It’s nothing less than a revival of a new Cold War to counter VOA and BBC broadcasts during Russia’s assault and occupation of Ukraine. The international community, the United States and NATO are all reacting vigorously to the latest news about Russia’s forces threatening Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, and its southern shore communities. The Associated…
United States defense experts said they believe the Russian assault on its East European neighbor has encountered “considerable global resistance.” Moscow apparently has won no public support from its neighbors and significant domestic opposition since it launched a full-scale assault on Ukraine on February 23. Five days later, Russian forces were still facing unexpectedly fierce…
Leading up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, major media such as MSNBC, CNN and FOX interviewed numerous experts and pundits about Russian state propaganda, and how the U.S. government was responding. One regular on MSNBC is Richard Stengel, a former TIME magazine editor who served as under secretary of state for public diplomacy in the…
In a comprehensive roundup 24 hours after Russian forces began swooping into Ukraine on February 23, Voice of America correspondent Steve Herman summarized the outlook: “In the hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine — although no country has declared war on Russia — many are asking: ‘Is this the start…
As 2022 dawned six weeks ago, it was difficult to imagine that America would be reading headlines about two new life-threatening crises in Europe and Asia: *In Europe, Russian threats to invade neighboring Ukraine, potentially causing the loss of thousands of lives. *In Afghanistan, a growing hunger crisis that could kill 23 million people after…
In Washington, European capitals and Moscow, the future of Ukraine remains at the forefront of a crucial effort to avoid the most dangerous international crisis since the Cold War. In recent weeks, there has been a buildup of Russian troops east and north of Ukraine — the latest estimates are forces numbering more than 100,000,…
Shortly after Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev on January 19, the Voice of America gained an authoritative readout from America’s top diplomat on how Washington views the Ukraine crisis. During an exclusive Kiev interview with Secretary Blinken shortly after his meeting with Mr. Zelensky, VOA’s East Europe…
David Sanger of the New York Times sums up the crisis crisply: —Russian troops are encircling Ukraine from three sides. —There are warnings of crushing Western sanctions against Russia if more of Moscow’s troops enter Ukraine. —Yet there are still “off-ramps” in the crisis. Soon, the United States and NATO are expected to react forcefully…
Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, puts it bluntly. “As people see unaccountable rulers (those not empowered in free elections) prioritize their own interests over that of their publics,” he contends, “a popular demand for rights-respecting democracy remains strong.” The second week of 2022 appears to have been crucial in determining whether or…
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) focuses on four foreign policy news stories to follow this year. “Any one of them,” the CFR website says, “could turn into the dominant news event of the year — or fade away. We’ll know in 12 months which will sizzle and which will fizzle.” The top four are:…