Cogito ergo sum

As the French historian Emmanuel Todd wrote in his latest book: “Recognizing that Russians and Ukrainians were no longer able to coexist, Ukraine could have agreed to the secession of the regions that were genuinely Russian and focused instead on building a true Ukrainian nation-state—one recognized by all and supported by some. Instead, beginning in 2014, it pursued war to reconquer the Donbas and its Russian inhabitants, and it never ceased to lay claim to Crimea with its Russian population. Its aim, therefore, was to maintain sovereignty over populations belonging to another nation—and one tied to a country far more powerful than itself. Viewed through the sober and rational lens of international relations, such a project appears utterly suicidal, and today’s reality shows that Ukraine, as a state, is heading toward its own annihilation”. So how should one account for Ukraine’s seemingly “suicidal” strategy over the past three—or indeed 11—years? The most compelling answer is that, since 2014, Ukraine has not been primarily engaged in a nation-building project, nor even consistently acting in its own national interests. Rather, it has functioned as a proxy for Euro-Atlantic powers, which have instrumentalized Ukraine as a battering ram against Russia. In the process, these same powers have helped to entrench and empower ultra-nationalist forces within Ukraine, ensuring that any political leader inclined towards compromise or reconciliation with Moscow would face insurmountable domestic resistance. What emerged was a political system in which the pursuit of Western strategic goals took precedence over the pursuit of Ukraine’s own stability and cohesion—a trajectory that has proved catastrophic for the country and its people. Read the full article here: compactmag.com/article/what-…

This is the wildest thing I’ve ever seen. The EU-NATO establishment is on a putschist spree. politico.eu/article/romania-…