Opinion: Putin's war was launched on a runway of lies
CNNFeb 25, 2022
US Sec. of State Anthony Blinken reportedly told experts in a private call on Wednesday that any Ukrainian attempt to retake Crimea would be a red line for Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin, and could lead to a wider escalation of the conflict.
According to four people with knowledge of the call who spoke to Politico, Blinken said the US is not actively encouraging Ukraine to retake Crimea, but stressed that the decision was Kyiv's alone.
Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine was launched on the pretext of multiple lies, including that Russian speakers in Donetsk were facing a "genocide" and that NATO expansion was threatening Moscow. America and the West must continue to push back against these falsehoods and protect Ukraine's sovereignty from Putin's anti-democratic aspirations.
Numerous diplomats through the years have warned that bringing Ukraine into the NATO sphere of influence was an unacceptable prospect for Russia and that it would lead to a conflict with disastrous consequences. Russia's concerns must be listened to if we're ever going to reach a negotiated settlement for this tragic conflict.
There is a 1% chance that Ukraine will join NATO before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.