Thread by @lawfareblog

Happening now---a taping of Lawfare's newest podcast #LiveFromUkraine, featuring Ukrainian voices for an English-speaking audience.

https://twitter.com/benjaminwittes/status/1536758479544897536

Today's guest is @olex_scherba, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Austria (2014-2021) and author of “Undiplomatic Thoughts” (2021).

"It is a horrifying experience to know that there is someone out there… who is trying to destroy your language, culture, your whole reality."

#LiveFromUkraine

"What is the win for Putin here? We thought he would be rational… [then] people realized how stupid, how destructive to both Ukraine and Russia this war would be."

#LiveFromUkraine

"Ukraine is [also] protecting Europe and the rest of the world from Russia."

#LiveFromUkraine

"Both sides are bogged down in this war. Russians are absolutely overwhelming us in terms of artillery, in terms of multi-launch rocket systems. But [Ukrainians] overwhelm them in readiness to fight, readiness to die for our country."

#LiveFromUkraine

“It was our hearts bleeding,” says @olex_scherba about the way the Ukrainians have created content online that captured the attention of the world.

#LiveFromUkraine

Audience questions coming up! #LiveFromUkraine

"We [Ukraine] feel abandoned… Germany promises [something like] heavy weapons and then doesn’t deliver.

"Germany might take longer [to help] because of it's past, because of its pacifism. ...But I will not give up on Germany."

#LiveFromUkraine

First audience question is what "European values" means to @olex_scherba.

"Ukrainians want the life that Europeans have [and] you have to walk the walk to get there. It's about tolerance, acceptance..."

#LiveFromUkraine

In response to a difference question, @olex_scherba talks about how "NATO and the Western countries are in the process of finding courage."

Over the course of the conversation, he's talked about this often--saying that it took America a few weeks, and may take Germany more.

How does @olex_scherba feel about Finland moving to join NATO?

“Like the family you want to join all of a sudden became bigger and more courageous.”

#LiveFromUkraine

"There have been discussions [in Ukraine] about what would happen if Trump was in office. ...[But] Putin would have done this no matter who was in office."

#LiveFromUkraine

And that is it for today!

Listen to the replay of the episode here on Twitter, or you can listen wherever you get your pods

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/liv…