Ukraine War Q&A Series: Who Really Started This Whole Thing? || Peter Zeihan

The fifth question of the Q&A series is...who is the ultimate provocateur in the Ukraine War? And I really hope this answer doesn't surprise anyone.
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#ukrainewar #russia #ukraine

[@Valentine350z]

As a Ukrainian I applaud how eloquently you have put it together. Everything you said is completely true. One thing I may add is that it also isn't the first time that russia has caused genocide in Ukraine. From the soviet times to russian empire, they have been at it continuously. The only major differential this time around is the amazing western support, without which we probably would not have had a chance to push the russians back, let alone dream about winning the war. As always, thank you for the coverage of russian invasion of Ukraine.

[@chomskysfavefive]

I hope that you and your family are okay. Nothing is more righteous than the fight for liberty! God bless our nations.

[@alexandermckay8594]

The biggest irony is that NATO was starting to fracture with the largest players getting funding fatigue. Post invasion NATO is the strongest since 1950.

[@killjoy1887]

This was my argument NATO was on life support during the Trump era he wanted out and it was getting more difficult to keep the party together, Putin has been the greatest contributor to NATO in history no one has done as much for the alliance as he has after this is over they will have to put a picture of him on the wall at the HQ.

[@larrybxl5406]

yes indeed all thanks to Putin...

[@johnmacleod2487]

This will be the eventual death of NATO. Not tomorrow or next year, but this will exacerbate the funding fatigue. A member country (or more likely, several) will have a prolonged economic crisis, they will elect a populist leader, that leader will campaign to leave NATO, and the dominoes will all follow

[@TheWefikus]

@@killjoy1887 that’s the thing, Trump was Putins lapdog and he probably would’ve finished the job had he been elected for the 2nd term. And I am convinced Trump would’ve won had it not been for Covid. I think Covid and what it resulted in both in the world and internally for Russia is one of the primary factors behind Putin’s rash decision making in 2021-22. He knew he had to revert to plan B, but Plan B was never properly thought out because in real war, unlike in propaganda and spy games which Putin is a master in, you can’t get away with bs.

[@AlexA-ko8lu]

That is the strongest argument I can see to blame America for the Russian invasion. Trump weakened NATO so much that Russia thought they could take Ukraine without a fight in a trump 2nd term... with Biden renewing support for NATO Russia felt they had to go into Ukraine even as unprepared as they evidently were...and of course now under a uniting leadership NATO is stronger that it has been since 1950.

[@pepperVenge]

For Putin and Russia, this isn't about Defense, and anyone who believes it is is incredibly naive. This is about Power.

[@wesc6755]

Right, as stated in the UN Charter (signed by Russia), sovereign nations may choose their alliances. There is no "unless Putin doesn't like it" clause. This was further cemented in these agreements which Russia also signed: 1. 1975 Helsinki Act. 2. 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe. 3. 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act (this one *explicitly* states that neither NATO, nor Russia can interfere with the others' alliances). And let's not forget the Budapest Memorandum, in which Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons to Russia under the provision that it would not invade Ukraine. And if it did, the US would provide security. Putin loves to gaslight the planet about that agreement. Ukraine's NATO membership was rejected to appease Putin, as was Georgia's. He invaded anyway. The US did almost nothing after 2014, in order to appease Putin. He invaded anyway. The US sent Blinken and the CIA director to Moscow and warned Lavrov that we would assist Ukraine if he went through with the invasion. Putin invaded anyway. The US bent over backwards to avoid this invasion; Putin is deterred by weakness, not strength, so here we are.

[@2russo.phobic4u]

Preach brother!

[@BOBBOBBOBBOBBOBBOB69]

I think the amount of Americans that believe Russian propaganda is because they distrust their own government so much, they forget others are far worse.

[@eldonolmstead-gaming186]

Good summary. However, I think your last sentence is a typo, " Putin is deterred by weakness, not strength, so here we are." should be " Putin is deterred by strength, not weakness, so here we are.

[@guidoulm1559]

Well, when Cuba chose Russia as an ally and wanted to allow some of their rockets to be stored on their island, The U.S. had a different understanding - and they still have!

[@2russo.phobic4u]

@@guidoulm1559 'Some of their rockets' 🤣🤣 You are talking about nuclear warheads...

[@HORDE36]

Dmitry Medvedev (former President/Putin puppet) also made a tweet a few days ago talking about "temporarily-occupied Poland" and "our Baltic provinces" in case anyone still believed this is about anything other than rebuilding the Russian Empire.

[@longandshort6639]

Russia wants Alaska back.

[@martincerny3294]

What’s stunning is watching nedvedev just a few years back

[@southtexasprepper1837]

​@@longandshort6639Sorry, but Russia sold that piece of land to the United States back in 1867 for $7.2 Million Dollars. We bought it, it's ours!

[@karltanner3953]

@@southtexasprepper1837 One of the greatest deals of all time. The return US got for Alaska is astronomical.

[@southtexasprepper1837]

@@karltanner3953 The funny thing is that Russia sold it to the United States after the Crimean War. Defeat in the Crimean War further reduced Russian interest in this region. Russia offered to sell Alaska to the United States in 1859, believing the United States would off-set the designs of Russia's greatest rival in the Pacific, Great Britain.

[@ianagtsk]

On the behalf of Ukraine, thank you, Peter! 💛💙

[@infidelheretic923]

No one forced those countries to join NATO. They did it on their own because they didn’t want to be under Russia’s heel again.

[@tocreatee3585]

cause and Blame is different thing

[@Valleygirl210]

They joined because they wanted the benefits of the USA

[@YankeeMugwump]

Agreed. NATO doesn't expand from the inside out. It's been pulled eastward by all the former Warsaw Pact and Soviet satellites that needed protection against an aggressive Russia that, even in the 1990's, these smaller countries knew would reform and try to force them back into the Kremlin's sphere of influence.

[@dearmas9068]

​@@tocreatee3585 and neither apply to NATO. We arent the reason for your problems. YOU are.

[@infidelheretic923]

@A3D Compared to Russia. Yes.

[@JurassicB99]

As a European, its insanely offensive that Ukraine (or any other nation) is essentially considered a poker chip in bigger countries power politics. Eastern countries have the RIGHT to join NATO, NAFO, the EU, or the joker's club. Russia doesn't get a say on that. It doesn't have to have a say on that - unless you accept imperialism as an acceptable policy, and if so, well, you are in the wrong. Imperialism has been fought before, it will be fought again.

[@Intreductor]

Fellow Kraut enjoyer?

[@orcho141]

Spot on. Vatniks, Tankies and Pro-Russian Fascists seem to like to take away agency from eastern european countries, as if their wants and goals don't exist. They even fail to sympathise with WHY these countries join NATO, they're too stuck in the MURICA BAD mindset.

[@jamesmather7896]

Austria-Hungary: Likes this.

[@ak-od7mf]

just like Cuba had the right to attain nuclear missiles for its defense against the US without the US having a say in it? The US did not respect Cubas wishes and rights but instead threatened the world with nuclear annihilation because Cuba wanted these weapons to feel safe. The same thing now applies to the Ukraine-Russia situation.

[@Intreductor]

@@ak-od7mf that was the cold war, and it was generally agreed upon between USA and USSR that the Americas are under USA sphere of influence and USSR has nothing to do there.

[@danschweri]

Let's also not forget how Western European countries talked about the "peace dividend" after the fall of the iron curtain and let their armies degrade over decades - hardly a sign that they wanted to threaten Russia in any way. Russia on the other hand, rebuilt and modernized its military over decades. It shows the intention Putin had all along.

[@LRRPFco52]

Legacy core nations of NATO began demilitarizing while Eastern Europeans came scrambling and begging to join while they had a chance. Russia was in near free-fall in the 1990s. The only things keeping their defense production sector open were FMS orders from India, China, and some smaller customers. Most of the Russian defense programs in theftelopment of the late 1980s almost died. KGB senior Generals took over Russia's oil, NG, telecom, and mining industries under Yeltsin's absentee Kremlin. They realized they needed new leadership after the failure of the 1st Chechen War of 1994-1995, so they grabbed some former KGB and intelligentsia guys and made them Deputy Prime Ministers under drunken Yeltsin. One of the 3 Deputy PMs was tasked with kicking the Chechens on the teeth, launching the 2nd Chechen War in 1999 with a scorched-earth policy that leveled Grozny, and filled mass graves with civilians using Su-24 & Su-25 air strikes. Midway into the 2nd Chechen War, on Dec 31, 1999, Yeltsin went on Russian TV and said, "And now, it is time for me to retire. And why should we have elections when we already know who we all would vote for? So now, Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is your new President. Dasvidanya."

[@planner37]

100% caused by the psychopath midget dictator and his delusions.

[@Clone003]

“Modernized it’s military” is a stretch

[@pyrioncelendil]

More like Russia announced the intent to rebuild and modernize its military while in reality the defense budget got embezzled by Shoigu.

[@23GreyFox]

@@LRRPFco52 You forgot to mention the mass executions by rifle fire.

[@yarov_me]

Thank you for the details. It is crazy how things are on the other side. I am from Mariupol. I’ve watched my city being destroyed. To say it’s heartbreaking is to say nothing! And at the same time, some of my family members follow Ruzzian propaganda, completely lost in nostalgia for their past school days and unable to face the truth of whse fault I all this. 😵🔫

[@southtexasprepper1837]

Ukraine has a lot of support here in the United States in order to help Ukraine defend herself. SLAVA UKRAINI. 🇺🇸 🇺🇦

[@ryngrd1]

Thoughts and prayers for the brave men and women of Ukraine 🇺🇦 from Canada 🇨🇦

[@mmm-mq3zr]

You are easily fooled.

[@EnderViBrittania]

@@mmm-mq3zr putin bot

[@kinbolluck476]

Gazpacho!

[@chasecook3854]

Imo, the strongest argument (edit: that the west was not responsible for igniting hostilities) is that If you're planning some aggressive hostile action against a country, you don't give them the tools to grow economically nor do you make yourself dependent on their resources. Both of which are things Western democracies have done since the fall of the Soviet Union.

[@chasecook3854]

@@MrRatclima No, I'm saying that the argument that it was the West being hostile is BS because the West has been treating Russia like their future best friend for the past 30 years. But I can see how you could read my comment that way.

[@hellmalm]

@@MrRatclimaIn hindsight yes, it would have been much better. It’s obvious they cannot be trusted. Now it will probably collapse again, hopefully the west have learned it’s lesson this time.

[@bens461]

This is such a good video . So few media outlets challenge the Russian claim that nato is expanding and a threat to them . Peter is right the ex Soviet states apply out of fear that the Russians will come for them again . NATO doesn’t recruit them or expand but responds to applications and the motivation for them to apply is almost always out of fear of Russian aggression . I think that fear has been proven to be justified by now by their idiotic actions in Ukraine .

[@NAUM1]

And the other invasions they’ve done since the end of the Cold War, like Georgia.

[@kevf]

G A.R.B.A.G.E

[@GMRVC1]

When Mexico & Canada apply to be CCP protectorate states with CCP military bases on their territory b/c of a "fear" for their safety and future, you wont have a problem with this because you have set a moral precedent that long ago allowed sovereign countries to do as they please no matter the potential long term outcome is good or bad for the USA -- correct ? Ever hear of the Monroe Doctrine ? What's good for the goose is good for the gander. We tried to stop this militarily and abandoned the diplomatic route intentionally and if you don't see that you're probably watching too much Zeihan propaganda.

[@Whatsupwiththisname]

And worth mentioning that Russia under Putin leadership opened a NATO base in Ulyanovsk-inside Russia. So all these talk about Russian fear if NATO is just a bullshit russian propaganda.

[@milesb2111]

​@@NAUM1 or chechnya

[@nikitapower947]

Belarus has never had a mass mobilization - only talks about it. They were just doing a vista of being in it together & provided the territory to russians, but never attacked.

[@collie8]

he has more facts wrong. 'Next question' sound like bragging of fool

[@foobar6846]

Belarus let Russia use its territory to launch an attack on Ukraine. They are complicit in all of this, regardless of whether or not they mobilized their troops.

[@oleksandr2234]

Providing one's territory and one's logistics for attacking another country is an act of aggression against that other country. In addition, Belarusian units also invaded Ukrainian territory, but when it became clear that Ukraine was not going to capitulate, they were withdrawn back to Belarus.

[@kodilodinoza]

Peter thanks for this very very good video. You are absolutely right we( Lithuanians ) joind NATO to protect ourselves from Russia's agression and that is absolutely understandable given the fact that Lithuania was invaded or and occupied by Russia atleast 4 times ( 4 times that I can remember of ) in 20 century alone.

[@Valleygirl210]

You are a leech to NATO

[@JohnnyBravo-tn6kc]

And we're glad to have you! Hopefully we can get Sweden and Ukraine in soon.

[@kodilodinoza]

@@JohnnyBravo-tn6kc thank you for kind words!

[@protorhinocerator142]

It's utterly absurd to think Lithuania is an existential threat to Russia. People are goofy. Of course Lithuania wanted protection. That close to Russia, you know exactly what they are. They are the aggressor.

[@LordRykard9376]

Russia was threatening nobody by the end of the Cold War. Russia even said they don't mind Lithuania joining NATO. The pearl-clutching with you people is adorable.

[@andymetzen]

Timestamps in Taiwanese Mandarin 00:34 北約東擴並非俄羅斯侵略的原因 01:05 加入北約過程複雜 - 加入需經相關國家的議會投票同意，不是任何一個人說了算 - 加入涉及軍事改革、民事改革、民主過渡以及擺脫自上而下的軍事戰略 01:44 北約要求各國進行民主過渡 - 協助各國捍衛和過渡到民主需要深謀遠慮 - 國家必須有活躍的議會和/或普通民眾的投票才能申請加入北約 02:25 加入北約需要所有現有成員國一致同意，不是美國說了算 03:11 俄羅斯否認烏克蘭民族的存在 - 俄羅斯佔領芬蘭和拉脫維亞 - 俄羅斯政府聲稱烏克蘭人是虛構的種族 03:49 俄羅斯的宣傳聲稱在北約國家非法佔領俄羅斯自古以來的故有領土。 04:28 在俄羅斯"自我感覺安全"以前不會停止侵略歐洲

[@danzwku]

耶 台灣人

[@chriswindleydigitalsalesexpert]

Peter - Thanks for accurate description of what happened. 100% Russians fault and btw they have done this more than 20 times in the last 100 years .. #Finland #Poland #Baltics etc etc #Chechnya #georgia #Afghanistan #Syria #Transnistria etc etc then Crimea and Donbas and then 2022 invasion.

[@joythought]

That's why they are so practiced at gaslighting everyone. "We are not the aggressor. They have been killing and oppressing Russian people and we are only protecting and liberating these areas. This is a peace keeping operation and if your people will only lie still to be raped and butchered we will soon have the Russian Mir we promise is glorious". 😂😅😮😢

[@ron88303]

All Russia has done is expose their inept military, from both a planning, mobilization, and execution perspective. Speaking of execution, I wonder how many Russian generals have fallen out of 10-story windows recently (oh, assuming the Russians can even build 10-story buildings).

[@martinschulze5399]

Then have a look in how many of these the US was involved and you may Start to See a pattern...

[@chriswindleydigitalsalesexpert]

@@martinschulze5399 LOL So you think the US was involved but the Russians did the invading and killing and other atrocities ... get an education will you lol

[@ron88303]

@@martinschulze5399 If Russia would stay within its borders and recognized other sovereign territories the US wouldn't have to get involved. If and when Russia is ever invaded I will side with them; until then I am against them invading other countries.

[@trentreimer130]

NATO is such an interesting thing because on the one hand America wants countries to bring enough firepower to the table to be helpful, while also hoping not to see a bunch of new neer peers crop up in the process. As a foreigner I believe the outstanding framework supplied largely by America really does ensure this. Unfortunately my own country (Canada) while rarely shy to pitch in on the action (at times the third largest force in Afghanistan behind excellent ally UK and of course USA), has been more than a little shy to build up military resources commensurate with our economy. USA and NATO as a whole are right to criticize us on that. We probably need to start growing our own arms industry so that it becomes politically palatable to also pull our weight in that regard. Finland and Sweden will certainly put us to shame, and I hope the lesson is learned.

[@andycockrum1212]

We appreciate Canada in America. You’re right that you could fund your army more and become even stronger, but you’ve always sent us meaningful help whenever we need it. The UK, Canada, and Australia truly are our greatest allies

[@actionjksn]

Yeah you guys need to arm up, shits getting crazy. When the US views an Ally as trustworthy we do not worry about them becoming too powerful. Japan has the 5th most powerful military in the world and we have been encouraging them to keep building it up. Because even after what happened in world war II we consider them to be a very trustworthy Ally. Canada are basically our brothers.

[@MrSmith-ve6yo]

I hope the US (or other allies) can put a bunch of pressure on Canada to stop being so inexplicably friendly with the CCP (even to the point of military cooperation of all things). I suppose the Liberals will have to go before that's possible.

[@trentreimer130]

@@MrSmith-ve6yo We Canadians can be a bit naive in our hopes for peace, and even the conservative government before Trudeau used to hold some joint winter drills with the CLA for example. More recent points of cooperation do not include sharing anything that isn't available publicly.

[@actionjksn]

@@MrSmith-ve6yo When you look at who they chose for their leader it's not a so inexplicable that they would be very friendly with a Communist dictatorship. Trudeau has been in office so long I'm guessing he has been re-elected. So the people of Canada voted to have him an office after they found out what he was like. Now that is inexplicable.

[@Horsenie]

Peter sees it the way we see it in Eastern Europe. We know it. People in the west need to realise that for us it would be catastrophic if Muscovites won.

[@zoundstreetop]

Those of us in the US who are capable of thinking understand how dangerous this is for all of Europe. We also recognize the defense and terrible sacrifice that Ukraine is making is the only thing preventing a world war.

[@seashackf1]

Many, if not most, of us in the US do realize and see it as Peter stated. It’s why we’ve been the biggest supporters of Ukraine and put our money and weapons where our mouth is.

[@hannah1943]

it really doesn't matter what you want Russia will win

[@PaulStringini]

In order for Ukraine to "win" (let's define that as repelling the Russians back to their pre-invasion positions) NATO would have to commit so thoroughly to this conflict that it would provoke major escalation. And that is not happening, so I really don''t see how Ukraine could possibly win anything. Ukraine will never get their dead men back, that is a lot of losing to make up for. All they can hope to do is make sure Russia doesn't "win" either by prolonging the war. Create a stalemate where everyone loses. That's where we are, we are all losers growing poorer and dying for nothing. Ukraine is just being used as a factory of misery.

[@travisadams4470]

@@hannah1943 Nope. Russia will fall and be dismantled.

[@72badry]

Exactly!

[@MarkBiernat]

Thank you, so many Russian bots online influencing minds. I lived in Eastern Europe for much of my life. I think I know what is going on, Russia is an unjust, expansionist empire, and the cruelty can not be written here.

[@TheLotionInTheBasket]

Dear Peter, what about the NATO maneuvers since 2011? What about Russia accepting NATO memberships peacefully until it was about Ukraine? What about how the US would react on potential Russian attempts to place rockets in Mexico or Cuba? What about the US-backed coup in Kiev in 2014? What about the population of Donbas being shelled by Ukraine and ASOV for 7 years with 14.000 casualties? What about the Minsk agreement?

[@victorspencer4885]

Hey botmik, what are you doing here, wasting time in the internet? Be a good boy and defend the Motherland in Kursk oblast. Just buy your own showel first...

[@TheLotionInTheBasket]

@@victorspencer4885 paranoia is one hell of a drug. bleep bleep.

[@williamzk9083]

*You deserve an answer: "what about the NATO maneuvers since 2011?" *Militaries and NATO conduct exercises to to learn and practice, this is normal, and to show their reeadiness to defend against potential aggressors. NATO didn't invade anyone but *Russian military in 2021 fake exercised did invade Ukraine. "What about Russia accepting NATO memberships peacefully until it was about Ukraine?" *Do you forget the invasion of Georgia, Moldovia (Tranistra), Chechynya? Since fall of the USSR Russia has involved itself in 16 wars of which 9 were with neighbors to annex land. "What about how the US would react on potential Russian attempts to place rockets in Mexico or Cuba?" *Russia seems to think it has a right to not only a zone of influence where it can dictate to its neighbors but some kind of equality and respect with the United States and Civilized *Nations. To gain Respect Russia needs to start behaving in a civilized manner, not nvading and threatening other nations, and apologize for its past imperialism, oppression and crimes. Every Ex Soviet or Tsarist Nation is *glad to be free of Russian meddling and their atrocious war memorials. *So no, Russia does not get to set up stooge states in Latin America and base weapons there. "What about the US-backed coup in Kiev in 2014?" *There was no such coup. I assume you mean Euromaiden in 2013/2014 and the following Revolution of Dignity. *Euromaidan was the largest democratic mass movement in Europe since 1989. and led to the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. *Mass protests over throwing a government are not a coupe d'etate. *The demonstations began on 21 November 2013 with large protests in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv. The protests were sparked by President Viktor *Yanukovych's sudden decision not to sign the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement, instead choosing closer ties to Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union. Ukraine's *parliament had overwhelmingly approved of finalizing the Agreement with the EU. Yanukovych and 5 top minsters (including foreign minster, were all Russian citizens. Most had become Russian agents. They fled to Russia after they were charged. "What about the population of Donbas being shelled by Ukraine and ASOV for 7 years with 14.000 casualties? " *The claim of 14,000 ciliclain casualties is Russia.. In 2011 Russian FSB and GRU agents initially began hiring Local Luhnask and Donbas Gangsters as "Separatists" and then *funneling more funds into hiring more separatists. *At the same time Russian began a agitation propaganda campaign smearing Ukrainians as Nazis as justification for its impending proxy war. Wagner mercenaries and regular * *Russian Army Soldiers also joined the ranks of the "separatists". The conflict was the creation of Putin and Russian money and propaganda. . "What about the Minsk agreement?" *The Minsk I and II agreements were brokered by the Germans. They fell apart because Russia refused inspections. Russia had its agents and mercenaries operating in Donbas and Luhansk and inspections would have uncovered this. This is also why we know Russian claims of 14,000 civilian causalities as fabrications as no neutral inspectors were allowed into these regions.

[@oleksandr2234]

What about stopping spreading ruzzian propaganda bullsh.t? After all, everything you wrote is a lie and nonsense. Suffice it to say that the war in Donbas was started by Russian militants who invaded Donbas under the command of a colonel of the Russian FSB. And Azov is a volunteer unit originally created by residents of the Azov coast of Donetsk Oblast - so they are the residents of Donbas.

[@sailinghaldis]

Peter’s best friend: “use the word plebiscite in your next podcast” Peter: “Done”

[@sailinghaldis]

Peter, if you’re reading this, for your next challenge use “Peripatetic.”

[@MarcosElMalo2]

⁠@@sailinghaldis After Peri awkwardly asked Mary to go on a date, Mary thought peripatetic.

[@bajolunapod]

LOL how petty imagine this is true

[@damjanm3585]

Very good answer to all Americans that still don't get it who started. Hopefully, there are not many left that still don't get it, thank you. Add Slovenia 2004 and Croatia 2009 to the list of NATO members, too.

[@listener523]

Well it doesn't address the important complaint. That maybe Europe should pay more for European defense than we do.....

[@ZeZwede]

@@listener523 Europe isn't a nation, europe is mad eof many, mostly smaller nations.nobody has even near the economic muscles the US have, not even combined. so most nations, not all, give what they can. but that wont match up to the enormous military machine that the US have built up since WW2 for obvious reasons.

[@listener523]

@@ZeZwede Yes obviously by Europe I mean the nations of Europe. Who I've been repeatedly assured, by Europeans, are just as advanced (and probably moreso) than the US. Until there's anything that needs doing then we pay for it. Just the EU (which doesn't include the better parts of Europe) has a GDP close to our own. Yet somehow we are expected to pay for the bulk of a European war.

[@listener523]

I am well aware that our alleged "allies" have been malingering for decades. Because they know we will always cover the bill for them. Why don't you geniuses get together and write us a check rather than complaining about your under developed MIC.

[@barryraymond9004]

@@ZeZwede Europe has a bigger economy than the USA. They could match the USA's military strength. They choose not to because Uncle Sam does it for free.

[@TheVanishedsoul]

The war has started in 2014 when Crimea got occupied. It was simmering in Donbas region since. It never ended.

[@T1tusCr0w]

Ahh it’s survivalist Zeihan today 🤌🏻

[@tonywilson4713]

Peter is quite right about how NATO accepts new members and that Moscow has only itself to blame for those nations wanting to join NATO. Moscow treated those nations like SHlT for decades. *BUT* There's no doubt that America went back on the assurances that NATO would *NOT EXPAND* Eastwards into the previous Soviet block nations. It was never written down as a formal treaty but there is NO DOUBT what the Americans promised Gorbachev because its there in the records from those meetings regarding the German Reunification. *PLUS* America and Americans need to be careful with this stance because Washington (and I say Washington quite specifically) has treated many of its allies with contempt and as well preaching democracy to the 3rd world before supporting some of the worst dictators the world has seen in recent centuries.

[@phoeniximperator]

The funny thing is that during the heyday of the Soviet Union back in the 1960's when the Russians were almost at the edge of Europe (an exaggeration obviously but I hope you get my point) they didn't mind being "aggressive"

[@dangonzalezb]

The Russian federation is a completely different entity than the USSR....

[@lioneddy]

I am from Slovakia (former USSR member) and it is funny how many people in Slovakia suffer from "Stockholm syndrome". They have a positive sentiment towards Russia just because their occupation did not turn into a massive blood bath just like in Ukraine. But they still occupied our country a made to flee/killed a lot of people which tried to oppose the Soviet regime.

[@jonathanstein5049]

Some heyday....ready to spread their own misery further west.

[@phoeniximperator]

@@jonathanstein5049 As for the misery I totally agree. But the Russians managed to convince many people that they were the hottest thing under the sun. The Russians (and Chinese) excel in the art of bullshit. Back when the USSR was a thing, they would organize tours for foreign citizens to carefully selected the sites to be visited. The best schools, factories and hotels were portrayed as "typical" and obviously other routes were impossible to change due to "strict limits" for foreign travelers. Even TODAY they still have that mentality.

[@ross-smithfamily6317]

Peter, thank you for this answer. I have too many friends who are taking Russia's propaganda on the U.S.'s and NATO's "fault" regarding Ukraine as gospel truth.

[@thepimptastic2]

Both sides are right only Peter is telling you one side... that's called propaganda

[@barryraymond9004]

@@thepimptastic2 Peter told both sides and gave reasons why the Russian side is BS.

[@ClownCarCoup]

@@thepimptastic2 Both sides cannot be right on these points. Either you accept Russia’s claim of regional imperialism and it’s right to buffer states, or not.

[@jimlambrick4642]

@@thepimptastic2 Spend any time in formerly occupied Eastern Europe countries and the truth will become very clear. The last thing they want is too be under the thumb of Russian thugs again. Sorry there is only one right side to this story.

[@tomstarcevich1147]

American taxpayers don't want to pay for another fucking war !!!!!

[@gilfriend7055]

Thanks for this, Peter. Very clear. But could you also address the frequent claim about US influence in the Maidan uprising and the toppling of Yanukovich?

[@MarcosElMalo2]

Maybe it would be better for you to support the claim first, and then Peter can address it.

[@oleksandr2234]

The only influence the US had on the events on the Maidan in Kyiv was that the US diplomatically pressured Yanukovych, dissuading him from using force to disperse the demonstrators. I can state this as a participant in the events.

[@svenhaheim]

Thanks Zeihan :) but like a smart guy once said you cannot reason someone out of what they did not reason themselves into.

[@joythought]

Ouch. I felt that.

[@Aioli17]

is that from Asmongold?

[@normanstevens4924]

There are none so blind as those who _will_ not see.

[@HiwasseeRiver]

Was the 2014 Victoria Nuland lead coup a reason?

[@S3NTRY]

' Not once, but three times, Baker tried out the “not one inch eastward” formula with Gorbachev in the February 9, 1990, meeting. He agreed with Gorbachev’s statement in response to the assurances that “NATO expansion is unacceptable.” Baker assured Gorbachev that “neither the President nor I intend to extract any unilateral advantages from the processes that are taking place,” and that the Americans understood that “not only for the Soviet Union but for other European countries as well it is important to have guarantees that if the United States keeps its presence in Germany within the framework of NATO, not an inch of NATO’s present military jurisdiction will spread in an eastern direction.” ' - National Security Archive

[@buckbenelli8]

Talk about all the natural resources in eastern Ukraine. The war is also about the exploitation of methane, lithium , coal etc.

[@shannonkohl68]

I don't know if this is the case, but if it is, I would like to hear about it. I have my doubts whether the war makes any sense at all in the modern world, or if Putin is like Hitler, an anachronism whose disconnect with reality caused great harm to his own people, to say nothing of others.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

So what I hear you saying is that Russia can’t stand competition in the resource extraction industries and this is another reason for invasion.

[@oleksandr2234]

@@shannonkohl68 That's right - Putin is like Hitler - they have the same logic. You can even compare Hitler's speech before the attack on Poland in 1939 and Putin's speech before the attack on Ukraine in 2022 - they have the same narratives.

[@LIV-FREE-VET]

Thanks for addressing this!! 🙏🏾😊

[@PublicFreakout]

10 bucks says Zeihan still believes in Russiagate. Seriously, we’re just going to skip right over the Victoria Nuland 2014 Maidan coup saga? Pat ourselves on the back, “we’re smarter” and be on our way? The hubris is galling.

[@666j1]

He’s a leftist so yes

[@PublicFreakout]

@@666j1 Zeihan isn’t a leftist, he’s a Neocon.

[@TheGruntski]

Poor you.

[@joseribeiro9564]

You are really missing the point, you are dismissing the general will of the ukranian people to fight and gain independence from russian grip, dont be a russian parrot

[@chezfalcini6793]

@@joseribeiro9564unless you’re Russian speaking Ukrainian in the east

[@RichD2024]

It really is staggering and sad how many Americans believe and choose to spread Russian propaganda, on this and many other topics.

[@helifanodobezanozi7689]

They've put their political tribe before the country as a whole.

[@geoffrobinson]

as opposed to American propaganda?

[@helifanodobezanozi7689]

@@geoffrobinson In the case of the current Ukraine War, yes. The American policy is morally superior to that of Putin.

[@EricSmith9000]

I stopped paying attention, but did they end up finding those WMDs in Iraq?

[@helifanodobezanozi7689]

@@EricSmith9000 Yes, they were taken by the Jewish Ukrainian Nazis. BTW, W is no longer in charge. Let's have the same happen to Putin.

[@chriscoomans4434]

The very short version is... Golden 😂

[@franciscobermejo1779]

The last sentence of this video is Peter's motto

[@ericballi4701]

Bravo! The truth is spoken sir!

[@ricellisfrost620]

Peter, in the context of this question, please can you talk about Hungary's slide into autocracy, and how this should affect their NATO membership. Thanks

[@retro2103]

It is an issue. And one that is not just a NATO problem, but a EU one. Hungary being a stick in the mud has become a strategy for Hungary's right wing government to get what it wants by using pressure points in the alliances it purports to be a part of.

[@xlukas93]

@@retro2103 hungary, like russia, dreams about past empire. The problem is, that as far as i know, orban and his party is the best choice, because the rest of political parties are basically legit fascists, some weird radical right wing or communists...

[@S3NTRY]

​@@retro2103Which you could say for the left-wing bulk of the greater EU. Your argument is the classic "everything right wing is inherently bad" type of vapid rhetoric.

[@retro2103]

@@S3NTRY I made no value judgement about right wing politics as a whole, it is just a fact that Orban's government is right wing and has a right wing populist platform domestically that paints the EU and NATO as fair-weather friends at best, and actual enemies of Hungary at worst, presumably because these institutions allow a certain amount of liberal permissiveness that they do not agree with. It is not controversial to point out this causes strife in the alliance. When we could be a united front, Hungary sees it more opportunistically. It's one of the few options they have left because it has very few friends in Europe, by their own design mind.

[@Coastfog]

@@S3NTRY Have they said anything wrong? Isn't Hungary's government right wing? Isn't Hungary using the all or nothing rule on votes to leverage their interests above all the other EU members? Aren't they happy taking the benefits of EU membership while paralyzing the Union every chance they get? Is any other EU member known for unilaterally doing that over and over again? You were triggered by "right wing" and after that, all you could contribute was "wagh, but look at the left", completely missing the point for a quick shot of whataboutism. Talk about vapid rhethoric, you child's mind. If Hungary's interests are diametrically opposed to those of the EU, maybe they should stop fcking around while taking all of our cash and market, see themselves out, and be as independent as they fcking like.

[@positivevibes555]

Thank you Peter!!!

[@captainchadapparelaccessor6556]

I would LOVE to see you debate Tucker Carlson

[@johnbellingham8051]

That would never happen. The CIA doesn’t debate, they just stand in front of captive audiences telling them what to think….Or they make KZbin videos telling their captive audience what to think.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

Tucker would first need to learn how to debate. The last time Tucker tried to debate was in 2004 and he got his ass handed to him and then his face pushed in to it. Since that famous debate he has never demonstrated that he’s learned how to debate. He’s only developed the skills to shut down a debate. So if Pete and Tucker were to have a debate, it’s only fair that we give Tucker time to prepare. What will it take? Twenty more years?

[@chrispekel5709]

Isn't Tucker just anti-war, I think he's said that Russia is to blame for this multiple times. He just doesn't like how the west was responded

[@williamhenry8914]

If Ukraine is Russian then India is British

[@stephenderry9488]

*coughandAmericacough*

[@MarcosElMalo2]

@@stephenderry9488 America, to India: Join me and we can defeat the Emperor. We can rule the galaxy as father and son. India: This is a shitty analogy. First of all, are you supposed to be the father? Because I’m much older than you. I should be the father. Furthermore, I don’t need lightsabers. I just slap a bitch with eight different hands. That’s 16 forehands/backhands before you even have the lightsaber out of your pocket. What else you got, padawan?

[@joemcdermott1213]

Putin did appear to lean into such arguments, which was a bad justification. But I have to ask: which part of Ukraine? You appear to neglect that the Eastern and Western halves have differing views on that, and have been hostile to each other predating their modern state. Not for the reasons Putin made, but it seems like they want nothing to do with modern Ukraine.

[@oleksandr2234]

@@joemcdermott1213 The views of the East and West of Ukraine are no more different than those of the East and West of Germany. Neither in the East nor in the West of Ukraine do the majority of people want to be part of Russia. Yes, the eastern part of Ukraine was under Moscow's occupation longer than the West and was more assimilated, but the majority of its inhabitants are Ukrainians and want to live in Ukraine, not in Russia.

[@joemcdermott1213]

@@oleksandr2234 It seems quite different to me on the following points, to my understanding anyway. Before the Soviet Union, they were not united as a cohesive bloc like Germany had been. In fact, the two groups that became East and West Ukraine were antagonistic to each other during the USSR. The borders of modern Ukraine were drawn up by the USSR, and Bolsheviks put two antagonistic groups together to dampen their strength. That's actually very different than a once united Germany being conquered and temporarily divided by the Soviet Union. It seems to me that post-USSR breakup there is not any particular reason to keep these sides together if they cannot get along and it's not willing by both sides.

[@tonyoostendarp7611]

I love your input Peter. What a great analyst you are. Keep up the good work, your input is sorely needed. I have learned more from your lips in a short while, then all my 80+ before. Thank you so much. Tonysixpack.

[@yuriysemenikhin302]

Very concise review, with a slight error. There were no Two Separate Wars, Ukraine was at war with russia since 2014, and russian orcs continuously entered Ukrainian territories over the years. In 2022 they just raised the level of aggression. I also disagree with some other points you make on the subject, would be happy to discuss them one day 🙂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGnLfX-QpaqesMU

[@raggedcritical]

Not to mention the constant cyber attacks and gaslighting and bot army social media attacks.

[@yuriysemenikhin302]

@@raggedcritical If we talk about economic warfare, it started since the day Putin came to power and intensified in 2005 onward.

[@CrazyYurie]

If I ever hear this stupid argument again, I think I'll just link them this video rather than try to use my more mediocre explanations to do so. Thanks! :D

[@joemcdermott1213]

This video didn't actually address the reasons people say the US had a role as a provocateur. He spent the entire time beating up strawmen.

[@CrazyYurie]

@@joemcdermott1213 Russia has no legitimate arguments when it comes to this issue. The country with the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons isn't going to get invaded. This is about influence and power, not survival.

[@joemcdermott1213]

@@CrazyYurie It's not a requirement for survival to be in question in order for provocation to be a relevant question. See: Iraq war, Syria, Libya. Were those legitimate? Also, if we started a war with Iraq with such dubious defense claims, what do you think we'd do in the situation where our neighbor, e.g., Mexico/Cuba/etc, was being armed by and allying with Russia? I'm not saying war is justified by RU here, but I think the elements of provocation are undeniable, and it appears to me Russia is being held to a standard we don't hold ourselves to.

[@CrazyYurie]

@@joemcdermott1213 Russia is engaging in an imperialist war of conquest against a nation that Putin has explicitly denied the history and independence of. It, combined with actions like kidnapping ~800,000 children from Ukraine, is a clear demonstration of genocidal intent. Actual genocide - not the BS people scream about Gaza. That's a very far cry from what the US did in Iraq - the most egregious example of the US being shit in recent memory. And for what? Because Ukraine decided, after centuries of oppression by Russia, that they wished for something different. You are falling into the trap of denying Ukraine agency, thinking that everything here is rooted back in the USA. It's not. Other nations have agency and make their own decisions for their own reasons. The reason why so many Eastern European nations decided they wanted to be a part of NATO isn't because the US pushed them to do so. It is because their history of being bullied and dominated by Moscow made them want to seek out protection. If Russia didn't want to see these nations in NATO? Maybe it should have been less shitty over the past centuries. The fact that Sweden, a nation that had been neutral for two centuries, decided that it was now time to join NATO? That speaks volumes. If Russia were to do the same with Mexico and Cuba? Well, they sorta did, and we got the Cuban Missile Crisis. The difference is that Russia only knows how to bully and dominate, whereas the US at least has been capable of making friends. The example of Russia is actually why I'm in favor of rebuilding relations with Cuba and the rest of Western Hemisphere - in order to prevent the exact sort of situation Russia finds itself in. TL;DR Russia is a shitty neighbor.

[@jayzad2589]

Simply but correctly said .

[@jayjones148]

Look at friendly-looking cool guy in the woods no way he would be directly parroting govt propaganda!

[@satoriasimov9169]

I have yet to see Peter place any responsibility on the US lol

[@EoinLynch-v1y]

Nice summary.

[@coachmen8508]

Why is there such blindness, such obtuseness when it comes to maybe understanding the Russian psyche ? Peter's all great and fine Living in America never having been bombed never having somebody wanting to utterly and completely destroyed the nation to rub it out of history with the heel of their boot and actually start carrying the process out. I can't recall what book but I read a comparison of what it would have been like if America experienced the same kind of invasion that Russia did in WWII. It would be the equivalent of the Eastern Seaboard of the United States being invaded all the way from Maine to Florida and all the way to the Mississippi all of that and everything within falling under the occupation of an invader. And all of it is essentially being destroyed , along with killing vast swathes of the population. That would leave a permanent indelible stain on the psychic fabric of the nation for generations and generations to come. And to top it all off that's not the first time it's happened. Countless times Russia has been invaded. Nevermind that the two largest invading armies ever assembled in human history ( the Wehrmacht and La Grande Armée ) were used for what ??? INVADING RUSSIA !!! That the Russians would be extraordinary paranoid about somebody planning on invading them is a completely rational concern. To outright just dismiss that concern displays considerable ignorance.

[@oleksandr2234]

Muscovy-Russia has always been a regional aggressor and has attacked neighboring countries much more often than anyone has attacked Russia. You are trying in vain to portray the aggressor as a victim.

[@jaer17]

Had the same argument with cousin regarding this same issue about 3 months into the war. BTW we are overseas Chinese. The reach of China 🇨🇳 CCP propaganda is fantastic in the overseas Chinese communities.

[@chrise842]

Not only propaganda

[@GHST995]

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." - JFK

[@Dana-ie2bh]

Camelot.

[@allenvaughan1]

I'm working on the accent now.

[@actionjksn]

If the Democrat party was still like the JFK days, I might still be a Democrat. John F Kennedy bears no resemblance to the current democrat party. That ship has sailed. JFK hated commies and now that is pretty much his former party. I mean most of them kind of dance around it but it's obvious.

[@GFunky7357]

Peter does a good job arguing the mainstream position on Ukraine. I'd agree with him if the facts were as simple as he describes. However... 1) US military spending accounts for over double all the other NATO members combined. Without the US, NATO power would cease to exist. This gives the US a de facto veto over all decisions, despite the appearance of an equal partnership. 2) Just as Warsaw Pact countries have a legitimate fear of Russian aggression, Russia has a legitimate fear of NATO aggression due to NATO-led wars in Yugoslavia and Libya. Bottom line, Russia was wrong to invade Ukraine. The US was wrong to expand NATO. None of this matters right now as the priority for all parties should be to work toward peace.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

1) Each and every NATO member has this veto power. If you know anything about NATO, you’ll know that the members aren’t all in lockstep with the U.S., and that decisions aren’t pushed through based on U.S. whims. A lot of consultation, debate, and diplomacy goes into formulating NATO policy. Seriously, do some deeper reading about NATO if you are truly interested in it. 2) Libya doesn’t have a nuclear deterrent. Nor did Yugoslavia. Russia does have a deterrent, so why would it need to fear aggression?

[@johnnyel]

How can you possibly answer this without discussing Minsk accords?

[@oleksandr2234]

Russia violated the first Minsk accords in 2014, attacking Donetsk Airport and the town of Debaltseve. Russia violated the second Minsk accords in 2016, attacking the town of Maryinka. And let's not forget that the status of the Minsk accords was extremely low - because they were not signed by the heads of state. Unlike, for example, the Budapest Memorandum, which was signed by the heads of state and in which Russia pledged never to encroach on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

[@derby1251]

I really appreciate your closing line. It's a great way to end things off and leaves a positive impression. As always, thanks for the info.

[@zainsaqer]

You know Peter became a KZbinr when he starts making faces in the thumbnail. I'm always looking forward to your analyses and opinions, btw.

[@chrisstratton8443]

All well and good, Peter, but you have to answer this question: Why is Hungary and Turkey members of NATO? They are the 2 most obvious non-democratic states currently protected by NATO's military umbrella. Thank you.

[@jackbradley3388]

Having a nuanced view is a sure way to piss people off.

[@gomertube]

Zeihan has changed his tune. He used to think that Russia had legitimate security concerns but not anymore apparently.

[@jackbradley3388]

@@gomertube yeah I've noticed that

[@Any1SL]

I noticed too

[@markwilson7846]

Thank you for this. Hopefully this video is understood by those who say America dictates membership.

[@SpacemanGreg]

Steven Seagal, let's hear your brilliant and well-educated take on this

[@thetr00per30]

Ultimately Putin shoulders all responsibility, but to say that Nato has some responsibility as well, Nato said they would not expand east then adds 20 countries, to the east, then pretends to be shocked when Russia decides to act like Russia. I hope Ukraine wins but It's a money laundering operation like Afghanistan.

[@captainalex157]

reasonable take, but nato never formally agreed to not expand east. And the new members literally begged nato to let them join out of a justified fear from russian invasion.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

⁠@@captainalex157 This comment addresses the original comment and some of your reply. Jim Baker, U.S. Secretary of State under Reagan, made an agreement with Gorbachev, an exchange of assurances. The U.S. wouldn’t support nations on Russia’s border joining NATO, but neither would the USSR use violence and aggression to put down their independence. The agreement wasn’t one-sided, it was mutually beneficial. (And let’s note that while Baker didn’t represent NATO in these talks, the U.S. could veto or delay admittance into NATO, as can any NATO member.) Yeltsin and later Putin broke this agreement, first in 1994. As a result, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland were admitted in 1999. The Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania were added in 2004, again as a result of Russian aggression against an independence movement. What you call provocation is the response to Russian provocation. Look at the historical context. Also, fifteen nations, not twenty, have become NATO members since the fall of the Soviet Union, Finland being the last of the fifteen, but others applying or signaling their desire to join.

[@oleksandr2234]

"Nato said they would not expand" Don't repeat Putin's lie. No one has ever said anything like that on behalf of NATO. No one has ever had the authority to say anything like that on behalf of NATO, because NATO is not a kingdom with a single ruler, it is a union of various sovereign states.

[@oleksandr2234]

@@MarcosElMalo2 Jim Baker could only speak for Reagan and nothing more. No US President since Reagan has ever had to pay attention to what some Jim Baker once said, because only agreements written on paper and signed by heads of state are subject to compliance.

[@pabstblurobot]

you know that time existed before 2020, right? 🤥 what happened back in say… 2014??

[@oleksandr2234]

In 2014, Russia, violating more than 90 international agreements, including the Budapest Memorandum, occupied Ukrainian Crimea and sent its fighters to the Ukrainian Donbas, creating its puppet proxy formations there.

[@iamnolegend2519]

Nice explanation of how a county joins NATO.

[@moisesmartinez3134]

This is basically CNN lol

[@lordz00]

THANK YOU PETER! I'm from Poland and I can't stand the dumblucks from the US who push russian propaganda. Some even get invited to JRE and Jordan Peterson. Thankfully Joe invited you too and I could discover you. Amazing content!

[@ArchonLicht]

The russian expansion is russian tanks rolling into countries and russian bombs killing defendants of these countries. NATO "expansion" is countries queueing up to join NATO _by their own will_ primarily because they're afraid of russian invasion. The choice of words is important here, because using it russia equates it's conquest with the voluntary alliance of independent states. Also one has to consider the fact that Ukraine had exactly 0 chances of being taken into NATO prior to 2022 specifically because russia already captured 20% of it's territory (Crimea officially and Donbas unofficially) - and NATO has shown zero will to help Ukraine to free these territories. The exact reason why russia invaded Ukraine is because it wasn't a NATO member, and thus looked like a simple conquest, a "low hanging fruit" so to speak.

[@jadunivan]

A dude that makes his money grifting.... Peter Zeihan.

[@joeshmoe-hr3qh]

CIA Zeihan

[@JK-ux5hq]

Peter has his golden doodle look going

[@b.r.holmes6365]

And you are parroting NATO Ukraine propaganda.

[@Kukainis]

says Peter with a straight face 😅 also nice job of gas lighting

[@17cmmittlererminenwerfer81]

Well said, Peter. I'm very much on the right politically, but I really get tired of so many on the right spouting this idiocy against Ukraine, when the Ukrainians are our allies and the clear victims in the war started by the Russians.

[@MrFrumos]

The only NATO threat on ruzzia is that it will be impossible or nearly impossible to occupy any NATO-member country which is in their imperial expansion list.

[@ZzaphodD]

This is not rocket Science and very clear to most not in the grip of Russian propaganda. Having a Master in Conflict Science this is home turf, if not literally. But great of Peter for putting it in a simple but very correct way.

[@MajinLiveTV]

I don't think the war is only about NATO expansion, typically wars happen for multiple reasons. One is that the two countries have had energy disputes going back to at least the early 2000s for example. Gas produced in Russia would have to travel through pipeline through Ukraine in order to be sold in Europe and Ukraine would typically get paid a fee for the transition over their territory, or at least that's what most of the agreements typically stated. Now from what I understand both sides played hard ball over the years in various ways. Sometimes Russia didn't pay Ukraine because quotas weren't reached, sometimes Ukraine would steal the gas in the winter months in retaliation and sometimes Russia would blackmail them by shutting it down completely and make them suffer shortages. It was a ugly mess that went on for a long time and this played a big role in the development of Nord Stream.

[@oleksandr2234]

The only reason for the war is Russian neo-imperialism. And NATO is not a threat to Russia itself but to its plans to restore the empire - that is, to occupy the countries that were once part of this empire.

[@uniquehorn1480]

Russia: "Ukraine is not a real country!" Ukraine: "Prove it"

[@DawudAmunRa]

2 things I think worth adding: 1. Not much western journalism sharing Russian desires and psychology. They were humiliated by the collapse of the USSR and WANT TO REPAIR/RECLAIM their former status. 2. Foundations of Geopolitics is a playbook by Aleksandr Dugin that asserts that reconstructing the USSR should be Russia's goal and it maps out how Russia can accomplish this. Reportedly, Putin has quoted and followed the tactics and strategies from FoG for years

[@williamzk9083]

Indeed, Russia is motivated not by security concerns but revanchism. A very dangerous motivation.

[@patrickcronin6829]

Layed it out…. Well said. I’m sick of hearing that argument.

[@thefisherking78]

NATO was founded in 1949. Russia has been preemptively annexing territory in all directions for _centuries_ . I fall back on this every time I meet someone online who blames NATO for Russia doing what it's always done.

[@jamesbell7220]

This analysis is so uniquely good, illuminating, and I-had-not-thought-of-that-before, that I'm left but to quietly laugh out of surprise and appreciation.

[@bmonci1]

Mmm I don't think this actually addressed the premise. 🤷‍♂️

[@P_Tree]

He just has an opinion he didn't say anything factual

[@MaximilianFord]

I love how black and white Peters world is, I wish I could do that it would make things so much easier.

[@rocketman1058]

Impressive when one Amecian can name some many East European countries that me as an East European can't recall

[@stephenderry9488]

Putin: "It's ok, you won't have to remember them for very long..."

[@MyMuse1111]

Good script writer sir

[@klarinuskuipers8999]

Love it! 🙏

[@chench1lla]

How is the 2014 coup and civil war not discussed.

[@oleksandr2234]

Because there was no coup - the legitimate Parliament remained, which made all the decisions. Just as there was no civil war - since this war was started by Russian militants.

[@scottyd3138]

Peter spitting truth today!

[@1painter4hire]

Greed and Corruption, that what starts every war.

[@unused0011]

Im no Russia supporter but this argument doesn't make much sense. "NATO did not intentionally expand" just because of how it expands is not NATO not expanding further east...

[@odi299]

Russia invaded a bunch of countries during the 1990s, and neighbouring countries felt threatened and decided to join NATO. It’s that simple. Do some basic research, please.

[@unused0011]

@@odi299 i already know that. No need for a negative response. I did say that I do not support russia...

[@homebrewinstrumentals7700]

​@@odi299 guys like you are utterly the worst. How any of that relates to what OP said is beyond me.

[@glenchilada]

Love it when Peter gets salty. 😂

[@paperC_CSGO]

I wish you said this (and this clearly) when you were on Joe Rogan's show. Since you were on, he's had various guests on using these terrible arguments you just debunked, most notably Dave Smith. Joe sat there nodding his head and saying "yeah". I wish you went back on and laid the facts straight

[@chrispekel5709]

Joe famously lets people speak without getting too argumentative.

[@johnkahler3234]

Anything else happen in 2014? You are Secretary Strangelove's favorite spinmeister.

[@oleksandr2234]

Yes, in 2014, Russia, having violated more than 90 international treaties and agreements, occupied part of the territory of Ukraine (Crimea) and sent its militants to another part of the territory of Ukraine (Donbas), starting a proxy war there.

[@eddyaruda486]

Would you please cover the history of Crimea and whether or not Russia has a legitimate claim to the territory? Also, why did Khrushchev give Ukraine back to the Ukrainians? Who owns Ukraine seems like a complicated issue. Your sorting this out would be greatly appreciated.

[@eliterun6214]

Ukraine pre-WWII was a heck of a lot bigger and included many provinces in what is now Russia. If we went by traditional spread of Ukrainian language vs. Russian language before language sterilization efforts under USSR, Ukrainian would probably be at least 50% bigger.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

@@eliterun6214 Crimea would belong to the Crimean Tartars, had Stalin not removed them from Crimea by mass exile and extermination.

[@thomasmitchell6609]

"Whose at fault?" is a much different question than "Was this avoidable?". The latter question leads to understanding, arguably a more worthy aspiration than justifying action or assigning blame. But continue with the fever dream that "free" markets are somehow "democratic" or that the expansion of NATO was the only way to establish security. I`ll watch.

[@thomasmitchell6609]

@@ThatLongHairMetalGuy Ouch! 🙂

[@MA-ro5qi]

Spot-on. Again. Thanks sir.

[@perfectlyroundcircle]

It's so, so disappointing to me how many people have fallen to Russian propaganda. I don't even want to imagine how badly people will be misinformed in the future when AI will generate most content on the internet.

[@franzdieter7683]

The "fracking bad" was russian propaganda and most of the left believes it.

[@ChristopherRyanPhD]

The emotional and insulting tone of this video is surprising, coming from Peter, but also indicative of his weak reasoning. While it's certainly true that Russia has no inherent "right" to occupy the countries on its borders, it's naive and disingenuous to pretend that this isn't how powerful countries operate. They declare a "sphere of influence," and defend it as a way of keeping other major forces at a distance. (China: Tibet, North Korea, Mongolia, etc. US: entire western hemisphere. Russia: former Soviet republics.) If things had gone the other way, and the Warsaw Pact had spread to include Cuba, the Bahamas, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Canada was about to join as well, is it not likely, even certain, that the US might make moves to stop that? To be clear, I'm NOT arguing that anything Russia is doing is good, justified, or excusable, but I AM arguing that it's totally predictable as the response of a large, powerful country that's been encircled and humiliated by its enemies. NATO has military bases on virtually every border with Russia. There are no missiles in Canada or Mexico pointed at DC, and remember the insanity that ensued when the Soviets tried to install them in Cuba in the early 1960s. Peter's hypocrisy here is way out of character.

[@gregoryrowley1739]

Thank you! Peter can be such a cocky hack sometimes. He won’t bite the hand that feeds him. That doesn’t mean his arguments and perspectives aren’t important, because they are. It does mean that one should be quite skeptical of his views and ask themselves “why does he have this view”? He is obviously smart and can back up plenty of his arguments with facts, but one point of his that I can’t wrap my head around his him saying Ukraine is only the first step in Russias plans to expand. Given what we have seen from the Russian army, that alone should say something about those predictions without going into other counter points to his narrative.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

There are no missiles in Mexico or Canada because the U.S. isn’t threatening to invade either country. Second, no NATO member that borders Russia has nuclear weapons on its soil. This is a false equivalence and an absurd hypothetical. You can’t just make up nonsense to justify Russian aggression. I gotta add that your comment contains many falsities that should be addressed, too many than I have time for. Maybe someone else can take up the slack.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

@@gregoryrowley1739 He doesn’t say that Russia’s expansionist plans are realistic. Just that Russia has them. And Putin apparently thought that its invasion of Ukraine was realistic and would result in a quick win.

[@pnk2748]

Nato is a defence alliance, russia is a emperialistic terrorist state, if there where no Nato Russia would have invaded all of Europe so please stop sniffing the strong stuff before you comment.

[@gregoryrowley1739]

@@MarcosElMalo2 Maybe so though I’m skeptical. If they are so bent on expanding why didn’t they just roll over Georgia in 2008?

[@nomadproductions2812]

thank you for this - it's crazy how many of the 'smart edgy analysts' say that this is all about NATO is embarrassing. Like not even russia is saying that lol they only say it for tucker carlson to repeat

[@tommymarciano]

I agree that Russia is responsible for starting the war. However, it's ignorant to say that NATO's expansion and various military interventions did not contribute to this outcome. To acknowledge the USA's role in provoking Russia since the end of the cold war isn't falling for Russian propaganda. If anything, it's American propaganda to deny it

[@MarcosElMalo2]

What NATO military interventions contributed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? What were the specific provocations by the U.S. or NATO that weren’t responses to Russian aggression? The U.S. assured Gorbachev that it wouldn’t expand eastward IF the Soviet Union didn’t use aggression and violence to put down independence movements in its former sphere of influence. Yeltsin broke his end of the deal in 1994, and there was no new NATO members until 1999. Who provoked who? Perhaps the greatest provocation by the U.S. was hurting Russian feelings about no longer being an influential superpower with global reach.

[@oleksandr2234]

NATO never threatened Russia, NATO threatened Russia's imperialist plans.

[@larrymills4223]

How did your hair grow so fast since your last post

[@danielwykowski6069]

I have to go to the parable of the wind and the sun wagering on who can get the man to remove his coat!