that are victim's of colonialism. Ukraine, Israel, China, even though the Native Americans are peaceful and do not war please try to see this as a worthy reason to help our fellow victims of colonialism and not as a weakness. They seek little but livable land to care for. Please see that this is needed in this time when the land suffers.

[@Caleta280]

I am sorry, Ukranians suffered more than Soviet Russia. How does a historian forgets the siege of St Petersburg?. Rewriting history is dangerous. How does on determines I suffered more than you?

[@johannuys7914]

This Democracy Now is such a sell out. Shilling for the elites.

[@jackdaniels4368]

Hey Snyder, how do we force Isreal to recognise that Palestine exists and that they are a separate people. 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@BobyourUncle]

I think the Israelis have been trying to do that since the '70s but the Palestinian leaders keep moving the goalposts...

[@magdaty1815]

We keep seeing that those who formed a country in the country of the aboriginals of the particular land have all the rights and the aboriginals have none: USA, Australia, Israel, Ukraine.

[@MrRetlahcub]

If you want to do the research, you will find that so-called "Palestinians" only started using this politically convenient term around 1967. These Arabs came mainly from the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan, Syria & other Arab countries. It is a myth imposed upon the world because of world anti-semitism. Oh and by the way, so-called Palestinians have NEVER since 1948, been willing to recognise Israel, as decreed by a vote at the United Nations. Learn history and stop making a fool of yourself.

[@jackdaniels4368]

@@BobyourUncle They have keep moving them, Israel keep building settlements on top of all the playing fields. But , you know, it is there right to do so , aint that right all ye republicans and democrats.

[@jackdaniels4368]

@@MrRetlahcub Ah lord ! 😂🤦🏻‍♂️, where did you spring from. I have seen that generic response all over the enet. Is that you or are ye thought that in school. Today pupils we will learn how to explain how we murdered, killed and terrorrised 500000 people from there homes and locked the rest who stayed in an internment camp. Oh and mention antisemitism towards the end. You’re in a cult.

[@mariiakravets9311]

The question about dividing Ukraine and possible compromise👎

[@LuciFeric137]

Wow i will be looking for Dr. Timothy Snyder. Fantastic overview.

[@timsemenoff4029]

If Russians did not think of Ukrainians as People, then why Ukrainian language and Literature were mandatory subjects in Ukrainian schools during Soviet era? My mother grew up in Izmail and she can still recite poetry in Ukrainian language. Second, why would Khrushchev give Crimea as a gift to Ukraine if there was so little regard towards Ukrainians? The argument of Colonial War does not hold the water.

[@jerzypodgorski8630]

Khrushchev was born only few kilometres from Ukraine's border in Kursk oblast ( now in Russia ) and was Ukrainian nationalist in disguise.

[@corneliushfc4370]

Unbelievable that he is alerting such nonsense .

[@michaelknight5589]

He is seeking a promotion guys, or to keep his job.

[@michaelrch]

I think there is a difference between soviet era attitudes to Ukraine and tsarist era ideas which apparently Putin believes in. Putin blames Lenin for many such problems. I am no expert though.

[@victorfinberg8595]

Russia has always been a colonial power. (But then, so has every nation, given the opportunity.) Of course, Russia today is not the Russia of the Soviet era.

[@magpiegirl3783]

Yep. I have had this "feeling" about the situation but haven't been able to pin it down. The notion that Russia is hell bent on subjugating Ukraine does sit with colonialism. What is despairing about the situation is that even from within, pro-Russian Ukranians are prepared to white ant Ukraine's sovereign existence. And Russia's arrogance in trying to dictate Ukraine's (and other nations such as Georgia) way of life does come from a place of no respect. Truly a complex - seemingly unsolvable - fight.

[@dragonade85]

It makes sense. No colonial regime was ever established without some form of collaboration from inside the native community, whether it was marginalised elites, oppressed minorities, or just those who saw an opportunity for a quick buck and political power.

[@mesofius]

Actually the level of collaboration with the enemy we're witnessing in the russian invasion of Ukraine is significantly lower than what we saw in most European countries during ww2. In many cases the local police just continued to carry out their "duties" the next day of the German occupation, such as the Paris police (granted the government rolled over)

[@schmoborama]

"even from within, pro-Russian Ukranians are prepared to white ant Ukraine's sovereign existence" oh fucking please. If Russia does it with people who side with them, it's eevil... if the US does it with the ukranians who side with the west, it's suddenly not 🤦‍♂ Talk about propagandized. You know Zelensky banned political parties that disagreed with him, right? And no it wasn't even the Azov ( Nazi ) party that he fucking banned.

[@johnkesich8696]

When you work for the empire, everything looks like a colonial war.

[@venkats0iitk]

Everything that you did not start yourself is someone else's colonial war. Everything you start yourself is a war of liberation

[@TheAnswerIsNo577]

I’m first generation Ukrainian-American and this is the most in-depth understanding from a westerner about the true meanings of this war. Ethnic colonial genocide.

[@holger3943]

Yes, it's started as a genocidal colonial war of Ukrainian banderites against ethnically Russian Donbas.

[@mariajurgens9889]

When the coup happened in 2014, geopolitical and strategic conditions were thrown into disarray, to the detriment of Russia and to the advantage of the West. These changes were not handled diplomatically, but were accepted. That seems to me to be the problem.

[@richardcory5024]

It was a revolution in 2014, not a coup. Was the Russian Revolution a problem that was not handled diplomatically? Does this mean we have the option of reversing the Russian Revolution and reinstalling the Romanovs? i think not.

[@kesscarlton8759]

Richard Cory, It was a coup orchestrated by the CIA and Victoria nuland, with his Biden involved. It's even on tape. North Korea has nothing on american propaganda.

[@mariajurgens9889]

@@richardcory5024 Okay, history gets old and you cannot reverse it until to the Big Bang. But the ukrainian story is not as clear, as everyone wants to make us to believe. The first thing I discovered is, that the shootings on Maidan came from two sides: from the police of the Janucovichregime and from a hotel, that was owend at this time, from the right wing party. Why did the right wings fuel the heat, pulling the anger of the people on Janucovich? Than there were lifethreads to Janucovich and he left first the city o Kiev and than the country. He had not the opportunity to cool down the people and discuss problems. He was dropped from power instantly. The western countries accepted, against the law, the transistonal government. Isnt it possible, that Poroshenko just won the elections, later in the year, because of this shootings, from whom the pople thougt, all came from the police of Janucovich? The change in the politics of the country was deep. Not all of the people wanted to go westwards. The south and the east and Crimea stayed leaning eastwards. The county was and is deeply divided and up to now no president could heal this situation. From where came all the ASOW-Nazis-warriors? Who buildt them up? I could not believe that, when I found it out: it was just a "friend" of your Hunter. Why did NATOforces and also US train the Ukrainians, especially the ASOWs? Ukraine is not NATOmember. I find it very shady.

[@dandavis8300]

@@richardcory5024 --What makes it a "Revolution"? They'd had a series of corrupt Presidents to that point and have had a series of corrupt Presidents since? What's even the difference except hostility to Russia?

[@sattm8230]

Russia doesn't have the right to invade and occupy a neighboring country because the people of that country don't want to live the way Russia wants them to, any more than any other country has the right to do that.

[@dag1489]

So close to unsubscribing. DN is getting more and more MSM.

[@jackalopewright5343]

DN is just a low rent version of MSNBC.

[@yorik4897]

Judging by the comments, the word "colonialism" immediately triggered a lot of memories and analogies.

[@devapala879]

I'm not sure if the professor is making the distinction between "colonialism" and "imperialism".

[@smi454]

Would the analogy of a England and Scotland be more relevant in this case, given the amount of shared history, culture, geography, accessibility of attaining the elite status in the metroploly , as opposed to the given example of Netherlands and Indonesia

[@casteretpollux]

Closer, but not really. Ukraine and Russia is geographically one, with no natural boundary. To the west of Ukraine is NATO, an aggressive and hostile capitalist alliance that aims to destroy and loot Russia, China and India.

[@nowthenzen]

how about the English and the Irish and the English attempts to get ride of the Irish from time to time?

[@yevheniyl2728]

Absolutely agree England and Scotland is the most appropriate example.

[@katymeigs5290]

Canada and US also

[@patriziacasagrande3833]

What about Northern Ireland, is nato now going to insist that it be returned to Ireland or are they going to defend that the colonial power retain control. And why the west supports Morocco's occupation of its African neoghbor? And will the USA finally give Guantanamo bay port back to cuba? Holding breath. These so called non provacative traditional colonists are Hypocrites and hiding the real motive they are pushing promoting war. Perhaps they need a stimulus to their frail economies and will create a profitable type of reconstruction in Ukraine after it is destroyed. You know a profitable work project in Ukraine like the Marshall Plan after the 2nd ww.

[@carmenlajoie2719]

George Galloway on MOATS with Scott Ritter & Richard Medhurst, excellent history lessons. Peter Lavelle on CrossTalk also, Russia is anti colonial

[@johnkesich8696]

Whatever Putin's sins, they pale in comparison to the "freedom and democracy" the American exceptionalists psycho war mongers have been inflicting around the world. For reasonably objective reporting/commentary, I would also recommend John Pilger, Chris Hedges, Whitney Webb, Aaron Mate, Max Blumenthal, Anya Parampil, Eva Bartlett, Vanessa Beeley, Patrick Lancaster and others who are being censored.

[@BenJamin-rt7ui]

Clearly it isn't.

[@paulspacey346]

George Whackoway you mean, a Kremlin stooge

[@RoxanneM-]

If you say Russia is anti colonial you have no clue about the history of Russia. Pretty outstanding seeing you only absorb Russian propaganda.

[@carmenlajoie2719]

Ukraine on 🔥 Oliver Stone

[@candelas31]

Good to see Tim Snyder on this show, maybe his arguments will help to get right point of view by victims of RT.

[@asdilia693]

He lied to you. RT also lied to you. Do you really think you would find an answer on youtube?

[@candelas31]

@@asdilia693 I would think I would find an answer from this specific scholar I have known for a while regardles the platform he is using.

[@asdilia693]

@@candelas31 He is not a scholar. He is a propagandist

[@Sphere723]

@@asdilia693 *Reads Bloodlands* ... nope, he's a scholar. And a good one.

[@asdilia693]

@@Sphere723 he's a to-support-the-current-political-agenda scholar

[@oliveoil7642]

Western academia has now taken a path to explaining all world conflict through the lens of colonialism and oppressors vs. the oppressed which can only take us so far in understanding these conflicts. It’s too simplistic as these conflicts are more nuanced and complex. This professor does speak of the reasons that Germany and Russia wanted to take over the Ukraine. It comes down to resources. Europe basically has very few and in order to flourish they take others! Russia has no sea port other than those in the Ukraine. The soil is also rich and fertile in the Ukraine! 🤔

[@carlossemedo8086]

The west, and entire Europe, cares so much about Ukraine ! What about Palestine ?

[@missgood5355]

The Wes carrying about Ukraine?Where?How? Germany and France do not care about Ukraine. The war in Ukraine has been going own for 8 years and Germany and other. countries decided to ignore it.

[@RoxanneM-]

Exactly. Why don’t try to see why this is different?

[@aguilayserpiente]

Buyer beware, as sometimes hucksters for American capital appear on Democracy Now. 7:10, the professor mistakenly claims that Lenin promoted the economic exploitation of anyone. Lenin recognized the Ukrainian state's right to self-determination, consistent with the dialectical principal of free association of beings: These are perfectly clear words. They state very specifically that the Ukrainian people do not wish to secede from Russia at present. They demand autonomy without denying the need for the supreme authority of the “All-Russia Parliament”. No democrat, let alone a socialist, will venture to deny the complete legitimacy of the Ukraine’s demands. And no democrat can deny the Ukraine’s right to freely secede from Russia. Only unqualified recognition of this right makes it possible to advocate a free union of the Ukrainians and the Great Russians, a voluntary association of the two peoples in one state. Only unqualified recognition of this right can actually break completely and irrevocably with the accursed tsarist past, when everything was done to bring about a mutual estrangement of the two peoples so close to each other in language, territory, character and history. Accursed tsarism made the Great Russians executioners of the Ukrainian people, and fomented in them a hatred for those who even forbade Ukrainian children to speak and study in their native tongue. V.I. Lenin, "The Ukraine," Published: First published in Pravda No. 82, June 28 (15), 1917 (Addressing the The Universal Act on the organisation of the Ukraine, issued by the Ukrainian Central Rada and adopted on June 11, 1917) Source: Lenin Collected Works, Progress Publishers, 1977, Moscow, Volume 25, pages 91-92. Lenin even advocated for Ukrainian bilingual education. Bilingual education (the teaching of subject matter in the first language so minorities do not fall behind in school) is to this day championed by educational scholars like Cummins, Krashen, and Kozol, but reviled by so-called Western capitalist democracies, which prize racially repressive social policies.

[@aguilayserpiente]

@North Korea Is Best Korea Cite verifiable evidence and authority from the original documents authored by Lenin to support your contentions.

[@aguilayserpiente]

@North Korea Is Best Korea You bear the burden of proof for your claims. Allegations unsupported by evidence and authority may just as easily be dismissed. Absent proof your claims have no merit.

[@MissAnastasiyaD]

Yep and it lasted for about 5 seconds until millions died either because of famine or repressions. Other then that, Lenin was a great guy.

[@aguilayserpiente]

@@MissAnastasiyaD Please cite verifiable evidence and authority from a published book of history to support your contentions.

[@MissAnastasiyaD]

@@aguilayserpiente Wait, are you saying there was no famine of 1921-1923 and 'red terror' of Lenin? And you need citied proof?!

[@dragonglass422]

Prof with due respect no one is interested in the history of 17th 18th century but we are talking about what has being happening in the past 20yrs and what contribute to today's war and how this could be fix. colonial war is bs

[@jeanetteb2347]

I thought Dutch kolonialism in Indonesia ended because of strong pressure of the US.

[@tomekjaglinski2123]

Actually Moscow regime betrayed Ukraunians many time.The times of Great Hunger before,and after WW2 was outeageous.With millions of peoples of all age,and social positions.We know about this atrociries more in Poland,than somewhere else,cause Western part of Ukraine was belonged to Polish Republic,before WW2.We sharing huge part of our history far before Moscow ever existed,and in the time of 2cond,Lithuanian Kings dynasty,we have been living in some kind of Union,si Noble Personns,Aristocrates from 3 countrys(Poland,Lithuania,and Rus,who was a name of country with a christianized in 11century Kiev)was a part of this organism,called Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth,and the member was too Ukraine,or Rus,with their hearth in Kiev.Just a shortly..

[@yakuzarage2301]

This guy is living in the past, in the books he reads and teaches about. He has no idea about how current geo politics work.

[@suzannehaab7233]

The fact that the “DR.” Says that the US funding of the war makes no difference shows his absolute ignorance.

[@JamesC785]

He's right in that the Ukrainians will fight for their right to exist whether they're funded or not. They've been occupied by russia before & don't want a repeat (same for Poland, Romania etc.)

[@j.d.snyder4466]

That's not what he actually said.

[@suzannehaab7233]

@@j.d.snyder4466 that is what he actually said, “ it’s not like they can just turn a tap off”…..hmmm, if the weapons supply dries up, what do you think will happen.

[@anmatontev]

@@suzannehaab7233 than much more Ukrainians will die. He is absolutely right about both Russia's intentions and our morals. And to understand Russia's intentions you actually don't need to be a historian, you just need to listen to what Putin says and watch what he does. Greetings from Kyiv!

[@j.d.snyder4466]

Your original comment in this thread and then your reply to me don't mesh. So I don't understand what you're trying to say. Yes, no one doubts the importance of US and other nations' military supplies to Ukraine. But the gutsy and exemplary Ukrainians chose to fight Putin's invasion before that military aid materialized.

[@charleseade2209]

And the American colonial war was supported by the French, and yes it prolonged the war, but the only way the war could have been shorter is if the British would have crushed the Americans and captured General Washington.

[@johnnysystem2579]

And we have 10 seconds, NO we have 5 seconds, NO we have all the fucking time in the world because this is the fucking internet !

[@joshbell5387]

Weapons manufacturers loves this guy.

[@TheEricrya]

Too bad I didn’t buy stock

[@MissAnastasiyaD]

It doesn't make him wrong.

[@queenredspecial]

@@MissAnastasiyaD It makes him amoral.

[@MissAnastasiyaD]

@@queenredspecial Whom? Snyder? How?

[@maxoblivion]

@@queenredspecial Amoral? LOL

[@JAMAICADOCK]

In hindsight, this was always going to happen. When empires fall, followed by messy partitions, wars always happen. India, Ireland, Cyprus, Yugoslavia, Iraq etc etc. Borders are drawn on maps with little or no consideration for populations that live either side of the border.. By way of comparison, let's imagine if Texas went independent, and how that might affect relations with Mexico. That Mexico might question the legitimacy of an independent Texas. That Texas was stolen by the US in the 19TH century. That Texas is an artificial construct. And Mexico might look to protect the Spanish-speaking minority living along the Tex/Mex border, especially if that minority was being oppressed. Would we call that Mexican colonialism? Or would it be an inevitable consequence of the fall of American colonialism? Countries are products of past empires. And as the latest empire collapses the layers beneath it begin to grind and crack apart, like tectonic plates.

[@yuchichan4815]

Dude you hit hard.

[@JAMAICADOCK]

@North Korea Is Best Korea So have borders between India and Pakistan; Britain and Ireland, Cyprus and Turkey, Israel and Syria, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Eritrea and Ethiopia, Rwanda and Congo. But such disputed borderlands are always full of tensions that threaten to break out into wars. As the borders were drawn without consideration of populations living on or around the border. They were drawn up for strategic and geo-political reasons mainly. Also to enable the great powers to play divide and rule. In the latter case, Bosnia - wherein Serbs, Muslims and Croats were thrown together in the same country, forced to live together in spite of historical antagonisms going back centuries. Why? So the West can rule by divisions. The Muslim population permanently allied to the West due to its fear of the Christian populations. Meaning the Muslim government will bend over backwoods to please the West, that is in terms of privatizations, slashing taxes, cutting subsidies, and voting with the US in the Security Council, no matter the legality of NATO actions toward Muslim populations elsewhere. They've basically got the Muslim populations of the former Yugoslavia over a barrel. So hence the obvious solution of creating a Muslim state, and allowing the Serbs to join Serbia and the Croats to join Croatia are never considered. A basic protectorate.

[@prager5046]

what have you been smoking lately ...i want some too...

[@JAMAICADOCK]

@Swarmpope There's always problems for sure, but when you're talking 8 million ethnic Russians living in Ukraine, that's a major headache for any Russian leader. No Russian leader can sit back and ignore the interests of 8 million people, especially if their language and culture is coming under attack/ Well they could, but they wouldn't be around very long These disputes should be settled by referendums - not wars. If the ethnic Russians in each territory of Ukraine choose to join Russia, they should be allowed to do so.. The regions of Ukraine that don't have a majority of ethnic Russians stay in Ukraine. Just as the West recognized the independence of Croatia, Kosovo, Slovakia etc etc it should recognize the desire of the ethnic Russians to leave Ukraine. It appears breakaway republics are only recognized when its in the West's geo political interests. Ethnic Russians living in Ukraine. getting assaulted by Neo Nazis - forget about it. Just like the calls of independence from Catalonia, Kurdistan, Palestine, Corsica fall on deaf ears.. You watch when a republic wants to breakaway from Russia, the West will champion its right to self determination. And if Russia represses such a movement, the West will call Russia an abuser of human rights. Sorry but with those kind of double standards, war is inevitable.

[@JAMAICADOCK]

@Swarmpope It's part of it. We all know how reactionaries operate when it comes to kith and kin in other countries. The British in the Falklands, N Ireland, the Turks in Cyprus, the French in Algeria etc etc. Too much is read into ulterior motives, in retrospect as a nationalist, conservative - the West was giving Putin little wriggle room over the ethnic Russians in Ukraine. Not that I agree with Putin, just saying it pays to understand the ideological needs of a leader, and his power base, in order to reach a peaceful settlement. But of course the West is not interested in peace, it just wants to use Ukraine as a means of destabilizing Russia, as it has done with other proxy wars. The West should've given the Russian separatists a means of leaving Ukraine peacefully. . A very dangerous game the West is playing. It should remember, there are worse Russian strongmen than Putin, If Putin falls, there's a good chance de facto fascism will take over Russia, Then we can kiss each other goodbye.

[@mrtriffid]

It's great to see from most of the comments below that DN viewers are aware of the historical realities of Ukraine, and do not fall for Synders' glib, moralistic nonsense.

[@MissAnastasiyaD]

Not sure what you're talking about. Probably none in this comment section actually knows history of Ukraine better than Snyder - it's his life's work.

[@Ron841000]

We the listeners also remember DN euphoria over showing the video of Ghadaffi being assassinated and sodomized!

[@mrtriffid]

@@MissAnastasiyaD His use of concept of "colonialism" is useless (and dangerously misleading) in the critical analysis of the current situation. See Michael Hudson (among others) for a meaningful analysis of current world realities. He may know the 'history' of the region (how LONG he took to learn it is irrelevant), but his analysis/conclusions/characterizations vis-a-vis current events are beyond ridiculous.

[@MissAnastasiyaD]

@@mrtriffid I'm all ears to hear why they are 'beyond ridiculous'.

[@maxoblivion]

@@mrtriffid You mean Snyder is ridiculous because he isn't reflexively anti-American?

[@yahushabloodpower3021]

I can’t continue listening to foolishness of lies

[@JamesC785]

Happy Victory Day in Europe everyone !! The day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945.

[@awuma]

Because it took effect at 11pm CET on May 8, 1945, it was already May 9 in Moscow. Hence the 8/9 May split.

[@mariay9614]

I am not a professor, not even a historian, but can easily tell that this is about the natural resources of Russia) once upon a time there was Ukos…

[@buravan1512]

*haha haha ha ha ha, you got it right...* since PUTIN came, he wanted the Russians to be in the control of their resources, at that time Russia had 7 Billionaires only, but they were connected to former President Mikhail Yeltsin, who was also influenced by the WEST/US. -PUTIN imposed the ownership quota and nationalized Russian Economy, and restarted the Tax system, Russians took over the energy sector, today Russia has 113 Billionaires (largest concentration in Europe) Russia has also the largest Millionaire community in Europe, this is why the WEST is frustrated, Russia didn't fail as they had hoped.

[@flytoheights1]

Wrong! Look at the sanctions, it has the opposite effect. It was not about natural resources or $$$. It was about NATO expansion.

[@MissAnastasiyaD]

Right, someone forced Russia to attack Ukraine, so that MAYBE Ukos fails.. You are so clever.

[@flytoheights1]

@@MissAnastasiyaD Yes, like how US was forced to blockade ships reaching Cuba in Cuban missile crisis. See how US was forced to blockade when Russia and Cuba were doing something. I'm against all wars. I don't think what Russia did is right, but nor is US in expanding NATO & now continuing this proxy war & using Ukraine for US's own benefit. Look at the expansion of NATO when US promised that it won't expand. Many historians & politicians had warned many years before, and they had foreseen that Ukraine joining NATO would be the last straw.

[@mariay9614]

@@flytoheights1 nato is just an instrument

[@bonsummers2657]

Ukraine was a state in the USSR, - the east of that Ukraine region was and is substantially ethnic Russian, and eastern Ukraine was part of Russia from the late 1700's till about 1922, but was not Ukraine prior to 1922, and was a state within the USSR till 1991. That's Russia's neighborhood. They're not going to let Crimea and the Donbas go to The West. Btw, I'm in The West, military central in SoCaL. But, east Ukraine region is historical Russian lands. That's Russia's core neighborhood. Leave it to them,… in peace.

[@martinsFILMS13]

then why did Russia let Ukraine go in 1991 and give away Crimea in 1954 ?

[@corneliushfc4370]

This is the biggest load of nonsense I've heard so far..

[@walterkeating6262]

I couldn't watch all of this blather. If only Stephen Cohen was here to mitigate this russophobic nonsense. This passes for an academic in USA? Sheesh.

[@SH-jg5zq]

Indeed!

[@wanasong5611]

These days when someone twlls me they have a Phd I immediately think: 'Piled High and DEEP.'

[@avs_prasad]

Sir, if Biden can pass for President, why can't this chap pass for an academic? Argue that.

[@venkats0iitk]

@@avs_prasad classic!

[@Nphen]

I am glad to see the guest, Tim Snyder, get rightfully and roundly criticized by other comments on here. The people who "enjoy" Snyder's analysis all seem to have State Department talking points. When he said "only 2 to 4% of Ukrainians voted hard right in the last election" I paused the interview to check the comments. Let's hear what Pepe Escobar has to say.

[@cupiduspacis4209]

Despite what the corporate press usually assert on the few occasions they even acknowledge these inconvenient, violent militias, they have not magically disappeared since 2014, and a Jewish president doesn't act as a shield against them; they may only be a small minority, but limited membership hardly stopped organised criminals like the mafia from exerting greatly disproportionate influence -- the threat and use of force is a powerful tool. In fact, the leader of one of these militias, Yevgen Karas, was boasting about their disproportionate influence at Maidan in a recent video, which can be seen on youtube, and elsewhere about how the Ukrainian Security Services would “pass on” information regarding pro-separatist rallies “not only [to] us, but also Azov, the Right Sector and so on...In general, deputies of all factions, the National Guard, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs work for us. You can joke like that"

[@guidobolke5618]

That's a verifiable fact.

[@lubakaczmar3198]

We have been the Imperial Power since 1945

[@TheWaylandir]

God damn it DN! Now i have more books to buy :D

[@peregrineslim4446]

This analysis could have come out of a section of the CIA, and that's the best compliment I can pay unfortunately.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

That's what I'm hearing,, go on and on about anything but the facts.

[@richardcory5024]

In that case I have a lot more respect for the CIA than I did before. It is spot on as an argument.

[@froggy5186]

Synder is great..one thing though. Isn't it strange to talk about Colonialism without mentioning the British Empire..just sayin'...Timothy !!

[@shokuchideirdrecarrigan7402]

He had 15 minutes to talk about his specialty--Ukraine. You want him to give a lecture on the British Empire?

[@nilslarson7532]

interesting guest and commentary .there have been several experts here. Wish we could see more of the well known european experts on subject . thanks for DN.

[@johnlee-yo8jc]

As a historian, what happened to the native Americans, Canadians, Australians...? Didn't they "have to" win the war? How can someone know so much and understand so little?

[@michaelknight5589]

He knows the truth, he is just trying to get a promotion or research funding.

[@venkats0iitk]

@@michaelknight5589 attaboy!

[@venkats0iitk]

Looks like many of the American professors in the best ivy league universities are world class intellectual frauds

[@Bisquick]

​@@venkats0iitk Idk if intentional but uhh..."fun" fact I guess from your word choice here: "attaboy" I'm randomly recalling is also the weird euphemism Victoria Nuland used in her leaked call revealing the US coup in '14, I believe specifically referring to Biden in fact (shocker) and his utility of "getting the deets to stick" as she put it, which I presume means the legitimizing of the US-backed Yatseniuk admin that ousted Yanukovych extrajudicially with precisely those ultranationalist neonazi paramilitary forces, the Right Sector and Svoboda parties in particular with their paramilitary arms (which also denied Zelenskyy's attempt to implement Minsk II under threat of explicit violence), that were so offhandedly dismissed as irrelevant by Snyder. Indeed, that same contradiction riddled "attaboy" continuity of insulated _materially_ context-free entirely flattened history that Snyder would no doubt appeal to in attempting to paper over our incredibly callous "full spectrum domination" as merely a "revolution of dignity" if directly confronted with this contention. I mean it's good to see people not falling for this nebulous normative nonsense (ie not descriptive, materially grounded, cui bono?) and brazenly empty manufacturing of consent, but also pretty concerning to see what seems to be the _actual_ consensus in the public discourse basically promoting this Manichean cheerleading for freaking NATO, a glorified arms distribution network for the military industrial complex and political tool of US domination over Europe, of all things. Like where's _that_ "colonialism" Snyder? It's no coincidence we're siding with literal nazis, hell _literal German nazi_ Hans Speidal was explicitly a NATO "supreme commander" (or whatever the stupid title is) if I recall, basically the Nazi Arming Terrorist Organization protection racket, _especially_ noting its covert enforcement in Operation Gladio in Italy and its parallel operations in _every NATO country_ (and even ostensibly "neutral" countries like Belgium), as its first secretary general succinctly put its functionality, in order to "keep the Americans in, the Germans down, and the Russians out". Anyway, apologies for rant lol I'm sure people know this stuff already, just jogged my memory of that call that I think might be worth noting as it reveals a far more extensive historical continuity rooted in the ascendance of US hegemony post-WWII (pretty sure the CIA even cultivated the OUN and UPA) basically taking the imperial baton from the British and their pound sterling by imposing the supposed "Pax Americana" along with its Bretton-Woods international financial system cementing the US dollar as the global reserve currency. I do wonder if Snyder has actually read Lenin's Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism which he appeared to make passing reference to in a completely mischaracterized understanding (once again, shocker lol...). It's funny like, he mentions the Dutch and Indonesia but uh gee what happened _after_ that duuuude? What's up with that Sukarno guy and the -SS 2.0 for transnational capital- CIA directing a paramilitary slaughter of at least _a million civilians_ eventually "regime changing" for Suharto's military dictatorship...anyway, I clearly digress yet again sorry, just so many angles to get at the point of this thread which is that Ukraine is far from an insulated/isolated incident (Syria _as even mentioned_ for another example - no mention of the US role of course in like Timber-Sycamore and "Al Qaeda being on our side" though, as Jake Sullivan noted; Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan to "give the USSR its own Vietnam" as Brzeziński put it, etc etc.) and that this guy (Snyder) sucks lol. Honestly, if he's not on the CIA's payroll in some capacity I'd be surprised and quite frankly disappointed...at least get paid for the insanely narrow bs palimpsests of history you're pumping out lol, but as OP says he seems to be aware of all of this in his tip-toeing around the truth of any contention to perpetual US empire offered by historical materialist analysis...

[@RobBCactive]

You mean as a troll .. historians know what happened. The reality is the example of native Americans and Australian Aborigines, is exactly why Ukraine fights with determination to defend itself.

[@lubakaczmar3198]

AMY you should mention his great book The Red Prince

[@aksh9300]

Please Democracy Now have Richard Falk on.

[@barquerojuancarlos7253]

To be fair, there's another side to Timothy Snyder's story telling: read "Timothy Snyder's Lies" by Daniel Lazare (author of "The Velvet Coup") in Jacobin Mag, Sept 2014

[@makakodelamor]

este tio es un mentiroso....

[@JennetPreston]

Missed this eyebrow-raiser; thanks for the reference!

[@cliffgaither]

Barquero Juan Carlos ● Thank you !

[@cliffgaither]

Barquero Juan Carlos ● I read the Article by Lazare _Timothy Snyder's Lies_ AND excerpts from _The Velvet Coup._ Thank you again ! Much-appreciated !

[@casteretpollux]

Thank you. He's just an operative isn't he. Dont answer.

[@dannymayhem3349]

Donetsk, Luhansk has historically been an important buffer between Russia and Ukraine, as citizens may lean in either direction. People just want more opportunities to work and live, and turning away from Russia completely would be bad economically for those people in Donbass, and so many decided to peel away. The price they paid for it was nothing short of terrorism from AZOV, and complicity from the Ukrainian state. AZOV has been imposing its ultranationalist ideology on the people of Donbass and trying to erase them off the map. Not just ethic Russians but people who don't fall in line with the official state policies has been disappeared. Countless examples of murder. This is fascism and it isn't an outlier. The conversation needs to shift towards what it good for the people of Ukraine. Not Banderite Nationalism, not Russian Nationalism, not more weapons but a Makhnoist recognition of the people's right to self-determination. They have been burdened by corruption for too long, and are suffering. Pointing the finger at Russia will do nothing to expedite an end to this madness.

[@25lighters91]

Astute analysis and one of the most poignant points that should always be the goal no matter the region.

[@vallee7966]

I’ll choose to agree with Timothy Snyder and his analysis, but thanks.

[@BenJamin-rt7ui]

What terrorism?

[@miacat1727]

Spot on analysis, Colonialism has little to do with protecting Countries security & the right to autonomy.

[@maxovgrom]

Good try, and even quite sound passage about people looking for the possibilities of safe and more prosperous life. But.The rest is bullshit. No any vivid attempts to separate from the Ukraine took place before russian divemion groups have invaded the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, took it under control, and took the population as a hostages. No one of those who took positions as a governors of so called people’s republics had Ukrainian passport, only russian. They set a criminal governing as most of them had criminal past in russia. Then, within week, they carried so called referendums, with bulletins copied on xerox. Then, Ukrainians tried to regain the territory and did it very unprofessional, as their army was just a parade troops at that time. Yes, there were shelling, yes, people have suffered and even died. And those people got Stockholm syndrome - ‘terrorists are good as they save us’. Azov at that time was the only effective Ukrainian military division, mostly russian speaking, most of them veterans of Afghanistan war. Their ideology caused questions and their methods where tough. Yet they fought against enemies on their territory. And they hold most of that territory for the Ukraine that time. For the next 8 years these territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions under the Ukraine where governed by civil legal Ukrainian government, not by Azov. Any people who felt themselves ‘Russians’ had all legal possibilities to speak russian or to move to Russia. Yet vast majority of them stayed with the Ukraine and didn’t feel they need to be ‘freed’ by Russia. Now their towns and villages are destroyed by russian bombs. Their lives have been ruined not by Ukrainians or Azov, but by russian troops. Good way to see what ‘russian world’ means

[@jaimelaureano6649]

San Juan, Puerto Rico recently celebrated its 500th Year. ... San Juan is the oldest city under the U.S. flag. ... CITIZENS AT BIRTH, the people of Puerto Rico have stepped up every time the U.S. has called on them - they have been drafted into the U.S. Military since the First World War ... 9 Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, and many other highly decorated heroes. ... *After the two devastating "back-to-back" hurricanes in 2017 ... The United States showed there exists "SECOND CLASS AMERICAN CITIZENS" ... the U.S. Supreme Court underlined that premise when they decided the U.S. Citizens located in Puerto Rico are not worthy of SSI (Social Security) payments ... The U.S. hypocrisy ... (colonialism) of Puerto Rico needs to be addressed immediately .... ***REPEAL THE JONES ACT ... (The "Orange Toxin" suspended the Jones Act for 10 days in the wake of the 2017 hurricanes).

[@GladysAlicea]

So true, yet if you're a Puerto Rican living in the US, pay your taxes and do everything required of an American "citizen," then return to P.R., you no longer qualify to get SS and other benefits you were already receiving in the US. WTF is that? Let's face it. Puerto Rico is a goldmine to the US, always has been. A Canadian/US company now controls the electricity grid in P.R., millions of contract dollars wasted, because they're doing a truly horrific job.

[@oliveoil7642]

What’s more important to ask is why does Russia want/need to colonize the Ukraine?🤔Could it be that Russia without the Ukraine has no sea port and this vast area of fertile soil is their bread basket!

[@michaelwoods2903]

US Imperialist academic cocooned in his academic bubble away from the real events precipitating this conflict; ignoring NATO expansionism post cold War; the WHO imposed economic humiliation of Russia in 1998 that spawned Putin's nationalism; the US orchestrated coup in Maidan ; the quasi US colony in Ukraine trained by NATO forces; the ethnic cleansing of Russians in Ukraine; the Nazi dominance of the Ukraine government and military; just to name a few historical factors!! But worse is the overt aim of the war of regime change in Russia at the expense of Ukraine blood; then the US having announced that Russia was about to attack , they and Zelensky did nothing to avert the war by at least offering Ukraine neutrality. Sorry Tim, Yale is well and truly part of the US Imperialist machine.

[@kkpenney444]

You. are. insane.

[@scotteagles4864]

@@kkpenney444, no, he's not. You're just too deeply steeped in Western media propaganda which has left you intentionally ignorant of reality.

[@IrmafromRussia]

We say that we should respect Ukraine's independence since they separated from Soviets (though separation with done with violation of the constitution to be honest) The majority of population in Crimea, Donbass and Southern Ukraine is ethnic Russians. In 2014 they voted to separate from Ukraine (since they were discriminated, threatened and killed). Ukraine didn't want to let them go and started bombing Donbass We say that Ukraine is independent country since it separated from Soviets. But when Crimea and Donbass do exactly the same, and want to separate from Ukraine to save their lives, we call it annexation, separatism and colonialism??

[@simonmeszaros2770]

Ukraine become illegal when they wanted to get rid of russian influence so make your mind before you start deep explanantion why ocuppiing foreign country and killing people is a good and reasonable and worth it.

[@richardcory5024]

Except that Ukraine was never "Russian." It was Soviet for several decades of the 20th century. It was a Republic within the USSR, not part of Russia. Russia was also a Republic within the USSR. So why is it wrong to call Ukraine an independent country but also not wrong to call Russia an independent country? Just because you are an ethnic Russian it has no relevance to your "rights" in declaring independent states anywhere you happen to live. There are many different ethnic and linguistic groups within Russia itself. Does that give the right to distinct ethnic or linguistic groups within Russia to declare independence from Russia? Wasn't this what the Chechens tried to do but were brutally crushed and slaughtered. What happened to their "rights"? Armed groups backed by Russian troops created an insurrection in Donbas. What was Ukraine supposed to do? It has a right to defend itself in every world except the one Putin and people like you inhabit. May I remind you that the whole of the USSR broke up when the USSR dissolved. There were 15 Republics making up that entity. They al achieved independence as a result of the collapse of the USSR. They became independent sovereign nations and were recognised as such by Russia, Ukraine's independence was recognised and guaranteed by Russia in 1994. Yes, guaranteed. Your arguments have no merit outside the Kremlin.

[@ZM-kulashi]

You know nothing

[@ARE_YOU_SICK_OF_YT_CENSORSHIP]

so how do you recognize violation of the Soviet constitution but fully support violation of the Ukrainian? besides i'll have you know that russophone doesn't mean ethnically russian and Donbass, Southern and Northern Ukraine have never been predominantly populated by russians, as per 2001 census the majority were ukrainians by an enormous margin, in all regions but Luhansk and Donetsk, russians were between 10 to 20% more or less while ukrainians between 70 to 80% in Luhansk and Donetsk regions russians were a little less than 40% and ukrainians - 56 and 58% respectively

[@dandavis8300]

@@richardcory5024 --What Ukraine was supposed to do was not overthrow the elected government in a CIA backed coup in 2014. Had they waited for the election and abided by the outcome all this could have been avoided.

[@kellychartrand5532]

What is the flight time of a nuclear missile from Ukraine border to Moscow. That is the main reason Russia will prosecute this war to the death of everyone if necessary.

[@erdood3235]

Lol. Russia has nukes

[@guidobolke5618]

Finland and the baltic states are closer to moscow. Furthermore is the existence of Kalingrad ample reason to attack russia?

[@daviddreamdragonharrisrain9911]

International peace talks please

[@kp6215]

Not fighting the civil war with peoples this is these peoples issues that Americans not paying our funds lives for 👉. Americans should stay out of influence so they make peace. Moscow has offered but Ukraine agreed then changed what they agreed. Stop interfering with Ukraine

[@momcilopucar8749]

K P - Ukranian legally elected government was overthrown by US 2014 and had installed NAZI fascist dictatorship regime. It appears that you don't know that. Now you know that Ukraine was US puppet regime since 2014 and All decisions are made by US and Not by puppet Zelenskyy!! Have a great day! 👍

[@susanmathai2266]

Very enlightening. Thank you for this.

[@chocomalk]

This is what America would call a police action but they have hollywood to tell everyone that it is a good thing.

[@ohlazhdenie6339]

yes finally someone said in us that empire is not dead

[@chrismackenzie4789]

Very informative.