I decided to highlight three other voices, starting with Nadya Tolokonnikova, an activist and founder of Russian punk rock group Pussy Riot. She talked with Jake Tapper on a special noon edition of CNN's State of the Union.
Tolokonnikova said that there's an "actually much higher" number of Russians who oppose the war than we're seeing on TV, which is amazing given the potential 15-year prison sentence associated any opposition at all, whether it's a social media post or participating in a protest.
In the face of the ban on social media and independent news organizations, some folks use apps, such as Telegram; in addition, "we learned how to use a VPN over the last couple of years" because they knew crackdowns were coming. Unfortunately,
...the problem is most of the people, they cannot afford it, just because they -- they don't have knowledge, or they just have to work a couple of jobs to feed their families, because the economic situation is not good in the country.
People she knows are both mad at, and terrified by what's happening in Russia. A 14-year-old friend of her daughter attended a protest and was beaten by the police. The girl's father stepped in, asking the police what they were doing. Unsurprisingly, the police started beating him; he ended up spending a couple of days in jail, "pretty brutally beaten."
And situations like that, they're unfortunately happening quite often. That's why I know that a lot of Russians are trying to leave the country. But, also, there are a number of people who are convinced that they should not leave, because they don't want to give Russia as a gift to Putin. They want to stand their ground.
Asked what might be behind Putin's actions - deteriorating mental health, or him not being held to account over the years for bad acts - Tolokonnikova points to the latter.
...we have heard a lot of loud, big proclamations from the global community, but, unfortunately, it wasn't followed through. And Putin didn't really feel like he -- him and his closest -- closest oligarchs and cronies suffered from invasion of Ukraine. And I think, partly, what we're seeing right now in Ukraine is the result of complacency of the global community about a situation that happened in Ukraine in 2014.
Lots of people would agree, I think.
On the morning edition of CNN SOTU, one of Tapper's guests was European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He asked her about the potential that Ukraine would be joining the EU, referencing her own comments as well as thoughts from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
You have said that Ukraine is -- quote -- "one of us and we want them in the European Union." President Zelenskyy is asking for immediate admission to the EU. His foreign minister tweeted -- quote -- "Historic times require big and historic decisions" -- unquote. Are you going to take such a historic step? And, if so, how long will it take Ukraine to be admitted? Are we talking weeks, months, years?
Seems the timeframe is imprecise. von der Leyen spoke of the Ukrainians fighting "for our common values, that they belong to our European family" and that, by filing the application, Zelenskyy "set a process in motion" that "will take some time."
But we should not forget that, before this was started, we had already worked intensively together, for example, integrating the two markets, trying to support as much as possible Ukraine, not only financially, but also, for example, in energy security. So, a lot has been done. There has to be done still quite some work for any point of being more closer, but that this process is now in motion, this is without any doubt.
She couldn't say how soon it could happen; "it depends, of course, what - the development on the ground," among other things. The path is clear, but
at the moment being for us the most important is to support Ukraine as much as possible in this existential fight against Russia. This is not only a fight of between Ukraine against Russia, Russia that chose the war against Ukraine, but it's a bigger topic. It's also the democracies fighting the autocracies. And, therefore, it is for us existential really to support in every way possible Ukraine and its brave leadership.
Tapper wondered if a full ban of Russian oil was on the table. The long answer? von der Leyen said there's lots going on that's hurting the Russian economy, and "there's a strong strategy now" saying the EU must end its dependency on Russian fossil fuels.
Therefore, we are just discussing in the European Union a strategic approach, a plan, how to accelerate the investment in the renewables, how to diversify our energy supply, for example, with you, our friends in the United States, where LNG (liquified natural gas) is concerned and other friends around the world, how to invest heavily in biogas, for example, in hydrogen that is homegrown. And this is not only a strategic investment in our energy security, but it's also good for the climate.
Seems the short answer is no - a total ban is not on the table.
Finally, a quick stop in ABC's This Week classroom, where George Stephanopoulos chatted with Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv. Klitschko said it was "a little bit quiet" in his city, but there were some rocket attacks, and fighting is going on in several cities as the Russian moved closer. He also commented the patriotism of the people, saying they are "very, very motivated to defend our city."
What does he need from the West? It's not a long list, really: unity, pressure, sanctions, and weapons support. Russia's one of the strongest armies in the world, he acknowledges, but
Russians doesn't have so huge will and -- as we Ukrainians. We actually are very much ready. We defend our city, our houses, our families. We defend our lives and our future. And we need -- we very appreciate for the friends. We're very thankful for support, but we have to make much more pressure and help Ukraine. We need the help. We need the help. We're still fighting. We still fight for our country and more pressure, more pressure. And unity between all the democratic countries around Ukraine.
Overall, I think the West - NATO, the EU, and the US - are united in their support. Existing sanctions are crushing the Russian economy; heck, even some of the oligarchs are complaining. We're seeing protests against the Russian invasion around the world, including in Russia, as noted above. Collaboration is happening on how best to get more weapons to Ukraine. It's not perfect - some things just take too long, no matter how fast we start.
Klitschko expressed appreciation for all of that, for sure, but he wasn't shy about what's at stake, in case anyone needed a reminder.
Ukraine was always friendly nation. We always was friendly country. We never was aggressive to anyone, but right now, we have huge motivation to defend our future, our country. Putin has huge ambition to rebuild Soviet empire. We wasn’t USSR and we don't want back to USSR. We see our future as democratic, modern European country. And we expect support from all world because we're fighting not just for Ukraine, we’re fighting for others. We're fighting for whole modern world. We have to stop Putin all together.
Anyone disagree?
See you around campus.
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