Serhii Plokhy

And we are witnessing, when it comes to Ukraine, we are witnessing a very important historical development where Ukrainians found their state for the first time through most of their history and tried to make a transition from successful rebels to successful managers and state builders.

NATO was a big part, certainly, of the Russian justification for the war. That was the theme that was up there in the months leading to the aggression. The truth is that, and Vladimir Putin went on record saying that, that the Western leaders were telling him again and again that, there is no chance for Ukraine to become a member of NATO anytime soon.

NATO was a big part, certainly, of the Russian justification for the war. That was the theme that was up there in the months leading to the aggression. The truth is that, and Vladimir Putin went on record saying that, that the Western leaders were telling him again and again that, there is no chance for Ukraine to become a member of NATO anytime soon.

NATO was a big part, certainly, of the Russian justification for the war. That was the theme that was up there in the months leading to the aggression. The truth is that, and Vladimir Putin went on record saying that, that the Western leaders were telling him again and again that, there is no chance for Ukraine to become a member of NATO anytime soon.

Russia was very effective back in the year 2008 in stopping Ukraine and Georgia on the path of joining NATO. There was a Bucharest summit at which the US president at that time, George W. Bush, was pushing for the membership. And Putin convinced leaders of France and Germany to block that membership.

Russia was very effective back in the year 2008 in stopping Ukraine and Georgia on the path of joining NATO. There was a Bucharest summit at which the US president at that time, George W. Bush, was pushing for the membership. And Putin convinced leaders of France and Germany to block that membership.

Russia was very effective back in the year 2008 in stopping Ukraine and Georgia on the path of joining NATO. There was a Bucharest summit at which the US president at that time, George W. Bush, was pushing for the membership. And Putin convinced leaders of France and Germany to block that membership.

And after that, membership for Ukraine and for Georgia was really removed from the realistic agenda for NATO. And that's what the leaders of the Western world in the month leading to February 2022 aggression were trying to do. to convey to Vladimir Putin. What he wanted there was an ultimatum that really was there not to start negotiations, but really to stop negotiations.

And after that, membership for Ukraine and for Georgia was really removed from the realistic agenda for NATO. And that's what the leaders of the Western world in the month leading to February 2022 aggression were trying to do. to convey to Vladimir Putin. What he wanted there was an ultimatum that really was there not to start negotiations, but really to stop negotiations.

And after that, membership for Ukraine and for Georgia was really removed from the realistic agenda for NATO. And that's what the leaders of the Western world in the month leading to February 2022 aggression were trying to do. to convey to Vladimir Putin. What he wanted there was an ultimatum that really was there not to start negotiations, but really to stop negotiations.

He demanded the withdrawal of NATO to the borders of 1997, if I'm not mistaken. So completely something that neither leaders would accept nor the country's members of NATO would accept. But for me, it's very clear that that was an excuse, that that was a justification. And what happened later in the year 2022 and 2023 certainly confirms me in that belief.

He demanded the withdrawal of NATO to the borders of 1997, if I'm not mistaken. So completely something that neither leaders would accept nor the country's members of NATO would accept. But for me, it's very clear that that was an excuse, that that was a justification. And what happened later in the year 2022 and 2023 certainly confirms me in that belief.

He demanded the withdrawal of NATO to the borders of 1997, if I'm not mistaken. So completely something that neither leaders would accept nor the country's members of NATO would accept. But for me, it's very clear that that was an excuse, that that was a justification. And what happened later in the year 2022 and 2023 certainly confirms me in that belief.

Finland joined NATO, and Sweden is on the way to joining NATO. So Finland joining NATO increased border between Russia and NATO twofold and probably more than that. So if NATO is the real concern,

Finland joined NATO, and Sweden is on the way to joining NATO. So Finland joining NATO increased border between Russia and NATO twofold and probably more than that. So if NATO is the real concern,

Finland joined NATO, and Sweden is on the way to joining NATO. So Finland joining NATO increased border between Russia and NATO twofold and probably more than that. So if NATO is the real concern,

it would be probably not completely unreasonable to expect that if not every single soldier, but at least half of the Russian army fighting in Ukraine would be moved to protect the new border with NATO in Finland. So I have no doubt that no one in Kremlin, either in the past or today, looks favorably or is excited about NATO NATO moving or the countries of Eastern Europe joining NATO.

it would be probably not completely unreasonable to expect that if not every single soldier, but at least half of the Russian army fighting in Ukraine would be moved to protect the new border with NATO in Finland. So I have no doubt that no one in Kremlin, either in the past or today, looks favorably or is excited about NATO NATO moving or the countries of Eastern Europe joining NATO.

it would be probably not completely unreasonable to expect that if not every single soldier, but at least half of the Russian army fighting in Ukraine would be moved to protect the new border with NATO in Finland. So I have no doubt that no one in Kremlin, either in the past or today, looks favorably or is excited about NATO NATO moving or the countries of Eastern Europe joining NATO.

But I have very difficult time imagining that that was the primary cause of the war. And what we see also, we talked about Tucker's interview, He was surprised, but he believed that Putin was completely honest when the first 25 minutes of interview he was talking about relations between Russia and Ukraine, was talking about history. That was also the main focus of his essay.