The Washington Post Magazine - USA (2022-04-03)

increasingly emboldened, acting with impunity on the

perceptions that there would not be a consequence for his

increasingly aggressive behavior. So I knew it was really just a

matter of time. And then being part of the Trump

administration that took that creeping, looming confrontation

and lurched it forward significantly — both on the macro level,

with regards to undermining our alliances, perceptions that

there were divides for Putin to exploit, the insipid efforts to

undermine and weaken the United States domestically. And

then, of course, on the micro level, weakening the bonds

between the U.S. and Ukraine. And then, post-Trump, the

insurrection was a key milestone in that, you know: “The U.S.

is weak. This is the time to strike.”

From Putin’s point of view?

From Putin’s point of view. Putin saw the opportunity

emerge. And that continued through 2021 as he was building

up forces. Trump cheerleading for Putin. Tucker Carlson

cheerleading for Putin. Mike Pompeo cheerleading for Putin.

These are the folks that signaled that the costs of this

operation, this war, would be limited. Just as President Biden

was attempting to signal that the toll would be heavy, half of

the political leaders were signaling the opposite, undermining

the ability to deter.

R

e tired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, 46, served in

the U.S. Army and as director of European and

Russian affairs for the National Security Council

during the Trump administration. He testified in

the first impeachment hearings against President

Donald Trump. He lives in Virginia with his wife and children.

This interview was conducted March 8 and has been edited for

clarity and length.

Your perspective on what’s happening in Ukraine is

unique, having been born in Ukraine under the Soviet

system, coming to the United States with your family as

refugees, and then studying the region for years in the

Army, with the NSC. What’s it been like for you, personally

and professionally?

It’s surreal, it’s disturbing. It’s disheartening on multiple

levels. There’s the human toll of the suffering that’s unfolding,

but also, all of my work and my energies were on avoiding

something like this, avoiding a war that potentially drags the

U.S. in, and I’ve utterly failed. Complete, total failure in that

regard.

Serving in Russia from 2012 to 2015 clarified my suspicions

that we were headed towards confrontation with Russia at one

point or another, that [President Vladimir] Putin was

INTERVIEW BY KK OTTESEN PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDRÉ CHUNG

‘These Events That Are

Unfolding Now Will

Shape the 21 st Century’

Alexander Vindman on Vladimir Putin,

the invasion of Ukraine and the dangers ahead