Potus Geeks Book Review: The Russo-Ukrainian War by Serhii Plokhy
Passion for his subject and a superb understanding of geopolitical politics combine to result in Serhii Plokhy's outstanding 2023 work The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History, an intelligent and informative chronicle of the first year of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The book begins with an excellent summary of the history of Russo-Ukrainan relations going back to the mid-fifteenth century, as the author exposes the fallacy of a supposed united nation composed of the two now-warring nations, a myth that Vladimir Putin has used to justify his aggression against the sovereign rights of an independent people. Plokhy takes the reader through the many trials and tribulations of the Ukrainian people at the hands of Russian tormentors from the time of the Tsars, through Lenin and Stalin, before gaining independence with the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The author continues to examine how powerful nations, including the United States, emboldened Russian designs on the region, and how the administration of Bill Clinton sought to entice Russia into capitalistic pursuits by stifling Ukrainian plans to join NATO and by pressuring Ukraine to surrender the nuclear weapons within its borders, removing one more layer of protection that Ukraine had against potential Russian aggression. Plokhy also looks at how the administration of George W. Bush saw the threat of Russian aggression more realistically, but was too preoccupied with wars in other regions to do much to hinder it, and how the administration of Barack Obama sought a "great reset" in US-Russian relations (with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton actually giving her Russian counterpart a "reset" button.) The Obama administration's best intentions failed to impede Vladimir Putin's expanionist desires, as in 2014 Russia invaded Crimea while interfering in Ukrainian government affairs. The administation of Donald Trump was even more obsequious to Putin and his plans.
Plokhy takes the reader though the history of the region, leading to the election of Volodimyr Zelensky and further attempts for Ukraine to join NATO, followed by the build-up of Russian troops on the border of Ukraine, and ultimately to the invasion (withheld until late February so as not to distract from China's hosting of the winter Olympic games.)
The author provides an excellent account of the wartime events, explaining why Russia's hopes of a quick victory never came to pass, how and why Russian military strategy failed, how the Russian mistreatment of Ukrainian civillians made their imagined scenario of being welcomed as liberators laughable, and how Russian hopes for support from other nations sputtered out over time. Especially compelling is the author's portrayal of the courage of the Ukrainian people in the face of unimaginable danger.
One of the most fascinating features of this book is the author's careful examination and explanation of how the other nations of the world have responsed to Russia's aggression, having to balance moral outrage with pragmatic economic concerns and their need for Russian oil and gas. The European nations have responded in a variety of ways, with Great Britain and Poland showing strong support for Ukraine, France trying to act as peace-maker at first, and Germany reluctant to get involved for fear of creating an energy crisis within its borders. Sweden, normally neutral, and Finland, Russia's neighbour, have joined NATO for fear or Russian aggression. Eventually all of democratic Europe have come to the aid of Ukraine, in differing ways, with Poland being most generous in its acceptance of Ukrainian refugees.
The author also takes a close look at the involvement of President Joe Biden in this crisis, a president who was initially doubtful that the Russians would actually invade. Biden's sudden and dysfunctional withdrawel of American troops from Afganistan emboldened Putin into concluding that there would be no western intereference with his plans. Plokhy explains how Biden has atoned for these mistakes by offering strong support for the Ukrainian cause, both in his rhetoric, and more importantly in providing US weapons to enable the Ukrainian people to defend themselves.
Plokhy also looks at how Putin's supposed allies have been slow in showing support for Putin and his war. Even China has walked a careful line, offering lukewarm moral support, but not much more, using the war to broker the purchase of Russian oil and gas at a bargain price. Iran had offered little support, and Turkey refuses to provide weapons to Russia, and have even worked to reopen the shipment of Ukrainian grain to African nations.
Plokhy ends his narrative on the one-year anniversary of the war on an optimistic note, optimistic for Ukraine that is. The book is written with a strong pro-Ukrainian bias, but doesn't everyone not named Putin have that bias? I read this book wanting to get a view from the ground about the war in Ukraine, but the author delivers so much more. He provides a superb explanation of how all of the geopolitical moving parts in the world are connected and affected by this war and makes the reader so much smarter for the experience. I highly recommend this book for those who genuinely care about the plight of the Ukrainian people and for the hope of peace in the region.
The author continues to examine how powerful nations, including the United States, emboldened Russian designs on the region, and how the administration of Bill Clinton sought to entice Russia into capitalistic pursuits by stifling Ukrainian plans to join NATO and by pressuring Ukraine to surrender the nuclear weapons within its borders, removing one more layer of protection that Ukraine had against potential Russian aggression. Plokhy also looks at how the administration of George W. Bush saw the threat of Russian aggression more realistically, but was too preoccupied with wars in other regions to do much to hinder it, and how the administration of Barack Obama sought a "great reset" in US-Russian relations (with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton actually giving her Russian counterpart a "reset" button.) The Obama administration's best intentions failed to impede Vladimir Putin's expanionist desires, as in 2014 Russia invaded Crimea while interfering in Ukrainian government affairs. The administation of Donald Trump was even more obsequious to Putin and his plans.
Plokhy takes the reader though the history of the region, leading to the election of Volodimyr Zelensky and further attempts for Ukraine to join NATO, followed by the build-up of Russian troops on the border of Ukraine, and ultimately to the invasion (withheld until late February so as not to distract from China's hosting of the winter Olympic games.)
The author provides an excellent account of the wartime events, explaining why Russia's hopes of a quick victory never came to pass, how and why Russian military strategy failed, how the Russian mistreatment of Ukrainian civillians made their imagined scenario of being welcomed as liberators laughable, and how Russian hopes for support from other nations sputtered out over time. Especially compelling is the author's portrayal of the courage of the Ukrainian people in the face of unimaginable danger.
One of the most fascinating features of this book is the author's careful examination and explanation of how the other nations of the world have responsed to Russia's aggression, having to balance moral outrage with pragmatic economic concerns and their need for Russian oil and gas. The European nations have responded in a variety of ways, with Great Britain and Poland showing strong support for Ukraine, France trying to act as peace-maker at first, and Germany reluctant to get involved for fear of creating an energy crisis within its borders. Sweden, normally neutral, and Finland, Russia's neighbour, have joined NATO for fear or Russian aggression. Eventually all of democratic Europe have come to the aid of Ukraine, in differing ways, with Poland being most generous in its acceptance of Ukrainian refugees.
The author also takes a close look at the involvement of President Joe Biden in this crisis, a president who was initially doubtful that the Russians would actually invade. Biden's sudden and dysfunctional withdrawel of American troops from Afganistan emboldened Putin into concluding that there would be no western intereference with his plans. Plokhy explains how Biden has atoned for these mistakes by offering strong support for the Ukrainian cause, both in his rhetoric, and more importantly in providing US weapons to enable the Ukrainian people to defend themselves.
Plokhy also looks at how Putin's supposed allies have been slow in showing support for Putin and his war. Even China has walked a careful line, offering lukewarm moral support, but not much more, using the war to broker the purchase of Russian oil and gas at a bargain price. Iran had offered little support, and Turkey refuses to provide weapons to Russia, and have even worked to reopen the shipment of Ukrainian grain to African nations.
Plokhy ends his narrative on the one-year anniversary of the war on an optimistic note, optimistic for Ukraine that is. The book is written with a strong pro-Ukrainian bias, but doesn't everyone not named Putin have that bias? I read this book wanting to get a view from the ground about the war in Ukraine, but the author delivers so much more. He provides a superb explanation of how all of the geopolitical moving parts in the world are connected and affected by this war and makes the reader so much smarter for the experience. I highly recommend this book for those who genuinely care about the plight of the Ukrainian people and for the hope of peace in the region.