Blog

By Ioannis Baltzoi*

          About a month ago, Stavros Lygeros gave me his new book on the war in Ukraine, his second in a series on the same subject, about a war in the heart of Central Europe, which has been going on for three and a half years, despite initial predictions of a rapid blitzkrieg war. He asked me for a book review of his new book, telling me “I want your opinion, because you have been involved in the war from the beginning and I want your honest opinion on it.” I took the book, about 500 pages long, and started reading it. I was surprised to find that the author’s work had certain special characteristics.

It is characterized by research, historical detection and revelation, truth and documentation, courage and its presentation. It went against the Western narrative and the unimaginable anti-Russian hysteria, it assessed the situations against the tide and was vindicated, following a difficult path and not the easy one of the Americanization of "Western fantasies" and the revelation of the truth. It preferred the right path of genuine and honest journalism instead of the easy and "politically correct" one, as defined by the Western centers of (mis)information. Thus, in a volume of 500 pages, Lygeros, investigates, digs, reveals with courage and audacity what the West hides. And this is not easy, because the accusation was ready, from the ones assigned to a special mission "troll": "Putinaki" and financed with rubles. The reader will find through the book the causes of the war, what preceded it, who was preparing this war and why, what was the purpose and who constituted this famous "party of war". And all this with unshakable arguments and evidence that do not tolerate doubts and misinterpretations.

The unseen aspects of the war in Ukraine, I would say that they contain everything, as the subtitle says: Geopolitics, Battles, Propaganda, Geoeconomy, Diplomacy and International Implications. And the analysis begins with the events before the Invasion, continues with the War and Diplomacy, during the Biden presidency, the Ideological Aspect of the War, the Geoeconomy of the War and ends with the War and Diplomacy during the Trump presidency. That is, it reaches the last events, shortly before it was printed, which means that the author was writing the latest developments until the last moment, the collapse and expulsion of the Ukrainians from the Kursk region, this disastrous "idea" of the British advisors of President Zelensky, an imitation of .

Analyzing the book, it is appropriate to examine the situation from the beginning, in order to understand what happened and why it happened, this war that could have been avoided and caused all this chaotic situation, which brought the two worlds, East and West, to the brink of World War III and possibly a nuclear confrontation. The Monroe Doctrine is a US policy, which was introduced on December 2, 1823 and has completely determined American foreign policy to this day. By implementing, shaping and expanding the famous Monroe Doctrine, the United States has claimed and implemented security, not only on the American continent, but in the entire Western Hemisphere on the ground. It has made it clear that any foreign power that places military forces near US territory, or in the territories of its allies, crosses the red line. US policy thus embodies the belief that where a potential adversary positions its forces is vital to its security. In fact, this policy and belief is the cornerstone of US foreign and military policy, and its violation is considered a cause for war. An example is the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963, when the then Soviet Union and the US came close to nuclear confrontation.

But when it comes to Russia and some other countries, the United States and its NATO allies have acted differently for decades, ignoring this same principle. They have gradually, with NATO’s eastward expansion, moved military forces toward Russia, even on its borders. They have done so with insufficient care, and sometimes with indifference, to how Russian leaders might perceive this action. If Russia had taken equivalent actions with respect to U.S. territory—say, by stationing its military forces in Canada or Mexico—Washington would have gone to war and explained that war as a defensive response to a foreign power’s military encroachment. When viewed through this lens, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is also seen by many Western analysts as an attempt to reestablish a safe zone on Russia’s western borders free from aggressive threats.

Our world has entered a phase that we could call “the phase of geopolitical creative destruction”, where the nations of the global community are unfolding their power. The US geostrategists incorrectly estimated, as the author correctly estimates, that they should first neutralize, through military and economic weakening, Russia, so that they could then deal dynamically with the great adversary, China. And they theoretically fell into Thucydides’ trap. The unipolar world that the US believed would be maintained under their hegemony collapsed and in its place the new Post-Unipolar World appeared, which has begun to take shape as a rival to the Western bloc. The main thing was to unite powers that had differences with each other, with China, such as Russia and India, and to create a “Hyper Power”, the so-called global South, which is more powerful in terms of population, military and economic power than the so-called “Collective West”. Thus, Russia reappears on the geopolitical scene, indeed in a historically recognizable form of recovery that refers to the once Russian empire, based on traditional values, such as the sense of historical greatness. Add a more dynamic and extroverted China, an increasingly unstable Middle East, a scorched Africa and a collapsing Europe and we have the whole puzzle completed.

The continuation of this war, despite the initial assessments of a war in the form of Blitzkrieg (lightning war), evolved into an escalating conflict and an incredible massacre. In the book, the author analyzes and interprets the great war in Europe, with composure and subtlety, without obsessions and prejudices, without various narratives from whatever side they may come from, but with a political, geopolitical and geostrategic disposition. And he achieves this with an objective observation, without obsessions, but with courage and often "against the tide" of Western propaganda and immoral disinformation.

And here it is very important for Western culture. Globally today, we are in the hands of a disruption of free information.. Without accurate facts, there is no truth. Without truth, there is no trust of the people in their governments and their policies. The unilateral presentation of certain and already selected events by the democratic West, a unique and unprecedented event for all of us its citizens, consciously or unconsciously attempts to obscure the understanding of the causes that create an event. The hysteria caused by the controlled systemic Mass Media (MME) and Social Networking Media (SNM) and the "party following" and the division created by the continuous "brainwashing" on the "correct and nationally imposed", assists the stimulation of the emotional and aims to exclude the functioning of the rational. The democratic West cannot impose an "embargo" on the movement of information and information to citizens, on the free expression of every opinion and reach extreme practices, reminiscent of dictatorships, fascism and Nazism, such as for example prohibiting the transmission of information from the target country, or the promotion of its culture. It is incomprehensible to me personally and I appreciate for every sane and free person, to prohibit Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Zholzhenitsyn, Gogol, etc., to not allow performances, e.g. Russian ballets, concerts, theatrical performances, participation in global club sports events and so much more that we have seen and are experiencing even today, demonizing a country, regardless of any of its responsibilities, but also others, its history and culture, erasing its past and keeping only the present, its evil present if you will.

The terrible geopolitical tug-of-war of the planetary powers in the war in Ukraine is reaching a critical point, which should concern the leaders of the West and the East and make decisions. Continuation of the war or an attempt to find a mutually acceptable solution? This is very important, since the continuation of the war may even lead us to generalization and World War III and possibly to the use of tactical or even strategic nuclear weapons, a nightmarish reality. The war in Ukraine is the most dangerous international crisis since the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, which may even end in a world war or even a nuclear confrontation, without wanting to risk it.

We will not refer further to the analysis of the evolving situations, which the author, with his great experience as a journalist and writer, deals with with great mastery and captures with clarity and clarity the political-economic developments and the land operations, in an excellent way the most important battles, although non-military. And here it is appropriate to refer to the war in question from the Greek side and how it affects the homeland in the geopolitical environment. Stavros Lygeros analyzes the national policy on the issue of the war in Ukraine and exercises, correctly in my opinion, harsh criticism of the attitude and behavior of the Greek government. Greece, although it was not asked, became "more royal than the king", unjustifiably came out completely in front, on the front line of the anti-Russian hysteria, with words and deeds, did everything possible to provoke, insult and harm the Russian side, reaching the supreme wretchedness of verbally declaring war on Russia, indifferent to historical ties, long-standing policies of good relations and support of Russia in our national issues (e.g. in Cyprus). On the other hand, we saw an inexplicable policy of worship and admiration of the Ukrainian leadership, not so democratic, which damaged the Hellenism of the Mariupol region, since the "friendly" president of Ukraine, abolished by law in 2023, the recognition of the Greek minority of Ukraine. And as a "thank you" for Ukraine's despicable act towards our compatriots, the Greek government decided to deprive the Greek Army of critical military equipment, weapons and ammunition, as aid to Ukraine, demilitarizing the Greek islands to a significant extent, criminally reducing our deterrent capacity against the eternal enemy, the revisionist Turkey, with the unanswered question, why? This policy, as the author emphasizes, seriously and dangerously harms national interests, especially today when the situation in the military sector, in the military balance of power, is constantly deteriorating to our detriment. Finally and very importantly, the author, after the findings, suggests proposals, solutions, practices and policies that result in a new approach to our foreign policy and a change of attitude and course, for our survival as a nation. The book is highly recommended for all Greeks who are interested in the truth, the geopolitical developments in our wider region, and who feel like active citizens and not passive and obedient partisan soldiers.

• Ioannis Baltzoi is an actor (s.a.), M.Scin Geopolitics of the National University of Athens, president of ELISME.