War in Ukraine is the fault of US and NATO | John Mearsheimer and Lex Fridman

[@LexClips]

Full podcast episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGXafYuErsmtm7s Lex Fridman podcast channel: kzbin.info Guest bio: John Mearsheimer is an international relations scholar at University of Chicago. He is one of the most influential and controversial thinkers in the world on the topics of war and power.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

Mearsheimer is disingenuously feeding off of his controversial pro Putin position. I think he thrives on the fame and attention that it brings him. I personally don’t believe that he actually believes his position on Russia to be true. His smirk of dishonesty during the interview speaks to me.

[@yamu-w2r]

​@@TheHighlanderprime미국이 사주한 전쟁 미국이 끝내야 할것이다. 네오나치를 키운 미국. 러소포비아를 퍼트려 돈바스의 러시아계주민을 1만4천명이나 무차별 학살하게 만들고 나토의 동진 깃발을 휘날리고 작년 4월5월의 터키의 중재로 종전에 합의된것을 압력을 가해 전쟁을 지속하게 만든 미국. 노르트스트림 가스관을 폭파테러하여 러시아와 유럽의 관계를 끊게 만들고 유럽 물가를 폭등시킨 미국. 종전을 뒤집어 우크라국민이 군인으로 끌려가 50만이 사망하는 대참사를 만든 미국. 니가 책임져라.

[@yamu-w2r]

​@@TheHighlanderprime전쟁 전의 사연이 길어요. 미국이 우크라이나를 대리 전쟁으로 쓰기 위해서 접근한 게 2003년부터에요. 크림 반도 해군 기지 뺏어서 힘을 못쓰게 하려고... 친러 대통령 2014년 마이단 쿠테타로 쫓아내는데 뒤에서 지원하고. 우크라이나 대통령 고문을 해왔던 제프리 삭스 교수 말입니다. 자기도 아는 게 있지만 나중에 공개될 거라고. 그리고 미국이 사용하는 우크라이나 민족주의자들은 러시아인을 죽여야 한다고 학생들에게 교육하는 집단이에요. 영국 BBC 기자도 놀라더군요. 2014년에 쿠테타로 정권 뒤집으니 그런 우크라 정권 밑에 살 수 없다고 분리독립운동이 일어났고, 그걸 유혈사태로 진압하려다가 민병대 조직해서 싸우기 시작한 거에요. 푸틴은 마지 못해 개입했다가 메르켈 등과 민스크 협정으로 자치 인정해주고 문화 인정해주고 건드리지 않기로 하고 물러났는데, 메르켈이 최근 말하기를 우크라이나가 군사력 키워 러시아와 전쟁할 시간 벌어주기 위함이라 했죠. 그리고, 바이든이 들어와서 다시 우크라이나 나토 가입 시동 걸고, 우크라이나는 핵무장 시켜 달라고 하니, 과거 쿠바에 소련이 미사일 기지 세우겠다고 하는 것과 마찬가지가 된 거죠. 미국이 그렇게 하면 전쟁난다고 2015년에 미어샤이머 교수가 말한 겁니다. 미국이라도 전쟁한다고.... 예상된 일을 해 온 거에요. 러시아 꺽겠다고....

[@yamu-w2r]

​@@TheHighlanderprimekzbin.infohqtip8UI5f0?feature=shared

[@yamu-w2r]

​@@TheHighlanderprimekzbin.info/www/bejne/j6PWg6VsedCcedUfeature=shared 당신이 알고 싶어하지 않는 우크라이나의 추악한 진실

[@jonala2918]

“Americans are not that good at putting themselves in the shoes of other countries.” Well said. I love the USA but all of us lack this perspective to some degree.

[@benikramer5115]

I disagree (partially ) Mr. G. Friedman and the R. Corporation knew exactly , that in the case of Ukraine, Russia cannot back off. To call this scenario as „Russian invasion „ is similarly absurd as blaming the 911 firefighters for the collapse of WTC 1,2 and 7 (especially of building 7) The arsonists blame the firefighters for ending the fire they have created in Ukraine. Before that, the USof Arsonists have asked President Putin for friendship, to fight together against China. He refused, by pointing out that this is not friendship (friendshit would be more appropriate) Quote Henry Kissinger: It’s dangerous to have the USA as an enemy, but it is fatal to be its friend. The USA are probably the most powerful bull in the world arena - the question is, if the greatest britannical softpower still holds the bulls nose ring? Does the term special relationship between the UK-US means exactly that the greatest softpower guides/commands the greatest hardpower? If not, why Wladimir Zelensky (so called before the ban of the Russian language) signed a law that forbids negotiations with Russia under President Putin, after lockdown party BOJO visited Kiev ? Irish proverb: If two neighbors are fighting against each other, one of them was visited by an Englishman yesterday. In autumn 2020 2 British and one warship of the Netherlands entered the Black Sea The fund to rebuild Ukraine (at Russian expense) is presided by a woman from Britain (direct communication with the King) Vice-president is another woman from the Netherlands (direct communication to her King) The ICC * is in the Netherlands, and MH 370 was allegedly full of citizens of the Netherlands. (ICC = International Colonial Court?) So, they have probably nothing to do with global softpower, and are as neutral as extraterrestrials would be to judge about „human „ affairs If I would be the court fool , I would condemn the judges the prosecutors , and everyone else* to death by laughing. The problems created by divide and conquer and the resulting destruction by collective square stupidity, can only being solved by collective intelligence (emotional, mental and spiritual intelligence/spiritual intelligence is to solve paradoxical problems constructive ) Example: knowledge is power/power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely (only a corrupt person) But true power is the absence of powerlessness of anyone (killing everyone is not the correct solution to this paradox)

[@ikaustralia]

They don't regard others as their equal but someone below them.

[@gdiwolverinemale4th]

The US, under the Jey wish control, is not a pale shadow of itself. It is ruled by a mob that has nothing in common with the traditional culture

[@nick4819]

America used to mind its own business. America didn't appoint itself as "leader." You all did. When shit pops off, someone attacks you, you need help with anything, who is the first person you ask to help? America! America! Please! Please come help us! You all made us the "world police" by begging us to do something. If we are going to do it, there are things that we need to do to ensure all of us to be ok. As if you ever have to worry about Americans invading your country and turning it into American territory. Russia knows it doesn't have to worry about this either. Why do you think their borders as essentially completely undefended right now? Because they know NATO and the US do not want and will never want to invade Russia. We would gain nothing that we couldn't pay for already. Russia is already selling everything it has. Instead of using its resources to grow itself, its selling them all to the rest of the world and the rest of the world is using them to help themselves grow. Putin knows that NATO is not a threat. He puts it on as a show for his citizens and preaches old propaganda about NATO wanting to invade and end Russia blah blah blah....all because of his ego. He's about to die and he wants to be remembered as a great leader. He wants the USSR back because he knows how weak his country became once half of its population stood up against the Russian threat. He's even stated that the fall of the USSR was the greatest tragedy. He's delusional and so are all of you thinking Russia is justified in invading Ukraine. Ukraine would not have been invaded had we and the Russians not talked them out of their nuclear weapons. We SHOULD have troops over there right now. We gave them our word the day they gave up their nuclear weapons. We promised them that their country would be safe and not invaded. Russia said the same thing. Russia invaded. You people really need to wake up.

[@iulianhodorog9979]

Maybe Mearsheimer could set an example and put himself in the shoes of Ukraine, or the Baltic states, instead of a poor poor demented tyrant who wants nothing else than opress his people in peace 😒

[@mrnic3guy305]

Once someone lies to you you don’t allow them to lie to you again!

[@slayerhuh404]

exactly!

[@mariam.3612]

Putin (Russia) believed them so many times, their lied again and again … 😢

[@princip6656]

yes, in the second case if you believe again? you must be stupid or talking to ghosts.

[@watchman2221]

Without Russia creeping in there will be no NATO!

[@mikepjersey]

Yeah Lex lives in Fantasyland. He hopes that a trustworthy western leader will break from the overwhelming bureaucratic powers that control them and convince Putin that their country isn't trustworthy but they as an individual are trustworthy. After being lied to repeatedly by the deep state you'd think Lex would get it by now.

[@johnlund2036]

5:41 The Soviets did this after America put missiles in Turkey.

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

It was very strange for Americans to imagine that the Soviet Union had only 1/2 the economy of the United States, 2 aircraft carriers and a defensive foreign policy. Also The reason Soviet troops entered Afghanistan was because the Afghan government asked for help because it could not face the rebel army funded by America.

[@paulogauge8783]

​@@carkawalakhatulistiwa were is the soviet union now? Ok shut up now

[@aleksandrson8672]

Here we are.

[@Fallout3131]

@@paulogauge8783What’s wrong with you sir

[@Bac4-qu6qg7sk4v]

​@@carkawalakhatulistiwaCut it out with lamenting about the plight of the soviet empire. It was an evil empire which repressed, impoverished and corrupted everywhere they webt to. Glory to the developed world for ridding us of this trainwreck. Also, putin's russia may not be the ussr but it's a similarly evil (wannabe) empire.

[@walterhernandez1749]

Trump got so much shit when he said "you think we're so innocent"

[@Scorch428]

cus youre not supposed to say that part out loud as a leader...

[@shane7133]

Yea, at least he didn't fall in love with the leader of North Korea..

[@IRGeamer]

...because he was using that sentence as an apologetic for poutine's genocide in Ukraine and extra-judicial execution of politicians, critics, journalists, business leaders, etc., etc., etc., etc........ You wilfully ignorant puppet... “If you can’t beat ‘em with brilliance, baffle their brains with BS.” - BS artists/religious apologists/trump magats/poutine shills/brexiters/genocide apologists/neo-nazis/“white replacement” fear mongers/gender critical science deniers/anti-vaxers/flerfs/sovereign citizens/MRA zealots/red pilled sociopathic trolls all over the world

[@richardsun8756]

Lex: “my palms are sweaty, this is terrifying” John: “yeah” continues on without skipping a beat😂

[@Danger-six.]

lmao

[@valeriobertoncello1809]

timestamp?

[@q.u.e.r.t.y]

​@valeriobertoncello1809 52:07

[@pradyumn2692]

John is the stoic among stoics.

[@hassu2149]

😂😂

[@paulb3436]

How can he trust that what one president promises, the next one will renage on?

[@Randy12346]

Treaties signed

[@Godspeedysick]

Hence why he said ‘let them clean up their own mess’. He’s done trusting us 😆

[@ZaphnathPanea]

​@@Randy12346 Germany Poland and UK signed a treaty to be guarantors or the Ukrainian government after the elections they certified. And then stood by while I was overthrown for Zelensky. (probably a US backed coup)

[@Randy12346]

@@ZaphnathPanea the treaties signed was that if Ukraine was attacked they would defend

[@jb76489]

@@ZaphnathPanea "probably a US backed coup" source: it was reveled to me in a dream sent by the aliens

[@johnbones261]

I think Lex believes the US can still be trusted.

[@Vicious1ify]

Lex is naive as a 15 year old girl

[@salarrue78]

@@Vicious1ify I disagree, he simply likes to listen to their hosts without rebuttals, and asks them good questions for us to understand the context of the conversations

[@R08R]

Lex has an opinion on the matter based on 1% knowledge that John has.

[@daveblueballz6659]

remember, not everybody's a flat earth NWO 5g microchip illuminati firmament guy like you

[@studentstudent5044]

It’s the best country in the world

[@Skiskiski]

There was no puppet state in Poland. The General Governorate was a German colony. From the German and the Soviet perspective, as of October 1939, Poland ceased to exist. The capitol of the General Governorate was not Lublin, but Krakow (Cracow). The Poles were viewed by the Germans as stateless people and the only legal citizens of the General Governorate were the Germans.

[@Ruebezahl07]

And where was germanys border before ww1? Germany only held a tiny potion of actual poland.

[@grammasgardenofideas5081]

i dont understand how so many intelligent people cannot take real history into the situation and see

[@RuthBrickenden]

No es que las personas inteligentes no pueden poner la historia en perspectiva. Mas bien, es la conveniencia de pocos de apoyar la Agenda de turno. Todos conocen El Pacto de Varsovia, su disolución con la caída de la Unión de Republicas Socialistas Soviéticas, URSS, todos pensaban que la OTAN también se iba a disolver. Ucrania es parte de la geopolítica rusa, ceder que entrará a la OTAN era provocar a Rusia. El equivalente a la doctrina Monroe para USA. El pueblo americano no apoya ninguna guerra, quiere que se concentren en mejorar las condiciones económicas del país y sus habitantes. Los políticos pagan todas Sus Agendas con los impuestos del pueblo, no solo Ucrania, la frontera abierta con 2.5 de refugiados, y toda guerra que se de. Estos son los intereses de los elitistas que gobiernan. El pueblo desconoce los intereses reales de USA en Ucrania ? Los elitistas globalistas porque no son democratas atacan hasta los periodístas independientes por su atrevimiento de hacer entrevistas fuera de sus paradigmas. Por ej. Hillary descalificando a Tucker por entrevistar a Putin y llamándole, tonto útil, ni siquiera mantienen altura en sus declaraciones, sino que le habla a sus masas, que falta de respeto, y que miedo tienen que el pueblo conozca la verdad. Cuando realmente se van a retirar de la escena política ? Critican a Putin porque tiene más de 20 años al frente de Rusia, y ellos se mantienen activamente interfiriendo. Cuando realmente se van a retirar ? No son suficientemente Billonarios ?

[@kperry1969]

Generally, American politicians aren't intelligent. For every Rand Paul & Ted Cruz, there are countless Bidens, Pelosis, AOCs & Kamalas

[@EdwardNewgate09]

They pretend to be dump so they can pass their filthy politics decisions

[@arostwocents]

People don't understand when they live in a world entirely created and imaginary due to propaganda. Part of the propaganda is telling people they only receive the truth and no matter how many lies are uncovered they believe each was a mistake not a systemic issue

[@GreenVision1]

Trust me, they can. One does not have to be very intelligent to understand the consequences of these actions. The real question is what was and is the real goal or rather game plan for all of this (from a NATO perspective)

[@Lajosen]

”Power corrupts the best of people” is a reference everyone in the world should learn off.

[@dillzzy5141]

What about Marcus Aurelius?

[@thechadcruzaider7864]

It's also a lesson that keeps being preached endlessly, makes it hard to take it seriously

[@Lajosen]

@@thechadcruzaider7864 I agree and thats the problem

[@Thisisahandle701]

Particularly dictators who have been in power since 1999

[@vhvhzkzk3189]

Everything makes sense if you add, “because peace was never the goal.”

[@joaquinpraveenvishnu8509]

Lex and Prof. John was talking about the use of nuclear missiles and the implications then Lex spoke of 'a missile accidentally striking Poland by mistake'. This conversation eerily brought back memories of July 2014 when a Boeing 777 operated by Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was 'shot down accidentally' when it was about 50 kilometres from the Ukraine-Russia border killing all 298 passengers and crews onboard. It is the deadliest aviation disaster in my country Malaysia. The wreckage from the aircraft fell near Hrabove in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. The shoot-down occurred during the war in Donbas over territory controlled by Russian separatist forces. An investigation found that it was a surface-to-air Buk missile that came from a Russian military base were seen as a clear indication that Moscow had a role in the tragedy. Russia has always denied involvement.

[@TheAudinator]

This is a good example of how Russia is not honest, Stephen Cohen , who is Mearsheimers colleague said Russia didn’t do it, which makes me think he was on the Russian payroll.

[@inesegozcue699]

​@@TheAudinator lax fartman is on russian payroll too, unfortunately

[@JamesBond-yn8kd]

Victoria, AKA Toria Newland, was a big in the start of this.

[@stefan-xaverscherrer7648]

@JamesBond-yn8kd I see that you don't know anything about Victoria Newland's phone conversation, because otherwise you would write that she was calling for a compromise between the demonstrators and Viktor Yanukovych.

[@tombayless9759]

Jabba the hut is a demon covered in blood

[@tombayless9759]

​​@@stefan-xaverscherrer7648your funny.... Soros and 5 billion and the overthrow or a country and they burned all those people in that building..,sad lonely troll

[@tombayless9759]

​@@stefan-xaverscherrer7648seems you need to get educated

[@stefan-xaverscherrer7648]

@@tombayless9759 She did.

[@asifayub9583]

We have not had Statesmanship but political leaders with no or very limited vision in charge of the destiny of nations which will continue to make a peaceful world impossible.

[@runswithraptors]

That's the point. People pulling the strings behind the scenes do not want peace

[@julianbirke]

Lex: "why cant we just like, loovvee our way out of this, dude? Like what about looove man?"

[@ezl6307]

"Russia had the audacity to put nukes in Cuba" didn't the US already have nukes in Europe before Cuba that were more then Capable then striking Russia? The hypocrisy 😂

[@okidoki2479]

Ohhh Shut up you are talking nonsense,France Europe and Britain didn’t get Nukes from USA they Built them themself , in Cuba’s case Russia came to Cuba

[@Quoxozist]

Yes, and now they have both russia and china surrounded with literally dozens of missile bases, and still cry victim and pretend that russia and china are the big bads, like they aren't the international bully that has gone around starting dozens of wars and bombing/invading dozens of countries just since WW2 while China hasn't been in a war since 1979, and russia hasn't made war any further than right on their own borders since WW2. the US is the aggressor, and like any smart bully, they play the "Crybully" and claim that they are the ones being victimized, even as they surround other nations with weapons and missiles and threaten them nonstop with war and sanctions while they busy themselves overthrowing sovereign nations' governments while also crying about how russia allegedly tried to do it to them, it's like, bruh - CIA wrote the literal book on doing that, you do it all the time.

[@Quoxozist]

@@okidoki2479 The US has spent decades surrounding both russia and china with literally dozens of missile bases, and still cry victim and pretend they are the ones being harassed and manipulated, the lying and hypocrisy is off the charts, this is why no one outside the vassal states in europe and the middle east wants anything to do with the US anymore - they are liars, and their diplomacy can't be trusted, because they are untrustworthy hypocrites in their foreign policy.

[@ichernichenko]

​@@okidoki2479I believe that @exl6307 was mistaking Turkey as being in Europe. But that is true that US put missiles in Turkey to aim ad USSR.

[@cream2257]

@@okidoki2479hey little brainwashed bot

[@janakjodhan7982]

We ignore the fallout of Nord Stream II Sabotage relative to this Ukraine Conflict

[@yannilegakis4117]

CIA did that

[@passby8070]

yep, is plain as day who did it, but EU states are to chicken to question their master...

[@TheKisj]

@ivancai8070 don't bite the hand that feeds you

[@TheWill383]

I was pretty neutral to the conflict at first. I am a Russian and was serving in the German Military. I knew there was some Propaganda on both sides, but I was conflicted so I decided to just stay ignorant and let it pass. Then I heard on the Radio that Northstream blew up and the host said "it's still unknown who did it, it's being investigated if Russia did it" That's where I made up my mind and started to look into the politics of it. Do they really think we are that stupid?? The amount of misinformation is incredible.. I am amazed how it worked at all considering everyone has internet these days, but I am glad to say that people here are slowly sobering up to the Truth.

[@swapneelbehera260]

Exactly the reason they are scared😂😂.@TheKisj

[@Dazzxp]

"In Putin's heart and Zelensyy's heart, I hope" Hope is the first step down the long road of disappointment.

[@agamemnonofmycenae5258]

Optimism leads to disappointment. Pessimism leads to nothing

[@Dazzxp]

@agamemnonofmycenae5258 Good one, I like that, lol

[@jaenbrits1652]

@Dazzxp The Emperor protects.

[@Dottorelover1]

​​@@agamemnonofmycenae5258 Pessimism leads to depression

[@bcvetkov8534]

This^^​@@Dottorelover1

[@ClaySanford-e8o]

I did not know Angela Merkel said that about the Russian Red line and NATO expansion

[@Turbo-bs7ok]

Golly gee i wonder why

[@stuartmoore6310]

Most European leaders are ventriloquist's dummies of the usa. With the exception of hungary's Viktor Orban

[@moazim1993]

That mean the media is doing its job

[@beverlycallistini4689]

"I think it has to do that Americans are not very good at putting themselves in the shoes of other countries" Nails it.

[@generaldamage3282]

Good ol lex, hoping leaders speaking can avoid war and find peace… thing is they don’t want peace

[@shangtsung88]

Yeah super naive

[@shangtsung88]

Yeah super naive

[@fwfeo]

The US side doesn’t want peace. The hubris of winning the Cold War and becoming the sole superpower 30 years ago gave the neocons the confidence to go on and replace diplomatic resolution of disputes with military action! We’re living the results of those horrible decisions! A bankrupt empire that writes checks that its budget can’t cash!!

[@vitaliybaban6568]

unfortunately some leaders such as putin understand only force

[@Alexsmith-fh3xh]

It's a recurring theme in a number of Lex's videos, and it never fails to inspire some sort of secondhand embarrassment felt by me for Lex It tends to surpass simply making him appear naive And moves in to certified clinically heckin retarded bruh word2lifeyo no cap we outchyea

[@markzepeda5667]

Lex, get married first, then apply trust, you cannot apply it in foreign policy, even in tribes, it’s all always them and us,

[@aedrdeaslzr8955]

John looked at him like ...man, this guy is living in disney world.

[@Simklink]

Have you noticed comment section being different than usual on certain political videos?

[@eugheniat.2121]

This is not Lex’s platform. This on is users his clips for profit from advertisements.

[@250624or]

Certainly

[@Nelson484]

Yeah MAGAs and Russian shills. Mostly Russian shills in the comments

[@conorredmond6217]

Yep.. it's ridiculous

[@dfdf-rj8jr]

Russian trolls

[@karlweurfel]

One of the first things I watched was Putin's speech on why he invaded. He DID NOT say, it is unacceptable that NATO's expands, he said something about Nazis in Ukraine and about protecting Russian citizens in the Donbass. So how is it, that this professor now says, well obviously it was becouse of NATO Expansion. Why didn't Putin tell me in his speech that I could see?

[@petegoestubular]

I think it's because, if Putin did not invade BEFORE Ukraine joined NATO, then he wouldn't be able to step in without starting WW3. And he had to intervene because the Ukrainian Nazis had been shelling the Donbas region for years and would ultimately have ethnic cleansed it. They referred to the Russian speaking minority as 'untermench ' look it up. As long as Ukraine wasn't in NATO, the Russian majority has a chance.

[@TheTimdoyle]

I would agree about what Putin said but he has also sat for a number of hours with the press and spoke openly, questioning why NATO were amassing troops along their borders. My partner is Bulgarian and it is known that some 20,000 plus ethnic Bulgarians have been pushed out of the country. The history of Ukraine is not as simple as one has been told. There is a large ethnic Russian population who do not want an independent Ukraine. Furthermore Russia has been attacked numerous times Napoleon (won but could not maintain power), they lost WWI and of course Operation Barbarossa in WWII. One of the main routes into Russia is the Ukraine. To put it into perspective the number of deaths during WWII was approximately 50million of which approximately 30 million were USSR. So if you think Putin or Russia shouldn’t regard any move by NATO as a threat then you are sadly mistaken.

[@karlweurfel]

@@TheTimdoyle definetly. If I was Russia's leadership, I would feel threatened by NATO expansion as well. I also don't think NATO expansion is such a good idea, because there was no more soviet union to defend against, I see it as an American power vessel. But that's not the reason why Russia attacked Ukraine, because than you only give countries more incentive to join NATO. That logically makes no sense, if I want to stop NATO Expansion I don't attack my neighbours, than I only make more countries join NATO. And as I said, that's not what Putin said in his speech. He talked about denazification and liberation of russians.

[@djape1977]

​@@karlweurfelwatch Putin's speech at Munich security conference in 2008, he said it there and repeated many times since

[@bulldozer8950]

Because nato expansion is a joke, nato doesn’t militarily expand, it could be right on Russias border and Russia wouldn’t need to be worried about being invaded unless they invaded another country. Which I guess is what they want to be able to do, invade countries they feel like whenever. Which no country should have to put up with.

[@drinksoft5191]

Thanks Lex for the interview, I enjoyed it so much.

[@andrej2321]

Tell us more. Please elaborate on the enjoyable part of this old man mumbling nonsense. Please enlighten us all..please

[@petercarmody4897]

​@andrej2321 the old man made more sense than NATO or Zelenski.

[@toshiromifune3896]

​@@andrej2321it is a bot

[@pumahuhu365]

@@petercarmody4897based on what?

[@pumahuhu365]

Lex’s pro putin propaganda naive idiot. Has no idea what is going on in Ukraine

[@taWay21]

Lex's naivety is showing here

[@username7735]

Lex always had a soft spot for his motherland and views it with rose-tinted glasses, not unlike most people with roots in Russia. He treats Russia like just another normal country when it's the only remaining active imperialist state in the world. He overstates all the positives Russia has brought to the world and downplays all the negatives.

[@jacobbell8171]

​@@username7735it's not imperialist, come back in 5 years and tell me how many countries Russia has invaded since Ukraine

[@username7735]

@@jacobbell8171 Lol. It's literally an empire.

[@VolkovVelikan]

@@username7735the Russian empire ended in 1917.

[@VolkovVelikan]

@@username7735also an English speaker complaining about imperialism, how funny.

[@beehead5661]

Why did Finland and Sweden decide to join NATO after decades of staying out?

[@evawind]

For the same reasons why they supported Hitler during WWII.

[@os3984]

Fear. Plain and simple fear. They said Russia is going to invade us..like there would have been a good reason to do so as we have exactly nothing they'd want and huge reserves. Why Sweden did I have no idea. They've always fought to the last Finn anyways. Last I heard they were calling help services in fear of invasion. Anyways this can be shown as a Nato winning even if Ukraine would lose. 🎉

[@levibercovic4957]

Fear

[@revisionisthistories]

Cause they were told to.

[@suilfisean]

​@@revisionisthistories Russia tried that once, didn't work out so well

[@CarNikola135]

There is no room for talk. USSR and Russia tried that. Russia was promised that NATO would not move an inch to the east, outside of Germany. And they broken that agreement. So there is no amount of "human nature" that you are talking about that would make Putin believe you the conflict ends. He will have to make that not happen using his military.

[@aieahi1]

And the U.S. ambassador to Russia told the U.S. they were making a mistake expanding NATO. There are plenty of other officials who’ve said the same. They just aren’t covered by the media.

[@notofthisworld5998]

People who made those promises had no right to make them. It left millions of people out in the cold and vulnerable to Russian aggression. "The club membership is closed, all the rest of you are screwed. "

[@CarNikola135]

@@notofthisworld5998 So if US can use such naive argument to justify there actions, then you understand why Russians don't believe US anymore. So my comment stands correct.

[@enokcga3024]

@@notofthisworld5998 There were more subtle ways to offer some sort of protection to countries that would have asked for. Not just say "JOIN NATO MY FRIEND". But who knows how this would have turned out ...

[@madanbisht6]

Lol their is an agreement​@SyifaToni-k3p

[@murphy8449]

I posed this old idea of "demonstrsting resolve" with the use of a few "tactical" nuclear weapons to a retired Russian army officer. He responded that this was a very foolish course..."what makes you think that Russia's response would be a similar tactical response?

[@jvang2293]

Russian missiles probably don't even work like their tanks.

[@kpwillson]

I'd love to see what happens to defense contractor stock prices every time NATO expands

[@allencollins6031]

That's the game $$$

[@vincentrusso4332]

Someone is tracking 💯

[@Thisisahandle701]

"Russia has no military supply company contracts"

[@Scorch428]

Thats something they shoulda taught us in school. BUY DEFENSE STOCKS. DONT HOLD THE DOLLAR. Woulda been the best advice ever. Instead, they didnt even teach me Economics in High School OR college....

[@jaymagic8296]

Man Lex as intelligent as naive for real

[@youcefkel4743]

Exactly what i was thinking

[@simonocerous3138]

Huge respect for John Mearsheimer. He's one of the great geopolitical and strategic thinkers of our age. But how about this possibility? The US and its allies go to war with China over Taiwan and any of his first three scenarios is realised (i.e. anything short of an outright Chinese victory occurs). In this case, isn't there a strong potential that the Chinese Communist Party would lose its "mandate" (such as it is) to rule China and would either be overthrown or collapse not unlike the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, thus removing the Western world's primary strategic competitor? Obviously that doesn't guarantee a happy outcome for the West as we saw with the rise of Putin and his oligarchy/kleptocracy in Russia; but the potential is there for China to become a productive and successful democracy much like current day Germany and Japan, provided it is given adequate economic and governance support after the collapse of the CCP.

[@DavidWilliam-vo4bk]

Read history china and Taiwan were one before,1949, remember china is not an agressive power,agression has paved the way For USA decline,so it serves apurpose for the usa to fight more wars,in middle east, Ukraine, Syria after more 15 years all Americans will be burdened with more useless debts,she will be father with the loudest voice but with non thing to offer to its ppl and the world,then the masses will raise up

[@ariadneunsworth6248]

The only path to that, as shown by history, is civilian casualties measured by billions at least. The Berlin Wall, the end of Hiroshima. Americans are so able to forgive murderers who they never met in person. And please note that both the German and Japanese governments during WWII were already criminals by all existing human morals, their people had a reason to overthrow these governments. The modern China led by CCP, mind you, is generally supported by the entirety of the Chinese population, or will support them just in the hope of maintaining peace and unity. This is also a government that wields nuclear weapons with a neighbor that almost had nothing by nukes. Sure, if hell is what you want.

[@DanielDem87]

Putin's rise killed the oligarchy in Russia and centralized power, you are mentally ill.

[@fluff5800]

Keep dreaming, Chinese have a very different thinking, they are taught about western colonial crimes, crimes committed by westerners on their people and American 21st century crimes. They view themselves as a great power who deserves to be great again. Why would they exchange everything the ccp did for them (uplifted them from shite) to democracy western degeneracy (in their pov)

[@Giezer1984]

What about what the ukrainian people want?

[@evawind]

Who asked what the Ukrainian people want when CIA organised a coup in 2014? Who asked what Cuban people want when the US organised its blockade?

[@betoperdido]

I assure you they want peace

[@Peace-ok7xo]

So you think regular Ukrainians want to be a military base for NATO?

[@jackelvis6165]

They wanted peace, but CIA decided to initiate a coup in 2014. That's merely 24 years after leaving USSR. Why cause chaos in Putin's doorstep?

[@IlyaTERA]

And what if Mexico wants to have a military alliance with Russia. Will USA be okay with it?

[@mariam.3612]

Thank you for the interesting guest, as always.

[@azhanali1448]

Lex Fridman asked many shallow questions. Fortunately John Mearsheimer is able to give alternative insights.

[@jamesmacdonald8576]

so true

[@dfdf-rj8jr]

Henry Kissinger was probably the closest to Mearsheimer you can get - a pure realist. You loved him, right?

[@reemhabboushe5465]

@@dfdf-rj8jr ??? Kissinger was a deceptive liar by all accounts. Kissinger is similar to J Edgar Hoover: they are authoritarian liars who think they can manipulate everyone else. That's why many think of Kissinger as a snake. Mearsheimer is a historian, not a shady politician.

[@jakubcygan8265]

but most of the insights are bullshit. for example he claims that the USA wanted to 'turn Ukraine into a liberal democracy' while anyone with half a brain who does some basic research knows that the majority of the people of Ukraine wanted their country to be a liberal, western oriented democracy.

[@falcn828]

Kind of dumb to think Putin started a war thinking he was going to lose...makes it hard to take anything else seriously.

[@jvang2293]

Right? Like he didn't copy the thunder run tactic the US used in Iraq in 2003....Hostomel airport was just a faint!

[@JovanCarbonneau]

You are stunned lol

[@johndoull2766]

Yes, negotiations are a great way to buy time.

[@arostwocents]

2014 and 2022. Russia would be crazy to negotiate as soon as Zelensky is removed and the new leaders know it is lost

[@hectorfmaldonado5875]

And get around issues.

[@Scorch428]

itll all be over in Jan when President Trump stops military aid to Ukraine. Theyll make a deal to split the country. Which I think is fine, as long as you give the pro-Ukrainian people in the East a chance to sell their assets and move west. And vice-versa, for that matter.

[@iam.damian]

He talks about Americans not being able to empathise with other countries, and yet he fails to empathise with Eastern European countries that have been for centuries bullied by Russian Empire and Soviet Union.

[@ashfield1425]

😂. You have completely ignored his point. They are not superpowers with spheres of influence. Russia is a superpower and like America don’t want hostile entities on their border. Do you get it now?

[@TishoNedev]

​@@ashfield1425 well said.

[@ThomasDanielsen1000]

@@ashfield1425 Who the f... gave you the idea that only superpowers have a right to security???

[@ashfield1425]

@@ThomasDanielsen1000 Who F#ck else? The US….They in fact believe that they are THE only country that is allowed spheres of influence. That’s why they have 750 military bases around the world. It shouldn’t be allowed. NATO should be disbanded. But when the country that consistently bullshits about ‘muh freedom and democracy’ consistently acts aggressively don’t expect others not to do the same otherwise that’s the height of hypocrisy.

[@organizer14]

Thank you for sharing your truth! We appreciate it!

[@Pudge415]

Why shouldn’t Ukraine as a sovereign nation have the right to do as they choose?

[@brucechang6016]

Because they want to be pawns of the West, a direct threat to Russia, they want to join NATO, which is absolutely unacceptable to Putin.

[@robbymayer5987]

Lex Fridman podcast rocks!

[@ArsenicShooter]

Why couldn’t Ukraine become neutral like Switzerland? I know I don’t have a lot of knowledge about this, but just an idea. If it’s not in Nato and not in the EU, like Switzerland, it would be a separation between Western Europe and Middle East. We could bring a similar Neutrality like we have in Switzerland by Swiss people in a temporary government that would make the country totally transparent, independent and neutral and the most important: bring peace. Would that even be possible? Just wondering.

[@ІванДжиніч]

It was possible, Ukraine was neutral, was a federation, before occupation of Crimea.

[@alext7500]

Because the US doesn't want it

[@pamelastorer8570]

Why? Because it doesnt suit the powermonger war-makers of America, is why. Finland was neutral, for 80 yrs, and did very well out of it - now it's broken the treaty it made with Russia, for which it will, one day, weep and thrown in its lot with the Empire of Pirates. They also want Finland for their own use. It's all, always, about Russia. A Swedish guy said, only a day or so ago, that Russia was a land filled with wealth, oil, gas, gold, precious metals, rivers, and it couldnt belong to the Russians, because it was the possession of all humanity. Like, starving black Africans, maybe?? Like Gaza and other Palestinians?? Yeah, sure. They want Russia's wealth for themselves, they want to genocide all Russians, and they will use anything at all, blackmail, propaganda, mind control, appeals to greed, to get those nations to throw in their lot with the Empire. And thats why Ukraine couldnt be neutral.

[@pamelastorer8570]

@SyifaToni-k3p Try learning a few facts before making stupid statements and a complete fool of yourself.

[@Theclassiconestill]

Switzerland broke its neutrality in 2022, it’s not neutral.

[@MetaArchitect]

Fantastic and insightful episode, thank you for that!

[@lbj23fanbrown65]

Why the hell should Ukraine be forced to stay neutral. Isn’t the right of any country and its people to choose how they want to live. If Ukraine wants to join the EU or NATO they should be able to. The whole conversation missed the point that the US is all about and that is the freedom to choose.

[@lbj23fanbrown65]

The funny thing is that this historian seems to have forgotten history. There are similarities to hitlers path to WW2 and putins path. Both too lands from their neighbors without much international resistance until it was too late.

[@oksanamazur2123]

Exactly ❤

[@freddiedavies6415]

Yeah, but if a neutral party is overthrown by a pro-nato government, helped by the US…. That’s different

[@jakubcygan8265]

this. anything else is bullshit from Putin apologists. btw nobody ever claimed Putin wanted to conquer all of Ukraine, he wanted to turn a sovereign state into a puppet state like Belarus.

[@93michalis]

Why couldn’t Cuba place soviet missiles in their own island? Freedom of choice, right Yankee?

[@chronicillz1879]

i dunno why but i love watching this particular podcast when im in the bathroom, the conversation is always so slow, its relaxful

[@smmsex]

Я тоже в ванной смотрел 😂

[@jamesmcnaughton5092]

Plenty of word salad from Lex to help your bowl movement

[@jacobbell8171]

relaxing*

[@chronicillz1879]

@@jacobbell8171 right

[@chronicillz1879]

@@smmsex а откуда ты знал что я русский?

[@thomaskeeler912]

Lex is a good guy who knows a lot about a little.

[@michaelistoma8356]

You literally described americans. Americans knows only about their gov problems.

[@juriskucinskis4100]

By this kind of thinking you might as well say "NATO expansion in East is the fault of Russia". Or more precisely it is the fault of Russia's attitude towards these Eastern European countries.

[@zlatkonanev]

That is not logical because as a eastern European I can tell you most of us respect Russia more than you know. Russia was made an enemy because the US economy thrives off of having one.

[@juriskucinskis4100]

@@zlatkonanev I am from Eastern Europe myself and I know by my own experience that majority of eastern Europeans who were in former zone of Russian influence doesn't have good opinion about Russia. I suspect that you come from more southern part of Eastern Europe which had different historical experience than Northern part of Eastern Europe.

[@zlatkonanev]

@juriskucinskis4100 I am from Bulgaria, and yes, the satellite states had it much easier. Without the USSR, however, we wouldn't even be an independent nation. We will never forget what our northern brothers did for us. Russia ended up being the main territorial beneficiary of the former USSR and was left with an economy and military resembling nothing of the USSR's might. Today's Russia has nothing to do with what the Soviet Union once was. It would be foolish of me to think of Turks the same way I do of the Ottomans simply because of geography for example. Why does the west still consider Russia to be the threat that the Soviet Union once was? What was the purpose of NATO expansion after it was dissolved? What do they need protection from? Those people had nothing to eat! What were they going to shoot with? Which other countries (who's economies don't entirely depend on printing $ for wars) continue to villanize past enemies this way?

[@juriskucinskis4100]

@@zlatkonanev If you are from Bulgary I can understand, your country did have completely different experience towards Russia. Personaly I am from Latvia and I can tell you that for Baltic states, Poland and Ukraine it was completely different experience. Even after collapse of Soviet Union Russia continued to implement it's soft power in this region. Basically the main problem is that both during the times of Russian empire and Soviet Union large numbers of Russians emigrated to the non-russian lands which were under their control. That's why Russia considers them part of Русский мир and continues to hold their influence there. That's why people there feel threatened.

[@zlatkonanev]

@juriskucinskis4100 what is threatening about Russians? I can't get this past my head? We were taken by the Ottomans for 500 years and I was just in Istanbul on vacation. I can't be threatened by a Turk. It makes no sense to me. I think a lot of this has to do with programming specifically coming from the west and EU. All of their economies will collapse if there is no war or at least another virus. The way I see it, almost any time Russia has used military it has been in self defense.

[@TheDeivijc]

The fact that Finland entered NATO makes "the expansion" excuse for a war pointless.

[@apurvd6177]

Finland, the key ally of the Nazi Germany in ww2 didn't have much choice when the Russians pushed back in 1942, nor do they have now in 2024 with a population of less than 5 million could never pose a real threat to Russians.

[@vwilhelm5788]

How do? Are you saying they should invade Finland too?

[@kladblok2729]

​@@vwilhelm5788 it proves that the whole nato expansion argument is bullshit. Putin is throwing everything he has into Ukraine, his borders are unprotected. And what does nato do? Nothing. Because Russia has nuclear weapons and Putin well knows he can blackmail us. This war is for domestic purposes. Putin uses nato to create a big scary enemy so that the russian citizens all look to him to protect them. He attacked Ukraine because they were dangerously getting more democratic and prosperous. If Ukraine had democracy it is a direct threat to his iron fist over the Russian people because they will start wanting democracy too.

[@mcribisback7105]

Because the Russians made an agreement with Ukraine that it would stay neutral after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Ukraine was always closer with Russia than Finland was with Russia

[@kladblok2729]

@@mcribisback7105 they made an agreement to defend ukraines sovernty in exchange for their nukes. That agreement left Ukraine open to be invaded again at any time Russia wanted. There was nothing substantial about nato and Ukraine, only some words in 2008. Putin is using this exuse because there is a group of idiots in the west that has no clue what is actually happening and why.

[@JohnnyYounitas]

Do we (the american public) really want to flirt w/ nuclear armageddon over who gets to control a portion of eastern Ukraine? I know my answer..

[@karlisbanans6453]

will he stop in eastern Ukraine?

[@TJ-Judge]

​​@@karlisbanans6453 did u even listen to the video? ... I'm sure ur unbased assumptions are so much more apt than John Mearsheimer's informed analysis 🙄

[@jvang2293]

​@@TJ-JudgeWell seeing as Mearsheimer makes plenty of illogical and factually untrue statements....

[@SteveN-kp6jj]

@@jvang2293please enlighten us with specific examples. Even better a single example of each

[@altkoin]

Lex can you please let me know about your mic setup is there a booster for the voice?

[@CosmoZengeya]

Dude is a computer scientist, some scientific and computerized stuff happening on those mics, so crystal clear, you cant stop wanting to listen to the discourse...

[@a15yearoldatheist68]

He could be using a gain booster such as a Cloudlifter, or maybe a Preamp of some sort to amplify the signal.

[@floridamanbear5522]

Lex is a normie outside of his specialty. Not a criticism, just pointing it out- with love as he would say.

[@martinwhalley3286]

Be sure to give Putin credit for adding Finland to NATO

[@keith6820]

Putin continues to help NATO grow. Thumbs up on your colossal backfire, Putin.

[@chrisperez3614]

@@keith6820lol Finland is not strategically important and was already a U.S. vassal state.

[@NeverMoney]

@@chrisperez3614 lol they are 5 minutes away from St. Petersburg with a missile strike and share a large border with Russia. If Putin cared about security, he would have definitely wrecked Finland before joining NATO.

[@Scorch428]

Even if he takes ALL of Ukraine, Russia will still border Poland... a NATO country... Thats why I dont buy the NATO excuse.

[@ThomasDanielsen1000]

@@chrisperez3614 Ahh, so all that shit about NATO expansion was just... shit?

[@QueenQueen-yc3or]

It is about sticking to agreements. Naive to think words and promises once broken can be resorted to. Idiotic even

[@CelebrateLifeOriginal-om6ip]

Lex and his belief in individual leaders 🤣 Only "individual leader" I can think of is Stanislov Petrov 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@michaells06]

He forgets about the controlling interests behind the scenes. Lex comes across as very naive in this clip.

[@will201084]

Lex is naive and since he is of Russian decent he has some amnesia.

[@aocastro]

that 1st grade libertarianism

[@GobiLux]

He can sound so smart, but sometimes Lex is just an 8-year old who thinks the world is as straight forward as a lemonade stand!

[@ntombzanelediale7693]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😅​@@GobiLux

[@kieranramtohal9645]

Lex appears so naive in his belief that leaders can talk this out. I’m surprised, but then maybe I’m too cynical

[@taezos3731]

He think they arguing over a fender bender lmfao

[@bookswithbenjamin8902]

​@@taezos3731lol

[@dyanduffy7651]

He's wanting a world where talking comes before picking up guns and sending a generation to fight old mens twisted wars

[@cristianr3712]

Funny how after all these podcasts Lex still thinks the US(government/military complex) are all good and all knowing and always looking for the best future of every country.

[@ivanivanovich2893]

This is an example of the truth that we’re conditioned and habitual beings and that it’s not easy to uproot our views as they are habitual.

[@thomasbarrack1384]

I have to respectfully point out a glaring flaw in one of John's supposition regarding Putin's attitude towards, and actions during, the Ukraine war. There are so many reasons Putin slow played the wsr early on, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the ongoing negotiatios. This is directly related to his messaging at home. There could be no knowledge of any war taking place, especially in a nation that many Russians have friends, family, and deep ties to. His slow play was based on the fact that when too many men have to be sent off to war , or a "special military operation" as it were, and a significant number of those don't come home, mother's, wife's, daughters, and sons start to notice. That is the only real threat to Putin's power, the people. Every action Putin took leading up to the second mobilization revolved around the information war at home, which is also the reason the Wagner group was so heavily used, and why prisoners were conscripted or given an offer to fight for their freedom, instead of mass mobilization. For a realist, it's disappointing to have missed this. How states interact with other states is very important, but just as important is understanding the dynamic between a particular state and it's citizens, and how that informs the behaviors of that states leader on the world stage.

[@evawind]

You are talking as a typical propaganda-fed westerner, unfortunately. Putin has never enjoyed a more overwhelming support of the Russian citizens then after Feb 2022. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of Russians was upset that Russia is not taking more decisive steps to protect Russian-speaking population of the Eastern Ukraine which was persecuted by the central Ukraine government after the 2014 US-supported coup.

[@davidgee2424]

Couldn’t be a more factual headline

[@novepe]

Did you mean false? Because that is what it is.

[@ΔιμΚος]

@@novepebot spotted

[@TheOrellana]

After what Ukraine has been dealing with, I cannot imagine them wanting to be a neutral state

[@smmsex]

Их ни кто спрашивать не будет.

[@Woodsaras]

No post soviet country can stay neutral. They all run to the west. The ones who didnt do it in time got invaded and got their land stolen.

[@evawind]

Compare the number of civilians killed in the course of almost 2-year special military operation with that in Gaza. That should answer your question.

[@AndraBullar]

At this stage, becoming neutral would just mean becoming russian, with extra steps. They cannot be neutral and sovereign without security guaratees from the west, which is an oxymoron.

[@Woodsaras]

@@AndraBullar exactly. Becoming neutral means getting eaten by russia. Always was the case . Thats why countries like belarus and ukraine and georgia are struggling

[@ibrimajatta2046]

If American elites call others imperialist I wonder what are they 😂😂😂😂

[@genelarson6849]

The war was started in 2014 with the annexation of crimea.

[@jackelvis6165]

This war was inevitable after covert operation to back pro western government in 2014, something that most U.S citizens know nothing about. 80% of Americans came to know Ukraine in the aftermaths of Feb 24, 2022. That's why most of the comments are, "Ukraine is sovereign country, they can do what they want."

[@ProTechEpoxyFloors]

I didn’t realize Neville Chamberlain was still alive.

[@DanielDem87]

the problem is that now the americans are hitler and Putin is Neville Chamberlain, no wonder the russian opposition is asking for escalation and full mobilization in Ukraine.

[@antonpretorius2470]

🤣🤣🤣

[@johns9969]

Never knew Lex audience was NeoCon. Comments are like Daily Wire.

[@zachhoward9099]

Lot of bots in here

[@ggg-cf9zl]

@@zachhoward9099 *pro-Russian bots like you.

[@back2davinci525]

Lots of Neocon bots as they know Lex is a big influencer of young thinking minds. It's dangerous expansion into easy catch demographics for Neocons.

[@moreranch9174]

Yeah these people on here with all the info that’s out now still repeat the same exact talking points that you see from neocons it’s crazy how alot of these people think it’s up to the US to determine the geopolitical future of the world. A lot of them knowingly gaslight and leave info out too

[@abrvalg321]

Tons of nafo bots - Pentagon's money well spent.

[@eblanco2172]

During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, there was a strong will to engage in dialogue and de-escalate tensions between the USA and the USSR, leading to a peaceful resolution that allowed the world to breathe a sigh of relief. Today, the situation seems quite the opposite. The U.S. government and NATO are fueling the conflict. In 1962, Castro sought to draw the USSR into a war with the U.S.; now, Zelensky appears to be attempting to pull the U.S. and NATO into a war with Russia.

[@Danydvyddasdasdas]

Finland joined NATO, does that mean that Russia has now the right to invade Finland and it would be NATO's fault if that happens (principally)? Also this gentleman refers to NATO and West interchangeably, is it the same thing?

[@joebloggs430]

No Turkey is in NATO but is not exactly in the West.

[@fluff5800]

Yes lol we don't control how any country feels about something. So smaller countries should think about how bigger countries see their policies. That is an example of realist ir theory.

[@IlyaTERA]

Finland is not a threat

[@brandonstanley9125]

There wasn't anything in particular that changed between 08 and 2014 in terms of NATO membership. Ukraine wasn't even close. It was the change towards the EU that brought the ire of the Russians. They want a colony in Ukraine, not a country with a functional economy.

[@jorgeandrade783]

Exactly also this war is proof Nato is and has never been a threat to Russia. If Nato was this monster boogeyman the guy is making it appear then its strange that Nato have done nothing other than send weapons. The fact there’s zero nato troops on ground is literal proof Nato is not a threat to them never has been Also people don’t realise that any full scale Nato war with Russia would decimate many Nato countries especially Eastern Europe. Nato 100 per cent wants peace here in Europe they don’t want to fight Russia and I think the non physical intervention is proof

[@evawind]

Is it why the US spent $5B to support a coup in 2014 toppling the legitimate Ukrainian president? Something doesn't add up here -- why would US be so generous to a state that reasonably speaking is nowhere close to its geographical sphere of interests? Do you want me to believe in pure philantropical sentiment behind this expense? I don't buy it, sorry.

[@jvang2293]

No can't you see NATO is evil and poor Putin is defending his little nation!!

[@hh14h]

Yes there was. It was the government coup that was conducted by the US in Ukraine in 2014 that changed things for the worse.

[@nathanielgordon5659]

The Ukrainians passed a law, making it illegal to talk with Russia. No one is allowed to talk peace

[@shesanicon7411]

It's not allowed to them to speak with Putin It's s big difference

[@sadestmage]

​@@shesanicon7411then how the fuck do you expect to make peace in next four years of his presidency?!

[@alexanderkalinchenko4038]

And I wonder why and who gave this brilliant advice? Boris,The Clown Johnson no less.

[@walterfoott5105]

Thank You Professor for speaking the truth the West need to hear this badly. lots of love to You.

[@svcleaves]

Excellent Mearsheimer analysis

[@pertpesc7058]

Lex , the only slow motion still alive.

[@elguerojusticiero]

Naivety lex. Hope wont get anybody anything. Wisdom and decisive action alone will.

[@ninaloos3071]

The United States does not poses such human qualities. Let the international cards lie down on the World Table in its predicted order which may be a huge brain loss for the political limitation of the biden's government of so called International Diplomacy. (which. Does not exist in the States). This young idiot interviewer, still is entertaining the stupidity The Russians will agree with the Frozen. MILITARY Operation. WHAT FOR? TO SAVE F'''KERS Ukrainian Lives? From what FEAR, as the Russians like to say. The Ukrainian NAZI have killed 500 children brutally during 2014-2022 calling the Russians in Donbas the Subhuman Species. The Rusians ALWAYS are loking for the EVEN Count. Nope, Not in this case to conduct any negotiations with the weaky-meaky narcoman Zelya and our senile president, unless the Nazi Ukras stop dreaming about its dear friends in the Western part of the world helping them to keep ts sovereignty which they had never had since 1991. Some listener noted he is a Russian. Far, very far from the Reality. Nothing of the Russian qualities are in this American "Sub-human Jew". Why not to remind him Nazi Zelya passed the law which states clearly- No Negotiatipns With Putin. Just what is the Reality of the glorious Americans nowadays under the influence of the Ego - do not give up on helping military the Nazi ukras as the Russians are winning and we, the Americans, are loosing worldwide The Russian nukes are looking at us only 15 kilometers away across from Alaska and 8 minutes away from our senile baiden favorite car and the oval office. San Fran - 3 minutes and poooooh. Is there anybody left? Perhaps, anything for us left in the former Russian Village? We cannot afford to loos the great prospectus of our border with Mexico as they will turn to Argentina for he distribution of the colorful pills. And what about our needs for our favorite medicine? We need to decide between keeping us happy american style or helping to the ukra nazi loosers. Definitely, our CHOICE! Agree? .

[@Joe-d4s4x]

Naivety. The other guy is taking Putins words as verbatim. Remember when he said he wouldn’t attack Ukraine 😂

[@blacktara123]

This is an absolute truth bomb that a lot of Americans need to see

[@bocckoka]

Sure, the West with it's defense organization and established trade relationships started killing people. So much truth. Like Orban interprets it, if they'd just let Putin take their territory, there would be no war. Sure, champ.

[@CatherineLarocque-be7pd]

and because of this expansion the western US led world system is being dismantled

[@ThomasDanielsen1000]

LOL, dream on Igor!

[@olgafragoulis5801]

The truth is coming out , no matter what you try to cover up

[@27natedogg1]

What do u mean by “doorstep”? What do you mean by “conquer Ukraine”? All the examples you gave of NATO expansion were met with only words from Russia. If this is about Ukraine joining NATO then it seems like Ukraine is the specific red line not nato expansion generally. Of course Ukraine is not a part of nato. There has been no momentum towards Ukraine joining nato. And before 2022 most nato members (including the US) were not in favor of Ukraine joining nato. The nato members that were in favor were countries like Poland and Lithuania who have a history of solidarity with Ukraine against Russian occupation. Speak specifically here. Russia invaded Ukraine and began annexing their territory in 2014. This came after a popular uprising in the country that saw the deposition of a pro-russian president and the election of a more western aligned president. That president lost reelection in 2019 to a candidate that was even more western aligned. Putin tried to cleave away western support for Ukraine diplomatically during the Trump administration but failed and then sent in a surge of troops and annexed more territory in 2022. This is not about nato expansion. This is about a country and a people that Putin refuses to acknowledge are anything other than Russians with funny accents democratically moving away from Russia and towards the west. This threatens the Putin regime because of the close connections between Ukrainians and Russians. In Putin’s eyes if it can happen in Ukraine it can happen in Russia. And if it happens in Russia it will literally be over his dead body. Lex please have guests on who can explain this interpretation: Timothy Snyder, Marci Shore, Anne Applebaum, Fiona Hill. Ukrainian freedom depends on the voices of their defenders.

[@jakubcygan8265]

you sir, have won this comment section

[@soniasbooks]

At one point Putin said they didn’t care if Ukraine joined the EU, but not NATO.

[@alekzgavriel-russo7453]

And then Putin coerced Ukraine over an EU deal lol, so much for that.

[@nataliebrown2658]

BRILLIANT INTERVIEW!!!

[@TodaTruth]

MH 17 was shoot from the skies in eastern Ukraine in 2014

[@maximkarlov6978]

By the way, it's important to notice that Ukraine never had it's own nuclear weapons! The nuclear which was located on the territory former USSR belong to Russia and had been controlled by Russia from Moscow. So, it's not a case to talk about keeping nuclear Ukraine at all. As long as USSR was over all nucs was relocated to Russia territory. That's it.

[@WilkinsMichael]

Wrong. Ukraine was part of the USSR and the nukes were on their soil so it was not automatic that Russia would get them. That is why it was a big deal and there was an international treaty that Russia and all the major powers signed. That is one of the reasons the US and UK feel obligated to help Ukraine and why Russia is wrong, they made promises in a treaty.

[@AmericanSuperStar700]

I agree with nato/US being responsible for provoking Russia into this whole dilemma

[@Xhw3288]

Explain please. Because Ukraine did not join NATO and still got invaded.

[@dmac7128]

By that logic, Saddam Hussein was responsible for US invasion of Iraq in 2003

[@okidoki2479]

@@Xhw3288yeah these people have no clue they are just being Putin’ pawn .

[@georgyzhukov6409]

@@Xhw3288 minsk accords

[@ThomasDanielsen1000]

@@georgyzhukov6409 Ahh the fake ceasefires that Russia forced upon Ukraine after starting a civil war in the Donbas - what about them?

[@ИльяДмитриев-ц4ч]

Just remember how west blame Russia for invading Georgia in 2008, completly ignoring fact what it was Georgia who start war

[@tomarator]

spreading fakes huh? any sources or common sense for such interesting alternative historical facts?

[@evawind]

@@tomarator send your complaints to the UN, because this is what their resolution on Russian-Georgian conflict reads: The implementation of Resolution 1633 (2008) on the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia I. Introduction 1. On 2 October 2008, the Parliamentary Assembly adopted Resolution 1633 (2008) on the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia. In this Resolution, the Assembly strongly condemned the outbreak of war between two of its member states and considered that, during the war and its immediate aftermath, both countries had violated human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as the Statute of the Council of Europe and specific accession commitments. 2. While recognising that the war did not start on 7 August 2008, the Assembly considered that the shelling of Tskhinvali, without warning, by Georgia marked a new level of escalation and constituted a disproportionate use of armed force, albeit within its own territory, which violated international humanitarian law and Georgia's commitment to resolve the conflict peacefully.

[@thunderxgod01]

I'm calling bs. He completely outright ignored Putin's open embrace of the writings and philosophy of Russian Fascist, Ivan Iiyn. As well as his well understood fasination with Peter the Great and the overall push towards USSR-ish brand nationalism. He also makes the ignorant assumption that the initial invasion force of 190K troops wasn't with intention to conquer Ukraine when clearly the opening action of the war, the air assault on Antonov Airport, was designed as a decapitation strike against the Ukrainian goverment while multipe Motor Rifle Brigades stormed the boarders on 3 different major axes around the country?

[@pierman4858]

​@tegaatima1860 John may have predicted conflict (duh, war started in 2014) but he said in February 2022 Russia would not annex Ukranian territory, merely deter NATO. John is a dreamer who hopes that appeasing Putin will lead to peace. Unfortunately if you are Russia's neighbour you are either occupied, Russified, or destroyed, unless you are strong enough.

[@nikogdatakogo]

A pure manipulation. Belarus has great relationships with Russia for decades. Majority of former soviet republics maintain independence and business relations with Russia. By pointing out "occupation" you mean pro-NATO american puppet regimes poking and provoking Russia. Ukraine from 1991-2013 was a neutral state, and Russia actually did not give a single fuck about it's internal policies.

[@herzog1857]

Politics, like war, are fickle things and never a straight line. Something that once seemed impossible today seems possible and vice versa.

[@Woodsaras]

John is full of sht.

[@evawind]

Sounds like a projection to me... sounds like you are describing either the US, or the GB not Russia which neither had collonies, nor slavery, nor reservations. Sometimes I wonder if that's the core mistake Russia has made.

[@pierman4858]

@@evawind I am an EU citizen and to me there is no doubt you are way better of being a neighbour of the US than a neighbour of Russia. So no, this is not projection but the experience of living next to Russia.

[@user-wr4yl7tx3w]

Given that 60 million citizens of USSR died under Stalin, can you see why countries near Russia may want to join NATO? I think this professor is being very selective about history.

[@mariabaker2894]

Maps help a lot! Thank you, Lyosha!

[@ssuuppeerrbbooyy]

Russia had a NATO border since 1999 when Poland joined.

[@movement2contact]

Or the moment NATO was founded- with USA....

[@evawind]

If you listened to Professor Mearshiemer carefully, you would have noticed that "Russia was too weak" at that time (1999) to take steps. Besides, there is no comparison between the length of the Russian-Polish and Russian-Ukrainian border. On top of that, while NATO expansion is a core problem, there is also the issue of genocide of the Russian-speaking population residing in the Eastern Ukraine. They, if you don't know, have been persecuted for not giving up their culture and language. The first act of genocide happened in 2014, after the illegitimate US-supported coup. The Alley of Angels with more than 100 kids murdered by the ukrainian puppet regime is a girm evidence of it.

[@brianleonard6598]

@@evawind Being weak didn't stop them from getting involved in Moldova and Chechnya... Also, there is *no* genocide of Russian speakers in Ukraine. Never been a thing. Zelensky is Russian speaking ffs. Lastly, 2014 had nothing to do with the US. It was a protest movement that lead to the ousting of Yanukovych, Putin's puppet leader. He went against the parliamentary and the people and when they protested, he passed draconian anti-protest laws and ordered the police to shoot the protesters. That annoyed the people and he ended up fleeing to Russia. Had nothing to do with the US.

[@ThomasDanielsen1000]

@@evawind "there is also the issue of genocide of the Russian-speaking population residing in the Eastern Ukraine." Ahh yeah, the absolutely fictitious genocide of Russian speaking people in Ukraine that only exists in the echo chamber of Kremlin talking monkeys!

[@cccpredarmy]

The talk about Ukraine having nuclear weaponry always keeps a flawed understanding about the details. Ukraine had nuclear missiles and launching systems in their country, yet the launching hardware, command center, data collection etc etc was in Russia. Soviet Union wasn't dumb enough to put command centers so close to the potential enemy in the West. Ukraine destroying the former soviet missiles in its country was a sort of obligatory thing, especially for those in charge in Ukraine. If they would keep the missiles they would have to spend a ton of budget money to sustain the missiles they didn't have the abbility to use. Add to that the greedyness of the fresh capitalist elite combined with corruption - keeping the missiles would have been a disaster. So they did the best they could do in this situation: pretend what they have is "the real shit" and trade it for something of value for them, which they successfully did. Not to mention the distruction of TU-160 strategic bomber fleet, collapse of the biggest shipyard in Nikolaev etc etc... Ukraine was and kept going on a straight road to cannibalizing what was left from SU in order to get preferences for the elites in power... So saying that "ukraine should have kept this and that" completely misses the point of who was in charge in Ukraine all this time... and still is by the way...

[@christianschulz1443]

not true they where organised in autonome units and ukraine also had a bomber fleed which was meant to launch its own nuclear attacks

[@cccpredarmy]

@@christianschulz1443 bomber fleet which they happily sawed through once USA told them to. In fact Russia even back then with crappy economy asked if they can buy the tu-160. Ukraine declined and destroyed them

[@Miltty]

You have to prepare better before you post something! Total fairytales and bs work inside the Mordor only! Incapable of creating a decent quality fake. As one of your ministers said: “ Russians are unique civilizations with an extra chromosome!”

[@jeancomeau8032]

Someone asked me why Poutine did not invade Poland, which is part of NATO and bordering Russia. What is the difference between Poland and Ukraine which makes Russia invade one country but not the other?

[@gregorystevens3992]

Russia would take Ukraine then say Poland is to close . When would it end for Russia? The more land they take from other Countries the Closer they get to NATO

[@djape1977]

Simple. Ukraine has to be neutral and Baltics states need to leave NATO thus creating a buffer zone. As Mersheimer repeatedly said, there's no evidence Putin wanted to conquer Ukraine

[@Anwajn]

Its insane how naive Lex is. But great talk.

[@eohq]

Why did you invite him, let alone why this was posted

[@blueeyes6192]

Lex is so naive about 1 on 1 😂😂

[@kzazazazk]

He really doesnt mention the overwhelming public support and desire to join nato in a lot of the post Soviet states

[@russ_6214]

Ukrainians were overwhelmingly AGAINST joining NATO when the Bush Administration was pushing to offer them a Membership Action Plan. There’s a Pew Research poll showing that called “Ukraine says NO to NATO” which was taken literally shortly after the Bush administration was pushing for this at Munich.

[@hasibsiddiqui3249]

If mexico and canada wants to join in a military coalition with Russia, I'm sure US gonna open a pole about how overwhelming public support is about joining the coalition. :v

[@kzazazazk]

@@hasibsiddiqui3249 america can't even handle Mexican immigrants and the drug cartels. They've also let China slide into south America and Cuba has been a communist state for almost a century. Realistically that argument barely works because America was a unipole hegemon. It's also wrong when America does it too. I love measheimer but he often neglects a lot of core factors like Ukraine giving up it's nukes for security guarantees.

[@cupofjoen]

@@hasibsiddiqui3249 hahaha true. These people need to cut their one sided double standard BS

[@bernardbarry447]

@@hasibsiddiqui3249polling aside it’s mexicos choice and Canadas choice.

[@shiijei2638]

If Ukraine applied to NATO, how is it NATO's fault? Wouldn't it be Ukraine's fault?

[@sugartem1]

I agree with your assessment if Mr John was from Ukraine but he is NOT!!! And another point is the US are the one who will accept you,, I mean they have the upper hand US is the country that approves or disapprove your application. Hence now ask yourself why the us 🇺🇸 government approved it known the consequences???

[@djape1977]

Excuse me, when exactly was a referendum on joining NATO held in Ukraine?

[@sugartem1]

@@djape1977 don’t catch me on this but they being asking for some time,,, prior to the Georgian 🇬🇪 war in 2009 but I believe it was formally discussed by all the NATO members 2014. I believe mid of 2014 when Germany and France turned it down by saying it will be catastrophic if we accept them as a member,,, they were aware of the consequences that it will led too. If you remember (recall) the US taped the German canceller phone 📱 at the time (Angela Merkeal) cos the USA suspected her of having a secret meeting with Putin (Russian president) via phone. The reason for taping it cos she was the only member who strongly denied the idea of Ukraine joining NATO.

[@djape1977]

​@@sugartem1you completely missed my point. Who exactly asked

[@TheTimdoyle]

Because the current government was installed by the CIA. Not a conspiracy theory - fact.

[@jaywise991]

Is it? Russia invaded Poland first, one can see why they joined Nato. Sweden and Finland just ended their neutrality.

[@dillonsawyer9377]

John you laid the scenario out straight and strategically coreect👍

[@bobkoroua]

This guy is meant to be a top thinker. He just said there were promises made regarding NATO eastward expansion. You should have asked him to list the signed agreements, he wouldn't have been able to. He says " Pootin couldn't have conquered Ukraine with the troops he invaded with" He expected Ukraine's leadership to flee. He was expecting hostimal airfield to be overrun and troop carrier aircraft were on the way from Belorussian airfields with heavily armed troops which would have made Kiev based government impossible. I'm sure he knows this. That leaves me thinking he is untrustworthy. What's his real connection to Russian Federation?

[@jvang2293]

💯 This guy is a joke. Russia tried a thunder run.

[@fluff5800]

And who are you? And where is Ukraine now? Destroyed i bet

[@jvang2293]

@fluff5800 Ukraine is currently invading Russia but okay 🤣

[@vwilhelm5788]

@@jvang2293they are? You mean went in to a village with no opposition and got stuck and then ran for their lives taking massive casualties? Is that what you mean?

[@vwilhelm5788]

He’s right about everything he said and only a complete idiot thinks otherwise.

[@skibowu]

now you know how china feel like when US is rearming Taiwan

[@stew360]

China want To invade Taiwan so they can stole the Taiwan/US technological prowess such as 3Nm microprocessor etc..etc.. China are far behind western and taiwan silicon foundry .. This is what China is after .. they dont g8ve a damned About " emotional link " blablabla ! The USA seek to defend their partner wich were valuable and loyals ! And dont want to be invaded by Communist China Taiwanease consider they should be in charge of China !

[@marine5166]

Taiwan is a independent country that has the right to choose if it wants to be part of China or not. What is your point exactly?

[@dannym7255]

Ukraine has a right do decide it's own destiny and it will