Would Trump really pull out of Ukraine? With John Mearsheimer | SpectatorTV

Kate Andrews speaks to John Mearsheimer, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, about whether a Republican president would really end American support for Ukraine.
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[@michaelpalmer4387]

Probably the most realistic statement ever about politics: "It doesn't really matter what the public thinks".

[@TubeDude420]

Or more accurate statement is: THE ELITE DONT CARE what the public thinks. THEY WILL CONTINUE to do as they decide, regardless of the publics thoughts.

[@JackStormsTheGlassSculptor]

That's why they gotta go

[@heyhoe168]

Yep. Elections are not governing tool anymore. It is just merely an act of justification now.

[@knowledgeishalfthebattle]

1. Crimea had a national referendum in 2014 to return to Ukraine. 2. Exxon and Shell were making back door deals with the Naut zee Zelensky. Simple deal : access to the nat gas in exchange FOR TECHNOLOGY TO EXTRACT THE GAS FROM THE GROUND. 3. Sometime between 2009 and 2014 Ukraine starts murdering the Separatist rebels! Diana Magnay was the CNN correspondent who did the Donetsk, Ukraine genocide. Mom Jeans gave the money, mortar and shells to Ukraine for the genocide! 4. The day before Russian battle tanks rolled west, Potus Biden bans the Separatist regions from doing business with the U.S. 5. Patrick Lancaster is the journalist who covers the continuing genocide today! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hp28nn-mf8dolas

[@johnd2058]

Yep, that attitude is why Mearsheimer's wet for Putin.

[@bdg404]

Meisheimer essentially admits that we don’t have democracy or representative government in the United States

[@hhKJgf1M8a0rzt8hP]

Yes, Putin should create a democracy in USA and lead our government.

[@cowyeti21]

Saying the US isn't a democracy is like a spoiled rich kid saying they're broke when their parents don't buy them a mercedes. Americans vote on politicians who go on to serve in the government, and their votes matter. The US is a democracy.

[@xiuchengmu1849]

@@cowyeti21 When the rich parents really become broke and thus cannot afford anything including a Mercedes, the kid is absolutely right saying so.

[@emrysmcwryn7902]

@cowyeti when the candidates are selected by the intelligence state, and serve the intelligence state agenda, when populist candidates are assasinated or character assasinated, when the military is deployed against the public, when propoganda is broadly disseminated, when the intelligence state holds editorial oversight over all news and social media outlets, when violent terrorist groups are funded and organized by the intelligence state, and when the intelligence state has incorporated organized crime into it's steucture, we have NO democracy. @cowyeti, ylu are either a liar or ignorant. Learn about the history of the USA and you WILL be shown the errors of your thinking.

[@cowyeti21]

@@xiuchengmu1849 But the parents aren't. The kid is just so used to living in abundance that the slightest restriction is indistinguishable from poverty. People crying about the US not being a democracy cause their favourite candidate didn't win should go live in communist cuba where there's only one party.

[@zamraaj0652]

The fact that the US media was able to swing the American public in favour of the wars in Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, Yugoslavia, and now in Ukraine is not because of any magic of the media but the public's indifference to the matters not affecting them. The American public wakes up only when the Americans start dying. The bloodletting of other people is ignored as an alien matter. The vietnam war is a case in point. In Ukraine since it is the Ukranians and the Russians who are dying, the American public is not much interested.

[@Frip36]

Yes we are. But the media and elites don't let us be heard. They fired the biggest and most influential spokesman for our anti-war cause...Tucker Carlson. Your opinion on American populous is outdated by decades.

[@Time4Peace]

Hence, the playbook is proxy wars to keep American safe, use of drones, robotics and AI. So it's Japan vs China, Taiwan vs China, India vs China etc etc.

[@manbearcannon1250]

@@Time4Peace ECOWAS vs. Niger, etc...

[@FloraJoannaK]

Human rights belong to those who have the public's attention, really.

[@seanleith5312]

John doen't realize the base of his argument won't change: he assume Russian won't change its goal if other things happens, Ukraine won't change its position if other things happens. "Those other things" is not something I can speculate.

[@daniilriabenkii]

Her face expressions during Mearsheirmer speech are priceless 😂

[@GeiserichtheVandal]

Yeah, she was not very good at hiding her bias, very unprofessional ...

[@GeiserichtheVandal]

Also her point about average Ukrainians not being on board with a peace deal. John was highlighting that the ultra nationalists will be the hardest to convince about a peace deal, not that nobody else in Ukraine will be resistant to a peace deal involving a loss of territory. She tried to talk down to him with that nonsense, but didn't have the intelligence to counter anything he said, so could only say something ridiculous.

[@bryngerard4334]

Yeah, when Mearsheirmer swept her point aside she looked crestfallen. Facing someone who knows what they are talking about and does not comply witht the narrative and panic sets in. I do have to wonder if willful blindness is at work or is the cool aid that strong.

[@elsonck2523]

John was remiss in not mentioning the civil war in Ukraine that had been going on for eight years prior to Russia's special military operation.

[@ryanborder189]

Or just ignorance and stupidity?

[@johnkeane1419]

"Elites just do what they please" - based old guy. Refreshing to hear someone admit America isn't a democracy, it's just common knowledge now.

[@cliffgaither]

John Kearne :: It should always have been "common knowledge". The Founders hated the idea of Democracy. It would have threatened their class-privileges. A Republic puts some distance between the property-owners and the more egalitarian "mob".

[@johnkeane1419]

@@cliffgaither Yes, I have heard many thinking US citizens say that the US is a republic, rather than a democracy.

[@gerry4281]

He been warning about this war since 2014 and he was right sadly.

[@carlroberts7830]

you have the "flap your lips and say a lot yet do nothing" part down pat just like this guy carrying water for the democrats

[@micbear9334]

@@carlroberts7830 in this short segment he insulted the democrats a dozen times at least

[@turkrane12]

I am sick of endless war, keep doing the same thing over and over, insanity

[@chrishooge3442]

Is nothing worth fighting for?

[@alecfoster4413]

@@chrishooge3442 If you think the novo-Third Reich regime in Kiev is worth WWIII, you need to get help.

[@maxflight777]

Mike, you are not alone.

[@chrishooge3442]

@@alecfoster4413 Their President is a Jew. How do you square that?

[@rosswatkins2277]

Ok lets revolt, i am with you

[@dadewalter3585]

Wait,… What do you mean pull out of Ukraine? I thought we weren’t in Ukraine?

[@dennisw8026]

WTF? You been sleeping?

[@shaughangould2647]

If Nato were in Ukraine the War would have ended ages ago. If USA stopped supporting Ukraine the Ukrainians would fight on. The 'West' did not fall prey to anti Putin propoganda. Putin rewrote history to say that Ukraine is not a real State. He also invaded the Sovereign Nation of Ukraine. That's not propoganda. It's FACT.

[@dadewalter3585]

@@dennisw8026 its sarcasm. corporate media still can’t admit that the United States has people over there protecting the bio labs and other secrets. Ukraine is a shit hole of Nazis, pedophiles, drug dealers, human traffickers and money launderers. And concerning the Biden family I’m sure they know where all the bodies are buried.

[@tripzincluded8087]

"right ?" -hahaha-

[@patriciusvonkempen9810]

There are American Boots in The ground

[@user-gzy12kjhomv25]

Conclusion of today's discussion: whatever Trump could or could not do if he gets reelected, Ukraine's fate is doomed regardless sadly.

[@LowenKM]

Oh, and let's not forget that Putin is really the 'victim' in all of this. ;-p

[@mvd4436]

If ukraine refused to fight , it would have saved a lot more territory

[@esense9602]

Trump is a businessman. If he see that Ukraine is unprofitable and will crush the Biden's family in Ukraine, why not? It's just like hitting a two birds at the same time.

[@ZweiZwolf]

If that's the case, then the Trump should try to squeeze every penny possible from Ukraine before they're forced to surrender. Instead of donating supplies, sell them at top dollar and make bank for the American Military Industrial Complex. If they can't pay cash on the barrel, force them to take IMF and World Bank loans.

[@morcosboci]

663 billion dollar is the yearly interest on the debt of USA. I call it a failed country...

[@emilio2647]

@morcosboci I think most Americans don't mind taking care the basic needs of other countries like Ukraine.

[@morcosboci]

@@emilio2647 laughable... First they should take care of their basic needs...

[@chronosschiron]

usa economy is 23320 billion , its interest is .02% ....quick start a panic

[@davidkettell6236]

it is failed because of communist (democrat ) policies.

[@perkunast9680]

You have no understanding of economics. This is the biggest problem with Republicans. They think it works like your bank account. In reality we have a debt based economy. If you took ever dollar printed you could not pay off the debt. You would still owe the interest the money that hasn't even been created yet. It can never be paid off, and in fact if debt stopped the whole system would also. Every dollar printed is borrowed into existence thus its a debt note.

[@nigelalanwood6781]

Why would anyone believe Boris Johnson on anything.

[@klam77]

Because his name keeps COMING UP. Western press is a crock.

[@futures2247]

or trump

[@christopheryellman533]

My thoughts as well Nige.

[@klam77]

@@futures2247 Trump is a deep state toy. Got everyone fooled. He started covid game.

[@maxflight777]

Read Laura Dodsworth’s book about Johnson. (Factual texts about the Covid nonsense) He’s a vile liar.

[@kelseymathias3881]

Public was ignorant about Vietnam for years, and largely ignored the protests of the youth, the ones who would be sent to slaughter.

[@WAdelstein]

Burning the American flag and calling patriots fascist pigs didn’t help. Spitting on soldiers didn’t help. During gulf war 1 the peace demonstrators wanted USA to lose. Jesse Jackson was saying body bags will be filled etc. yup They sold the war due to low intellect anti-Americanism, same w/gulf war II. They didn’t make libertarian ot arguments against the war. However, the anti-American left lives government. They are not agitating for peace with China and Russia. They are not trying to disband cia and fbi. I know the good citizen was duped but the people opposed to what now appears to be influenced foreign policy were the enemy within and perhaps and I dunno that was by design to sell the wars

[@danfarrand9072]

It's not that Trump CAN say anything and get away with it, it's that he says anything he wants and is prepared to not just defend his words but jump back into the fight with both feet. Mr. Des Santis is going to have to decide who he wants to please, the big corporate donars or the voters.

[@cejannuzi]

Well if he gets the WH again, let's hope he doesn't hire Bolton, Pompeo, etc. etc. He was an idiot to surround himself with these people.

[@simonj5615]

It is just a pity that what he says is a sack of cr@p.

[@WackadoodleMalarkey]

The man so unwoke he asleep at the wheel

[@amateur_football9751]

Both serve the corporate donors, you simply can't get into power without these powerful groups backing you, people need to stop pretending any government will actually improve your life, its up to the individual to make his or her life better

[@farzana6676]

Trump keeps being asked how. He can't answer the question because he doesn't have the balls to say he would let Russia win.

[@giovanni8304]

I am positively impressed by the Spectator airing Mearsheimer's views. For a British, conservative publication to present views at odds with the idea that Russia is the alpha and omega of evil is altogether unexpected.

[@SlowhandGreg]

Russia hasn't changed its stripes since the 2nd world war it committed genocide then its committing genocide now and it doesn't care how many of its or Ukrainian citizens it kills to achieve its political aims

[@banshong3997]

I thought the "democratic" West allows differences of opinion and that one shouldn't be surprised that differences of opinions exists and allowed unlike the autocratic communists. You mean to tell me the so called democratic West restricted differences of opinions and that you are surprised that this happened?

[@LRRPFco52]

Mearsheimer is from Univ of Chicago, strongly in the camp for support of Russia. He's a traitor to free people and any neighbors of Russia, either compromised by weak academic rigor or Soviet ideological warfare that took hold in Uof Chicago long ago. He very accurately let slep Senator Obama's role in disarming Ukraine for Russia back in the 1990s, but presented that as a good thing.

[@user-pq7jj3vs3e]

Lol that’s an over statement. As a casual observer I have seen plenty of empathy with the Russian people. No one is shutting down mearshiemer. In fact he has become far more known to the public than ever before. All this crying about ‘russophobia’ and propaganda is a way of distracting from the basic facts that Russia invaded Ukraine. One is clearly the aggressor and the other is the victim. Let’s keep it real

[@giovanni8304]

Plenty of sympathy... you mean like getting statements from Russian tennis players that they either denounce Putin or renounce Wimbledon? How many times has Mearsheimer appeared on the BBC? You should many be observe less causally because your observations seem to be missing quite a bit.

[@rimlandrealist7679]

"No, its clearly the propaganda" Her face .... LOLOLOLOL

[@tedtrash]

Yeah. I caught that. Most certainly not on the agenda that she had written down in front of her.

[@massemiable]

It's also not true. John acts more like a politician that an academic a lot of the time, just stating his opinion as "obvious" fact. I live in Europe and I remember very clearly how shocked people where when the helicopter, missiles and tanks went across the border into Ukraine. It was a complete sea change for a lot of people.

[@ibrahimguler6177]

@@massemiable If you are watchnig what is unfolding in the Western media and thinking that Mearsheimer "stating his opinion" about propaganda and not vocalizing the truth, that's on you. Even Russian cats banned from competing. Nobody currently employing two healthy brain cells weren't surprised with Russia declaring a war either. It was building up for months with US sending arms to Ukraine without public notice and Russia arming near Ukrainian border.

[@rimlandrealist7679]

@@massemiable ridiculously so and mostly due to propaganda. Most people didn't even know what was the capital of Ukraine the week before. Non-Western countries have a right to military interventions too and NATO is still occupying Kosovo so most people are sheep

[@johanalden4637]

@@massemiable I kept an eye on the daily updates in the war in donbass from 2014-2022, I was simply surprised it took this long for Russia to get openly involved. But nobody ever listened to the anti-kiev Ukrainians over there, clearly the west didn't value their lives and don't to this day. I honestly think westerners don't realize how many Ukrainians are fighting on the Russian side in this war, and if they are they're simply calling them Russians without any regard to their Ukrainian nationality. I have very little respect for the west for this transgression.

[@ikwilda]

The military establishment has firm grips on the US. So do companies like BlackRock that also have made lucrative deals over this conflict.

[@big1boston]

Debt diplomacy.

[@edwardmoore-kd5uq]

BlackRock and Wagner Group have a lot in common.

[@michaeldy3157]

Not the same. The u.s military spending was in a big decline until poopin went nuts.😮 Poopin stole 80% of russias wealth. Compare that!

[@michaeldy3157]

​@@edwardmoore-kd5uq no they do not. Wagnut is a real army , blackrock is small.

[@gregoryvanikiotis3214]

BlackRock is the equivalent to the Nazi Einsatzgrubben.

[@jackfetterman126]

John Mearsheimer’s grasp of this situation rings very true. His voice needs to be heard much more.

[@dennisday2049]

It may 'ring true' but it is not. Somehow, Trump has the Midas touch. Promises made, promises kept. MAGA PTL

[@joshuahall1581]

@@dennisday2049 We literally saw Lindsay Graham cheer on Joe Biden's war in Ukraine after being sanctioned by Russia for helping Biden's administration spread propaganda throughout Europe, and we literally just saw Donald Trump live on Fox News in an interview with Hannity just complement Biden on the Ukrainian War and Trump scold Hannity for disrespecting Biden's age.

[@stevenhenry5267]

No, he's a 🤡

[@johndoe-vc1we]

He can't explain the American angle though

[@cejannuzi]

@@dennisday2049 LOL. Health care for all? Troops out of Afghanistan? A peace treaty with North Korea? LOL.

[@clemalford9768]

Mearsheimer is a cold clinical realist. He see it as it is, not as we would like it to be.

[@gintasvilkelis2544]

To be more precise, Mearsheimer is a _19th-century_ cold clinical realist. He seems to not realise that we now live in the 21st century.

[@blackwind743]

The problem with Mearsheimer is that he his approach, much like Putin's fails to adequately bake reasonably predictable human reactions into the final cake. Part of Putin's problem may be that he doesn't understand western language and cultures well enough to predict the outcome. Mearsheimer I suspect is just lost in cold analytical academics with too sharp a focus. I really think that part of Putin's impetus for the final decision to invade may have been Mearsheimer's analysis of the situation on KZbin which they were referencing in the early days of the war.

[@gintasvilkelis2544]

@@blackwind743 I think Mearsheimer's whole system of beliefs can be distilled into 2 main points: 1. Thugs don't compromise on their demands. 2. Big thugs (e.g. Russia) are impossible to beat militarily. So, Mearsheimer seems to be wilfully blind to the evidence that negates #2, and when thugs _are_ beaten, #1 matters little. Hitler _also_ was uncompromising, but that did not prevent his military defeat.

[@ls-l1518]

@@gintasvilkelis2544 USA is the biggest thug of them all. China will probably be just as bad. Napoleon and Hitler both underestimated Russia. I think they regretted that. I don't think Russia can defeat Ukraine as long as we feed it. Of course, on their own, they would have lasted 1 week. But they won't loose it either. I think they will get pretty much what they wanted. Ukraine not joining NATO. Though that wouldn't have happened anyway. Such a poor and corrupt country. They don't qualify at all. And the Eastern parts will be "neutral". But I think there is a but. I don't think Putin and his men understood how hated they would be in the West. What a turningpoint this will be.

[@rickybrohmer6047]

@@blackwind743 -You're absolutely clueless.

[@tatianabrown6903]

NATO was supposed to be dismantled when the Soviet Union fell. What happened to that promise? I think Russia is the only country that kept their agreement.

[@andrewachholz7922]

NATO was not supposed to be dismantled. Who told you?

[@tatianabrown6903]

@andrewachholz7922 Nato was formed to withstand the USSR. USSR fell in 1992 and it was supposed to have been dismantled but instead of limiting it, they proceeded further East instead. The West and Military Industrial Complex decided otherwise.

[@andrewachholz7922]

@@tatianabrown6903 not true at all. What are your sources?

[@RedXlV]

@@tatianabrown6903 Who says it was "supposed to have been dismantled"?

[@touchingthecloth]

I think you must read your History in the 'Beano'...

[@Teaspun]

Mearsheimer may be right that WW1 is the closest war time comparable to this conflict's propaganda efforts. But he overlooks the pandemic, a much more recent world-wide event that is at least as relevant, if not more, when it comes to both propaganda methods and the arrogance of the political class. Let's pray that our liberties are not as equally trampled on by the inevitable escalation to come.

[@N1c0T1n3__]

Well, it was more of a "rain postponing the game" sort of event. This was basically going to happen one way or another after the 2014 coup.

[@Booba1235]

Spot on and always refreshing to see someone mentioning the covid era in thi context. The clueless majority of the public still doesn't realise how they were made fools by the massive propoganda during the so called pandemic. Most people still think all the extreme measures were nessecary and actually saved lives. How is common sense going to have a chance when people are so easily manipulated?

[@bonsummers2657]

The Compromise: Let Russia keep what it reclaimed, which they used to own from the 1700's to the beginning of the USSR/1920, and now again: Crimea, and Kherson through Luhansk oblasts. And get on with peace.

[@terryhughes7349]

The WWI analogy was spot on since Wilson ran on the non-interventionist platform yet within 18 months the US was in WWI. He had a crack team of propaganda experts fix all issues. BTW, propaganda did not have 'evil' undertones in those days, it was just a tool or methodology to get things done like advertising.

[@user-vm3fr9jb6t]

Господа, да в любую из войн мировых за последние 200 лет, все мечтали владеть землями нашими российскими! Со времен Антанты. Весь ваш Запад. Почему все забыли, кто был активным спонсором во вторую Мировую 1941-1945 годов? Американцы, Англичане, как минимум, спонсировали Гитлера. Это делалось, чтобы руками сумашедшего Адольфа нас уничтожить). Господи, да в какой год вступили в эту войну на нашей стороне наши "союзники"))). Они ждали и думали, кто победит и на сторону встать и с этого поиметь все дивиденты. Проиграли бы мы, Россия, нас бы на кусочки порвали дружно, вместе с Гитлером. Недаром, были переговоры с Даллесом генералов немецких о сохранении Германии на условиях Американцев. Когда проигрывать стали фашисты.. Но мы отчасти, отыграли ситуацию и не дали довести эту сделку. И подписали они капитуляцию. Но американцы оставили свое влияние в Западной Европе, в ключевых странах. И до сих пор американцы делают все, чтобы их влияние сохранялось. А мы сглупили, и не надо было выводить наши войска оттуда. Наши базы и наше вооружение. Это было великой глупостью. Мы отдали вашим западникам плацдарм для создания НАТО. И продвижения его к нашим границам. А остались бы мы там, никто бы не дернулся на Восток. Не развалился бы СССР. Мы сглупили, теперь будем все исправлять.

[@magnus3833]

American credibility?? That's a contradiction in term.

[@oeiras99]

Like American Intelligence.

[@computercrack]

True

[@midgetydeath]

American credibility is the strongest in the world. There is a reason every country is willing to put its trust in the US and consistently benefits from that and is also why so many countries do not need large militaries so they can afford social programs and is the entire reason the global economy exists and part of why the dollar is the global currency. Your ego and ignorance doesn’t change anything.

[@computercrack]

@@midgetydeath LOL living in a dreamworld lalala

[@rizdekd3912]

Yet they can somehow 'sell' their debt. Folks are willing to buy up US debt because 'America isn't credible?'

[@livondiramerian6999]

If the Minsk agreement was implemented there wouldn't have been a war.

[@popNdawg]

True and Biden's brain works fine and Putin is 2.5 metres tall.

[@bavariancarenthusiast2722]

Who did not respect the Minsk agreement was Putin

[@romanb.3816]

⁠@@bavariancarenthusiast2722 BS. Ukraine did not. Ex president Poroshenko and ex German chancellor Merkel even admitted that Minsk 2 accords were used by Ukraine to win time and to modernise and equip UA army

[@bavariancarenthusiast2722]

@@romanb.3816 Well she said that 2022 - anyway the Russians should get the hell out of the Ukraine.

[@oeiras99]

@@bavariancarenthusiast2722 If NATO got out of Ukraine too that might work.

[@JM-vh7oc]

Excellent interview - thank you

[@jessicamacfarlane2761]

OMG I wish Boris would be a house husband, thus staying at home and helping his family without interfering in international affairs.

[@ronaldcates5760]

Stop the bloodshed is the right answer! Blessed are the Peacemakers . . . Period!

[@bicabica4003]

Bravooooo cine vrea războaie crime bombardamente bomba nucleară sincer este un criminal care seamănă cu tiranul criminal dictator măcelar sacal hitlerist pe nume PUTIN REPET PUTIN DACĂ TRUMP ESTE PRIETEN CU PUTIN IA SPUNETI VOI AMERICANILOR CE VA URMA SĂ FIE IN AMERICA ?

[@cliffgaither]

Ronald Cates :: It's too bad Imperial-Powers are not "Peacemakers".

[@jscarpa2002]

@@cliffgaither Lets not try to stop a rapist by letting him rape the girl.

[@LeMerch]

How?

[@ronaldcates5760]

@@LeMerch maybe you should ask Jesus and not me!

[@skywalker10001]

Nice respectful and honest conversation. So refreshing to see the interviewer not speaking over the guests

[@gordonipock9385]

I suppose... if you like one-sided interviews.

[@hunterphung3638]

Only Putin lies and propaganda.

[@patrickcleburneuczjsxpmp9558]

She had her moment, particularly with her comment about the feelings of the Ukrainian public.

[@branilavvasic9727]

​@@gordonipock9385 They are called interviews and not debates for a reason. But she can still ask additional questions without interrupting and speaking over a guest.

[@Frip36]

Most don't talk over the guests any more. You just haven't noticed.

[@Frip36]

Did Kate talk about the horrendous number of young men dying? She should be quaking with anger asking this question and demanding answers from these to experts on how to make it stop.

[@elsonck2523]

The US should stop fanning the flames.

[@jamieshannon5061]

great interview - Kate Andrews i remember seeing you many years ago (2014) defending truth with clarity and fortitude, great to see you are still up to it.

[@ryanborder189]

She seemed very uninformed to me

[@desmondobrien8419]

The look on Kate's face was priceless when Mearsheimer explained to her about the west's propaganda machine and the influence of Ukraine's ultra right wing nationalists. She looked genuinely shocked......what you mean we do propaganda too???

[@Bella-je3kr]

Amazing guests, disastrous host!

[@francisyockey8225]

She's not stupid, she knows plenty about propeganda as she actively takes Part in it. Her face was because mearshimer is deviating from the approved narrative and that is no longer allowed in Western "democracies". Just ask anyone who opposed covid narratives, anti abortion etc. Those opinions are not welcome in mainstream political opinions anymore

[@alastairnewman1233]

Mearsheimer engages intellectuals, scholars and pragmatists every single day who have a keen interest in being intellectually, scholastically and pragmatically informed of the circumstances of this conflict, which is frankly not what Freddy Gray and Kate grapple with. So it's very simple for Mearsheimer to shock these two newshounds with what amounts to a simple common sense argument. Many of the Spectator readers live in an idealised world of believing their democratic, liberal world can be shaped by a surfeit of their opinions within their narrow group and it's Freddy and Kate's job to perpetuate that notion. Otherwise (to be honest), how does the Spectator think it's going to sell newspapers? Politics and governance (whether it's within a democratic or despotic community) is made up of those who play a temporary and those who perform a permanent function in the State/Societal Contract. And Mearsheimer's simple thesis is we need to first look at that structure before we start pontificating from an ideological standpoint. Trump comes to the geopolitical party with a single, four year term behind him and the prospect of no more than another 8 years before he will be forced off the stage. Putin comes to the party with 23 years of hard political mileage and a tenure which may keep him in office until Trump is forced to retire his own presidency. The instrument of US governance, for whom Trump is completely reliant, are permanent civil servants who clearly do not agree with Trump and who will certainly take more than Trump's available two terms to win over. Putin has his civil servants in line with his view and they are perfectly aware of the limitations of ANY US president. Hence this discussion makes me picture John Mearsheimer as a man shooting fish in a barrel. His points are well and fairly made, but the fish (Spectator staff) don't really stand a chance. Good on the Spectator bringing an adult into the conversation - it is a breath of fresh air and I hope it gets traction. I, sadly, have little faith that it will. Good try tho

[@miguelferrigno]

hahaha watched it too several times back and forth 😂

[@elena9049]

the host had the same painful expression when JM talked about propaganda and about the average Ukrainian view on Z.'s possible peace deal, - all remember only too well that Z. was elected on the issue of making peace with Donbass and the disillusion that followed

[@lreichlin99]

John Mearsheimer is right: These days we experience a level of propaganda in the western media that's deeply disturbing and frightening.

[@merefield2585]

What propaganda like the fact that Russia invaded a sovereign country? Give me a break!

[@HughJass448]

And Mearsheimer is the credentialed propagandist. What a joke.

[@femibabs1310]

John Mearsheimer is a genius 🙏🏽👏👏

[@amyrichard3203]

Yes, what Fox News has done in the past 20 years is sickening.

[@baolichang6019]

@@amyrichard3203 Exactly. Fox is no different from all other mainstream outlets such as MSNBC, CNN…. They are pacifiers specialized for either right or left audiences.

[@baigandinel7956]

This one isn't about Republicans or Democrats, but someone like Trump or possibly RFK, who is less beholden to the traditional power brokers.

[@steelydan1242]

It's not about Trump. The military call the shots and there is nothing the public can do except to destroy the corrupted structure of both government and deep state.

[@roland6954]

EXACTLY!!

[@Bennewman11]

Actually there are more than 90 million British Americans more than German and Irish Americans put together. They are usually called WASPs and are usually put together with German Americans and Called White Anglo-Saxon Protestants.

[@jamessmithers4456]

US Credibility??? Afghanistran? Vietnam? ....

[@thaddeusjanczewski1308]

Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya,,Somalia???

[@johndilivio2770]

War killed people so need stop war

[@dadadadadada1828]

John Mearsheimer is 100% right!

[@Richard_H_U]

The point is, regardless of who is in the White House... Democrat or Republican, the US will continue to support and fight to the last Ukrainian as long as the MIC is so inclined and why wouldn't the MIC? Think of the amount of money to be made guys! 😅

[@melaniecampbell7055]

If I make guns and you don't have the money to buy one, why would I give you one for free? MIC only makes sense if Ukraine were paying for our weapons, not when we're giving them away for free. Our economy is weak, we can't just give away free weapons. The payoff for us is taking over Russia and her resources.

[@mjb0183]

She’s wrong when she quotes $70B sent to Ukraine. It’s up to $200B.

[@here_for_the]

NATO HAS contributed over $180 Billion. The CIA has its own secret budgets that even Congress cannot audit, so if you think its only what 'THEY' TELL U??? Id love to sell you ice, if your an Eskimo.

[@rizdekd3912]

Where do you find that amount? All I see is figures around 70-80 b.

[@adriantidd5734]

What about the $15B, Biden and his cronies fleeced the Ukraine out of???

[@jackalope501]

​@@GlennRA3 it's far more than you've been told

[@jamesmurphy9426]

It's all used weapons in theory Weapons on the road to a junkyard or a warehouse

[@guser7137]

Context is important. Now officially declared a hoax, but at the time Trump was fighting back against a false accusations that he was a Russian asset. Consider what he would have/could have done if he hadn't been subjected to that.

[@SlowhandGreg]

You don't have to be on the Kremlin payroll to be a Russian asset you just need to be taken in by Russian propaganda which the far Right in the US spread constantly. Trump was as stupid as they come he also has ADHD a man born into untold wealth which he pissed away constantly being a multiple bankrupt

[@1247.cccccc]

Every idiotic moron believed, with every ounce of energy they could muster, that Trump was about to fold and run away from his responsibilities. Imagine if half of Biden's horrors had occurred during the former administration?

[@NachttiSchlampE65]

Yeah these false accusations which were brought up even at their meeting in Helsinki 2018 (their first meeting i think) really affected their relationship. If not face to face, then it sure did affect the American public by planting just another seed of mistrust into their heads. Which of course does affect politics decision

[@LordOfLight]

Why do you think it was false? Who "officially declared" it a hoax? It always struck me as manifestly true and was proved true at Helsinki. (a) Trump told the world that he'd asked Putin if he (Putin) had interfered in the 2016 election, that Putin had said "no" (surprise surprise) and that Trump couldn't think of any reason why Putin would lie about a thing like that. If true then Trump was arguably the only person on the entire planet who couldn't think why Putin would lie. (b) Trump and Putin held a private meeting. It consisted of only three people: Trump, Putin, and Putin's interpreter - Trump refused to allow the American interpreter in. There can only be one reason for this. Is your real name Sergei, and do you operate out of Moscow?

[@user295295]

The Russia hoax underlies the fact that the establishment always wanted a war against Russia, and that Trump didnt want any part of it. Hillary Clinton pretty much promised a war with Russia during the campaign debates, and you'd better take her seriously when she promises death and destruction. Now they've got Ukraine doing their dirty work.

[@31terikennedy]

Ukraine is not in NATO. US is spending over 170 billion, Europe,20 billion, with Europe still buying Russian energy.

[@hazb8026]

Made up numbers. EU and USA has spent roughly equal on Ukraine. And EU buys a lot more US fuel now than before and much less Russia

[@richardmoloney689]

And Nordstream 2 is pumping gas to Germany.

[@simonsmatthew]

That is a good point by Katy at 18.00. The problem is that "the average Ukrainian" is less homogeneous than what is made out. Just as Mearsheimer points out the US foreign policy elite, there is something similar in Ukraine and not all have traditionally been anti-Russian and pro-Nationalist. Particularly poorer and older Ukrainians, or those with close family links to Russia. Of course Putin's invasion and the brutality of the war has changed a lot of that, but still the background is important.

[@Turamwdd]

Actually the older Ukrainians are less friendly to Russia. They grew up with stories of the famine and Stalin from their parents or grandparents. The younger generation doesn't have that connection to when their was major conflict. Your issue is with the Russian transplants from the Stalin era and the native Ukrainians.

[@AkiRa22084]

@@Turamwdd Stalin was not Russian. We know the difference between Russians and communists. Ukrainian communists were horrible to us as much as any other communist.

[@ceroid3752]

​​​@@Turamwdd There was no stories of famine. At least not in the way you present it. The entire narrative of being a victim of an engineered famine spread in Ukraine only after the fall of the Soviet Union. There was no significant talk about it during the union for various reasons. As for the demographics in Ukraine in general it has nothing to do with age. Eastern Ukrainians in general are more pro-Russian. The more west you go geographically in Ukraine the more anti-Russian the population is. The most radically anti-Russian Ukrainians are traditionally from the most western parts of the country, completely opposite of where the war actually broke out. In the east there is millions of actual ethnic Russians(around 15% of total Ukrainian population) and pro-Russian, russian speaking Ukrainians. These majority of these people want nothing to do with Ukraine since the 2014 coup and the Ukrainian laws banning Russian language and culture that happened afterwards.

[@asicdathens]

@@ceroid3752 Hello comrade botnik, The Holomodor actually happened. The red army under the orders of mass butcher stalin would search Ukrainian homes for food and confiscate it and punish the occupants if anything was found. All agricultural production was confiscated as well

[@Kodiak.Bear.]

Putin had ever rite to go in to protect the Russian speaking ppl in eastern Ukraine, if Mexico was doing that in south to USA residents u don't think the USA would do the same? Its a existential threat to Russia for Ukraine to join Nato..russia is on the right side of history USA Ukraine will never be.

[@fernandoribeiro7738]

You know why Trump always avoid that this conflit bettewn Rússia and Ucrânia could escalate to War ? Because Trump always said " my biggest nightmare is an alliance bettewn Rússia and China " Trump knew the consequences. Trump had a completly different geopolitic vision from Biden.

[@stevenhenry5267]

Lol. They were already heading that way during his Presidency.

[@makeyourlifeeasier5794]

You mean Biden actually has a vision??

[@danielolivares5]

@@stevenhenry5267 really? How?

[@teddybearroosevelt1847]

Trump didn’t try to avoid it. Obama did. Trump did just as Biden is doing now.

[@Iv4Bez]

...and why is China a threat? To whom exactly? Aren't the US (main) borders as far from China as they're from Russia? Economically? Are you kidding? Isn't industrial growth more or less natural process? There will always be countries who succeed and become powerful. Will US try to contain India? South Africa? Brasil? Btw a military aliance between China and Russia is impossible on many levels. And economic partnership is a normal thing - or else if anyone true ally of China, it's the US.

[@kpkp349]

Freddie Gray rather succinctly made no attempt to get into a shouting match with Mearsheimer on account that it wouldn't have ended well for him and he definitely knew it.

[@johnforde7735]

When Mearsheimer pushed back on Trump's leverage over Russia one of those times. Trump is Putin's useful idiot. But Mearsheimer has the whole NATO expansionism thing wrong. Putin's invasion of Ukraine has nothing to do with expansionism. It is Russian imperialism pure and simple.

[@banshong3997]

😂 😂😂 actions speaks louder than words. Would the neocons or the military industrial complex allow him to? 😂😂😂.

[@brucealbert4686]

Like the Springtime mass missile attacks in Syria 2017 and 2018. Who was president?

[@legendg219]

That's why they got him out in 2020 lol he was changing too much. The millisecond Biden was installed everything returned to "normal" not a coincidence.

[@odineproci2455]

No, obviously. That is why he will not become president unless Russia is defeated. They would kill him before any threat to NATO (or American supremacy). The USA is neither a democracy nor a republic, but an oligarchy of globalists, with irrelevant elections creating illusions to placate the deluded public. Their mouldy "free world" facade is falling apart.

[@spain1998]

He would be killed by the CIA just like JFK who said he would get all Americans out of Vietnam.

[@banshong3997]

@@brucealbert4686 does it matter? Neocons are neocons. All the same coin just different faces 🤣

[@JustinZode]

There does need to be a deal. 1. Russia will withdraw from all Ukrainian territories 2. Ukraine will remain neutral between NATO and Russia 3. Ukraine will guarantee the independence of the DPR / LPR and cease oppression of Russian-speaking Ukrainians 4. Russia will maintain Crimea and other ethnic Russian areas that have voted to join Russia. This seems like a fair bargain for everyone. Though I do believe the ultra-nationalist extremists and Russophobia will continue to fight, just like with the Minsk accords.

[@RedXlV]

Absolutely hell no to "independence" for the fake "DPR" and "LPR" and for allowing Russia to keep Crimea. That is as far as it gets from "a fair bargain for everyone". That's just a complete capitulation to Russia, rewarding them for their imperialist aggression and allowing them to steal everything they've been trying to steal. BTW, there are no "other ethnic Russian areas that have voted to join Russia". Crimea is the *only* place in Ukraine that has an ethnic Russian majority.

[@user-sj9wp6xm7b]

Mr. John, you are sagacious.

[@zharkoo]

was this the full conversation? if not, does anyone knows where to find the full one?

[@zharkoo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5yvmWBqr7yrhZI

[@JesterEric]

The Russophobia is more of a media phenomenon at least in the UK. I think working people are not that stupid and are very distrustful of our politicians/media propaganda after Covid

[@AminTheMystic]

Tru. Most people aren't that stupid, whatever their class. And understand that Putin and Putinism is a menace. And if funding Ukraine to beat it is probably a good thing, rather than sending in the British Army.

[@Durnyful]

True, but media/Government/the establishment pushing Russophobia is as bad as the Nazi's de-humanising the Jews in the 1930's. A dangerous game to play. A lot of comments you see are a complete demonstration of its effectiveness. Pure poison.

[@alastairnewman1233]

Um ... Christopher. Yes. UK working people ARE that stupid. But that is of no consequence. The greatest impediment to UK working people is they are irrelevant. And what makes them stupid is their belief that they are relevant.

[@jamescc2010]

Well informed and intelligent know Ukraine is not vital to USA, and largely discredit MSM(state control) as we know it. We are losing in economy and political aspects that don't serve interest of ordinary people any more, only billionaire ruling class.

[@edc1569]

The Russophobia thing is a kremlin talking point, they invented the term. Chelsea was owned by Abromvich, London is full of Russians, it's fantasy nonsense.

[@bronkdog]

Politicians are paid clowns. It would take a billionaire businessman to end this madness. Psychology 101.

[@PeeZeeTheDirector]

YES.

[@joannahayden9544]

Only the politicians want to continue this mess in Ukraine. We the People in America hate it. We should evolve from war.

[@willdon.1279]

Joanna, you/we may not be interested in war - but war is interested in you.

[@nats50]

"We, the people in America, hate it," but we don't protest to our congressmen and senators!

[@Lochamp]

Money well spent to defeat Ruzzian Fascism. Hitler had to be stopped, and now Putin must be stopped

[@Cryptantha]

You are one person. You are not We the People. Russia invaded Ukraine. Until Russia leaves, there will be no peace. The only politician who started the war is Putin. Blame Putin.

[@greenspiraldragon]

We are not in Ukraine, we don't need to pull anything other than stop supplying weapons and a blank check to the most corrupt country in Europe to prolong the war and the suffering. If we threatened to pull the plug on the endless billions to Ukraine and offered to end the sanctions to Russia they could work out a peace deal pretty fast and save hundreds of thousands of Ukranian lives and be at peace with both Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine is going to lose regardless the only question is when and how much will be left of it. They have no chance of beating Russia even with Nato weapons. There is however a chance of continuing to escalate this until we are in WW3 with nuclear war a real possibility.

[@zhending6562]

This is brutal John basically stated public are just bunch of "useful idiots" 4:06

[@robertlindburg1653]

We could only hope....

[@peterurbanski7840]

The best litmus test, who is right or wrong, is what side Poland is on They always made wrong alliances

[@posmoo9790]

14:55 It literally doesn't matter what Ukraine wants in the slightest. Joseph Borrel said the other day if America cuts off aid on Wednesday then Ukraine sues for peace on Thursday.

[@Turamwdd]

Borrel made a stupid argument. It will matter as a bad treaty won't end the hostilities. It will end the war but won't stop the aftermath of a perceived bad deal. Remember that a peace deal was reached in 2014 between Russia and Ukraine. 8 years later, war happened again. Is anybody really stupid enough to believe that a deal that occurred under those conditions would lead to "peace in our times?"

[@peterpeter4254]

Aaaah Mearshie, the good old trick of calling it "Russophobia", "Islamophobia" and other "Phobias" if someone does not like certain aspects of political ideology...

[@NYShepherdGirl]

Yes!!!

[@pasquinomarforio]

Great conversation! A great facilitator. Kate Andrews focused,, realistic, accurate questions is a breath of fresh air.

[@carlloeber]

You're right. Most interviewers want to show how intelligent they are.. and they won't be quiet.

[@GP99911]

I am glad rhetoric has changed, before they discuss who will win and how to help Ukraine to win. Now they talk how to make peace agreement.

[@johnstrawb3521]

Please be serious. Her propaganda was showing throughout.

[@toretite1832]

@@johnstrawb3521 Yeh, she had trouble digesting Mearsheimer's propaganda narrative.

[@jamesdixon2860]

I agree she did an excellent job

[@davereynolds3403]

john: “the elites just do what they please …” so true. as noam chomsky said a loooong time ago: “america is not a democracy” really great interview. john: “what trump says when he’s election campaigning and what actually happens when he’s in office are two different things”

[@aaronataman892]

That idiot said “russophobia”. What a pathetic attempt to salvage his credibility. There is no such thing as russophobia as it implies an irrational fear. A state and a society that endorses savagery domestically and against their neighbors does not represent an irrational fear. Dr M is a disgraced idiot.

[@adriantidd5734]

Trump is the man,that actually came through with most his promises.But you just watch CNN.They wouldn't give Trump any credit when it was due.(along with the rest of the MSM!

[@francescahamilton6856]

Excellent.

[@deanl6613]

There is always a deal to be made, whether it's palatable to everyone or not.

[@waynzignordics]

We already know what the deal is: Russia will annex everything east of the Dniper and the southern coast through Odessa; Poland will partition western Ukraine (it's historically Poland's anyway); and Ukraine will become a rump-state propped up by the WEF puppet states.

[@markhughes7927]

3:34 Strange sequence of appositions: 1 - De Santis questioned loses Republican support for saying the ukr. war not in the public interest; 2 - Trump ‘can get away with it’ for his reply about instantly ending it to a presumably hostile - Democrat aligned - interviewer. btw Trump achieved several things almost instantaneously - the Jerusalem American Embassy - the Abraham accords - the boosting of EU contributions to common defence - the Mexican border shut-down (or near shut down) - making China and the EU balance trade privileges. Outside the world-room-filling megaphone of western press outlooks - he was held in esteem by political leaders around that world which is not the West (or some 85%) - in the Middle East he spoke their language and they were relieved not to have to deal with the slippery Obama any more. Also he instantly stopped Obama’s $80 billion p.a. funding of Isis - the knock on effects of which confidence boost to Islamic ideology had a brunt borne by youngsters and vulnerables especially in the north of Britain from rape, despoiling, and ideological servitude. Read Andrew North - (Times correspondent.) Any relief here is directly due to Trump who loves Britain (where Biden appears to loathe it).

[@big1boston]

Donald Trump was a life long democrat.

[@singlespeedcrossbike]

@@big1boston so was I but not any more. What’s your point?

[@Eric_Blair]

​@@singlespeedcrossbikeI've always been a lifelong republican but now will vote for best ... The republican party is too full of elites, progressives and neocons for my sensibilities. We need a real option in American politics, the uniparty solution is not working for your average citizen!

[@singlespeedcrossbike]

@@Eric_Blair I get it. I’m an independent. I’d love to have a viable third party. In 2016 I would have voted for anyone other than Hillary. Wasn’t necessarily a Trump fan but what choice did I have. But then on Inauguration Day when they started going after Trump I became aware that somehow he was viewed as a threat to the establishment. That got me interested and I became a semi fan. Now because the establishment hates him so I wish he wouldn’t run. But in all honesty if it comes down to Trump or Binden then once again you know how I’ll vote. But I agree we need a strong 3rd Party with that runs a impeccably honest candidate.

[@Agooo13431]

It's very simple. DeSantis backed off because of the opposition of donors, not the opposition of republican electorate. Trump doesn't care about pleasing donors because he knows there is no free lunch. Donors want favors in return for their money.

[@crestfallenguy4387]

The difference between trump and other candidates is trump is rich enough. He doesn't depend on anyone's support, so his brand is his to do anything with, and that freedom gives him an edge. There's also the question of charisma and i think trump has a much stronger and confrontational character. Other politicians depend on the unspoken rules of civil discourse to keep things under control, trump doesn't care about any of that and so he can and will use any words he has to to discredit his competitors.

[@TheBeautifulWindsofAragon]

You re-elect Trump, and it will be the last real election the US will have.

[@dennisw8026]

LOL he's not rich and he uses anything to fundraise off

[@amateur_football9751]

He is rich, but he is not spending his own money, he is using donor money, just like everyone else

[@TheBeautifulWindsofAragon]

@@amateur_football9751 Only, other candidates do not sell "gold" coins and "Rocky" pictures of themselves. He is a grifter, through and through, but that is not the worst thing he is.

[@memphistennis1691]

Trump is a toxic personification of this portion of the old saying....."You can fool some of the people all of the time.........

[@ScrapKing73]

Mearsheimer once declared that Putin was too smart to ever invade Ukraine. Putin wasn’t as smart as Mearsheimer thought he was, and apparently Mearsheimer isn’t as smart as Mearsheimer thinks he is either.

[@jonathanbowen3640]

He hasn't got a clue. He doesn't understand that one country invaded another.

[@patrickcleburneuczjsxpmp9558]

@@jonathanbowen3640 Do you understand that the US invaded Iraq (and Syria... and bombed Yugoslavia... and Libya...)?

[@yangeugenendikam1740]

Trump will make a deal which is what Biden should have done long ago

[@joshuahall1581]

Trump started the war in Ukraine back in 2017 for his imperialist war aims for Uniting Europe and seizing Russian military assets, he's not stopping the war, he's just saying things that are convenient.

[@simonj5615]

A deal? You must be having a laugh. How can you make a deal with a man that cannot lie straight in bed? Any deal will be gladly received by Russia, who will then wait until the situation has died down and the West has forgotten, then push on again and again and again and again. Are you blind?

[@traleyton8057]

Purpose of the extreme propaganda is to fool public and rob them by taxation to feed their addiction of war games.

[@jasperchance3382]

Says the simple minded fed on anti system propaganda

[@BernieNewnham]

What a refreshingly open and intelligent interview. This is exactly what MSM lacks generally. People allowed to talk, no hysterics 👏🏻

[@hhKJgf1M8a0rzt8hP]

Yes, no hysterics, no propaganda, our MSM should be more like russian.

[@johnforde7735]

@@hhKJgf1M8a0rzt8hP Well most of Mearsheimer's opinions on this conflict are propaganda.

[@johnkeane1419]

Most people now know mass opinion does not matter, the MSM is still stuck in the 50s.

[@patrickcleburneuczjsxpmp9558]

The interviewer had to interject her own very non-expert opinion on the feelings of the Ukrainian public, but otherwise, yes, refreshingly open and intelligent.

[@philipclemoes9458]

Cut and run yes and bring peace.

[@jayxavier7357]

18:06...Um, no: Zelensky has had to conscript fighters among "average Ukrainians" because most of them, sensibly, would prefer peace to getting themselves killed in a war that was over before it even started...

[@patrickcleburneuczjsxpmp9558]

I'm not convinced Russia will win, but I think you're basically right regardless. What does the average person in Kiev or Lviv care if the Donbas is governed by corrupt politicians in Moscow or corrupt politicians in Kiev, especially when most of the people from the Donbas if forced to choose would probably choose Moscow anyway.

[@alispeed5095]

@@patrickcleburneuczjsxpmp9558 Are you still not convinced?

[@patrickcleburneuczjsxpmp9558]

@@alispeed5095 I haven't taken in much about how things have been going the last couple months (since I wrote my last comment) or since whenever the Ukrainian offensives began. From what very little I've taken in I've gotten the impression that Ukraine has made very negligible territorial gains with its offensives and that Russia has maybe made equivalent gains from more minor offensives (at least relative to the offensive on Bakhmut, for example.) As far as losses, I don't feel like there are any reliable sources for that information, but it definitely seems possible that Ukraine has taken heavy losses for negligible gains. Anything you would add to a two or three sentence summary? But based on what I've gathered, neither side seems to be able (at least not yet) to launch a dominant offensive. Until that happens and so long as the West continues to fund the war and so long as Zelensky and whatever hawks are pulling his strings remain in control of the Ukrainian government it seems there's plenty of potential for this war to just grind on long-term. I can imagine some of those things shifting to where Russia could start to dominate offensively. I don't really see any very plausible changes happening that would enable Ukraine to secure decisive battlefield victories apart from other armies joining in the fight, but even that would seem more likely to lead to WWIII and nuclear exchanges than successful Ukrainian offensives.

[@nemojedermann2845]

The funny thing about this interview is that both of Mearsheimer's interlocutors are such lightweights in comparison with him they look like rabbits caught in the headlights of a car praying they don't get hit. It's obvious that he is not toeing the establishment line that Russia is bad Ukraine is good and as a Conservative realist is giving a realist's analysis of the war that is a long long way from the fantasy they are trying to peddle.

[@stevenhenry5267]

No he isn't. He's a tankie and he's full of crap. This is the most righteous war America has been involved with since WW2.

[@redrev674]

Mearsheimer is a useful idiot for Putin. Eager to criticise the West at every opportunity but not the imperialist Russian regime

[@WackadoodleMalarkey]

I don't disagree he's got gravitas, but such fawning

[@davidparker7920]

I have followed Prof Mearsheimer for a long time, watching many of his lectures since 2014. His Neo-Realism approach to international politics suffers from a few blind spots one of which is that he only considers the policies and actions of so called 'great powers'. There is some debate as to whether Russia is a great power, with an economy smaller than Italy's and a collapsing demographic, that is questionable. He also fails again and again to give agency to smaller powers, what do they want? The USA have failed to do this over and over again in the past, just as the European colonial powers failed to in the late 19th and early 20 centuries. Western 'propaganda'...if that's what it is, tells us that Ukraine just wants to be a free, liberal democracy and join the EU and NATO...but does it? What are they really fighting for? Is it a nasty form of nationalism that motivates them or a genuine desire to be free and not be another Belarus with a puppet government?

[@RedXlV]

Mearsheimer is absolute scum who just thinks Russia should be able to do whatever they want. And so-called "realism" is actually the least realistic of all the schools of thought in international relations. The fact that they were able to get away with naming themselves "realists" was one of the greatest propaganda coups in history.

[@reznik5]

What does the Ukrainian victory look like and how is it going to be achieved?

[@georgesos]

"Victory " for "Ukraine"(the nazis) will mean the(further) destruction of Europe. NATO is a criminal organization that needs to be abolished (and the general secretary, present and past tried for their crimes against humanity-Iraq,Afghanistan,Ukraine etc). Those who care for peace and human lives,do not ask for more weapons. Peace will come only if the american oligarchy is confronted/toppled by the American people who can stop provoking Russia,withdraw the nato expansion plans,and stop pretending that workers in usa have differences from the Russian workers.

[@Blanka1100]

@@georgesos Are you done?

[@johnstrawb3521]

Please stop. There is no path to Ukrainian victory. How can you not this this, at this late date?

[@TarasMobbit]

Ukrainian victory would be liberating international recognised territories including Crimea. It could be achieved by military victory or Russia could be collapsed from inside.

[@marioceva7163]

​@@Blanka1100 ukraine is done

[@mendocinolake6421]

If as the moderator says the common Ukrainians are supporting the war effort then why did so many millions of them leave Ukraine and why are so many avoiding conscription?

[@andrewachholz7922]

If you had some idea of the people leaving Ukraine... The refugees are not men but families without their husbands and sons.

[@kelseymathias3881]

Wars will continue as long as there is an endless supply of soldiers willing to fight.

[@maxflight777]

Trump would negotiate peace in 48 hours. What’s not to like ?

[@gregwebb9737]

Congress would lose 80% of their campaign funding and grift.

[@emrysmcwryn7902]

Peace. War is a racket. Peace is bad for racketeers like Jeffrey's friends. You already know this. Remember what happened to John F? Remember when he tried to pull out of Nam? What did the racketeers do to him for threatening America and the world with a lasting Peace?

[@malanalan1]

Trump would negotiate surrender as he did with Taliban. Trump is coward.

[@bicabica4003]

Wawww cu cine va negocia pacea Trump cumva cu TIRANUL HITLERIST CRIMINAL DICTATOR DE PUTIN WAWW ATI UITAT CE SA INTĂMPLAT LA CAPITOLIU LOVITURÂ DE STAT CRIME QANONI DUGHINI SAMD RUȘINEEEEE

[@jdavs3306]

💯

[@mkay0077]

I dont think Russia wants to take over Ukraine, its the Dunbass area, nationality, that is being fought over. I cannot say I am personally an expert on the history of the troubles here but really that is the nitty gritty of the dispute and I do not see it being debated or talked about enough. Each side has a story and there are accusations of long term civil war and fighting going on that warrant further objective dialogue.

[@nick16569]

There are Americans who doubt that their state is doing terrible things around the world?🤔

[@nikolamilicevic1040]

yes.most of peopel in world in fact are blidn to their goverment atrocities.Pskov ,,russian goverment spokeperson can say thing like this Russia, throughout all of its history, has never attacked anyone. i encounted host of russians who belive this.also host of turks who justify armen ian genocide or deny it and host of otehr blindness to ones own evil...

[@usul573]

Doing what? Nothing?

[@nick16569]

@@usul573 expanding "democracy" destroying other countries

[@usul573]

@@nick16569 What? Where’s that?

[@alispeed5095]

@@usul573 How is Libya doing? Have you seen how they are doing lately?

[@ricardoa.aggabao8413]

good and pragmatic response … from the counterpart of Mearhseimer …

[@jackofswords7]

Even I could stop the bloody war in Ukraine in 24 hrs if I was president of the USA. Just make an immediate stop to all military and monetary aid and recall all Americans helping them. Then for good measure tell the US allies to do the same. Most of them want to anyway. Then tell Zelensky to stand down as president and the rest to start immediate peace talks with Russia.

[@sherryB5]

👍 AGREE

[@nikosantikythera2422]

Indeed.

[@warwickbrown18]

Any fool can stop a war by surrendering. The Ukrainians won't surrender whatever Trump does and Zelensky wouldn't be president if he started immediate peace talks while the Russians still occupied parts of the country. You don't tell allies, you ask and consult them. Most of them if not all do not want to stop sending military aid on the contrary they would send more if they had it.

[@celiabarrett2107]

Nice idea, but those ultra right nationalists won't allow that.

[@bearpaw72]

That's like saying we should allow all pedophiles to rape little children without resisting their efforts to ensure that at least the pedophiles don't kill them all.

[@wsm7929]

Currently the US is getting excellent value for money out of supporting Ukraine. Firstly compare it to the cost of Iraq. Secound considering the arms sales it's getting for it industrial base. Finally consider the increase gas sales it's makings to Europe.

[@NachttiSchlampE65]

You might want to re-consider long time affects, not only short time. Of course US M.I.C. does have yet another reason to exist, you may sell some LNG to Europe, maybe even pull some companies over to the states. But that whole sanction policy made a bunch of countries work on an alternatives to USD being the leading and pretty much sole relevant currency. Petro Dollar days are over. Countries are seeing first hand, what happens if the West doesnt like you no more. Africa, South America and Asia, all 3 getting more confident and are willig to no more follow instructions from the West. China getting more influence in the mid-east and if they solve Iran-Saudi conflict just as well as bringing back Syria into the arab league, then that influence will grow just faster. The dependency on USD or rather say the importance of the USD will most likely shrink, with effects on your economy that might hurt.

[@computercrack]

Exactly. Multipolar world politics is gaining traction really fast with BRICS+ and other organizations emerging. Trade starts to shift away from the US$. Nobody has trust in the US politics anymore except the US vasalls.

[@jasperchance3382]

@@computercrack hahahahahaha!!!

[@computercrack]

@@jasperchance3382 any meaningful to say? You don't like facts do you? Even long term "allies" like the Saudis are turning away from the petrodollar, they trade their oil with China in Chinese currency. Lol

[@jamesharmon3827]

None of that is a value

[@johnrivinius4873]

The public doesn't want us the support this unconstitutional war that has great costs financially and especially human lives on both sides. NATO has had several chances at diplomacy but chose war. Please end this war

[@vonster22]

Yes he would ...He would end this war in 48hrs.... Promises made Promises Kept...

[@joshuahall1581]

Hell no, if he had ended the war he would've done it when he started the war back in 2017.

[@cejannuzi]

Health care for all. Troops out of Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan (he actually expanded all those occupations in his last months in office). A peace treaty with N Korea. The guy was as delusional and stupid as Biden is, just in his own way.

[@simonj5615]

It is not exactly hard to end the war, you just pull the support away. It is an incredibly short sighted and narrow minded choice though. You will be protecting Poland next, not to mention Taiwan. You will replace a small war with 2 or three larger ones. We need to finish the job properly and close the door on further issues. How lucky can you get when the Ukrainians are more than happy to fight the war for us? All they want is some gear.

[@joshuahall1581]

@@simonj5615 The only way that Trump would've ended the war would be to completely pull it's soldiers and it's weapons in Ukraine.

[@hazb8026]

@@joshuahall1581 the war started in 2014...

[@randomracki9453]

Trump will not be allowed to pull out of Ukraine

[@jonjonboi3701]

Nah Trump would prevent war between Russia and Ukraine

[@No1sonuk]

@@jonjonboi3701 It's way too late for prevention - it's already happening. As for stopping it, did you listen to what they said about no deal would work for both sides? The are only two ways the US could stop the war in Ukraine: 1) Send all the high-spec weapons with no usage restrictions. 2) Get directly involved and force the Russians out.

[@bergssprangare]

Anybody remember 3 years ago.. We had peace and prosperity.. Seems as eons away.. Rabid leftists have lost it and trans globalists want WW3

[@hereandnow990]

@@No1sonuk that would be the stupidest thing to do.

[@vladimirnikolskiy]

@@No1sonuk You have given two ways to destroy all life on this planet, and more than once. Thank God you're just a little man who doesn't solve anything.

[@karl5056]

Dr John J. MEARSHEIMER is an American national treasure. His work & contribution to the realm of International Relations has made the entire world a bit more safer.

[@robbas_krk1510]

The Kremlin likes it. They share the same values.

[@karl5056]

@@robbas_krk1510 ANY advocate of Realist theory knows of & respects Mearsheimer's contribution to international relations. Mearsheimer's theories transcend national political boundaries.

[@robbas_krk1510]

@@karl5056 To become a 'national treasure', he should have remained a theoretician. But he chose to be the voice of Kremlin propaganda.

[@tedtrash]

@@karl5056 Yes. Had US foreign policy regarding Ukraine coincided with Mearsheimer's analysis and recommendations back in 2015, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians would be alive today. Both Nato and Russia would enjoy a buffer state easing tensions in the region and the Ukrainian people could have enjoyed economic prosperity as a natural intermediary in trade between Russia and the European Union. Foremost in his analysis was considering an option that would benefit the people of Ukraine. And yes, Henry Kissinger agrees with Mearsheimer. Ukraine is of vital strategic interest to Russia, and there was no similar strategic interest for the US.

[@chuckparker781]

@tedtrash Buffer state? Sorry can't buy what you are trying to sell. Putler couldn't allow any type of embryonic democracy on his borders...too bloody close as it would allow the people of Russia to view an alternative to their sociopathic criminal midget's view of his empire.

[@ryanborder189]

Very bad idea for the moderator to be so partisan esp as she’s wrong!

[@jessicamacfarlane2761]

Many Americans have forgotten the Coup they organised in Ukraine 2013/14. They just start to learn about Ukraine with Russia’s Special Military Operation.😢

[@ceasar8679]

Tens of thousands of people coming together against the govt because the govt failed to execute people's mandate is not coup. Ukrainians threw out a leader bribed by putin to discard EU membership.

[@MultiRingtail]

That is a lie. Most Ukrainians do not like Yanukovich since the Russos poisoned Yuschenko

[@alispeed5095]

@@MultiRingtail look at you, will fully embracing propaganda

[@MultiRingtail]

@@alispeed5095 says the fake account who is probably an intern for a pro Russian firm

[@chris1806]

NATO must be abolished

[@drmodestoesq]

Sure, Ivan, sure......

[@DrojanaleTorvic]

either that, or Russia should have bases in the Americas

[@ashcarrier6606]

Seems to be working just fine. What are you going on about?

[@SuanLuang]

Coming soon. Medvedev on the possibility of a Russian pre-emotive nuclear strike: "Europe has lost its mind. The US is generally acting in its pragmatic interests. They are not fighting themselves, they are making money. They are trying to wipe out a centuries-old enemy. As for Europe, for me it is an amazing story. They constantly heat up and inflame the situation with their decisions. In this situation they will provide aircrafts to the Kiev regime. Moreover, maybe they will also give them nuclear weapons. But then it will mean that a missile with a nuclear charge will come to them. There are irreversible laws of war. If it comes to nuclear weapons, a pre-emptive strike will be necessary. The Anglo-Saxons don't fully realise this and think it won't come to that. It will, under certain conditions.

[@SuanLuang]

“Don't Think That Your Geographical Location Will Save You: Lavrov Shocked the US with His Statement This statement was made on Friday and has already caused outrage in Washington. The representatives of the American establishment sitting in the White House were speechless by Lavrov's statement in the most direct sense of the word. So, answering journalists' questions, the Russian Foreign Minister bluntly stated that the United States would not be able to stand aside in the event of the outbreak of a global conflict, which Washington is so diligently provoking. Its geographical position will not save the United States. On the contrary, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which saved the United States during the Second and First World Wars, this time will not be the saviors of the United States but the executors of punishment.”

[@desydukuk291]

What was Europe's national interest in fighting in Afganistan for America following 9/11?

[@myla6135]

Once you start poodling it's awfully difficult to stop.

[@rdf098311]

NATO alliance…but Europe is not a nation so no national interest

[@desydukuk291]

@@rdf098311 Oh I see what you did there, underwhelmingly clever.

[@williamdavis9562]

To keep their overlords happy.

[@dogukan127]

Stopping the spread of jihadism, preventing jihadis from having a secure base to expand their ideology, having a strategic ally nation in central asia for future when China grows...etc

[@robertsevier4113]

John Mearshimer, the great interantional expert! Is this the same John Mearshimer who said "Putin KNOWS that Ukraine will resist Russia" when everyone expected the "Kiev in 3 days" as well as the "great international expert" who said famously "There is NOWAY Putin would actually invade Ukraine. He's much too SMART! for that!?

[@joemurray2288]

Good moderator. John Mearsheimer is always great. Other guest was great too. Everyone speaking calmly

[@williamdavis9562]

He would probably like to but I'm not sure if the entrenched establishment would allow him. Trump likes to talk a good game about draining the swamp but the reality is, it would take 5 or 6 presidents just like Trump back to back to make any dent in the swamp. Especially when it comes to the foreign policy establishment.

[@jonjonboi3701]

I would say most likely yes and he would handle it way better than sleepy Joe

[@markmarshall5234]

I don't understand why Mearsheimer says "there's no deal to be had" because of the opposed positions of Russia and Ukraine, i.e. Russia wants to annex Ukrainian territory and Ukraine is unwilling to cede any territory. It may be that there's "no deal to be had" between Russia and Ukraine, but it doesn't logically follow from that that there's no deal to be had between the US and Russia. After all, Turkey has been occupying northern Cyprus for nearly 50 years, but that hasn't prevented us from having normal, correct, peaceful relations with Turkey, even though we always make it clear that we disagree with Turkey's position on Cyprus. What's to prevent us from continuing to affirm Ukraine's sovereignty in the Russian-occupied zone, while at the same time resuming normal peaceful relations with Russia?

[@ninav7083]

Correct, as always.

[@terjeoseberg990]

Propaganda? Russia invaded Ukraine. This is fact, not propaganda. It had absolutely nothing to do with NATO. This is also a fact. The reason Putin didn’t want Ukraine to join NATO is because he knew years ago that he wanted to invade Ukraine and Ukraine joining NATO would prevent that.

[@alexdaw7310]

The latter is not a fact, but your speculation. You're not a telepath, you're not Putin's shrink, so you don't know what's going on in his head. It is a fact.

[@LRRPFco52]

100%. Mearsheimer is shilling for Russia once again. He let it slip in this discussion how Senator Obama was already disarming Ukraine of its conventional weapons in 2005, then denied arms sales to Ukraine when he was in the WH. Guess who helped get Obama into the Senate? Guy came out if nowhere, zero political history, bam...Senator. Council for a Livable World. Soviet front group started by Szilard in 1962 after Soviets warned him US counterintelligence was zeroing-in on him. He switched from providing nuclear technical data to ideological warfare under an anti-nuke front non-profit, which uses funds to run pro-Soviet/Russian moles for office. Guess who got Biden into the Senate in 1972? Council for a Livable World.

[@rhydyard]

Yep.. 👍

[@bearpaw72]

Which is why Ukraine needs to enter NATO IMMEDIATELY after the war ends - whether they get in having reclaimed all of its lost territory or if they get in with whatever they are able to keep and/or reclaim, it doesn't matter. As long as Ukraine enters NATO with at least something left.

[@rhydyard]

@@bearpaw72 Absolutely 👍

[@Rennyteam359]

My worry! Trump thinks he is the answer to everything. I am republican and Trump's rhetoric makes me uncomfortable.

[@andrewyoung749]

bizarre that youd think trumps rhetoric is an issue given that the people with all the 'nice' talking points have brought us a far more dangerous world in 2 short years. one in which; -russia has invaded ukraine -china is being even more aggressive re taiwan -iran in meltdown -n korea shooting missiles off again, didnt do that for trump's term -clear that the fbi is just a wing of the dem party and created the fake trump/russia stuff out of thin air to stymy the duly and fairly elected winner of the 2016 election -biden spends a lot of his time calling everyone to the right of aoc nazi white supremacists running some kkk regime. fantasy obv but seems pretty devisive to me -brics countries openly talking about getting off the dollar -utter humiliation of the supposed superpower being sent running by the stone age goatherds of Afghanistan. took 20 years to replace the taliban with err the taliban-you can take that to the bank so total chaos on bidens watch, b-b-b-b-b-buuut trumps rhetoric... uhhh-huh. totally serious view, absolutely...

[@michaeldy3157]

😮

[@carlfrye1566]

TRUMP: 4 YEARS OF PEACE IN UKRAINE. BIDEN: WAR IN UKRAINE AFTER ONLY 13 MONTHS IN OFFICE. OBAMA: PUTIN TOOK EASTERN UKRAINE WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT. And you worry about Trump........LOFL!!!!!!

[@c123bthunderpig]

Absolutely we don't need to be there in the first place.

[@wanton1234]

I hope Trump would pull out of Ukraine. It's time for NATO to put on big boy pants and deal with their own issues.

[@ElCampiador]

I am more inclined to believe Col. Douglas McGregor than John Mearsheimer's view as to what will happen to Ukraine, Russia will prevail until President Trump takes power.

[@nikosantikythera2422]

Agree.

[@arturpetrovici]

How could Russia not prevail?

[@alecfoster4413]

What will Trump do? I think he will try to help broker peace negotiations, as well he should. If he tries to coerce Putin, Vlad will call his bluff.

[@johnforde7735]

@@alecfoster4413 I would doubt that he would try to broker peace. Trump is more likely to walk away from supporting Ukraine and in rewarding Putin's behaviour, destabilising the region.

[@montrelouisebohon-harris7023]

Me too!!! Donald Trump would definitely most likely talk to Zelensky and Putin & demand they have an immediate cease-fire and organize talks. That way people won’t be getting killed. In the meantime while it might take a couple weeks to get things worked out but I guarantee Trump can have them very likely stop killing each other within 24 hours and hopefully within three days or two weeks of some kind of peace agreement set up between the two..

[@johnstrawb3521]

The ignorance in this comments section is... impressive.

[@eugenefirebird8938]

Maybe you are the ignorant one. Have some respect for others opinions.

[@KennyG-qh8jc]

this statement is unclear.

[@heyhoe168]

@@KennyG-qh8jc he dont like to see people who dont agree with him. That is it.

[@johnkeane1419]

@@heyhoe168 Dude probably thinks truck drivers decide US foreign policy, lol.

[@beyondrecall9446]

I love seeing the "Me smart" comment 😅👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@hannannah1uk]

Hope so.

[@edgarvalderrama1143]

I'm still waiting for my promised "Peace Dividend!"

[@GoodmanMIke59]

7:20 woman, did The Spectator ever consider having a dissenting view on? You mentioned Senator Tim Scott but don't have them on with you? Get Colonel Douglas Macgregor on. Get Gerald Celente, Judge Andrew Napolitano, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dennis Kucinich. You are sad, sad, little people.