Vitaly Shevchenko
Appearances
Global News Podcast
Trump calls Zelensky a 'dictator'
I don't normally use words such as extraordinary in my interviews, but frankly, I cannot recall a time when America's rhetoric on Ukraine was so extraordinarily similar to Russia's rhetoric. and also so different from Europe's and NATO's, let alone Ukraine's. And what this suggests, well, we've got to ask the question whether the United States is still Ukraine's ally.
Global News Podcast
Trump calls Zelensky a 'dictator'
Is it still part of the Western alliance that's been helping Ukraine fight Russian aggression? And frankly, the Western alliance that's emerged since the Second World War.
Global News Podcast
Trump calls Zelensky a 'dictator'
It is. And the claims that Donald Trump's been making, to be honest, I've been hearing them from Russian state TV because, you know, that's my job. That's what I do. I watch Russian state TV. And I've been hearing about how Ukraine should not join NATO. I've been hearing that for years.
Global News Podcast
Trump calls Zelensky a 'dictator'
They've been saying for years that Ukraine should forget about the territories captured or liberated, as Russian state TV calls it. Now, President Trump says that Vladimir Zelensky is a dictator, unpopular, 4% approval rating, and that it's Ukraine that started this war. Again, I would expect to hear this from a commentator on Russian State TV. And okay, there are opinions and there are facts.
Global News Podcast
Trump calls Zelensky a 'dictator'
And Donald Trump, in his post on Truth Social, he said that Zelensky is a modestly successful comedian. Well, that's a matter of opinion. But in terms of facts, credible opinion polls, they suggest that Volodymyr Zelensky's approval ratings are more than 50%, even higher than Donald Trump's. in America.
Global News Podcast
Trump calls Zelensky a 'dictator'
And when it comes to elections, which is, again, something that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have been demanding, that Ukraine holds elections, this is what Ukrainian law specifically forbids. And none of the credible potential rivals of Vladimir Zelensky in Ukraine are pushing for the idea. They're saying, look, this is not a good idea to hold elections now.
Global News Podcast
Trump calls Zelensky a 'dictator'
And in fact, they are no less hawkish on Russia than Vladimir Zelensky.
Global News Podcast
Man detained after Russian general's assassination
We have got statements from both the investigative committee and also the Russian Federal Security Service and also a video published by the security service showing the apparent perpetrator, the man himself, And all of them are basically saying the same thing, that this man, a citizen of Uzbekistan, bought a scooter.
Global News Podcast
Man detained after Russian general's assassination
Then several months later, and this operation apparently took several months, he received parts. for the bomb, which he assembled, then parked the scooter outside General Kirillov's house, set up a camera, which was live streaming to the Uzbek man's alleged handlers from the Ukrainian Security Service.
Global News Podcast
Man detained after Russian general's assassination
So, when on Tuesday morning they saw General Kirillov emerge from his house, the Uzbek suspect pressed a button detonating the bomb that killed the general. According to the man we can see in that video published by the Russian Security Service, He was allegedly promised $100,000 for killing the general and also a chance to move to the EU and settle in the EU.
Global News Podcast
Man detained after Russian general's assassination
Whether any of that is true is, of course, another matter. But it's very significant that the Russian security services are saying that – Ukrainian agents have been able to organize the killing of a senior and very important figure. Ukrainians, they are reluctant to go on the record officially, issue official statements via named representatives saying, we did it.
Global News Podcast
Man detained after Russian general's assassination
But what they do and what they've done in the case of General Kirillov as well, various unnamed sources in the Ukrainian security services, they speak to the media and say that this is us, we did it. But officially, Ukraine tries to maintain a certain distance. But it's very significant that Russia is now pointing the finger of blame at Ukraine.
Global News Podcast
Man detained after Russian general's assassination
Well, the timing is really interesting. On Monday, the Ukrainian Security Service, the SBU, said that General Kirillov was responsible for the use of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces. For example, hand grenades containing CN and CS tear gas dropped from Russian drones into Ukrainian trenches. That's according to the SBU. So clearly, Ukraine is interested
Global News Podcast
Man detained after Russian general's assassination
in eliminating people like general Kirillov and also it would be interested in sending out a message to other figures in the Russian military saying we can get you wherever we want we are lethal we can get you right in the heart of Moscow be afraid and look over your shoulder
Global News Podcast
EU retaliates as Trump tariffs expand globally
it's clear that there's one man that will be taking decisions of that magnitude, and his name is Vladimir Putin. If history is anything to go by, None of the numerous attempts to establish a ceasefire in Ukraine, none of them have worked so far. Less than a week ago, the Russian foreign ministry rejected proposals, similar proposals of a ceasefire coming from France and the UK. And
Global News Podcast
EU retaliates as Trump tariffs expand globally
It remains to be seen whether the fact that this one is coming from America will make any difference. But if this ceasefire is implemented, if it holds, that is going to be unprecedented in the history of this 11-year war.
Global News Podcast
EU retaliates as Trump tariffs expand globally
So far, what we've heard from Russia doesn't suggest that their appetites are in any way diminished when it comes to Ukraine. They're still saying that they intend to capture more territory. The special military operation goes on. When it comes to America... That's where Russia has much less leverage.
Global News Podcast
EU retaliates as Trump tariffs expand globally
In fact, a couple of weeks ago, Vladimir Putin made the unprecedented step of offering America to jointly exploit Russia's mineral resources and also resources in the captured parts of Ukraine. That's not something that Russia had said before. And it suggests a degree of concern in the Kremlin about Donald Trump.
Global News Podcast
EU retaliates as Trump tariffs expand globally
And it looks like Moscow may be trying to offer Donald Trump a better deal than Ukraine is able to offer.
Global News Podcast
Ukraine accepts 30-day ceasefire
But there are several levels of Russian reaction that we've seen so far. Officially, there's not much. We've only had this statement circulated by Russian official news agencies, quoting the foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova, who said that Russia does not rule out contacts with U.S. representatives in the next few days, whatever that means.
Global News Podcast
Ukraine accepts 30-day ceasefire
pro-war commentators and war reporters in Russia. They don't really like these moves towards peace. In practical terms, I suppose you can see what's been going on in the skies over Ukraine as a Russian reaction. There have been numerous attacks by Russian drones targeting Ukrainian cities in Dnipropetrovsk. More than 20 drones were have been attacking various places across the city.
Global News Podcast
Ukraine accepts 30-day ceasefire
There are reports of attacks in Odessa. And as we speak, there's more than a dozen Russian drones roaming the skies above Ukraine. So that's a reaction of sorts, if you like.
Global News Podcast
Ukraine accepts 30-day ceasefire
Well, there are different scenarios. In a way, Russia earlier rejected similar proposals coming from France and Great Britain. Maria Zakharova, the foreign ministry spokeswoman, she said that fighting would only resume with renewed force after a ceasefire. Whether it makes a difference that such proposals are now coming from America remains to be seen. But if we were to have a look at history...
Global News Podcast
Ukraine accepts 30-day ceasefire
Over the course of these 11 years of war, numerous attempts have been made to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. They've all failed.
Global News Podcast
Sudanese military accused of carrying out massacre in Darfur
Well, the bottom line is that on the ground, nothing has happened yet. More than two months after Donald Trump moved back into the White House, the fighting still continues. All we know is that the latest round or rounds of talks in Saudi Arabia, they're focused on safe shipping in the Black Sea. Now, that's important because Ukraine used to export huge amounts of grain via the Black Sea.
Global News Podcast
Sudanese military accused of carrying out massacre in Darfur
Now, that's extremely difficult because of the war. Ships are being attacked. And that's a problem for Ukraine, for the customers of its grain, and also for Russia that also used the Black Sea to export its goods. Now, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, within the past few minutes has confirmed that Black Sea shipping has been discussed, but we don't know the details yet.
Global News Podcast
Sudanese military accused of carrying out massacre in Darfur
The Kremlin says that these were technical negotiations and details are not going to be revealed. And, of course, the bigger issue that's on everyone's minds is a more comprehensive ceasefire that involves fighting on the ground and in the air. Russia has refused to accept it unconditionally.
Global News Podcast
Sudanese military accused of carrying out massacre in Darfur
Vladimir Putin said that before that happens, Ukraine should stop receiving new weapons from the West and should stop recruiting new fighters into its army. So that looks like a no. Does Gajda say yes? Because he said he likes the idea. But I'll say it again. The fighting continues. This morning, Ukrainian forces claim to have targeted Russian military infrastructure in Kursk.
Global News Podcast
China vows to fight US 'blackmail' over tariffs
It's very dangerous. We need to remember that occupied parts of Ukraine are a lawless territory and people have literally been killed for opposing the Russian occupation. And also Russia has a host of highly repressive laws designed to stamp out dissent.
Global News Podcast
China vows to fight US 'blackmail' over tariffs
So even if you don't demonstrate campaign, if you merely say something that the occupation authorities don't like, if you say it on social media, you can be in trouble, you can be fined, you can be jailed. And again, some people have been killed. If they choose to, they can charge you with, quote unquote, spreading false information, discrediting the Russian armed forces, supporting terrorism.
Global News Podcast
China vows to fight US 'blackmail' over tariffs
So the mere act of distributing a newsletter or dropping a leaflet on a park bench, that is dangerous enough.
Global News Podcast
China vows to fight US 'blackmail' over tariffs
Russia is pursuing a campaign of eradicating anything and everything remotely Ukrainian. In schools, textbooks are Russian. And the message this spread is that Ukraine is not a real state and Russia has liberated you from this neo-Nazi government in Kiev. If you don't have a Russian passport, you can be stripped of your parental rights. You can't get hospital treatment.
Global News Podcast
China vows to fight US 'blackmail' over tariffs
Your car can be taken away. If you're travelling down the road, there's a roadblock and the Russian soldiers ask you for your Russian passport. You don't have it, that's it. Say goodbye to your car. So this campaign of pressure and repression and intimidation, it works on a million levels.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
Russia seems to be moving closer and closer to saying a no to the proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Yuriy Shakov, who is a key advisor on foreign policy to Vladimir Putin. He spoke to Russian State TV a short while ago, and he said such proposals for a ceasefire will offer nothing but a temporary respite for the Ukrainian forces. And he said nobody needs such steps.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
They will only imitate peaceful actions. He is an important figure. Of course, he's not Vladimir Putin, and he's really careful to – not speak out of line. But I don't think there's an easy way to row back from such statements. And he has been involved in talks with Americans very closely. He spoke to Mike Waltz, the American National Security Advisor, by phone yesterday night.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
Before that, he was a key negotiator for Russia in talks with Americans in Saudi Arabia a couple of weeks ago. So I think he knows which way the wind is blowing in the Kremlin. And it's looking increasingly likely that Russia will not agree to this ceasefire.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
Steve Witkoff, the American envoy, he arrived in Moscow this morning and there is room for maneuver. It's not impossible for Vladimir Putin to turn around and say, you know what, ignore what my officials are saying. We are going to agree to a ceasefire. That would be extremely unlikely, but not impossible.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
And of course, there's a reason why Steve Witkoff is in Moscow today, even after, as Yuriy Shokhov says, Moscow told the Americans that they don't like the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine. So there is a tiny possibility that they'll work something out, but it's unlikely.
Global News Podcast
Von der Leyen: 'Europe is at a watershed'
numerous cars damaged. One's got a UK sticker on it, the other one's on British number plates. The local authorities say that the number of wounded is more than 30, including a 13-year-old girl and a young man aged 17. It's a scene of total devastation. And of course, looking at what What Ukrainians are saying on social media this morning, there's a lot of anger directed at America.
Global News Podcast
Von der Leyen: 'Europe is at a watershed'
They're blaming the suspension of aid and supply of intelligence as well. So not a good morning in Ukraine.
Global News Podcast
Von der Leyen: 'Europe is at a watershed'
Yes, we're hearing about civilians being killed in northeast and Sumy region in Donetsk as well. There was an attack on Odessa. And frankly, none of that is unusual for Ukraine. These attacks, they've been happening every night. There are reports of infrastructure, civilian infrastructure damage across Ukraine. And once Ukraine stops receiving U.S.
Global News Podcast
Von der Leyen: 'Europe is at a watershed'
intelligence, and I understand about 80% of intelligence that helped Ukraine intercept those missiles and target Russian military facilities inside Russia, it used to come from America. So now that's stopped. It will make it much more difficult for Ukraine to... to intercept those missiles.
Global News Podcast
Von der Leyen: 'Europe is at a watershed'
More aid from Europe and an idea of whether Europe will be able to replace whatever Ukraine's losing in terms of aid not arriving from America.
Global News Podcast
Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
By saying that he is prepared to sit down and talk with Donald Trump, that Russia is all for negotiations, that has been the Kremlin's line for years. We are being reasonable here. You, i.e. the West, do not want to listen to our concerns. We're ready to sit down and talk, but you won't listen. Now, does he mean it? Vladimir Putin, he was very positive about Donald Trump.
Global News Podcast
Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
He said he is a very smart person, pragmatic. Does he mean it? Well, possibly. But we shouldn't forget that Vladimir Putin is a former Secret Service agent. And Secret Service agents, they're not necessarily known for telling the truth or speaking their minds. Vladimir Putin said that the election was stolen from Donald Trump back in 2020. That is going to be music to Donald Trump's ears.
Global News Podcast
Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
Ego is pretty big, even by most politicians' standards.
Global News Podcast
Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
Well, possibly. The question is, though, what sort of pressure can America put on Russia that's not been exerted already? Donald Trump did suggest that oil output needs to be increased globally so that oil and energy prices go down dramatically. That will hurt a bit. I don't think it will completely undermine the Russian economy.
Global News Podcast
Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
A few years ago, half of the money in the Russian state coffers, it was from the sale of hydrocarbons, i.e. oil and gas. Now, that share is decreasing. So Russia is making energetic efforts to wean itself off oil and gas. it knows that it's dependent on that sort of revenue.
Global News Podcast
Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
So to completely stop this war by dropping energy prices, that will have to be done A, dramatically, and B, very, very cleverly.
Global News Podcast
Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
Well, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andrei Yarmak, he said on social media that Vladimir Putin wants to discuss Ukraine without Ukraine, and that's not happening. But I think Vladimir Putin is really keen to talk to somebody like Donald Trump. And also, importantly... He wants to talk to Donald Trump about other things, not just Ukraine.
Global News Podcast
Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
For Vladimir Putin, Ukraine is a huge chapter, but it's only part of Russia's more global standoff with the West. So for him, this is a chance to discuss the new world order, if you like, not just Ukraine.
Global News Podcast
Moscow says West "fragmenting" over Ukraine
People are saying, well, look, we've heard words before. Words are worth nothing. One journalist, that's his commentary on what happened in London yesterday. And there's another military analysis account on X that's been commenting on these agreements. And it says, nothing short of boots on the ground and readiness to shoot and be targeted is will be truly affected.
Global News Podcast
Moscow says West "fragmenting" over Ukraine
So that's the kind of mood in Ukraine. We need more. We need action. But there's cautious optimism as well. One MP, Oleksiy Honcharenko, he welcomes this European initiative to mediate between Ukraine and the USA. He says this is a good start. But then again, he says, how did we end up in a situation when Europe has to mediate between Ukraine and its biggest ally, the United States?
Global News Podcast
Moscow says West "fragmenting" over Ukraine
He says, this is madness. So in a nutshell, there's hope, but also a fair amount of scepticism.
Global News Podcast
Huge protests in Greece over train crash justice
At the moment we don't really know. Whatever versions of that deal have been leaked to the press, they don't really say anything about what Ukraine is getting in exchange for... Well, signing off a huge chunk of its mineral wealth.
Global News Podcast
Huge protests in Greece over train crash justice
And also let's not forget that this isn't really a straightforward business transaction or an investment agreement, because we are talking about a country that is fighting for its survival, literally. So when people talk about reconstruction and anything that might happen in the future, the big question is, What happens before we get to that point?
Global News Podcast
Huge protests in Greece over train crash justice
And this is what Volodymyr Zelensky really, really wants. Security guarantees that will ensure that Ukraine quite simply survives until the point when it can talk about investment and reconstruction and rebuilding the country once this war is over.
Global News Podcast
Huge protests in Greece over train crash justice
It's a good sign as far as Ukraine is concerned, going from calling Zelensky a dictator to saying, I can't believe I said that and he is Ukraine's best president. That's what Donald Trump said yesterday. But there's been so much contradiction and so many things that are at odds with the facts as we know them in what Donald Trump has said that
Global News Podcast
Huge protests in Greece over train crash justice
Many people are actually saying, well, don't really listen to what he's saying. Keep an eye on what he's doing. And yesterday he extended some of America's sanctions, imposing Russia for another year. So today is... Vitaly Shevchenko
Global News Podcast
Putin responds to Trump's ceasefire plan
I think it's a no disguised as a yes. The conditions that he put forward would be absolutely devastating for Ukraine to accept. No more weapon supplies, no more mobilisation of new fighters for the Ukrainian army. Surrender rather than withdrawal of whatever Ukrainian forces are still in Russia's Kursk region. And also, I think most importantly, what he said about the root causes of this crisis.
Global News Podcast
Putin responds to Trump's ceasefire plan
If recent history is anything to go by for Vladimir Putin, the root cause of what he calls this crisis is the very existence of Ukraine as a sovereign state, which is free to pursue its own policy at home and abroad. What I think we saw Vladimir Putin do today is, push out this ball that America and Ukraine said was in Russia's court. I think he's pushed it out back into their court.
Global News Podcast
Putin responds to Trump's ceasefire plan
Well, we have to remember that Vladimir Putin can be really inflexible in negotiations. He's made Steve Witkoff wait the whole day for a meeting with Vladimir Putin. That, I think, is a way of putting extra pressure.
Global News Podcast
Putin responds to Trump's ceasefire plan
I think it's fair to say that Russia is playing for time and its rhetoric and its actions, they do suggest that Russia's appetites are absolutely undiminished when it comes to Ukraine and And when Vladimir Putin says he likes the idea of a ceasefire, but it's the but that is the stumbling block.
Global News Podcast
Putin responds to Trump's ceasefire plan
There's that. And also, I think he will be thinking that Donald Trump is more of an ally rather than an adversary. And Donald Trump's rhetoric, really critical of Ukraine recently. That suggests that he might be inclined to blame Zelensky should he reject the offer of a ceasefire. We'll just have to wait and see.
Global News Podcast
Putin responds to Trump's ceasefire plan
But so far, I've seen no suggestion or sign from Russia that it realistically is preparing to seize hostilities in Ukraine for any period of time.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
I wish we knew. At this moment in time, I don't think anyone outside of the White House and possibly even Kiev knows what's in the deal. The dictionary definition of the deal is that you get something, we get something. But most, if not all, of the talk... about the deal that we've been hearing from Washington is about what Ukraine should give.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
So when we use the word transactional, this isn't a straightforward business transaction. We're dealing with a country that's fighting for its survival. When it comes to American citizens acting as a human shield, potentially, well, they're there now. And just yesterday, Russia targeted a hotel in central Ukraine where American citizens were staying as well as British citizens as well.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
That didn't stop Russia from attacking. American companies are still operating in Ukraine. McDonald's, it's there. It doesn't stop Russia.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
Because we've got to be clear that Ukraine is getting really desperate. So any pause in attacks is good from that point of view. But as James just pointed out, the elephant in the room is what's Russia thinking about it? Because we can spend all day talking about various suggestions of a peacekeeping force or a truce.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
However, Russia is clearly indicating that its appetites are absolutely undiminished. Various officials in Moscow are saying that the special military operation will go on. Its original objectives will be reached. More land will be captured. Peacekeepers forget it. That's unacceptable. Truce, no, because fighting will rekindle with renewed force.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
So European allies, whatever countries are still supporting Ukraine, they will need to answer the question that James just asked. Are they ready to go and fight if Russia says no?
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
Vitaly, what's your take? Well, there are different degrees of victory and surrender in this war. The extreme version of defeat for Ukraine would, of course, be if Russia were to capture all of its territory. However, I don't think this is realistic or even something that Vladimir Putin will be seeking because controlling that vast territory, that's going to be difficult.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
More realistic, he would be happier with controlling the four regions in Ukraine's southeast that Russia claims as its own, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. Maybe a bit more. And the rest, it's not inconceivable to imagine a scenario where... Putin would be happy for it to be run by a pliable Ukrainian government.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
After all, if we were to rewind history, this is how it was until, well, 2013-ish, 2014-ish, when Ukraine was perfectly happy to be in Russia's orbit. The moment Ukraine started looking westwards, Putin cut gas supplies to Ukraine, sent in troops. So that gives us an idea of what Vladimir Putin may realistically be seeking.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
The fact is that America's military machine is the biggest in the world with the furthest outreach when it comes to satellites, intelligence gathering, intelligence sharing. This is just something that European countries would struggle to match, frankly.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
Ukraine was getting the vast chunk, I believe 80% of its intelligence that helped it target Russian energy infrastructure, ammunition storage facilities, intercept missiles. 80% of that intelligence came from the United States. Replacing that would be an enormous challenge for Europe.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: What happens next?
When it comes to producing weaponry, as we heard from Keir Starmer, there are plans to produce missiles in Northern Ireland. But that means new jobs, new production facilities. That takes a lot of time.
Global News Podcast
Dozens killed in clashes in Syria
It was pretty serious. It lasted almost... all through the night targeting energy infrastructure and gas extraction facilities across Ukraine from Kharkiv in the northeast all the way to Transcarpathian region in the west. It involved almost 70 missiles, cruise, ballistic missiles, almost 200 drones. roughly half of those missiles and drones were shot down.
Global News Podcast
Dozens killed in clashes in Syria
In terms of damage, Ukrainian authorities don't go into much detail, but they say that 18 civilians, we understand, were injured, including four children as young as three years old. President Zelensky says that this attack targeted infrastructure that, in his words, ensures normal life. And yet again, he called for a ceasefire in the air and on the sea.
Global News Podcast
Dozens killed in clashes in Syria
It's the latest sophisticated weapon supplied by the West and used by Ukraine to defend itself. It's significant that it comes from France. It only took Ukraine one month to deploy the Mirage jets against Russian missiles after they were delivered to Ukraine. And those Mirage jets were used alongside F-16s, which were, again, supplied by European nations.
Global News Podcast
Dozens killed in clashes in Syria
Well, I have to say that those reports are not confirmed, but are worrying for Ukraine. There's an American company called Baxa that supplies satellite imagery. And now a fairly authoritative Ukrainian website called Militarny is quoting sources that they are not able to receive those imagery from America.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
In defense of Waldemar Zelensky, he did try, he brought a U6-Boxing-Champion-Belt, didn't work.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Okay. As a Russian speaker who spent most of his life living in eastern Ukraine, I think I can tackle this. When Tony mentions Russians in Ukraine, I suspect he means Russian speakers, because the notion of ethnicity is kind of hazy in Ukraine. I certainly never felt threatened or oppressed, nor were my friends in Zaporizhia. We could speak Russian freely. It's not banned.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
In official communication in schools, for example, yes, you're supposed to speak Ukrainian, but it's Ukraine. And this comes after decades and decades of Soviet communist Russian efforts to eradicate the Ukrainian language.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
So we sort of accepted it and found it natural and after Russia started its war against Ukraine, so many Russian speakers in Ukraine speak in Ukrainian now, because it feels wrong to continue speaking Russian. Now, Russia's security concerns, I don't think any of them were legitimate.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
I keep using this phrase because I try to stick to the facts and nothing in Ukraine's, NATO's, the West's actions or rhetoric in the run-up to the initial secret invasion of 2014 or full-scale invasion 2022. suggest that there was a threat forming against Russia. It's an excuse to attack Ukraine, because no aggressor wants to be seen as an aggressor.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Russia, Vladimir Putin, repeatedly presents this attack on Ukraine as something preemptive.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Well, not completely successfully, because it's still there.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
And I'm Vitaly Shevchenko, one of the hosts of the Ukrainecast.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
It's also a numbers game. Because of the shortage of air defense systems that Ukraine has, it's a question of where do you deploy them? What do you consider more important? Which lives you choose to preserve? It's a very difficult choice, but the fact is, Ukraine can't build a dome, iron or any other sort of dome, over all of its territory, each and every settlement.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
That's why we've been hearing reports of this awful human safari. That's what it's been reported as in Kherson, where Russian drones hunt down civilians on bicycles. Old women at bus stops. Bus stops as well. It's terrible. But the fact is, it's happening because Ukraine is unable to stop it.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Well, I can tell you right now that Russia is not going to accept any sort of Western military presence in Ukraine and they have repeatedly said that they wouldn't. We've heard suggestions of a possible quote-unquote peacekeeping force being deployed to Ukraine. We've heard them from France and Britain as well. What exactly are they going to be doing there? Is that going to be a combat role?
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
And Macron said that apparently they would be stationed somewhere out of harm's way, which begs the question, okay, so what's the point? Another question is, what happens if they get targeted? How will they respond? Will they attack back? And is this World War III suddenly? That's another unanswered question. And also, okay, Russia says no.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Are Western allies of Ukraine prepared to do it despite Russian objections? Ich meine, Macron sagt, dass es nicht an Russland zu entscheiden ist, aber ich denke, dass diese Vorschläge nur eine Idee sind.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Well, first of all, as you may know, Ukrainian law prohibits elections during wartime. To change that, I'll have to change a lot of laws and the constitution itself. Volodymyr Zelensky's popularity shot up following Donald Trump's criticism and American suggestions that he is, and I quote, a dictator without elections. Ukrainer seem to be rallying around their president.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
And I have to say, many of them do not really like Zelensky. But, you know, it's a democracy. And that's the only leader they've got. Now, there are other possible contenders for the role, such as Valeria Zalozhny, the former Ukrainian Army Commander, various volunteers involved in supplying weapons to the Ukrainian Army. And all of them
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
They hold roughly the same position when it comes to fighting Russia. We need to fight for our country. So replacing Zelensky isn't really going to change that. However, if such an election were to be held under a theoretical scenario, the fear is that Russia would be able to manipulate that. And they're so skilled at manipulating elections.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Yes. So that's why Ukraine is really reluctant to hold that.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Well, to start answering all those questions, I'll say that there's absolutely nothing in what Russia has said or done recently to suggest that it's remotely interested in peace in Ukraine. Just this morning, authorities in Ukraine said that six civilians were killed and 46 injured in the latest wave of Russian violence.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
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Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Und wenn es um Russlands Rhetorik geht, hat Sergej Ryabkov, ein Abgeordneter, gesagt am Dienstag, ich glaube, dass wir alle diese Friedensinitiative von den Vereinigten Staaten mögen, aber was ist mit den unterliegenden Gründen dieses Konflikts? Und dadurch, denke ich, bedeutet Russland die Existenz der Ukraine als sovereignen Staat.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
So all that tells me that we are nowhere near a lasting peace or even a ceasefire in Ukraine. And the visit by this senior Russian official? Dmitriev is the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund. So he's all about money. And it's telling that Russia chose to dispatch him to the United States, knowing that Donald Trump is largely about money and dealmaking as well.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
So, after holding all those meetings in Washington, Kirill Dmitriev, he said that they discussed various initiatives like Russian Earths, cooperation in the Arctic between Russia and the United States, the return of American companies to Russia, and himself, he is sanctioned by the United States. So this means, I think, that Russia is trying to offer America
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
A better deal than Ukraine would ever be able to offer.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Any Ukraine? Before I speak about Ukraine, let me give you a quote from how the Russian Orthodox Church described this war. Last year it called this war against Ukraine a holy war, defending the world against the satanic West. So it's difficult to expect that church to tell Putin, well look, maybe enough fighting.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
In Ukraine it's very much aligned with the government on the war, but for different reasons. Because, you know, when you attack, you've got to defend yourself. But they're also praying for peace, whatever shape it might take. And just this morning I've heard reports about a church being destroyed in Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region. So church itself in Ukraine is under attack too.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Es ist so, weil niemand im Westen diesen Konflikt zu überwinden wollte, was zwischen Russland und der Ukraine passiert. Und das ist nicht eine Veränderung, die von Russland geteilt wird. Sie waren total froh, Iran mit ihren Drohnen und Artillerie zu involvieren, Nordkorea mit ihren Soldaten und Artillerie auch.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
And a key objective pursued by the West for years was containment of this conflict, which didn't quite work. Now, when it comes to North Koreans in North Korea, In diesem Krieg wurden apparell 4.000 von ihnen verloren, als sie in der Russischen Kursk-Region kämpften. Und dann verschwanden sie. Und apparell, laut Südkorea, wurden mehr Flüchtlinge in die Kursk-Region gesendet.
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The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
Aber ich kann nicht sagen, dass sie eine große Rolle in diesem Thema gespielt haben. I honestly have seen nothing to suggest that he is willing or even able to put effective pressure on Vladimir Putin to force him to stop this war. This might change, you never know, but so far... His rhetoric has been so aligned with the Kremlin's talking points and his actions.
Global News Podcast
The Ukraine War: Your Questions Answered
They've benefited the Kremlin in terms of a pause in weapons supplies to Ukraine and the general damage his administration has done to the Western alliance that emerged after the Second World War.