I was interviewed by Petr Drulák, the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Drulák wrote the foreword for the Czech-language version of my book “The Ukraine War & the Eurasian World Order”.
In the interview (video below) we discuss how the US ambition to establish a world order based on hegemony manifested itself in NATO expansion. Abandoning the agreements for an inclusive pan-European security architecture based on indivisible security and reviving zero-sum bloc politics has been the source of conflicts ever since. The dividing lines in Europe were revived, re-militarised, and gradually moved towards Russian borders with predictably catastrophic results. The Ukraine War is a symptom of the collapsing unipolar era, yet also a driver for multipolarity as the wider world has begun to construct an alternative international economic system and a multipolar world order.
Endorsements:
“Diesen has written a terrific book about the emerging world order. The multipolar system that is now forming, he argues, has the potential to be much more peaceful than the US-dominated unipolar moment that recently ended. But the Ukraine war, a legacy of American policy during unipolarity, has poisoned international politics and made it difficult to transition to a more harmonious Westphalian order. A must read for anyone who wants to understand the great shift in the global distribution of power that is taking place before our eyes.”- JOHN J. MEARSHEIMER, R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago.
“A most thoughtful and realistic account of the evolution of the world order, the perils that transitions in it create, and the relationship of these to the tragic conflict in Ukraine. Diesen dispels and replaces the fog of war with the much-needed clarity of historically informed reason.” - AMBASSADOR CHAS FREEMAN, Former U.S. assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs
“Brilliant, in-depth analysis of the roots of the Ukraine war and the emerging changes in the world order.” - JACK F. MATLOCK, Jr, U.S. Ambassador to the USSR, 1987–1991
“Excellent book! Glenn Diesen offers a highly informative analysis of the change and continuity of world order over the centuries. Must read to understand the complexity of the Ukraine War as a historical inflection point.” - SERGEY KARAGANOV, Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, Russia Honorary Chairman of the Presidium
“A wide-ranging and stimulating examination of contesting models of world order and the roots of the Russo-Ukrainian war. A corrective to mainstream Western narratives, providing a powerful conceptual framework for critique. A brilliant foundational work.” - RICHARD SAKWA, University of Kent
“A superb book! Diesen dismantles the war propaganda and outlines why the Ukraine War is a symptom of a collapsing world order.” - CLARE DALY, Member of the European Parliament
“What luck! Professor Diesen takes the role of Christopher, patron saint of travelers, as we stumble across the threshold into 2024 – a truly liminal year. With laudable candor, Diesen presents little-known facts – on Ukraine, for example – showing how we arrived at this dangerous juncture. If facts lead to action, we may yet survive the demise of the tottering hegemon of the West.” - RAY McGOVERN, former CIA Presidential Briefer
“An important read. Important insights – as we need to face up to the unwelcome task of challenging our own preconceptions and having to navigate in an unfamiliar (non-western) landscape – where old steady handholds simply – are no longer present. No longer there.” - ALASTAIR CROOKE, former British diplomat
About 6 minutes in, you have the perfect description of the collective insanism of the West.
Diesen's work has been consistently excellent for years. Good to see him at Valdai.
What has been missed about the Ukraine war is the enormous US/UK backed intelligence operation conducted against people like Diesen by a UK based Ukrainian OSINT operation called Molfar.
Diesen is on their list of "foreign propagandists" here. https://molfar.com/en/foreign-propagandists
I wrote about this operation, which boasts of placing stories in the UK and US press to defame, doxx and slander critics of the Ukraine war such as Max Blumenthal and the UK academic Tim Hayward.
This UK/US taxpayer funded operation has worked to prevent Western audiences from learning the truth about this terrible war, and has sought to discredit and intimidate journalists and politicians across Europe to silence them. I became aware of them when they wrote to me to assist in a smear campaign against a leading Polish politician.
You can read about Molfar's hit list of Western dissidents on my own stack, using the link below this post. If you can't use Substack's freebie to view the post, email me and I will send you a free link.
frankwrighter@pm.me