Are You Going to Be Friends With Russia?

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Nikos Sotirakopoulos and Ziemowit Gowin mark the one-year anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine by discussing European attitudes towards Russia before and after the launch of the all-out campaign. Among the topics covered: How European nations found themselves heavily reliant on Russian gas exports; How European leaders' lack of principled thinking led to a refusal to recognize pre-invasion Russia as an authoritarian state, despite past acts of military aggression; The surprisingly strong and moral reaction of European countries to the invasion; The lessons Europeans have learned from the invasion and the lessons so far unlearned; Why calls for a ceasefire based on a compromise between Russian and Ukrainian “interests” would amount to moral capitulation, a total surrender to Russia’s goals, and encouragement of future aggression. Mentioned in this podcast are “Why John Mearsheimer Gets Ukraine Wrong” by Elan Journo, “A Historian of the Future: Five More Questions for Stephen Kotkin” by The Hoover Institution, and “The Roots of War,” “Altruism as Appeasement,” and “Doesn’t Life Require Compromise?” by Ayn Rand. This episode was recorded on February 24, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHmApTxyvCg Podcast audio: