Share this page!

Enter URL or ID to Unroll

You can paste full URL like: https://x.com/threadreaderapp/status/1644127596119195649
or just the ID like: 1644127596119195649

How to get URL link on X (Twitter) App

  1. On the Twitter thread, click on or icon on the bottom
  2. Click again on or Share Via icon
  3. Click on Copy Link to Tweet
  4. Paste it above and click "Unroll Thread"!
  5. More info at Twitter Help
Paul Poast Profile picture
@ProfPaulPoast
Feb 10 • 17 tweets • 4 min read • Read on X
In light of the Carlson-Putin interview, let's (once again) review the reason Russia invaded Ukraine.

Hint: it wasn't about NATO

[THREAD] Image
Others will provide the full fact-check of Putin's remarks during the interview,...

spectator.co.uk/article/tucker…
...including Putin's propensity to "Putinsplain"...

...and bore people with historical minutia...

...which isn't surprising to those who know Putin.

What truly stood out to me, and is related to the "Putinsplaining", is that he made quite clear the DEEP historical grievances that motivated him to launch the war.

While Putin focused on the need to make corrections from issues centuries ago...

...the interview fit a pattern seen throughout the war: Putin's problem with Ukraine is that Ukraine is NOT part of the Russian empire. Full stop.
Putin has long held that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the "humanitarian tragedy".

reuters.com/world/europe/p…
Related, he has likened himself to Peter the Great, wanting to reestablish the grandeur of the Russian Empire.
theguardian.com/world/2022/jun…
Absent from such talk? NATO.
This is not to say that he's "a-okay with NATO expansion". He did lead with it in his address at the onset of Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in 2022

en.kremlin.ru/events/preside…
But he opposes NATO expansion to the extent that it frustrates his vision of Russia as an imperial power.
It is for this reason that, as I argued in this 🧵the war can be seen as the product of "Russia Ontological Insecurity" disruption and uncertainty in Russia/Putin about Russia's "place" in the world.

You know what? As I've also explained in other 🧵s (such as 👇), this is not news to states in Eastern Europe: they wanted in NATO BECAUSE they knew that Russia would seek to become imperial again.

This also goes to the heart of why I think that Realism, specifically in the form of Offensive Realism, helps explain the war.

TL,DR (for IR insiders): Mearsheimer 2001 offers a better explanation Mearsheimer 2014.
In short, as the Carlson-Putin interview made perfectly clear, Russia first annexed Crimea (in 2014), initiated a conflict in Eastern Ukraine (in 2015), and fully invaded the country (in 2022) in order to rebuild the Russian Empire.

[END]

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
　

Keep Current with Paul Poast

Paul Poast Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @ProfPaulPoast

Paul Poast Profile picture
Feb 3
Why would a state WANT to be a global hegemon?

[THREAD] Image
I’ve had a series of recent 🧵 s that explored the idea of hegemony.

One looked at defining hegemony, as used by International relations scholars.

Another looked at the idea that the provision of global public goods - open shipping lanes; global reserve currency; open markets/financial assistance to counteract economic disruptions; intervention to stop conflicts from spreading - needs a hegemon

Read 24 tweets
Paul Poast Profile picture
Jan 27
Does the ICJ's ruling in "South Africa v. Israel" matter?

Yes, but it's important to know how and why.

[THREAD] Image
As many are now aware, the International Court of Justice made an initial ruling yesterday in South Africa's case against Israel.

There has been a lot of insightful commentary on the case, from live threads (such as this one by @oonahathaway)...

Read 23 tweets
Paul Poast Profile picture
Jan 21
What is "Hegemony"?

[THREAD] Image
Last week, I wrote a thread introducing the idea that hegemons are necessary to provide global public goods (such as ensuring open navigation of the seas).

That 🧵 raised a bunch of questions that I could only touch on, such as whether the hegemon would even want to take on that role or whether others would accept the hegemon in that role?
Read 20 tweets
Paul Poast Profile picture
Jan 13
What is the "global commons" and why do "Hegemons" have to support it?

[THREAD] Image
Of course, I'm directly referring to the US-led airstrikes against the Houthis, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea.

apnews.com/article/yemen-…
These strikes followed the UN Security council passing a resolution condemning the Houthi attacks and reaffirming the right of states to defend their vessels (see, the UNSC can take action...at times)

reuters.com/world/middle-e…
Read 23 tweets
Paul Poast Profile picture
Jan 6
Let's revisit a BIG debate from the 1990s: whether Europe was heading "Back to the Future" following the Cold War.

[THREAD]
Of course, I'm referring to John Mearsheimer's Summer 1990 piece in @IntSecHarvard.

direct.mit.edu/isec/article-a…
The title was chosen as a direct response to the "End of History" thesis Mearsheimer heard Fukuyama present at UChicago the previous year.

Link: jstor.org/stable/24027184
Image
Read 28 tweets
Paul Poast Profile picture
Dec 23, 2023
Your annual reminder that "Die Hard" is the perfect Christmas movie...for understanding how Americans view international politics.

[THREAD] Image
Honestly, the entire "Die Hard" series is great for learning about how American's perceive the world.
For instance, want to understand gold & USA's centrality to the global economy? Watch "Die Hard with a Vengeance!"

Read 36 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!

This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

Send Email!

:(