Happened upon this. By chance. Only listened to some of the beginning.

[sprinkleeninow]

"Why is Ukraine the West's Fault?" Featuring John Mearsheimer on YouTube

[Haggard Celine]

1. I watched about 45 minutes of it, I think,

before the question and answer period. He makes a lot of good points. I didn't know until well into the video that it was made in 2015. It seemed like it was current.

To sum it up, his argument was that we in the West are the main cause of the crisis in Ukraine. He thinks Putin will do anything, even if he has to endure severe economic hardship, to keep Ukraine from joining NATO. Putin absolutely doesn't want a Western power on his border and will wreck Ukraine before he allows it to be taken over by the U.S. and the rest of Europe.

Putin doesn't necessarily want Russian control of Ukraine, according to Mearsheimer. He wants a buffer state with Russian and Western influences. Mearsheimer thinks that it's ridiculous for the U.S. to fight the Russians over Ukraine, which he says isn't even strategically valuable.

I've heard recently that Ukraine is being encouraged to meet with Russia and assure them that they will not seek membership in NATO. I really hope that happens. As Mearsheimer says, we would be apoplectic if China moved troops into Mexico or Canada. That is how Putin feels about the Ukraine situation. That makes a lot of sense. We don't need a war, ever, but now is an especially bad time.

[Tommy Carcetti]

4. Any desire by Ukraine whether or not to join NATO belongs to Ukraine.

Not Putin. Not ours to use as some sort of appeasement gambit.

Ukraine is its own sovereign nation, period.

[Haggard Celine]

5. I know that, but Putin will essentially get what he wants

if Ukraine refuses to join NATO. This whole conflict is based on whether or not Ukraine joins NATO, although it seems at first glance to appear that it's about whether or not we allow Ukraine to join NATO and whether or not Russia allows it. If Ukraine tells Russia that they don't want to join, that would solve the crisis without harming American or Russian egos.

[sprinkleeninow]

7. 4+ years of FFFF and his ilk and their love fest with putin/russia

was damaging and wasted opportunity in relations.

[sprinkleeninow]

6. I, of course, fervently hope there'll be no armed conflict resulting in bloodshed and

then the unthinkable. The US doesn't need 'war' especially now!

Ukraine is pretty much in charge of its own destiny. They're industrious, capable and intelligent people. What transpired with Crimea sucked. Now this.

The US maintains Ukraine should be considered for NATO membership if so desired. Which is understandable.

If Ukraine opts out of committing to join NATO to avoid disaster, then that's their call.
Agreement should specify that if russia renegs and pulls any further crap like they're doing presently, all deals are off. Then come whatever may and necessary.

[Haggard Celine]

9. I agree with all of that.

Hope an alternative to war can be reached without giving Putin the impression that we are willing to sacrifice Ukraine.

[Samrob]

2. I listened to the entire video. Nothing we didn't already know about events and Putin.

it's almost like an object lesson on how to state the obvious.

[Tommy Carcetti]

3. It's not.

This is bullshit.

We literally heard this in 2014 and 2015 here. No more correct now than it was then.

Next question.

[lagomorph777]

8. I think you just posted an OP warning us about pro-Putin trolls...

...and then right on cue...