Timothy Snyder ─ Ukraine: Democracy at the Edge

Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
58,873
43
Published 2015-02-24
bit.ly/1CECAAp - In this lecture, Professor Timothy Snyder examines the origins, significance, and implications of the Ukrainian crisis. He argues that the roots of the crisis lie not in Russia's fears of NATO expansion, but in Putin's desire to undermine the European Union as a single political and economic entity with -among other things- a common energy policy. The crisis has become increasingly dangerous because at each stage of its development Putin's tactical decisions have failed to achieve their immediate objectives while making it ever more difficult for Russia to stand down. In an ominous turn of events, Russia is now characterizing the Union as weak and decadent and actively financing many of the right parties that are pushing for their countries to withdraw from the European project.
All Comments (21)
  • @potter275
    Seven years hence this lecture stands up very well.. thank you.
  • @antarinel_taeryvein
    It's a bit scary to find this video now and see how right Pr. Snyder was with his predictions and interpretation of what was happening. Great talk and great understanding of Ukraine and russia. Thank you.
  • @Nacnud191
    Really good to have become more aware of Prof Snyder. He’s so informed on Ukraine / Russia history. Just listened to him talking with Sam Harris 👍
  • @kazkaskazkas8689
    This has been around for so long, and people only now noticing it. Snyder is probably the only publicly known Western expert who has realized what's going on so early.
  • @ChornyjKit
    Prof. Snyder proved again that he is the best on the subject.
  • @elizabethmcgauleysarfaty6154
    Why such poor sound? Please - help Dr. Snyder check out his volume when he speaks - this low is a torture! Glad there is a print out - but then I must stand at my computer to read vs. being able to sit and listen and take notes for myself! Love this man! Sincerely, ehs
  • @Rascalndear1
    Excellent for history, analysis and Ukraine as a country and culture. Thanks!
  • @ravindertalwar553
    I congratulate you on such a wonderful presentation and explanation.
  • @florianmeier3186
    Regarding bilingual capital: There is Luxembourg and Bruxelles, which I would also call bilingual. Bruxelles is French, but surrounded by Dutch speaking areas and therefore a lot of people can switch between both and in Luxembourg they have their own language, but it is very close to German and officially they use also lot's of French meaning that they use to switch regularily. Interesting that he thought firstly about Bern in Switzerland which is much more clearly part of German speaking area even if Switzerland as a whole is multilingual.
  • @km38334
    "Russian soldiers are dying" but Russian soldiers are killing, raping, torturing Ukrainian civilians. Notwithstanding this one mauvais ton, a brilliant talk that is still, fantastically, 100% relevant and well worth listening to. The Q&A is particularly instructive, as well.
  • @Rascalndear1
    I would say two things: (1) regarding Putin's mistakes. I would suspect that a large part of his miscalculations was because, as a typical dictator, the people around him were not longer telling him the truth but telling him what they thought he wanted to hear. (2) The plan to do Ukraine was probably percolating way back when but took on life in 2008, when NATO rejected both Georgia's and Ukraine's applications for the MAP in April, Russia attacked Georgia and took out a chunk of territory in August, and in November the NATO FM summit reaffirmed NATO's rejection of both countries. The message was loud and clear. I said at the time that Russia had effectively been given carte-blanche to go after Ukraine because NATO didn't care.
  • @ubroc
    I'd love to see him have a conversation with Jeffry Sachs
  • @Alexander-ou9fg
    The techniques Timothy points out, is called trolling. In this case - state institutionalized trolling. Best solution, is not respond to nonsense, but tell the true fact, which leaders have no guts to do anymore...
  • @zinde2497
    History is the easiest subject to manipulate and turn it into politics or maybe propaganda
  • @FW7737
    Ha, that an interesting view.  Also sounds very probable.
  • @TheNecessityofVeracity
    I always find this professor's lectures interesting although I don't always agree with him. I wonder what his stance is NOW on his assertion that 'Russia's behavior/actions don't have anything to do with NATO and it's all about the EU?' This video is a few years old so some of the information is dated and he might have changed his opinion since then.... He is wrong when he says there never was a "verbal agreement" that NATO wouldn't expand eastwards. That information was recently declassified and indeed there was a "verbal agreement".