Some observations, I can't say exactly to what extent they influence the discourse.🧵
1) "Eastern Europe experts" are usually focused on Russia's affairs. Sometimes they have even adopted Russian points of view, but even a bigger problem is, that they have rarely studied Ukraine
1) "Eastern Europe experts" are usually focused on Russia's affairs. Sometimes they have even adopted Russian points of view, but even a bigger problem is, that they have rarely studied Ukraine
2)
The myth of "Moscow's legitimate sphere of influence": people socialized in the Cold War era are grateful that the nuclear threat from the USSR is gone, that the Berlin Wall has fallen, but they do not have much empathy for the countries that regained independence in 1991.
The myth of "Moscow's legitimate sphere of influence": people socialized in the Cold War era are grateful that the nuclear threat from the USSR is gone, that the Berlin Wall has fallen, but they do not have much empathy for the countries that regained independence in 1991.
That applies even to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, EU memberstates since almost 20 years. Even so called historians or "experts" ignore their experiences and expertise as "based on their history", and "not objective", or not "up to date".
3) In general, we lack people in the West who know Ukraine well, most people have never been there, they imagine Ukraine as a "small Russia" and when they think they see some hints supporting their view, confirmation bias hits...but that is changing a littlebit
Ukraine, of course, has a different culture, especially political wise. Ignoring that leads not only to a lack of empathy but also to a lot of #westplaining and insane sentences like: "Why don't you guys sort this out?"
"You speak Russian, why you don't like Russia?"
"You speak Russian, why you don't like Russia?"
4)That would not be much of a problem if it would be possible to educate these people, explain the situation , circumstances..
...but, they refuse to listen, after "Youtube University in Geopolitics" they feel "informed" and the Ukrainian position doesn't matter to them.
...but, they refuse to listen, after "Youtube University in Geopolitics" they feel "informed" and the Ukrainian position doesn't matter to them.
There are millions of Ukrainians in Europe now, displaced people and diaspora, I always encourage them to speak to the local population even if I am very aware that is hard and hurtful to be confronted with some Westerners ignorance and stupidity.
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