A Conversation with Retired Ambassador Roman Popadiuk on the Ukrainian Invasion

Ambassador Roman Popadiuk is the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. A retired member of the career Senior Foreign Service, he served on the National Security Councils of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush.  With this conversation, Ambassador Popadiuk discusses the Ukrainian Invasion.

Starting with why Mr. Putin invaded the Ukraine, Ambassador Popadiuk spotlights some aspects and unintended consequences of the invasion for which Mr. Putin may not have anticipated.  

He discusses how changing the overall global security map may well be one of Mr. Putin’s desires. Amidst a long history of oppression, starvation and war, the Ukrainian people also have a history of resilience and survival. With the current invasion, Ambassdor Popaduik further discusses Ukrainian resilience and survival. 

He moves on to discusses what he believes the view of the Russian people to be of Ukraine today in 2022 and how they are reacting to the current invasion. 

Could the Russian Ukrainian Invasion could escalate into a conflict, even war, between NATO, perhaps the United States and Russia, or not? With a potential threat of the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Mr. Putin, might the Ukrainian Invasion be considered a novel situation, perhaps not? 

Ambassador Popadiuk also spotlights his thoughts on whether the Ukrainian Invasion be solved diplomatically or not.    

Is China President Xi a cohort of Mr. Putin with the invasion of Ukraine? In the months ahead, will the Russian invasion of Ukraine become too much for Putin to Control?

In closing, with Russia having ancestral roots common to Ukraine, Ambassador Popadiuk discusses whether Mr. Putin and his actions are a reflection of his and the traditional Russian view of Ukraine.