I am a citizen of Ukraine who was born in Crimea, and now resides in Zaporizhzhia. While the premise of the video is in my opinion is correct (culture and regional characteristics trump thinking about International relations like a huge game of Risk - like realists strive to do), the author did just a surface level analysis of the country. Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv - everywhere majority of people consider themselves Ukrainians first, even if they are speaking Russian. Crimea (and Sevastopol) is an exception - maybe 20% of population there are Ukrainian loyalists. Moreover, author incorrectly implies that Western Ukraine is more aligned with "Western" values - rule of law, democracy etc.; I'd say metropolitan Dnipro is much more "Western" than some Zhytomyr or Rivne.
@@courtssenseI’m Ukrainian in Ukraine now, I’m from Kharkiv. In most of the spheres language/culture changes feel more like going back to the times of my grandparents in a good sense. Most of the Eastern Ukraine was Russified during Soviet period. For example, all my grandparents are from Kharkiv/Kharkiv oblast (the region that Russia wants to grab because of “Russians” there meaning Russian speaking Ukrainians) and they spoke Ukrainian in their childhood and youth. But if they wanted to achieve something bigger in the USSR they should learn Russian. What they eventually did, as well as most of the Eastern and Central parts of Ukraine. Yeah, it’s quite shocking, but total Russification came here not during the Russian Empire period (when Ukrainian language was officially banned, but nobody mostly didn’t give a shit in Ukraine) or earlier, but with the Soviet school, where Russian was a main language literally 50-70 years ago.
@@courtssenseand regarding the Russo-Ukrainian beaf in general, oh my Lord… it has very deep routes in a very old argue on a question “who is the primal successor of (Kievan) Rus’?” Basically there are different points of view how to manage these territories. For us West vs East is just an act in this story and we utilize Western culture because it’s efficient and has a good power to leverage Russian weaknesses and overcome them. Interestingly, that Ukrainian idea emerges from the Principality of Kyiv and principalities it controlled, and Russian from the Principality of Moscow. Kyiv btw was first… And yeah, I’m not blind. I realize myself as a kind of the imperialist. But my imperialism is good and productive :) and I think that it’s a great tragedy, that Ukrainian government doesn’t speak CLEARLY what we can suggest to the Global West in exchange of the full support - new management over these territories. We know you want to keep these resources and part of the Eurasia in check, so do we. Let’s help each other… Let’s make the great Step great again… Unfortunately, we rely on morality and ethics more than needed, at least in my opinion. West likes Russia (and it really does) not because of the morality, lol. In status quo, yeah Ukrainians are more pro-western, Russians are more pro-russian/eastern/global south/chinese/whatever. Most of the East vs West arguments inside Ukraine itself is not actually so strong and we can overcome them themselves, again most of Ukrainians were Russified not so much time ago. Lastly, yeah, we have a big crazy neighbor with whom we have a deep beaf.
Glad that Schatti put me onto this channel. It's uncanny how you basically convey my own thoughts, but in a much more eloquent way than I would be capable of.
Thank you, but believe me, most people underestimate their own talents. If you ever want to write or make videos, go for it, I can only recommend it. Schatti motivated me and so far I'm really happy that I went for it.
interesting, I love your analyses and I almost always agree with them. I think you have a better grasp of these things than almost anyone I have seen on TH-cam
I am hardcore realist, so I fully agree with the Mearsheimer's narrative. But I still liked your analysis! Realism is a theory trying to describe how the world works, which means it must be simplistic. That ofc does not mean that other aspects, such as cultural, does not exist and does not matter. So even tho I believe that realism can describe the cause of this war very well, the cultural aspect of it provided by you is a good addition of relevant context.
Another great video! I'm so happy I stumbled on to this channel. You have a great way of explaining complicated subjects, without dumbing it down. One day, I hope you will do a video on Carl Schmitt. Never before have I felt as stupid as when I tried to read The Concept of the Political / Der Begriff des Politischen...
This video, and many like it, start from the flawed premise that the "Two" Ukraines look like election maps, representing different countries, as if political affiliation meant National affiliation with a foreign country. That is frankly absurd. Ordinary Donbassi Russians in the People's Republics were not openly committed to Independence prior to 2014, while most Ukrainians, across the Country broadly, regardless of Pro-Russian or Pro-Kiev affiliations, wanted ties with the West - just as Russia did for 2 decades after 1991. Going further west, no - Zapohrizhia and Kherson did NOT have large Pro-Russian demonstrations or any such activity despite the election map. And division of Ukraine is not two separating Nations but a single Nation like any other with internal divisions. As it turns out, Balkanization is not a Magic Pill which solves all political problems - and that fact is the silver bullet to the Russian narrative. All of Ukraine was becoming Pro-Western because Russia offered little better than semi-subjugation, culturally, economically and politically. Ukrainians experienced famine and death when they took that offer previously. Not because of an East-West divide. And millions of Eastern Ukrainians bitter oppose/d Russia - the famous Azov was composed of over 50% Russian speaking, ethnic Russian Ukrainian Patriots. The lines on the map aren't uniform, not even close. And the Pro-Russian component is heavily overstated, including in this video. Since the vast majority of Ukrainians didn't want Russian control of it's territory, Russia has no real right to it, even if a Faction of radicals asks for secession. And the vast majority of those killed in the war today, given the geography, are Russian-speaking, ethnic-Russians. If Russia's was really was about saving the Donbass, they have failed utterly and are destroying it.
I think that Japan's example isn't great because, if you think about it, they started the war. They kinda got what they asked for. I think a better example would be Iraq or Afghanistan.
Well, most wars do not end with a lengthy occupation that radically changes the other nation's culture. That is the exception and is almost unheard of before the 20th century. The second part is that the US was provoking japan into war, by arming china, by freezing all japanese assets in the US, by moving the fleet from San Diego to Hawaii and finally by cutting off Japan's oil. When pearl harbor happened many allied leaders such as Churchill were delighted. But you are totally correct that Iraq might have been a better example. Thanks for the comment.
@@courtssense Japan was brutalizing China and attempting cultural dominance in Asia, are you forgetting that? I had many Japanese clients in my business, and I can say that they love western culture but with that said, the Japanese I have met are deeply culturally Japanese not faux Americans. Do you support Mearsheimer's realpolitik theory?
Again, thank you for your new essay! Even though it is very general and philosophical and does not dive in to more specific political affairs, It is informative enough for people, who are not involved in this situation by any means, to learn the basics of the war. I just wanted to confirm your take on Russian symbolism. I am Russian and I live in Russia. In the video you pointed out the most important (in my opinion) detail: The symbols that Russians use. A lot of Russians due to USSR revolution and the consequent destruction of Russian Empire's cultural inheritance have completely Incoherent worldview. They got ripped off their culture and without any proper cultural analysis, reading and debate a new parasitic and inconsistent worldview arises. I see at among my friends, acquaintances, relatives, public figures and so forth. And the conclusion is what we see now. A complete mess in lots of peoples heads when they, at the same time, use USSR and Russian Empire symbolics. However, I cannot defend them. I feel so sorry and frustrated by it.
Well, I really do believe that when the generation brought up in the USSR is finally gone, Russia will change. And I want to believe that this change will bring a better and a more coherent society.
@@courtssenseby the way, if you are curious, I can always share my perspective on current Russian affairs. I try to closely follow the internal politics
The lesson one should take from this war is that under no circumstance whatsoever you should allow any region of your country to become of majority foreign ethnic composition, especially if that foreign ethnic composition is a client group of a bigger, more powerful neighbour which can use it as leverage to interfere with your politics or a casus beli on your country.
The argument of "Ukraine is 2 different countries" would hold more water if the provinces of Donestk and Luhansk would have joined Russia on the 2022 invasion, however as for today, Moscow only holds like a third of those provinces, so there is little support in eastern Ukraine for Russia. In fact Russia had to invade in 2022 in part because the separatist they were backing could not get the popular support they expected. I do agree with your vision that liberals (myself included) are often blind to our own imperialism, I do think we must accept this fact and embrace the imperialist nature of any ideologie that claims to have universal values. Suscribed.
I am very curious about how you concluded that Europeans think they "embody American values better than Americans themselves". What are those values? Why do you credit America and not Europe for ther creation? Is it possible that North America and Europe simply developed in parallel under simmilar external influences after Europeans settled the new world?
I disagree with your analysis that Ukraine consists of two distinct, different cultures that were ready to go to war against one another, especially if you claim an East/West split of roughly 50/50 as implied in the video. If that was the case and the Eastern faction was friendly towards the Russians, the war should have ended already. Since they recieved such an overwhelming amount of "support" from Russia compared to what the Western faction recieved, they should have just won with all that metall and mannpower. This war is not East Ukraine vs. West Ukraine. It's not even Russia vs. West Ukraine. This war is Russia vs. a unified Ukraine. This lack of a divide also becomes clear when you look at the 2019 presidential election, where Zelensky recieved a mandate from both east and west. I believe that the voting behavious in past Ukrainian elections can be explained by minor differences in culture and economic incentives, where politicians positioned themselves around the median voter to produce the divided election maps we saw. The violent clashes were mainly a conflict between oligarchs and democrats, not east and west.
"I believe that the voting behavious in past Ukrainian elections can be explained by minor differences in culture and economic incentives, where politicians positioned themselves around the median voter to produce the divided election maps we saw" - also older people with Soviet nostalgia who were easily bought by pro-Russian oligarchs and susceptible to pro-Ru messaging on TV that was heavily controlled by Yanukovitch and his clan. Older people simply vote in greater numbers than young people, and they would lick spit from Party of Regions mafia for 100 UAH thrown at them before elections. A lot of them simply died out in the last 15 years.
14:37 this is a bad analogy. The US didn't wake up one day and attacked Japan for no reason, it was a result of Japan war of aggression against the US. They lost and the terms of peace were for Japan to become democratic. All by the rules which most humans can understand. Meanwhile, the war is about to end, and yet Putin and Russia's apologists cannot even decide on a Casus Belli for Ukraine. 15:57 The US doesn't want to "use Western Ukraine to expand its culture to Eastern Ukraine", it's western Ukraine wanting to escape Russia's sphere, out of its own volition, and rightfully so. 16:41 People liking one culture more than the other is not "imperalism", you're just stretching definitions to fence sit.
Imperialistik: you compare Russian Invasion in Ukrain with American implementation of democracy in Japan. Well you should go further, if you want to compare both. Its difficult since the Japanese thing ist mosty history and the Ukrainian is ongoing. Russian Imperialisem is typicaly going with changes in local poulation mix. look at Karelia, where there was a heavy preasure for Finns to leave, the baltik staates with massive deportation and settlement of Russians in already well populated areas (not like Siberia), look towards the far east where Stalin drove out the Chinese population wich until beginning of 20century was a big number in Amur area, but now is nothing, Than compare this historic Russiam imperialistic patterns with the Change in Population at Krimea just only in the past 7 years where few hundretthausends others say up to 1.5 Mio mainland Russians without any historic family links have been supported / encurraged to move from heartlandRussia towards Krimea. Has similars happend with Japan and US? has US interfeared into Japanese democrasy? I lived in Japan and can tell you that they have a very special democracy, where seats of parliament oftem seem to go from father to son cause of networks of support. So very different than in US... Nawalny has been proofen victim of Putin caused poisening. He is Russian but Russia prior to green man acting in Krimea has also poisend non plesant non proRussian candidats in Ukrainian elections. The interfearance by soldirs without nationbadges, the massive Propaganda, and the agents work in east Ukrain to stimulate Upraises, protests should be mentioned. I cant say if such anti westUkrain protests would not have taken place without Russias doing but denenitly they promoted it. Look at 2022th pro Russian protests in EU countrys and links of paymentsupport by Russians to be investigated. Please beeing impressed by its own ideology values and wishing to spread tham out AND doing same with force upon others is a verry different thing. Today (dont know how true it is) its said that live for ordenary people in the newly claimd Russian territorrys - specialy also Krimea Luhansk and Donetsk is like living in Stalintimes with lots of spyes reporting your doings, in a in compare with Russia much higer level. I think your comparison can go deeper
anyway sorry for my bad English, I am German and see a some problems with US outer politics, but than again I can name problems in my own coutry too. and just thinks its bit unfair how you treat "US-Imperialisem" and "Russian/Soviet Imperialisem". Just only observe what happend when we in Germany (in your view a victim of US Imperialisem past WW2) got our souverenity back (with reunification) and compare that with former Soviet/Russiam victims of Imperialisem, and what they took for a self choosen way, when they got the chance and their former "master" lost partly/or full its power over tham. Your work is realy interesting, but I would wish it had more details and would dive deeper into facts, with all respect. You talk about our European futur, and we have many people here who like to excuse Russian doings by saying look the others arent better (cause they dont go deeper) and this your valuable contribution, can easy be misused for such perpose
Thanks for the comments, I think that it is better if I reply in German. Also, Kultur ist etwas, das geht weit über reine materielle Wohlstand hinaus. Der Weltanschauung von Amerika ist nicht rein ökonomisch. Wir Europäer haben diese Weltanschauung in die letzte 70 Jahre angenommen und wir sind deswegen eine kulturelle Kolonie Amerikas. Die jetzige „Deutsche“ Kultur hat sein Ursprung in Amerika und es ist nur übersetzt worden. Nicht einmal die jetzigen Namen in Deutschland sind Deutsch; Felix, Timm, Kevin usw. Deswegen kann Amerika buchstäblich nordstream bomben und die Deutschen können nur nicken und die Schulter zücken. Amerikanischen Imperialismus ist nicht so deutlich wie russischen Imperialismus, aber es ist viel stärker. Oder glaubst du, dass die BRD kulturell unabhängig ist?
Moin, natürlich gibt es einen Einfluss aus den USA, aber genauso auch einen aus - gehenwir mal recht weit zB Japan, oder ganz nahe Frankreich etc. Vermutlich fass ich den Begriff "Kolonie" wesentlich enger als Du. Kolonie ist mir da zu abwertend zu abhängig und zu Übernahmebestimmend. Berlin London etc haben festgelegt was in Namibia Indien etc für ein Recht gilt, was für Lebensbedingungen herrschen, was produziert wird. Wenn der Kanadier Justin Biber (bin ect nicht up to date, nur ein Beispiel) irgendwas mit seinem US Marketingdingsbumsteam macht, macht er ein Angebot, was man hier dann hören / runterladen kann und es ist nicht eine Festlegung aus den USA. Du kannst meinetwegen das "Vorbild" gebend nennen aber es ist keine Kolonialmacht.Koloniebeziehung. Kein einziges Land ist heutezutage kulturell unabhängig. Die USA waren es auch nie mit zB den Deutschen als mit Abstand größter Einwanderungsgruppe, heute mehr Lateinamerikaner Ich gehe soweit zu behaupten, das es nie eine unbeeinflusste Deutsche Kultur gegeben hat- lol wenn man von Naziideologieträumereien absieht, und auch da sind ja etliche nordische Anleihen. Von daher beklage ich nicht, was es nie gegeben hat. Und wenn einem der äussere Einfluss zu groß ist, müssen gegenangebote gemacht werden, dh idR Subventionen zB Filmförderung etc Die US-Amerikaner sind genausowenig heute 50erJahre Amis wie wir 50Jahre Deutsche sind. Gerade im Gesellschaftsystem, Staatsaufbau, Staatsführung, weitestgehenden Grundkonsens, gibt es erhebliche Abweichungen zwischen den USA ubd Deutschland und Obamas halbversuchte Reform des Gesundheitssystems wäre dann sogar eine Übernahme des europäischen Wohlfahrtstaatsgedanken. Keine Frage es gibt einen massiven Einfluss aus den USA, aber der besteht wegen freiwilliger Übernahme zB im Bereich der Kultur und um wieder auf Russland zu kommen nicht im alltäglichen Zwang zur Übernahme / Annäherung in immer weitergehender Form an die Russische Kultur und Denkweise wie auch Weltsicht. NordStream2 ist übrigens genau das Gegenbeispiel, da die Amis in ihren verschiedenen Administrationen aus verschiedenen Gründen nie sehr für und dann später klar gegen Nordstream 2 waren und es ist doch fertiggetsellt worden. Stahlhandelsdisput(noch kein Krieg) ist ebenso ein Beispiel, wo gegenseitige Einflussnahme und Abhängigkeiten klar wurden. Militärisch sind wir ganz klar abhängig von den USA und fast eine Koloniesituation, das kommt aber im Wesentlichen weil wir bei weitem nicht soviel fürs Militär ausgeben wollen wie die USA, denne gerade deshalb auch die Mittel fehelen um einen Transferwohlfahrtsttaat wie den unseren ausbilden zu können.
Well, there is a state that does all of the things Russia does in terms of population exchange and colonization, and that state is Israel. However, america supports them wholeheartedly. Another example of hypocrisy
@@courtssense where is the proof that the US bombed the Nordstream when just a year before the invasion, Biden agreed to remove the sanctions imposed on its completion? I still think that the nordstream was a Russian false flag. Consider the Russian lies about the downing of the MH17, and now the plane supposedly carrying Ukrainian POWS that they claim was brought down by UKR & is being used as another cudgel to hit Ukraine with. Russia is good at a couple of things, whataboutism, and propaganda.
How does the Victoria Nuland call support you point of the US being involved in the 2014 ukranian revolution? Also lol at the "Google it" part, bro your making a video about it, defend your view or don't say unsubstantiated claims
She talked about interfering to get their favorite person into power. Add to this how Biden bragged publicly about doing the same by means of blackmail. And then there are a couple other bits of evidence that you would have to consult a documentary for that you will not find on TH-cam anymore.
18:31 Do you realy think democrasy is a US owned think? How about GB and France or evan Greece?? Do you think Capitalisem is a US development, that might make the Dutch and maybe the Northitalians Medici etc think differnt. Do you think the split of powers and way of running a Justicesystem is developed in US? .... and isent it very different like the capitalisem in European states? Evan your use of English might not come from the fact that US is a superpower, but from the fact that the UK-empire was bigger than the Spanisch and the Chinese where less invasive on world stage... USA has a big influence, but well it partly turns into free share stuffs And specialy when it comes to rules and regulation for standarts, the EU dosent need to hide... And if your right, than todays development in US (abortion right, reborn christians/growing influence of so called religion into politics, must be seen in Europ too; I guess it will not happen)
Imperialisem comes with force, a jeans is just more perfect than other trouser in daily efficency (And Levi Strauß was a migrand from Germany - dont know if it was caused by his religion). So to follow US mainstream stuffs is a free decision each individual decides or evan not. But to accept Russian pasport in exchange for the old Ukrainian one is not. well of course only if you want to be able to get pension, healthcare, some work,fields renewed papers, monatery stuffs done, etc as a citisen of Krimea, (Donetsk and Luhansk guess too)
Well, Athenian democracy and Roman republicanism are very different to our conceptions of modern democracy. This variant came from England and the US and the reason that it is so widespread today is that the US (and Britain before it) has great military, economic and cultural influence. To your second point, the American culture that has influence (makes media in Los Angeles, teaches at Harvard and writes in New York) is definitively not made up of born-again christians or rednecks.
It is (overwhelmingly) not the youth that Russia is throwing away in this war, it is its minorities from the Caucasus, central Russia and Siberia that Russia throws into the Ukrainian meatgrinder and I think that's the reason why Russia hasn't ended this costly endeavor, yet.
Hey, I like many videos on your channel, but this video is deeply flawed. I knew it was going to be when I heard that, rather than cold geopolitical interests, the alleged cause of the war is a cultural divide. This error stems from your view that power can be grassroots, rather than always top-down. Signs of this mistake can already be seen in your Right Wing Leninism video, with which I generally agree, even if it had such flaws. Next, you very lightly dismiss the idea that this new border Russia would have with NATO is not a threat, and you do it with highly dubious arguments. Firstly, the Baltics only share a 'dangerous' border on paper. That threat is contained, as the Baltics risk encirclement from Kaliningrad and Belarus, leaving them extremely vulnerable. Ukraine offers a border across a plain, into the very heartland of Russia, with zero drawbacks or natural barriers. Secondly, nobody knows how a conflict between nuclear powers will go. Nobody knows if someone will actually start launching nukes the moment the conflict starts. Pre-selected targets exist in case of a first strike, and are reserved for cases of a total nuclear war, not a few tactical nukes used against enemy positions. Thirdly, it was very sad to hear you suggest that 'culture' and 'symbolism' dictate conflicts, rather than cold geopolitical calculations. North Korea is threatened by South Korea's lifestyle, but that threat is easily mitigated. The main threat is that of an armed conflict, in which North Korean armed forced would be rolled over by South Korea. Culture is only one variable in geopolitical calculations, _not_ something separate I really don't understand why do you rush to dismiss geopolitics so lightly. To me this video seems like an attempt to be original rather than objective, or at the very least a misunderstanding of politics and power. There is no need to push a centrist position of 'both sides wrong' just to take an intellectually tickling position
Grossartiges Video. Two things I disagree with: 1. the goldfish analogy. It's simply not true, goldfish are not really agressive and can easily live together. Maybe you mean Betta-fish? Especially betta-males. As they will kill each other if they are in the same tank (unless the tank is so big that they can form 2 territories). 2. Ukraine is the gate into russia (or into Europe if you look from the other side) and geostrategic value is significant. Even if it never gets to a ground invasion, simply having the option is still valueable.
1. I thought that goldfish and beta fish were the same thing, good to know. 2. There is no doubt that it has strategic value, but I think that the symbolic value is 10 times higher. Thanks for the comment.
10:19 the Cuba comparison isn't good here since at the time rocket technology was less advanced so nukes couldn't be launched from anywhere and hit anywhere like today.
I partially disagree with your take that the depiction of communist symbols next to crosses at the 2014 pro-Russia protests signifies a weak/stunted Russian culture. The significant of those symbols is that they are both things older Russians take pride in a celebrate. I would equate it to people from Pennsylvania not wanting a statue of Robert E Lee torn down, it doesn’t make them a confederate, but a person who feels like a piece of culture is being attacked, the past is being attacked and disavowed. The same has been happening in Ukraine, where communist symbols have been banned and statues of Lenin torn down, while in Russia all of those things stand. Those symbols have taken on new meaning as time has gone on, at least from my understanding
Pretty sure the war has now by now (according to latest data) pretty much wiped out most sympathy that eastern Ukrainians had towards russia. War is a great unifier, and the eastern Ukrainians are the ones that are being the most affected. Once this war is over and if Ukraine wins, I don't think ukraine will stay a divided country anymore.
Good video, I enjoyed the fairly neutral analysis. Though I do think you are somewhat underestimating the strategic value of Ukraine to securing Russian borders. There are very few place in the world so suited for a ground invasion. Great work!
I will admit that I underestimate that, but I simply do not think that it is possible to invade Russia because of their nukes. But what Ukraine represents to Russia is something far greater than the actual strategic uses of Ukraine.
But by your own admission eastern ukraine is culturally divided itself (with only crimea having the most balanced demographic), how would independence avoid conflict when a plurality of eastern ukrainians are at odds with russian culture?
Interesting question, frankly I am not eastern European enough to know how that would play out. But again, there is no reconciliation possible so that will never happen.
I think russian culture will strengthen, and become more popular especially amongst the youth If they win the war. But thats just my opinion from a guy in the usa.
Your analysis is very good. “All cultures are imperialist..”. But why are we spending so much money there? I think it is a 3D chess game and the US did it sever the EU (read Germany)as the vehicle and driver of Western cultural advancement. Russian oil and gas through the original Nordstream has been stopped and now Nordstream 2 has been stopped. The German plan would have worked to complete the Westernization of Russia but the US Dollar would be replaced by the euro as the reserve currency. Don’t think Russia is so different from the west or at least the old west. They are Christian and live culturally no different than most Europeans. Definitely more European culturally than Turkey. Nice work. 😅
Thank you. As for the idea that Russia is not very different from the west, I have my doubts. The west today is heading towards majority atheism and multiculturalism, while Russia remains nationalistic and majority Christian. We are also overlooking the differences in their forms of Christianity and the differences in the centralization of the Russian state compared to the decentralized Anglo tradition. But I've never lived in Russia, so I'm not 100% sure.
One weakness in your argument is your statement "NATO can already attack Russia through the Baltics". If you don't understand why it's much more logistically favourable to do so through Ukraine you need to polish up your geographical and historical knowledge. Next is your suggestion there's no geopolitical reasons the USSR collapsed makes me wonder if you know anything at all about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Well your first point is true, but I simply consider a land war in Russia to be unrealistic since nukes. To your second point, in my opinion the radical changes in soviet policy like perestroika and glasnost were caused by economic stagnation, but most importantly a cultural shift away from hardline communism. Did Afghanistan play a role? Sure. But I would argue that only a very minor one.
@@courtssense if Russia was sufficiently economically crippled, NATO's explicit goal, they could plausibly be strong armed into giving up those nukes in return for a bailout.
@@courtssense yes but we're talking about how the war came about in the first place. The fact that sanctions after the fact haven't achieved what the West hoped is moot.
The Kamala Harris quote is literally written at the pre-kindergarten level. I didnt know it had gotten that bad.
Se explains it to people who dont get the basics. Context matters
@@nikitakrim02she’s has not one time been capable of explaining things at a higher level than that
I am a citizen of Ukraine who was born in Crimea, and now resides in Zaporizhzhia. While the premise of the video is in my opinion is correct (culture and regional characteristics trump thinking about International relations like a huge game of Risk - like realists strive to do), the author did just a surface level analysis of the country. Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv - everywhere majority of people consider themselves Ukrainians first, even if they are speaking Russian. Crimea (and Sevastopol) is an exception - maybe 20% of population there are Ukrainian loyalists.
Moreover, author incorrectly implies that Western Ukraine is more aligned with "Western" values - rule of law, democracy etc.; I'd say metropolitan Dnipro is much more "Western" than some Zhytomyr or Rivne.
@@letmedoit8095 I imagine that you have seen much identity and language change recently. Could you tell me more about that?
@@courtssenseI’m Ukrainian in Ukraine now, I’m from Kharkiv.
In most of the spheres language/culture changes feel more like going back to the times of my grandparents in a good sense. Most of the Eastern Ukraine was Russified during Soviet period. For example, all my grandparents are from Kharkiv/Kharkiv oblast (the region that Russia wants to grab because of “Russians” there meaning Russian speaking Ukrainians) and they spoke Ukrainian in their childhood and youth. But if they wanted to achieve something bigger in the USSR they should learn Russian. What they eventually did, as well as most of the Eastern and Central parts of Ukraine. Yeah, it’s quite shocking, but total Russification came here not during the Russian Empire period (when Ukrainian language was officially banned, but nobody mostly didn’t give a shit in Ukraine) or earlier, but with the Soviet school, where Russian was a main language literally 50-70 years ago.
@@courtssenseand regarding the Russo-Ukrainian beaf in general, oh my Lord… it has very deep routes in a very old argue on a question “who is the primal successor of (Kievan) Rus’?”
Basically there are different points of view how to manage these territories. For us West vs East is just an act in this story and we utilize Western culture because it’s efficient and has a good power to leverage Russian weaknesses and overcome them. Interestingly, that Ukrainian idea emerges from the Principality of Kyiv and principalities it controlled, and Russian from the Principality of Moscow. Kyiv btw was first…
And yeah, I’m not blind. I realize myself as a kind of the imperialist. But my imperialism is good and productive :)
and I think that it’s a great tragedy, that Ukrainian government doesn’t speak CLEARLY what we can suggest to the Global West in exchange of the full support - new management over these territories. We know you want to keep these resources and part of the Eurasia in check, so do we. Let’s help each other… Let’s make the great Step great again… Unfortunately, we rely on morality and ethics more than needed, at least in my opinion. West likes Russia (and it really does) not because of the morality, lol.
In status quo, yeah Ukrainians are more pro-western, Russians are more pro-russian/eastern/global south/chinese/whatever. Most of the East vs West arguments inside Ukraine itself is not actually so strong and we can overcome them themselves, again most of Ukrainians were Russified not so much time ago. Lastly, yeah, we have a big crazy neighbor with whom we have a deep beaf.
Glad that Schatti put me onto this channel. It's uncanny how you basically convey my own thoughts, but in a much more eloquent way than I would be capable of.
Thank you, but believe me, most people underestimate their own talents.
If you ever want to write or make videos, go for it, I can only recommend it.
Schatti motivated me and so far I'm really happy that I went for it.
interesting, I love your analyses and I almost always agree with them. I think you have a better grasp of these things than almost anyone I have seen on TH-cam
I am hardcore realist, so I fully agree with the Mearsheimer's narrative. But I still liked your analysis! Realism is a theory trying to describe how the world works, which means it must be simplistic. That ofc does not mean that other aspects, such as cultural, does not exist and does not matter. So even tho I believe that realism can describe the cause of this war very well, the cultural aspect of it provided by you is a good addition of relevant context.
Another great video! I'm so happy I stumbled on to this channel.
You have a great way of explaining complicated subjects, without dumbing it down.
One day, I hope you will do a video on Carl Schmitt. Never before have I felt as stupid as when I tried to read The Concept of the Political / Der Begriff des Politischen...
This video, and many like it, start from the flawed premise that the "Two" Ukraines look like election maps, representing different countries, as if political affiliation meant National affiliation with a foreign country. That is frankly absurd.
Ordinary Donbassi Russians in the People's Republics were not openly committed to Independence prior to 2014, while most Ukrainians, across the Country broadly, regardless of Pro-Russian or Pro-Kiev affiliations, wanted ties with the West - just as Russia did for 2 decades after 1991.
Going further west, no - Zapohrizhia and Kherson did NOT have large Pro-Russian demonstrations or any such activity despite the election map. And division of Ukraine is not two separating Nations but a single Nation like any other with internal divisions.
As it turns out, Balkanization is not a Magic Pill which solves all political problems - and that fact is the silver bullet to the Russian narrative.
All of Ukraine was becoming Pro-Western because Russia offered little better than semi-subjugation, culturally, economically and politically. Ukrainians experienced famine and death when they took that offer previously. Not because of an East-West divide. And millions of Eastern Ukrainians bitter oppose/d Russia - the famous Azov was composed of over 50% Russian speaking, ethnic Russian Ukrainian Patriots.
The lines on the map aren't uniform, not even close. And the Pro-Russian component is heavily overstated, including in this video.
Since the vast majority of Ukrainians didn't want Russian control of it's territory, Russia has no real right to it, even if a Faction of radicals asks for secession. And the vast majority of those killed in the war today, given the geography, are Russian-speaking, ethnic-Russians.
If Russia's was really was about saving the Donbass, they have failed utterly and are destroying it.
I think that Japan's example isn't great because, if you think about it, they started the war. They kinda got what they asked for. I think a better example would be Iraq or Afghanistan.
Well, most wars do not end with a lengthy occupation that radically changes the other nation's culture. That is the exception and is almost unheard of before the 20th century.
The second part is that the US was provoking japan into war, by arming china, by freezing all japanese assets in the US, by moving the fleet from San Diego to Hawaii and finally by cutting off Japan's oil.
When pearl harbor happened many allied leaders such as Churchill were delighted.
But you are totally correct that Iraq might have been a better example.
Thanks for the comment.
@@courtssense Japan was brutalizing China and attempting cultural dominance in Asia, are you forgetting that? I had many Japanese clients in my business, and I can say that they love western culture but with that said, the Japanese I have met are deeply culturally Japanese not faux Americans. Do you support Mearsheimer's realpolitik theory?
@@courtssenseah yes, Japan was provoked into raping and murdering thousands
Again, thank you for your new essay! Even though it is very general and philosophical and does not dive in to more specific political affairs, It is informative enough for people, who are not involved in this situation by any means, to learn the basics of the war. I just wanted to confirm your take on Russian symbolism.
I am Russian and I live in Russia. In the video you pointed out the most important (in my opinion) detail: The symbols that Russians use.
A lot of Russians due to USSR revolution and the consequent destruction of Russian Empire's cultural inheritance have completely Incoherent worldview. They got ripped off their culture and without any proper cultural analysis, reading and debate a new parasitic and inconsistent worldview arises. I see at among my friends, acquaintances, relatives, public figures and so forth. And the conclusion is what we see now. A complete mess in lots of peoples heads when they, at the same time, use USSR and Russian Empire symbolics. However, I cannot defend them. I feel so sorry and frustrated by it.
Very interesting, do you think that it will be different with the new generations?
Well, I really do believe that when the generation brought up in the USSR is finally gone, Russia will change. And I want to believe that this change will bring a better and a more coherent society.
@@courtssenseby the way, if you are curious, I can always share my perspective on current Russian affairs. I try to closely follow the internal politics
Sure, whenever there is something interesting message me at courtssense@gmail.com
The lesson one should take from this war is that under no circumstance whatsoever you should allow any region of your country to become of majority foreign ethnic composition, especially if that foreign ethnic composition is a client group of a bigger, more powerful neighbour which can use it as leverage to interfere with your politics or a casus beli on your country.
The argument of "Ukraine is 2 different countries" would hold more water if the provinces of Donestk and Luhansk would have joined Russia on the 2022 invasion, however as for today, Moscow only holds like a third of those provinces, so there is little support in eastern Ukraine for Russia. In fact Russia had to invade in 2022 in part because the separatist they were backing could not get the popular support they expected.
I do agree with your vision that liberals (myself included) are often blind to our own imperialism, I do think we must accept this fact and embrace the imperialist nature of any ideologie that claims to have universal values. Suscribed.
I am very curious about how you concluded that Europeans think they "embody American values better than Americans themselves".
What are those values?
Why do you credit America and not Europe for ther creation?
Is it possible that North America and Europe simply developed in parallel under simmilar external influences after Europeans settled the new world?
I disagree with your analysis that Ukraine consists of two distinct, different cultures that were ready to go to war against one another, especially if you claim an East/West split of roughly 50/50 as implied in the video. If that was the case and the Eastern faction was friendly towards the Russians, the war should have ended already. Since they recieved such an overwhelming amount of "support" from Russia compared to what the Western faction recieved, they should have just won with all that metall and mannpower.
This war is not East Ukraine vs. West Ukraine.
It's not even Russia vs. West Ukraine.
This war is Russia vs. a unified Ukraine.
This lack of a divide also becomes clear when you look at the 2019 presidential election, where Zelensky recieved a mandate from both east and west.
I believe that the voting behavious in past Ukrainian elections can be explained by minor differences in culture and economic incentives, where politicians positioned themselves around the median voter to produce the divided election maps we saw. The violent clashes were mainly a conflict between oligarchs and democrats, not east and west.
"I believe that the voting behavious in past Ukrainian elections can be explained by minor differences in culture and economic incentives, where politicians positioned themselves around the median voter to produce the divided election maps we saw" - also older people with Soviet nostalgia who were easily bought by pro-Russian oligarchs and susceptible to pro-Ru messaging on TV that was heavily controlled by Yanukovitch and his clan. Older people simply vote in greater numbers than young people, and they would lick spit from Party of Regions mafia for 100 UAH thrown at them before elections. A lot of them simply died out in the last 15 years.
14:37 this is a bad analogy. The US didn't wake up one day and attacked Japan for no reason, it was a result of Japan war of aggression against the US. They lost and the terms of peace were for Japan to become democratic. All by the rules which most humans can understand. Meanwhile, the war is about to end, and yet Putin and Russia's apologists cannot even decide on a Casus Belli for Ukraine.
15:57 The US doesn't want to "use Western Ukraine to expand its culture to Eastern Ukraine", it's western Ukraine wanting to escape Russia's sphere, out of its own volition, and rightfully so.
16:41 People liking one culture more than the other is not "imperalism", you're just stretching definitions to fence sit.
Imperialistik: you compare Russian Invasion in Ukrain with American implementation of democracy in Japan.
Well you should go further, if you want to compare both. Its difficult since the Japanese thing ist mosty history and the Ukrainian is ongoing.
Russian Imperialisem is typicaly going with changes in local poulation mix. look at Karelia, where there was a heavy preasure for Finns to leave, the baltik staates with massive deportation and settlement of Russians in already well populated areas (not like Siberia), look towards the far east where Stalin drove out the Chinese population wich until beginning of 20century was a big number in Amur area, but now is nothing, Than compare this historic Russiam imperialistic patterns with the Change in Population at Krimea just only in the past 7 years where few hundretthausends others say up to 1.5 Mio mainland Russians without any historic family links have been supported / encurraged to move from heartlandRussia towards Krimea. Has similars happend with Japan and US? has US interfeared into Japanese democrasy? I lived in Japan and can tell you that they have a very special democracy, where seats of parliament oftem seem to go from father to son cause of networks of support. So very different than in US...
Nawalny has been proofen victim of Putin caused poisening. He is Russian but Russia prior to green man acting in Krimea has also poisend non plesant non proRussian candidats in Ukrainian elections. The interfearance by soldirs without nationbadges, the massive Propaganda, and the agents work in east Ukrain to stimulate Upraises, protests should be mentioned. I cant say if such anti westUkrain protests would not have taken place without Russias doing but denenitly they promoted it. Look at 2022th pro Russian protests in EU countrys and links of paymentsupport by Russians to be investigated.
Please beeing impressed by its own ideology values and wishing to spread tham out AND doing same with force upon others is a verry different thing. Today (dont know how true it is) its said that live for ordenary people in the newly claimd Russian territorrys - specialy also Krimea Luhansk and Donetsk is like living in Stalintimes with lots of spyes reporting your doings, in a in compare with Russia much higer level. I think your comparison can go deeper
anyway sorry for my bad English, I am German and see a some problems with US outer politics, but than again I can name problems in my own coutry too. and just thinks its bit unfair how you treat "US-Imperialisem" and "Russian/Soviet Imperialisem". Just only observe what happend when we in Germany (in your view a victim of US Imperialisem past WW2) got our souverenity back (with reunification) and compare that with former Soviet/Russiam victims of Imperialisem, and what they took for a self choosen way, when they got the chance and their former "master" lost partly/or full its power over tham.
Your work is realy interesting, but I would wish it had more details and would dive deeper into facts, with all respect.
You talk about our European futur, and we have many people here who like to excuse Russian doings by saying look the others arent better (cause they dont go deeper) and this your valuable contribution, can easy be misused for such perpose
Thanks for the comments, I think that it is better if I reply in German.
Also, Kultur ist etwas, das geht weit über reine materielle Wohlstand hinaus. Der Weltanschauung von Amerika ist nicht rein ökonomisch. Wir Europäer haben diese Weltanschauung in die letzte 70 Jahre angenommen und wir sind deswegen eine kulturelle Kolonie Amerikas. Die jetzige „Deutsche“ Kultur hat sein Ursprung in Amerika und es ist nur übersetzt worden. Nicht einmal die jetzigen Namen in Deutschland sind Deutsch; Felix, Timm, Kevin usw.
Deswegen kann Amerika buchstäblich nordstream bomben und die Deutschen können nur nicken und die Schulter zücken. Amerikanischen Imperialismus ist nicht so deutlich wie russischen Imperialismus, aber es ist viel stärker.
Oder glaubst du, dass die BRD kulturell unabhängig ist?
Moin, natürlich gibt es einen Einfluss aus den USA, aber genauso auch einen aus - gehenwir mal recht weit zB Japan, oder ganz nahe Frankreich etc. Vermutlich fass ich den Begriff "Kolonie" wesentlich enger als Du. Kolonie ist mir da zu abwertend zu abhängig und zu Übernahmebestimmend. Berlin London etc haben festgelegt was in Namibia Indien etc für ein Recht gilt, was für Lebensbedingungen herrschen, was produziert wird. Wenn der Kanadier Justin Biber (bin ect nicht up to date, nur ein Beispiel) irgendwas mit seinem US Marketingdingsbumsteam macht, macht er ein Angebot, was man hier dann hören / runterladen kann und es ist nicht eine Festlegung aus den USA.
Du kannst meinetwegen das "Vorbild" gebend nennen aber es ist keine Kolonialmacht.Koloniebeziehung.
Kein einziges Land ist heutezutage kulturell unabhängig. Die USA waren es auch nie mit zB den Deutschen als mit Abstand größter Einwanderungsgruppe, heute mehr Lateinamerikaner
Ich gehe soweit zu behaupten, das es nie eine unbeeinflusste Deutsche Kultur gegeben hat- lol wenn man von Naziideologieträumereien absieht, und auch da sind ja etliche nordische Anleihen. Von daher beklage ich nicht, was es nie gegeben hat. Und wenn einem der äussere Einfluss zu groß ist, müssen gegenangebote gemacht werden, dh idR Subventionen zB Filmförderung etc
Die US-Amerikaner sind genausowenig heute 50erJahre Amis wie wir 50Jahre Deutsche sind.
Gerade im Gesellschaftsystem, Staatsaufbau, Staatsführung, weitestgehenden Grundkonsens, gibt es erhebliche Abweichungen zwischen den USA ubd Deutschland und Obamas halbversuchte Reform des Gesundheitssystems wäre dann sogar eine Übernahme des europäischen Wohlfahrtstaatsgedanken.
Keine Frage es gibt einen massiven Einfluss aus den USA, aber der besteht wegen freiwilliger Übernahme zB im Bereich der Kultur und um wieder auf Russland zu kommen nicht im alltäglichen Zwang zur Übernahme / Annäherung in immer weitergehender Form an die Russische Kultur und Denkweise wie auch Weltsicht.
NordStream2 ist übrigens genau das Gegenbeispiel, da die Amis in ihren verschiedenen Administrationen aus verschiedenen Gründen nie sehr für und dann später klar gegen Nordstream 2 waren und es ist doch fertiggetsellt worden.
Stahlhandelsdisput(noch kein Krieg) ist ebenso ein Beispiel, wo gegenseitige Einflussnahme und Abhängigkeiten klar wurden.
Militärisch sind wir ganz klar abhängig von den USA und fast eine Koloniesituation, das kommt aber im Wesentlichen weil wir bei weitem nicht soviel fürs Militär ausgeben wollen wie die USA, denne gerade deshalb auch die Mittel fehelen um einen Transferwohlfahrtsttaat wie den unseren ausbilden zu können.
Well, there is a state that does all of the things Russia does in terms of population exchange and colonization, and that state is Israel. However, america supports them wholeheartedly. Another example of hypocrisy
@@courtssense where is the proof that the US bombed the Nordstream when just a year before the invasion, Biden agreed to remove the sanctions imposed on its completion? I still think that the nordstream was a Russian false flag. Consider the Russian lies about the downing of the MH17, and now the plane supposedly carrying Ukrainian POWS that they claim was brought down by UKR & is being used as another cudgel to hit Ukraine with. Russia is good at a couple of things, whataboutism, and propaganda.
How does the Victoria Nuland call support you point of the US being involved in the 2014 ukranian revolution? Also lol at the "Google it" part, bro your making a video about it, defend your view or don't say unsubstantiated claims
She talked about interfering to get their favorite person into power. Add to this how Biden bragged publicly about doing the same by means of blackmail. And then there are a couple other bits of evidence that you would have to consult a documentary for that you will not find on TH-cam anymore.
Hhmm really loved your video. And your awareness of competing moralities. Waited for creator like you for years
Thanks for the comment!
18:31 Do you realy think democrasy is a US owned think? How about GB and France or evan Greece?? Do you think Capitalisem is a US development, that might make the Dutch and maybe the Northitalians Medici etc think differnt. Do you think the split of powers and way of running a Justicesystem is developed in US? .... and isent it very different like the capitalisem in European states?
Evan your use of English might not come from the fact that US is a superpower, but from the fact that the UK-empire was bigger than the Spanisch and the Chinese where less invasive on world stage... USA has a big influence, but well it partly turns into free share stuffs
And specialy when it comes to rules and regulation for standarts, the EU dosent need to hide...
And if your right, than todays development in US (abortion right, reborn christians/growing influence of so called religion into politics, must be seen in Europ too; I guess it will not happen)
Imperialisem comes with force, a jeans is just more perfect than other trouser in daily efficency (And Levi Strauß was a migrand from Germany - dont know if it was caused by his religion). So to follow US mainstream stuffs is a free decision each individual decides or evan not. But to accept Russian pasport in exchange for the old Ukrainian one is not. well of course only if you want to be able to get pension, healthcare, some work,fields renewed papers, monatery stuffs done, etc as a citisen of Krimea, (Donetsk and Luhansk guess too)
Well, Athenian democracy and Roman republicanism are very different to our conceptions of modern democracy. This variant came from England and the US and the reason that it is so widespread today is that the US (and Britain before it) has great military, economic and cultural influence.
To your second point, the American culture that has influence (makes media in Los Angeles, teaches at Harvard and writes in New York) is definitively not made up of born-again christians or rednecks.
It is (overwhelmingly) not the youth that Russia is throwing away in this war, it is its minorities from the Caucasus, central Russia and Siberia that Russia throws into the Ukrainian meatgrinder and I think that's the reason why Russia hasn't ended this costly endeavor, yet.
well youre a racist if youre thinking this way. Numbers are Numbers in war and economics it really doesnt matter who they throw away.
Great video!
Although my goldfish never ate each other when I put them in the same bowl :)
It is something that I always heard as a child, that they were territorial
Hey, I like many videos on your channel, but this video is deeply flawed.
I knew it was going to be when I heard that, rather than cold geopolitical interests, the alleged cause of the war is a cultural divide.
This error stems from your view that power can be grassroots, rather than always top-down. Signs of this mistake can already be seen in your Right Wing Leninism video, with which I generally agree, even if it had such flaws.
Next, you very lightly dismiss the idea that this new border Russia would have with NATO is not a threat, and you do it with highly dubious arguments.
Firstly, the Baltics only share a 'dangerous' border on paper. That threat is contained, as the Baltics risk encirclement from Kaliningrad and Belarus, leaving them extremely vulnerable.
Ukraine offers a border across a plain, into the very heartland of Russia, with zero drawbacks or natural barriers.
Secondly, nobody knows how a conflict between nuclear powers will go. Nobody knows if someone will actually start launching nukes the moment the conflict starts. Pre-selected targets exist in case of a first strike, and are reserved for cases of a total nuclear war, not a few tactical nukes used against enemy positions.
Thirdly, it was very sad to hear you suggest that 'culture' and 'symbolism' dictate conflicts, rather than cold geopolitical calculations.
North Korea is threatened by South Korea's lifestyle, but that threat is easily mitigated. The main threat is that of an armed conflict, in which North Korean armed forced would be rolled over by South Korea.
Culture is only one variable in geopolitical calculations, _not_ something separate
I really don't understand why do you rush to dismiss geopolitics so lightly.
To me this video seems like an attempt to be original rather than objective, or at the very least a misunderstanding of politics and power.
There is no need to push a centrist position of 'both sides wrong' just to take an intellectually tickling position
Grossartiges Video. Two things I disagree with:
1. the goldfish analogy. It's simply not true, goldfish are not really agressive and can easily live together. Maybe you mean Betta-fish? Especially betta-males. As they will kill each other if they are in the same tank (unless the tank is so big that they can form 2 territories).
2. Ukraine is the gate into russia (or into Europe if you look from the other side) and geostrategic value is significant. Even if it never gets to a ground invasion, simply having the option is still valueable.
1. I thought that goldfish and beta fish were the same thing, good to know.
2. There is no doubt that it has strategic value, but I think that the symbolic value is 10 times higher.
Thanks for the comment.
10:19 the Cuba comparison isn't good here since at the time rocket technology was less advanced so nukes couldn't be launched from anywhere and hit anywhere like today.
I partially disagree with your take that the depiction of communist symbols next to crosses at the 2014 pro-Russia protests signifies a weak/stunted Russian culture. The significant of those symbols is that they are both things older Russians take pride in a celebrate. I would equate it to people from Pennsylvania not wanting a statue of Robert E Lee torn down, it doesn’t make them a confederate, but a person who feels like a piece of culture is being attacked, the past is being attacked and disavowed. The same has been happening in Ukraine, where communist symbols have been banned and statues of Lenin torn down, while in Russia all of those things stand. Those symbols have taken on new meaning as time has gone on, at least from my understanding
Pretty sure the war has now by now (according to latest data) pretty much wiped out most sympathy that eastern Ukrainians had towards russia. War is a great unifier, and the eastern Ukrainians are the ones that are being the most affected. Once this war is over and if Ukraine wins, I don't think ukraine will stay a divided country anymore.
United, but at what cost?
@@courtssense That just about sums up the history of most nations
Im definitely more convinced by the geopolitical arguments
Good video, I enjoyed the fairly neutral analysis. Though I do think you are somewhat underestimating the strategic value of Ukraine to securing Russian borders. There are very few place in the world so suited for a ground invasion.
Great work!
I will admit that I underestimate that, but I simply do not think that it is possible to invade Russia because of their nukes.
But what Ukraine represents to Russia is something far greater than the actual strategic uses of Ukraine.
9:36 ...
Is this guy for real?
I mustered the strength to end this video, and it wasn't that bad
Thank you, I guess...
What is your take on my conclusion?
good vid
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
For a supposedly objective guy it's strange how much anti-Russian feelings are expressed in all of the 80 comments below this video...😂
But by your own admission eastern ukraine is culturally divided itself (with only crimea having the most balanced demographic), how would independence avoid conflict when a plurality of eastern ukrainians are at odds with russian culture?
Interesting question, frankly I am not eastern European enough to know how that would play out. But again, there is no reconciliation possible so that will never happen.
I think russian culture will strengthen, and become more popular especially amongst the youth If they win the war.
But thats just my opinion from a guy in the usa.
Yeah, but in the short term they are going to also have demographic issues. But they are a resilient culture and will probably survive it.
Your analysis is very good. “All cultures are imperialist..”. But why are we spending so much money there? I think it is a 3D chess game and the US did it sever the EU (read Germany)as the vehicle and driver of Western cultural advancement. Russian oil and gas through the original Nordstream has been stopped and now Nordstream 2 has been stopped. The German plan would have worked to complete the Westernization of Russia but the US Dollar would be replaced by the euro as the reserve currency. Don’t think Russia is so different from the west or at least the old west. They are Christian and live culturally no different than most Europeans. Definitely more European culturally than Turkey. Nice work. 😅
Thank you.
As for the idea that Russia is not very different from the west, I have my doubts. The west today is heading towards majority atheism and multiculturalism, while Russia remains nationalistic and majority Christian.
We are also overlooking the differences in their forms of Christianity and the differences in the centralization of the Russian state compared to the decentralized Anglo tradition.
But I've never lived in Russia, so I'm not 100% sure.
One weakness in your argument is your statement "NATO can already attack Russia through the Baltics". If you don't understand why it's much more logistically favourable to do so through Ukraine you need to polish up your geographical and historical knowledge.
Next is your suggestion there's no geopolitical reasons the USSR collapsed makes me wonder if you know anything at all about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Well your first point is true, but I simply consider a land war in Russia to be unrealistic since nukes.
To your second point, in my opinion the radical changes in soviet policy like perestroika and glasnost were caused by economic stagnation, but most importantly a cultural shift away from hardline communism.
Did Afghanistan play a role? Sure. But I would argue that only a very minor one.
@@courtssense if Russia was sufficiently economically crippled, NATO's explicit goal, they could plausibly be strong armed into giving up those nukes in return for a bailout.
Maybe, but this has not really worked because of oil, Russia can export resources all day to China, India, and other non-nato aligned countries.
@@courtssense yes but we're talking about how the war came about in the first place. The fact that sanctions after the fact haven't achieved what the West hoped is moot.
Ahh I did not understand what you were hinting at, so in your opinion the misery of the 90s in Russia was intentional?
Sounds like a woke western criticism
What exactly is progressive about it?
@@courtssense14:30 embracing „wester“ woke values for example
@@Gespenst123While i believe it certainly is Western, its by no means progressive or "Woke"