Richard Sakwa on understanding Russia

Richard Sakwa is Professor Of Russian And European Politics at the University of Kent. He has written books about Russian and eastern European communist and post-communist politics. Richard was a participant of Valdai Discussion Club, as well as an Associate Fellow of the Russia And Eurasia Programme at the Royal Institute Of International Affairs. He is also a member of the advisory boards of the Institute Of Law And Public Policy in Moscow. Richard’s conversation with me covers a lot of ground, including the history of Russia and Ukraine; the complexities of Ukraine’s national identity; why Putin is not interested in Ukraine; why Biden and NATO are at fault; Ukrainian government’s deliberate aggression towards its own people; why Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine is understandable but a strategic blunder; the current conflict’s impact on the West. If you listened to my podcast with Russell Bentley, then I strongly recommend that you listen to this one with Richard. Please support my work.