The NPR Politics Podcast As Putin Threatens Ukraine, Biden Weighs Increasing Military Presence In Europe
Jan 24, 2022
Jackie Northam, an international affairs correspondent for NPR, brings her expertise on the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine. She discusses the alarm raised by 100,000 Russian troops at Ukraine's border and the U.S. readiness to deploy 8,500 troops to Europe. The podcast dives into NATO's critical role in countering Russian aggression and the complexities of European energy dependence on Russia, particularly Germany's reliance on natural gas. Northam also addresses President Biden's foreign policy challenges and the uncertain future of military interventions.
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Putin's Motivation for Invasion
- Putin views Ukraine as part of Russia and wants to reclaim its resources and land.
- He sees Ukraine's alignment with the West, including potential NATO membership, as a threat.
NATO Membership and Putin's Demands
- NATO membership offers mutual aid, where an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
- Putin wants assurance that Ukraine won't join NATO and seeks to reduce NATO's presence in Eastern Europe.
U.S. Troop Deployment
- The U.S. considers sending troops to Eastern European countries like Poland and the Baltic states.
- This deployment aims to deter Russia, but its effectiveness against a much larger Russian force is uncertain.