Serhii Plahy
Appearances
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
Within a few short days after that, spokesperson for president of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin, made a claim for Ukrainian territory. Serhii Plahy is a historian at Harvard University. And when reporters asked him what borders he had in mind, he referred to the Crimea and Donbass.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
So that was the first case when the new democratic Russian leadership put in question the borders between Russia and Ukraine.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
So once the Soviet Union fell apart, the huge Soviet nuclear arsenal ended up to be stationed on the territory of now four countries. independent states. And Ukraine inherited the biggest chunk of that, aside from Russia.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
So what happened in Budapest in 1994, and at that time the president of the United States was Bill Clinton, was that Ukraine and other states that inherited Soviet nuclear arsenal were provided with assurances for their territorial integrity and for their security in exchange for turning the nuclear weapons to Russia.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
So Ukrainians were extremely concerned at that time. The nuclear weapons was the only deterrent that they had against Russia. That was happening at the time when conflict was still going on over what will happen to the Crimea. So Russia was making claims for Ukrainian territory. So Ukraine found itself in an impossible situation and had to agree to the deal.
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The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
The annexation of the Crimea in the spring of 2014 really became an opening stage for the war between Russia and Ukraine, because the next move that Russia did, they were trying also to annex the eastern part of Ukraine called Donbass, A few weeks after the fighting, the first Minsk agreements were reached, which was a sort of the armistice at that time.
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The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
Well, what you can certainly hear in the background, it's the actual war is going on. And we are talking about Minsk I and Minsk II because what happened was after Minsk I, Russia decided that it was not really satisfied with the amount of territory that it had. and the conditions that it imposed on Ukraine.
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The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
So they resumed the war, the military action, in early 2015, and then led to Minsk II, which was more in alliance with their original plans. So we have this story of armistice agreements, peace agreements, or truce, that was signed and violated again and again by Ukraine.
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The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
The Russian Federation, once it decided that it was in a position to impose more favorable conditions, more favorable for Russia, but less favorable conditions for Ukraine, people are concerned that that can happen again.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
One thing is that there is a belief that giving up nuclear weapons back in 1994 was a major mistake. that Russia is treated the way it is treated, not because it is somehow economic powerhouse, but mostly it is treated that way because it is a nuclear superpower. So the nuclear weapons is the real deterrent.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
The solution for Ukraine was perceived for a long period of time, was viewed in membership in NATO. That's why President Zelensky was keeping talking about NATO again and again and again. Right. Now it doesn't look this is possible at all. So for Zelensky, for Ukraine, the alliance, continuing alliance with the United States is extremely important.
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The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
And that alliance is extremely important also for Europe, for stopping Russian aggression. And it is important for the United States of America. Because if U.S. leaves, The vacuum will be filled, and it's not given that the alliance that Ukraine will sign will be necessarily with Europe. It can be China as well.
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The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
China is already present in the post-Soviet space, providing security guarantees to Kazakhstan against Russia. So that's another possibility that China is ready to move in.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
Well, there is a huge concern and huge disappointment. And the United States was perceived, despite Budapest memorandum, for all those decades as really a flag bearer of democracy and of just peace. There was belief that there was also a level of democratic solidarity in the world.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
that people in Ukraine now realize that it is not there, or at least it is not on the level that they believed it was. So, yeah, huge disappointment, cynicism. the realization, okay, you probably, there is no one else but yourself to count on.
Consider This from NPR
The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine
You're most welcome. Thank you.