Thread by @andersostlund

How to spot the Kremlin narrative?
- Writers exclude the Ukrainian people from the analysis, it's all about US-Russia
- Bombastic statements like "the Ukrainian army will be wiped out" are made
- A bipolar perspective: Our children should not die for Ukraine vs. appease Russia.

The argument about "our children should not die for Ukraine" are made to exclude any option of support for Ukraine between total appeasement and dead Americans on the battlefield. There are actually many options, like arms deliveries and hard economic sanctions.

EU-NATO could also send troops to Ukraine and position them in less exposed positions, leaving Kremlin to think about wether those troops would be used or not.

The argument that "Putin will go all in" is also popular among appeasers and pro-Kremlin people. This argument is used so that we will think that it doesn't matter what we do, Russia will invade and crush Ukraine anyway so we might as well give up right away.

The goal for the pro-Kremlin people and appeasers is that Ukraine will lose the will to fight. It's psychological warfare aimed at breaking moral and will to resistance even before the battle begins. Make us defeatists.

For example @EmmaMAshford said " I don’t want my children or those of other Americans, to have to fight a war - a potential nuclear war - with Russia over Ukraine." Pretty dramatic for a senior Fellow at @ACScowcroft. Both "my children" and "nuclear war" into one sentence.