Maria Popova 🇨🇦
Polisci prof at McGill 🇨🇦⚜️
Democracy, rule of law, (anti)corruption in Eastern Europe 🇺🇦 🇧🇬 🇪🇺; post-Communism; Russo-Ukrainian war and its impact on European democracies; #UkraineIsEurope #DefendDemocracy
linktr.ee/popovaprof
- Btw, this is a common argument in Eastern Europe when people rationalize voting for an oligarch-- he's already rich, so he won't steal as much. The reality is that corruption does not result from the need to steal but from a motivation to do it and the lack of meaningful constraints/accountability.
- Actually, corruption is most commonly defined as "use of public office for private gain" and I seriously doubt Qatar would be giving this private gift if Trump weren't in public office.
- Promising signalling from Merz to introduce new sanctions if Ru doesn't start implementing a ceasefire by the end of the day. Watch closely what happens. Actions have to follow the words.
- Pu-Zelensky haven't met during the big war. Meeting would signal negotiations w an equal head of state. Instead, Pu wants to paint Ukraine as an artificial entity led by an illegitimate traitor. The Istanbul meeting Zelensky, Europe, even Trump are pressuring him into is a setback Pu wants to avoid.
- An excellent piece that outlines the long-standing pro-Ru bias in Western thinking about Ukraine and the blind spots this bias produces which not only hurt Ukraine but also undermine the West's own interests. www.kyivpost.com/analysis/52308
- Takeaways: 1) Ru rejects ceasefire; 2) Ru maintains demand for Ukr capitulation (“As well as territorial claims to the regions it occupies, Moscow is expected to demand guarantees over Ukraine’s future political and military decisions.” My take: Round 2 of negotiations… apple.news/A9AKjzlR3SKW...
- may start soon but nothing has changed either politically or militarily on the battlefield to suggest that a different outcome may be coming: Ru will demand capitulation, Ukr will refuse; Europe will back Ukr, Trump will have to decide what to do
- Some corrupt Eastern European politicians are going "damn, he's bold!"
- Important shorthand: When Pu says the “root causes of the war” have to be fixed, he means Ukr should lose its sovereignty and submit to Ru’s political control. When he mentions “Istanbul deal” he means Ukraine should capitulate and demilitarize. He repeated both in rejecting the ceasefire proposal.
- How refreshing! Turns out a Pope can call a spade a spade and avoid arguments that aim to apologize for Ru’s aggression.
- Ru army invades Ukraine to occupy it and install a puppet. Americans: hey, our Ukrainian friends, why are you banning pro-Ru parties and the KGB-run “church”? Do you hate freedom? Some poor people looking for work and a better life come to America. Americans: omg, nobody should have any rights!
