School of War cover image

School of War

Ep 180: Stephen Kotkin on Endgames in Ukraine

Feb 25, 2025
Stephen Kotkin, a Kleinheinz Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and author on Russia, dives into the intricate dynamics of the Ukraine conflict. He argues both sides have incurred significant losses and discusses the urgent need for a new path to peace. Kotkin examines the pressures on Putin and the strategic complexities affecting U.S. foreign policy. He also highlights the roles of NATO and European allies in shaping geopolitical responses, emphasizing the growing need for coherent strategies in a shifting landscape.
53:44

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Negotiating peace in Ukraine requires balancing pressure on both Russia and Ukraine to encourage constructive concessions and avoid undermining sovereignty.
  • The U.S. must carefully navigate its foreign policy to maintain European alliances while exploring new relationships, being cautious of the moral implications involved.

Deep dives

The Complexity of Ukraine's Conflict

The ongoing war in Ukraine is complex, characterized by Russia's aggressive military actions against its neighbor since 2014, with significant territory already occupied by Russian forces. Despite Ukraine's determined defense, the reality is that it cannot reclaim territory through military means alone, leading to a stalemate where both sides suffer heavy casualties. The discussion underscores the importance of negotiating peace; however, it also raises concerns about the potential terms, emphasizing that some forms of peace may come at great cost to Ukrainian sovereignty. The historical context of past aggressions, such as the annexation of Crimea, illustrates the intricate nature of this conflict and the implications of negotiating under duress.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode