Thread by @Private_Jens

🧵 Normally I write threads to expose pro-russian actors. Today I'm making an exception and defend @UmlandAndreas, who was accused today of contributing to the Valdai Discussion Club.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdai_Di…

Andreas Umland contributed five articles between 2011 and 2013, i.e. before Sochi. I have reviewed them for you. Spoiler: they are not pro-russian, but far-sighted warnings.
valdaiclub.com/about/experts/…

1️⃣ Artikel on NATO and EU, quote:
"A hypothetical NATO and EU membership of Ukraine, for instance, would – if it ever happened – create a powerful impulse for the deepening of Russian-Western cooperation."

"That is, however, largely a result of Moscow’s own failure to respond adequately to the EU’s various offers to deepen relations."
valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/e…

2️⃣ Article on Nordstream, mind you Nordstream 1, quote:
"The main, obvious effect of the Nord Stream pipeline will be a disruption in the balance of Russia’s relationship with Belarus and Ukraine."
valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/r…

3️⃣ Artikel on "Eurasia", quote: "The sum of these impediments make Putin’s project of a Eurasian Union look ill-conceived. Its practical implementation would create more problems than it will solve"

and then "Moscow would be far more than a primus inter pares , and quasi by default become a new imperial center" and finally

"The bizarre biologistic or occultistic world views of such prominent later self-ascribed “Eurasian” as Lev Gumilev or Alexander Dugin provide even less suitable ideational foundations for a Eurasian Union."
valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/t…

4️⃣ Article on russian as second official language in Ukraine, quote:
"As paradoxical as it may sound, the best thing that Russia can do to promote Russian language in Ukraine would be to promote Ukrainian language in Russia."
valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/p…

5️⃣ Article, quote: "The ethno-centrist ideas of the Russian Marchers are becoming more and more mainstream. Even the government seems to be taking on some of the Marchers' views, rather than questioning them. In this way, social outcasts become political actors"

and warning "I am afraid that things, in the future, might get worse or, perhaps, even much worse, if no principled changes are made".
valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/a…

▶️ The Valdai contributions by @UmlandAndreas are an example of how early Russia's imperialist ambitions could be recognized. These contributions seem like last attempts to counter the developing Russian fascism with arguments.

I would like to thank Andreas Umland and all other upright academics for their commitment to democracy and peace in the spirit of the Enlightenment and wish you a relaxing Christmas.

@anneapplebaum
@AWerberger
@bctallis
@berlin_bridge
@CarloMasala1
@Ce_Moll
@ClaudMajor
@DietmarPichler1
@EFDavies
@GresselGustav
@jaegerthomas2
@jakluge
@jana_puglierin
@jcbehrends
@JKleinschmidtIR
@KeirGiles
@KristiRaik
@MartinAust6
@MartinSauerbrey
@MattheusWehowsk
@nicolange_

@PhillipsPOBrien
@SabFis3
@Sasha_Etkind
@SPlokhy
@thomas_dudek
@ThomasLeurs4
@TimothyDSnyder
@UmlandAndreas

Sorry for all that I forgot.
We are more.
#UkraineWillWin