The invasion of Ukraine was and is a war crime. Western saber-rattling, NATO expansion, and interference in Ukrainian politics were highly provocative. Provocation does not justify crime, of course. It does, however, mean that the West can and should do all it can to help end this war.
Many Ukrainians and Russians favor a negotiated peace. What are the best ways to meet that goal and how might the United States and Europe support it?
Anatol Lieven is the director of the Eurasia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He was formerly a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar and in the War Studies Department of King’s College London. In this conversation, we discuss the complexities of the Ukraine war and the US role in it. Topics include Trump's inconsistent policies toward the region, the nature and likelihood of a lasting settlement, and the potential for arms control agreements between the U.S. and Russia.
Please give it a listen.