March 2 – A Chilling Analysis From Moscow on a War with Ukraine; Obama’s Limited Options in Dealing with Putin; Ukraine Broke, Looted, and on the Brink of War

Full Program

Part 1

Today we examine a number of stories and issues in the news, focusing mainly on the tinderbox confrontation between Russia and Ukraine following Russia’s military occupation of Crimea and its threat to move into Ukraine. We also look into the chaotic situation in Ukraine where the military has just been mobilized by an un-elected government whose treasury in empty, having been looted by the previous regime. We begin and go to Moscow to speak with Dr. Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent defense analyst who writes for Novaya Gazeta, the only newspaper in Russia not controlled by Putin, and discuss what Russia’s military objectives might be with Russia and Ukraine on the brink of war.

Part 2

Then we examine the Obama Administration’s limited options short of cutting diplomatic and economic ties with Russia and returning to a Cold War standoff. Charles Kupchan, who was director of European Affairs on the National Security Council during the Clinton Administration, joins us to discuss what might have transpired in the 90 minute phone conversation between Putin and Obama and what leverage the U.S. and the West has over Putin.

Part 3

Then finally we speak with a Ukrainian scholar who is a specialist on nationalism, revolutions and empires. Alexander Motyl joins us to look into what Kyiv can do to reach out to the Russian-speaking East who Putin is claiming need Russian protection from fascists and terrorists, now that Putin has been given a blank check by the Russian parliament to intervene military anywhere on Ukrainian territory.