Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Jack Matlock: NATO Expansion, Coup & Subversion of Ukraine Started the War
Dec 10, 2025
Jack F. Matlock, Jr. is a seasoned U.S. diplomat and former Ambassador to the USSR, playing a pivotal role in the end of the Cold War. In this discussion, he reveals how NATO expansion undermined Gorbachev's vision of a 'Common European Home' and transformed the alliance into an offensive force. Matlock links the 2014 coup in Ukraine to escalating tensions and criticizes the West's double standards, particularly regarding Crimea's referendum. His insights delve into the historical complexities and identity struggles shaping the ongoing conflict.
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On-the-Ground Diplomacy During Soviet Collapse
- Matlock recounts his embassy's wide contacts across Soviet republics during Gorbachev's opening and his own travels to all republics.
- He describes how the August coup and republican leaders accelerated the Soviet Union's demise despite U.S. preference for unity.
Gorbachev's Ideology Ended The Cold War
- Gorbachev ended Marxist-Leninist internationalist policy and championed a 'common European home,' which effectively ended the Cold War by negotiation.
- Matlock credits this ideological shift as central to peaceful change rather than Soviet defeat.
Build Institutions Before Dismantling Systems
- Avoid demolishing political systems without building democratic institutions first.
- Matlock recommends a measured transition that creates judicial and representative structures before fully dismantling old controls.
