Russia and the West | Tom Sauer | TEDxUHasselt

Political tensions dominate the news and headlines world-wide. Recognising the vast arsenal of (nuclear) weapons that many leaders have at hand, it becomes clear and undeniable that good international relations and foreign policies remain vital for a peaceful existence. Considering the Ukraine crisis, that has been extensively magnified in the media the past year, Putin’s Russia is (often) considered as one of the biggest threats faced in the West. However, according to political scientist prof. dr. Tom Sauer, an expert in foreign relations and nuclear weapon control, these stressed Westerns-Russian relations are not merely the blame of Putin. He argues how certain actions in the aftermath of the Cold War have inevitably resulted in the currently convoluted relationship. A former research fellow at Harvard University's International Security Program, Tom Sauer is an associate professor in international politics at the Universiteit Antwerpen in Belgium. He teaches courses on international relations, security, and arms control, and he is the spokesman of the university’s Research Group of International Politics. Tom also is the author of the books like “De strijd voor vrede” (‘The battle for peace’), “Eliminating nuclear weapons: the role of missile defence” and “Nuclear Inertia”. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@impaugjuldivmax]

on a channel with 20M subs this video has no views)))) great work. google

[@resttag8921]

Google is one of the US corporations. Of course, it will concur with US propaganda.

[@impaugjuldivmax]

@@resttag8921 rather american censorship

[@olgazabolotskykh7477]

Even Ted doesn‘t show this video in the app. Weird

[@shalomyoo]

4 years ago watched this and again today to see how things and situations are changing quickly.

[@Amladaris]

In an interview in Western media, a retired American general said, "Russia is dangerous because it is uncontrollable." There was another NATO official who said that "Russia has dangerously close to the borders of NATO." Who is close to whom, I want to ask. The West will never accept Russia in any union, therefore it cannot be a simple participant or spectator. Russia will always occupy a leading position. But in the West there is already a leader - the United States. Two kings will not be able to sit on the same throne. Therefore, the West, represented by the United States, is trying to make Russia not exist. To deal with Russia, the West must respect the interests of Russia. Do not ignore them, as the West usually does, but respect them. Mutual respect is the first step towards dialogue. But the West is too proud and intimidated to respect anyone other than itself. This is not based on anything Western opinion that they are the light of all the best in the world, making the West non-negotiable. When the United States calls itself “a city on a hill”, “an excluded nation”, “a leader of the world” - they make it clear that it is absolutely pointless to conduct any constructive dialogue about the common fate of the world with them. Global dominance is the goal of the United States. Russia does not need global domination. Russia needs peace, security and respect from its neighbors. When they trample on the history of Russia, they humiliate it, rewrite history to make it a villain. This causes a fair anger in Russia and a response that for some reason in the West surprises everyone. Russia is trying to build peace with the whole world. America builds peace only with itself or with its vassals, that is, slaves. Russia can forgive if you apologize. Russia can help if you ask for help. And Russia can hit the face if attacked. Russia will fight to the bitter end. There are hundreds of ways to lure a bear out of a den, but not one to drive him back. Please forgive me for this canvas of text. I would like to reach out, even if they do not answer.

[@paulusradomski]

My country already was under your "leadership" for almost 50 years. After 30 years since the moment, when it ended our level of life is reaching more civilized state... I hope, that your "leadership" wouldn't happen again. It costed us too many victims and too much of our resources. Ask yourself, how it is possible, that countries, that were under US leadership after WWII were rebuild and developed greatly, while these in your "camp" were only a bit better, than poorest countries of the world and the signs of war damages were visible even 40 years after the war??? You don't have to answer me for these questions, as I have experienced it by myself - I was born and raised in the country under your influence.

[@GOREC2000]

@@paulusradomski and now tell us what the population was in your country under Russia and after!

[@Father_of_chaos]

Pawel Radomski you are brainwashed and do not know life. Educate yourself and you will be able to answer all the questions you just asked without looking anyone to blame.

[@paulusradomski]

​@@Father_of_chaos says who... :-) "Brainwashed" is not an argument - if you disagree, write why, give some reason. The trouble is that these are facts. Maybe talking about facts is too complicated for you, or you know that you are wrong, but it's your job to write such things. If so, accept my sympathy and let me give you piece of advise: change your job.

[@Lirinka88]

@@paulusradomski Don't you know that the former socialist bloc countries fared better than Russia? Therefore, these countries have a strong grudge against Russia that all this has ended. Russia did not demand compensation for the construction of industrial and energy facilities in vain.And all former countries of the socialist bloc can say one thing - give up the legacy of the USSR. Destroy everything that was built for you, Cancel all University diplomas and all scientific works of the Soviet times. Be honest to the end.

[@pushpendrasingh-yd9lf]

You should also talk about what usa is doing in Iraq and Afghanistan

[@Lirinka88]

Afghanistan is for the poppy business, Iraq is for the oil business.

[@kristoffseisler2163]

"because someone else did something bad means that i can do whatever i want"

[@Luna-ih3ok]

Anyway this "expert" is far from understanding Russian, because Putin didnt make a mistake with Crimea.

[@Eridelm]

From Russian government perspective that was outstanding move. For a regular citizen with critical mind this moves lead us to economical crisis.

[@artemg9753]

Looks like a "regular citizen with critical mind" don't know what the economic sanctions was implemented because of LDNR. Not because of the Crimea.)

[@gennadiym461]

@@Eridelm As "a regular Russian citizen", I agree with Putin. My government did the right thing and protected the Russian people of Crimea from American vassals that came to power after the illegal overthrow of the Ukrainian government. Also, we dont really care what the rest of the world thinks, and they can impose all the sanctions they want. It will only make us self reliant and stronger. I gladly welcome them.

[@denisc.1282]

Erie Перетопчишься, наивный. Почитай, за что только эти санкции не вводили. Плевать им на Крым, Северный поток сейчас душат вместе с немцами - союзниками своими. Чисто экономическая выгода, думай головой.

[@denisc.1282]

I’m not a KZbin expert, so I wonder, is there another video which in over two years gets less than 0.04% views from the number of subscribers on that channel, on a channel with over 20 000 000 subscribers?

[@ethio_90s]

That's what honest gentlemen due. I see how google make it invisible because it contains hard truth, bitter to swallow. hats of professor Tom

[@veraoliveira5059]

I woud like to know what T.S. thinks now about "Russia and the West"...

[@hirobanti8706]

I'm not sure what the speaker thinks now but I think that his speech was prophetic. And if political leaders had listened to it and act respectively, there would be no military confrontation as we have right now.

[@nigelkirkpatrick1505]

What say u today, sir?

[@nbo304]

this did not age well

[@igorr6921]

It aged perfectly well for anyone who got the point of his speech.

[@nbo304]

@@igorr6921 Russia is an a-hole country, cope and seethe.

[@tonytrakas5159]

lmao

[@observer6231]

Thank You, Tom, for thinking. It would be so nice to see more people that do.

[@swanan1]

Before back to Russia, Crimea departed from Ukraine. It is as legal, as departing Ucraine of USSR. The difference is that Ukranians in referendum voted (80%) to be part of USSR while Crimea voted (93%) to be part of Russia.

[@FUCKYOUTUBEANDITSIDIOTICHANDLE]

Illegal? Crimea chose to return HOME. And honestly, push more those Russians, seriously, as if you don't have enough examples what happens after.

[@penparnsailarm7094]

Wow

[@eugeniauryu1828]

I write this comment to make this video more popular🙏

[@fvo911]

Russia tired to join the NATO in 1995 and another time in 2000s. Putin got upset and here is what we have now.

[@annawarren-sullivan7630]

Defensively? 🤨

[@vikramnandakumaran2434]

nice talk...i agree ...west is to blame ....just watch john mearshimers lecture about ukraine crisis in youtube ..

[@tonycollyweston6182]

Do you believe in Putin?

[@TheBrunzer]

Our system just NEEDS Enemys. That was fact over all times. As "we" need the poor Countrys to obtain prosperity for oureselfs, we need the Enemys to obtain all the military alliance.

[@swanan1]

A lot of facts based on fake news, but the meine line is correct

[@abodabalo]

Yes, just the right mix.

[@catcamel7570]

Follish

[@paulusradomski]

Probably he considered the history lectures being the waste of time and now he thinks, that he understands...

[@denisc.1282]

Truth hurts

[@vladimirsavenkov2424]

Спикер не является экспертом. Я вижу испуганного дурачка, который воспитан на страхе -русские идут.

[@Daniel-xv8ws]

Да более-менее вроде, а что он сказал?

[@dmitryvasiliev7109]

Он вообще-то объяснял как раз обратное, что с Россией надо находить диалог и прекращать на её давить, чтобы она не выкидывала всяких незаконных кренделей

[@denisc.1282]

Он поадекватнее многих будет

[@vovataran2563]

ты идиот или идиот?

[@Tim_OSK]

До того, как писать свой коммент в стиле «пук в муку», дальше 21-й секунды видео посмотреть вообще была не судьба? Он в начале видео перечисляет стереотипы, которые дальше опровергает. Кретин...

[@erikprank4611]

As I can see, my comment has disappeared from here. I will say briefly then, that to me, as an Estonian, this talk sounds like blatant Russian propaganda.

[@profriday]

IMHO, Russia needs to be incorporated, not to be contained, to make a better world.

[@erikprank4611]

@@profriday I do not see that Putin's Russia is interested in being incorporated into the world as an equal partner. Russia wants to be a superpower and dominate others. With this dominance, Russia is also deliberately spreading its authoritarian style of government and organized crime. I do not believe that a different behavior by the West after the collapse of the Soviet Union would have created a better Russia, in particular, if such a different behavior would have involved the sacrifice of nations previously occupied by the Soviet Union.

[@profriday]

@@erikprank4611 I am from Taiwan. I can understand Estonian uneasy feeling for Russia as Taiwanese share similar feeling for China. Of course, Russian mentality won't change overnight after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Putin (and his generation) is a product of his time and environment, that is cold war USSR. The time and environment for his previous generation was even worse (Stalin era and WWII). Putin has his USSR baggage, but the post-USSR generation does not. They live a much peaceful life, and are more open and connected to the world. You need to have faith in them, and you must, cause Russia will always be Estonia's neighbor while American may one day withdraw from Europe. Things will get better. Just be patient, but in the mean time don't poke the bear too hard.

[@c.augustedupin8860]

@@erikprank4611 frankly, speaking this doesn't come off any surprise considering you're an estonian

[@c.augustedupin8860]

And why anyone trying to give peace another chance become the part of propaganda I don't know??....