Dear CCI Friends,
There are many in our world today who would like to characterize the ongoing conflict/war between Russia and Ukraine as a battle between good and evil, good guys versus bad guys, innocent victims versus mad aggressor. Any deviation from that line brings down a rain of condemnation; one is either a Putin puppet or a proto-Nazi-globalist-apologist depending on the direction of the deviation.
This characterization of the drama reduces it to a simple Batman and Robin episode (or video game) where all will be well when the good guys win (finally!) and we can dust our hands off and move on. That the conflict is in fact a tragedy involving a few truly malign actors, who may pay nothing for their sins, and many more expendable extras who have already paid with their lives, makes the conclusion inevitable, the dictionary definition of tragedy – “a disastrous event, a calamity, having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion.”
The following interview with Professor Richard Sakwa explores the deep and deeply entwined roots of Ukrainian and Russian history and culture and the relationship of both to Europe today. Please give it your consideration. It is a clear-eyed view of the rocky road to peace ahead.
“What Sort of Europe Do We Want After This War?”
https://glenndiesen.substack.com/
As always, your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
The Center for Citizen Initiatives