The biggest mistake the West made about Russia. Brian Whitmore, a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, explains why he thinks the West fundamentally misunderstood Russia for decades and how those mistakes are still shaping today’s war in Ukraine.
The West hoped Russia would become a democracy even as signs pointed in the other direction. Meanwhile, the Kremlin deliberately exploited divisions inside Western societies. Whitmore argues that perception, fear, and political hesitation created today’s reality. He also challenges the idea that Russia’s war in Ukraine is simply “Putin’s war,” arguing that the problem is systemic and unlikely to disappear with a change of leadership.
The conversation also tackles current U.S. policy and whether there is a real strategy to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Despite political uncertainty and reduced support, Whitmore remains cautiously optimistic about Ukraine’s chances and makes a clear case that the future of Russia depends on Ukraine winning the war.
