Deep Background on Ukraine and Russia (G&R 142)

Welcome back to G&R co-host Bob Buzzanco!  We wish we had a happier story to share today for his return.    This week, Russia invaded the Ukraine sparking the largest land assault on the European continent since World War Two. The markets went into turmoil. The price of oil and gas went up. Political and media establishments scrambled to act on what's next.  Biden moved 7000 US troops to the Polish-Ukrainian border and NATO is expected to send more troops. In cities across Russia, antiwar protestors took to the streets to protest Vladimir Putin's war with over 2000 being arrested. Finally, the Biden administration and allies have begun a sanctions war against Russia's people, it's elite institutions and Putin himself.    In our latest episode, we go deep into the history of the Ukraine-Russian conflict and the bipartisan involvement by the U.S. ruling class.  We discuss the break up of the Soviet Union, the expansion of the North American Treaty Organization (NATO), the role of the 1999 war in Kosovo in all of this and the Russian invasion of the former Soviet republic of Georgia in 2008. Most importantly, we talk about how U.S. foreign policy has sought to contain Russia and wield economic and political influence over Europe and the former Soviet republics.    Right now, in this moment, the global elite are trying to contain another shock to the political economy and turn it into a profitable enterprise. And G&R is talking about what led us to this moment.    Our hearts go out to the ordinary Ukrainians fighting back, being displaced and killed by the Russian attack, and to the ordinary Russians  who will be affected by the West's sanctions and are taking to the streets against Putin monstrous invasion.    We close out with a quote by a great American socialist politician (and not the one you're thinking of) Outro- Neil and Eddie "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World."  -------------------------------------------  Links//  In Gazprom deal, JPMorgan takes on business that some banks fear (https://reut.rs/3sv6yLL)  John Matlock: NATO and the origins of the Ukraine crisis  (https://bit.ly/3si5Uku)  U.S. companies push Biden, Congress for caution on Russia sanctions (https://reut.rs/3hgdYMe)   War and Anarchists: Anti-Authoritarian Perspectives in Ukraine (https://bit.ly/3JWzSjT) Follow Green and Red//  https://linktr.ee/greenandredpodcast  Check out our new and improved website: https://greenandredpodcast.org/   Join our Discord Party: https://bit.ly/36hqx7X Donate to Green and Red Podcast//  Become a recurring donor at  https://www.patreon.com/greenredpodcast  Or make a one time donation here: https://bit.ly/DonateGandR   This is a Green and Red Podcast (@PodcastGreenRed) production. Produced  by Bob (@bobbuzzanco) and Scott (@sparki1969).  “Green and Red Blues" by Moody.  Editing by Scott.