Page 32 - Soviet Republics News Today

Assessment of just how imminent a potential invasion is. >> so, we have the same facts but a different perception or a different estimation. >> reporter: the difference is on the question of intention. you dont believe they intend to invade? >> i hope that in kremlin they didnt make their decision still. >> reporter: but chernobyl is only ten miles from the border with belarus, where russia has been holding joint military exercises. these, just some of the 30,000 russian combat troops that nato ...

Different estimation. >> reporter: the differences on the question of intention. you dont believe they intend to invade? >> i hope that in kremlin they didnt make their decision still. >> reporter: but chernobyl is only ten miles from the border with belarus, where russia has been holding joint military exercises. these just some of the 30,000 combat troops that nato has warned on their way, welcomed with bread and salt and open arms. to the east of chernobyl lies this neutral zone between ukrai...

Intention. you dont believe they intend to invade? >> i hope that in kremlin they didnt make their decision still. >> reporter: but chernobyl is only 10 miles from the border with belarus where russia has been holding joint military exercises. these, just some of the 30,000 russian combat troops that nato has warned are on their way. welcome to the bread and salt and open arms. to the east of chernobyl lies this neutral zone between ukraine, russia, and belarus. its known as the three citrus cro...

Were to have those discussions? >> sure. but the question is, where does it end? so putin says, well, im just going in to georgia for whatever reason so that i can recognize these two little countries. then im annexing crimea because theyre mostly russians there and want to be part of russia. lets talk to those folks in the donbas because you never know what they want and eventually russia will try to take them over, too, or start a frozen conflict there. so if ukraine agrees to talk to these pe...

General peter swak and a memoir about his time in the 90s called "swimming the volga." good to have you on, general. i want to ask you because russia has shown no movement in its position. one of its demands being ukraine and frankly, other nations, no other nations could join nato ever again, non-starter for the u.s. but also a russian president who wants to gain back former soviet republics under his sway and public about the fact he doesnt think ukraine are a country or a people, its russian....

Lithuania, ukraine is down here, this is the area where the conflict is, all the way down here. what is the significance of moving troops up there? >> you know, when vladimir putin starts to say things like the soviet union and its downfall was a horrible loss, ukraine not being a real country, then you got to remember that not too many years ago estonia and lith wane whia and latvia were part the soviet union too. they are nato partners which is a good thing for them right now. but i think nato...

Other european countries have some things and what more could we have found her could be due at this moment, those who want to support. we dont have an obligation. >> unfortunately what we can do is not in the united states long-term interest. is a reason why there has been a bipartisan long-term policy to democratize ukraine and the space that russia claims control over. if we guarantee to the russians the security by promising them that nato is not going to -- ukraine, georgia, and other sovie...

Seen some strange bedfellows now come out of it and these two call each other best friends, they share a lot of common interests, and a lot of common autocratic views, right. they both extended their terms. now they can be rulers for life. and they have met some 38 times, the balance has shifted historically between the soviet union and chinas relationship. china was the weaker country. the soviet union was a dominant. thats changed now. were seeing more shared interest particularly economically...

And fewer options. the u.s. and other european countries have sent thingsr. ld rebecca, what more could we have done or could we do atat this moment those who want to support ukraine even though its not a member of nato, we dont have an obligation to it in the same way. unfortunately, what we can do is not in theis united states long term interests. theres a reason why this has been a bipartisan long term policy to quote unquote democratize ukraine. and the poster space that russia claims contro...

And in a piece in the "new york times," he says putins baseless claims of genocide reflect sincere belief in a world dominated by a hostile west, it is the rightful protector of russian populations throughout the former soviet republics. is this part of his motivation? it is within his right to do what he is doing or about to do to ukraine? >> certainly, this is construct that the russians have made in the modern era. they started advancing this narrative in the mid 90s, the russians abroad had ...