Thread by @HansGutbrod

"Outside the Western Bubble" - 2nd session @Raniaab and @catapluma, moderated by Jon Lee Anderson.
Anderson: the RU narrative is there & has hold in Latin America & other locations.
Via Chavez, recounting how self-described anti-imperialists want multipolar world.
@TbilisiZeg

in mid-2000s, many countries very much looking to Iraq as precedent, aggressive GWB posture, says Anderson, felt they needed to counterbalance American hegemony.
(This as backdrop to how situation seen now.) #Zeg22

many places feel neglected, Iraq, commodities being bought by China, disregard, this explains in part why narrative is sticking, Anderson. #Zeg22

.@catapluma -- ppl in Colombia in beginning did not understand why so much attention to #Ukraine, not others;
feeling by many why Americans have to tell us what is important; also, many don't believe in media. When I report, ppl often believe I repeat US narratives.

. @Raniaab -- there is sympathy for what ordinary Ukrainians in Arab countries (to the extent one can generalize), but there also is anger & resentment towards West, also many recalling Syrians fleeing RU bombardment 2015 & how absorbing refugees so difficult.

"double standards" of the West is a major topic in #MiddleEast, on TV & social media, and that there is an element of racism @Raniaab -- "when Palestinians and Iraqis build molotov cocktails, it's described as terrorism." (To be clear, she's describing popular views.) #Zeg22

in turn, #Iran illustrates seeing UKR through own lens says @catapluma -- complicated relationship w Russia; economic crisis, have 2m Afghans refugees, Supreme Leader saying: if not UKR, NATO might attack RU & then Iran, but then gov also not admitting they send drones.

John Lee Anderson: Ethiopia, Argentina, also using votes/positions transactionally, Argentina maybe analogous to France / resentment, feel they should be analogous to US in clout but aren't, thus flirting w prospects of RU success. #ZEG22

(@catapluma describes lots of pushback to reporting from UKR, esp from Argentina, too.)

John Lee Andersen: what is visible in many places, is VVP.
Less visible: young Ukrainians making their case in Latin America, Africa, Middle East. So in many places, their stories do not come through.
#zeg22

Q: role of corporations?
John Lee Andersen: we live in an age of plutocrats; in US, no longer strong antitrust; in UK, they let oligarchs buy access; journalists should do more on this, but many threatened or killed.

.@antelava -- Ukr FM did do 10 day trip to Africa, so they are making an effort.
@Raniaab -- reaching two thirds of the world will continue to matter.
END 2nd session. #Zeg22