An Open Email Regarding Vladimir Putin

This email was sent to Breaking Points on February 23, 2024

Krystal & Saagar,

I am writing to you again on this topic because I view the Tucker Carlson Interview with Vladimir Putin as a historically important event and I believe your analysis on Monday’s show profoundly missed the mark. So you know, I am a multi-year premium subscriber because I appreciate the transparency and intellectual integrity you both exude by thoughtfully offering critiques of your own ideological allies. Please accept the following analysis in the spirit of constructive critique. One last side note: For most of the last 20+ years I have had complete contempt for Tucker Carlson because I viewed him as an intellectually dishonest shill for the Republican establishment. Over the last year I have begun to reconsider.

Critique of the Putin Interview

[Copy of Official Transcript was attached to original email]

1. When Tucker Carlson asked the first question [Why did Russia attack Ukraine?], framing it within the context of Putin’s quote regarding his concern that NATO (America) may launch an attack from Ukrainian territory, Putin responded by asking Tucker “whether this interview was a show or are we having a serious conversation?” Tucker agreed this was a serious conversation. To understand what Putin meant you must consider Russian culture. A serious conversation, as he demonstrated, involves addressing the root causes which necessarily considers the historical context that drives current events. In short, Russians are verbose but as Tucker’s introduction comment stated “Putin was not filibustering”. Putin’s history lesson explained how cultural identity in Eastern Europe did not align with national borders. To this Tucker made that same assumption you both did [he attacked Ukraine to unite the greater Russia], he twice asked “if Putin thought Ukrainian borders were illegitimate, why didn’t Putin attack when he took office in 2000?” Putin suggested he is getting there but had not finished his answer. Putin’s answer was Russia did not attack Ukraine until the U.S. had financed the violent overthrow of the democratically elected government of Ukraine (who was committed to neutrality) and installed an anti-Russian government open to joining NATO. This installed government launched a military weaponized attack on the ethnically Russian Ukrainians in the southeast provinces. This is when Russia first attacked Ukraine back in 2014. Russia negotiated a peace agreement with Ukraine, witnessed and guaranteed by Poland, Germany and France, called the Minsk Agreement, which protected ethnically Russian Ukrainians while leaving their provinces within the national borders of Ukraine. The U.S. installed Ukrainian government reneged on the Minsk Agreement and Germany and France announced publicly they would not enforce the agreement. The U.S. and NATO then began arming Ukraine and building military bases in Ukraine. This was Russia’s redline and where they committed to attack Ukraine in February 2022.    
2. Putin provided his perspective on the Russian – American relationship since the disbanding of the Soviet Union in early 1990’s. Key Points:
   • Soviet leadership agreed to support the reunification of Germany and for Germany to remain a member of NATO. In exchange, America gave the Soviet leadership a ‘private assurance’ that NATO would not expand one inch east of Germany. 
   • Russia had hoped to be accepted into normal political and economic relationships with western nations because they abdicated communism in lieu of western style free-market capitalism.
   • Putin opened the door to Russia potentially joining NATO by asking President Clinton if he would be supportive. Clinton ultimately said No.
   • Putin communicated with HW Bush, in response to W Bush’s decision to develop a missile defense system, that Russia would like to partner with the U.S. and Europe to develop a missile defense system to protect all nations. W Bush’s national security team lead by Condoleezza Rice rejected Russia’s offer. This is why Russia developed the hypersonic missile systems to overwhelm the U.S. developed missile defense system. 
3. Putin stated he has no expansionist interest.
   • Tucker asked him under what conditions would he attack Poland. Putin answered only if Poland attacked Russia. 
   • Tucker stated the Western countries’ concern regarding Russia’s attack on Ukraine is that he intends to go further into western Europe. Putin responded he has no interest in global wars that would threaten the existence of humanity.
   • Tucker asked how Putin “reconciles being a leader who has to kill with being a Christian?” Putin responded “It is very easy when it comes to protecting oneself and one’s family, one’s homeland. We won’t attack anyone.”
4. Putin stated Russia is prepared to negotiate peace now.
   • Russia negotiated a peace agreement in 2014 (Minsk Agreement)
   • Russia negotiated a peace agreement in April 2022 that was scuttled by Boris Johnson at the behest of the United States.
   • America has stated they intend to use the War in Ukraine to weaken the Russian Military. 
5. Putin stated America has made a stupid and grave mistake using the U.S. dollar as an instrument of force to control countries around the world. By seizing Russia’s U.S. dollar denominated reserves, America has sent a signal to the whole world that they may be subject to the same treatment. This has led to the expansion of BRICS and the increased use of the Chinese Yuan for international trade (including oil & natural gas). Putin stated these actions hurt American taxpayers in the same way they have hurt America’s allies, such as Germany. Putin warned America of the damage that will occur if we try to do the same with China.
6. Putin rejected Tucker’s framing of the Russo-China relationship “as trading one colonial power for another” by stating “you don’t pick your neighbors like you don’t pick your family. Russia shares a 1,000 km border with China. We have co-existed as neighbors for centuries. We are used to each other. Russia sees China’s foreign policy is focused on seeking compromise…we accept that. Trade with China is mutually beneficial. Trade between China and Europe is growing faster than China and Russia. He rejects the ‘boogeyman’ story regarding China.” 

Putin’s comments above beg a critical question for us: Is what he is saying true?

On the question of why Russia attacked Ukraine:

• The private assurance America gave the former Soviet leadership that NATO would not expand one inch east of Germany has been validated by multiple sources. The prevailing retort to this private assurance is Russia failed to get the agreement in writing. This is why Putin said America tricked Russia. At the height of the cold war during the Cuban Missile crisis, nuclear war was averted when President Kennedy gave Premier Khrushchev a ‘private assurance’ that if the U.S.S.R removed the missiles from Cuba, secretly, six months later, America would remove the nuclear missiles from Turkey.” Private assurances are very important tools used by nations to settle disputes in a manner that saves face for the participants. Given America’s history with the U.S.S.R, Gorbachev and Yeltsin had every reason to believe the U.S. when we gave them the private assurance not to expand NATO one inch east of Germany. It is important to also note the significance of Russia supporting the reunification of Germany as part of NATO. In WWII, the U.S.S.R lost over 20 million people at the hands of Germany. The creation of the Warsaw Pact, including East Germany, was to form a security buffer against western aggression [see Russian deaths in the Napoleonic Wars, WWI, and WWII].
• The violent overthrow of the democratically elected government of Ukraine is a matter of public record. The only question is whether America was involved. It has been reported that Victoria Nuland was recorded on tape informing the American Ambassador to Ukraine of who would comprise the new leadership in Ukraine before the overthrow had occurred. Since the point of the overthrow was to install Ukrainian leadership who would be open to joining NATO, anti-Russian Ukrainians were sought. Putin explained after the independence of Ukraine was granted in the early 1990’s, Ukraine sought to develop an independent identity, which they found in the anti-Russia collaborators with Nazi Germany during WWII. Putin stated the Ukrainians made heroes of the notable collaborators who had slaughtered Poles, Jews and Russians at the request of the Nazis. He referred to the debacle of the Speaker of the Canadian Parliament recognizing a Ukrainian Nazi, and along with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, gave the war criminal a standing ovation.

On the question of Russian Expansion vs. NATO expansion:

• Since the dissolution of the U.S.S.R, Russia’s territorial boundaries are a matter of public record. Putin has led/controlled Russia since 2000. Where has Russia expanded? Where has NATO expanded?
• Per a report by CNBC (see Two maps show NATO’s growth and Russia’s isolation since 1990 (cnbc.com)), NATO has expanded to include all the former WARSAW Pact countries and three countries that had been a part of the former Soviet Union.  
• In response to Russia’s redline against including Ukraine in NATO, America has further expanded NATO to include Finland and Sweden. 

On the question of a negotiated peace in Ukraine:

• Russia has negotiated peace agreements in 2014 and 2022 that were rejected by Ukraine at the behest of western countries. 
• The U.S. Secretary of Defense publicly stated the goal of the War in Ukraine is to weaken the Russian military.
• President Biden has publicly stated the goal of the War in Ukraine is for regime change in Russia.

On the question of why the dissolution of the U.S.S.R did not lead to full normalization and integration of Russia with western nations:

• Russia tried multiple times and were rejected:
  1. Russia agreed to German reunification as part of NATO in exchange for no eastern expansion of NATO. Russia’s support of German reunification is a matter of public record. NATO has expanded to include all Warsaw Pact countries and three countries within the former U.S.S.R.
  2. Russia opened the door for consideration of joining NATO. President Clinton declined support. This can easily be verified by asking former President Clinton.
  3. Russia offered to develop a missile defense system with the U.S. and Europe. U.S. rejected offer. This can be easily verified by asking Condoleeza Rice.
  4. Russia demonstrated a willingness to partner with the U.S. by agreeing to safely enrich Iranian uranium under the Iran Nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama Administration. UN inspectors were validating Russia’s compliance until President Trump pulled out of the deal.
  5. Russia signed the Minsk Agreement after the U.S. had financed the violent overthrow of a democratically elected Ukrainian government. The Minsk Agreement is a matter of public record that has been acknowledged by Germany and France.
  6. Putin stated Russia is willing to negotiate peace in Ukraine now despite the U.S. blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline. Side Note: Seymore Hersh reported, and most analysts acknowledge, the U.S. blew up the Nord Stream pipeline.

On the question of the grave error of using the U.S. dollar as an instrument of force:

• A cursory review of foreign sovereign U.S. denominated reserves confirms even America’s allies are diversifying:

(See Will The U.S. Dollar Lose Its Global Reserve Status? | Seeking Alpha)

My hope in taking the time to share this level of detail is to encourage you to invite Tucker Carlson on Breaking Points to have a ‘serious discussion’ [American style!] about the implications of the information shared by Vladimir Putin. Our government and our media have lied to us to a magnitude outlined in George Orwell’s “1984”. The War in Ukraine is not unique. The same playbook has been used in the War in Gaza. The prevailing narrative persistently is designed to ‘manufacture our consent’ [Thank you Noam Chomsky]. The Freedom of the Press is in the first amendment of the Constitution because it is the essential tool to inform the People of the truth so they can hold their elected officials accountable.