.@biden and team have been doing great on #Ukraine. But now is the time to do more. Now! Every second counts for those brave Ukrainians fighting for freedom against Putin, not only for Ukraine but the entire free world. I have some recs for weekend homework for USG officials. 1/
Sign an executive decree ordering Mastercard and Visa to halt all transactions in Russia now. NOW. 2/
End all imports of Russian oil to the U.S. today. 3/
Biden says he's worried about gas prices going up? Then we should buy more oil for Canada! I was against the Keystone Pipeline. No longer. This is a fight for the free world. We can't keep funding Putin's war when could be buying more energy for democratic Canada. 4/
Allow/pressure/encourage Poland to give Ukraine 28 MIG 29-s fighter jets. Push for Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria to do the same (70 fight aircraft in all). In return, the US and other NATO countries should enhance the air defenses of these countries. 5/
Suspend Russia's Most Favored Nation status, making the import of all Russian goods more expensive. 6/
More drones (especially from Turkey), more Javelins, more Stingers. 7/
Let's get this "to do" list done this weekend. There is more to be done come Monday. 8/ END THREAD
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From his jail cell, @navalny has called for Russians to protest against this war. The very least we can do from afar is support Navalny's position (just as we did with Mandela decades ago.) 1/ THREAD
But of course, every Russian must make a personal decision about how to express their disgust with this war. Not everyone can risk being arrested. But no one can continue to do nothing. 2/
Those with resources can leave Russia. I know many doing just that. Keep leaving. (I hope my government will welcome these refugees.) 3/
The Biden team has been doing great on #Ukraine. But now is the time to do more. Now! Every second counts for those brave Ukrainians fighting for freedom against Putin, not only for Ukraine but the entire free world. I have some recs for weekend homework for USG officials. 1/
Sign an executive decree ordering Mastercard and Visa to halt all transactions in Russia now. NOW. 2/
Ban American accounting firms, banks, and hedge funds from doing any work with Russia. 3/
I used language in a tweet that I regret. I deleted it. I should have used more precise language. I made a mistake. But I have no regrets about the argument I was trying to make, however imperfectly. Let me explain. THREAD 1/
Short of direct military intervention, the world must use all means necessary to end Putin's horrific war in Ukraine. Many of my friends, both in Ukraine and Russia, believe that peaceful mass protests could be one factor that helps to end this war. 2/
People I know personally in Ukraine -- people close to @ZelenskyyUa -- make this argument. They have called on Russians to protest to end this war. They have asked me to amplify their plea. 3/
Putin is seeking to roll back the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. A thread from my article with @RTPerson3 in the @JoDemocracy. 1/ THREAD
"Amazingly, eight years of unrelenting Russian pressure did not break Ukraine’s democracy. Just the opposite." 2/
After Putin’s annexation and ongoing support for the war in Donbas, Ukrainians are now more united across ethnic, linguistic, and regional divides than at any other point in Ukrainian history. 3/
During the Brezhnev era, communism seemed to be on the march. Communist regimes seized power in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Angola, Mozambique, Nicaragua. 1/ THREAD
Emboldened by these victories, Brezhnev overreached and invaded Afghanistan. We know how that ended. 2/
Before today, Putin -- like Brezhnev -- also seemed on a roll. He launched successful wars in Chechnya 1999, Georgia 2008, Ukraine 2014 & Syria 2015. 3/
Amazingly, eight years of unrelenting Russian pressure did not break Ukraine’s democracy. Just the opposite. THREAD 1/
"After Putin’s annexation and ongoing support for the war in Donbas, Ukrainians are now more united across ethnic, linguistic, and regional divides than at any other point in Ukrainian history." 2/
"In 2019, President Volodymyr Zelensky won in a landslide, winning popular support in every region of Ukraine. Not surprisingly, Putin’s war also has fueled greater popular support among Ukrainians for joining NATO." 3/