Aleksander Kwasniewski tells DW that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has produced the opposite of what Vladimir Putin hoped for: rather than weakening NATO, Moscow’s aggression has only strengthened the alliance.
“I met Putin around 20 times between 2000 and 2005, during my second term as president, when he was still a young president. We belong to the same generation. Back then, we had a lengthy conversation in the Kremlin, and I asked him what his main goal was. He replied: ‘You know, I want to restore Russia’s greatness.’ A ‘great Russia,’ in Putin’s view, cannot exist without Ukraine, Belarus, the Caucasus and Central Asia. At the time, however, I believed, wrongly as I can see today, that this was simply the dream of a young president who wanted to be among the world’s leading statesmen.”
“In 2022, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine became a historic mistake. But taking on NATO today would no longer be a historic mistake. It would be a mega-historic mistake, because NATO is stronger than Russia, and that is evident. As for military provocations against NATO, he simply does not have the capabilities for that today.”
“There are hybrid provocations against NATO, and there will continue to be. Their purpose is to test how united the allies are, how they respond, how they make decisions, and whether they are strong or weak. In my view, this is another mistake in Putin’s policy.”
Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
