Olga and Tara welcome Senator Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of the Russian Federation Council – for Russia’s perspectives on the war in Ukraine, Western policies and the world’s future security.

Did Europe misunderstand the events of 2014 from the very beginning? Why does Sen. Kosachev argue that the Minsk Agreements, the Istanbul peace talks, and Russia’s 2021 security proposals represented missed opportunities to avoid a wider conflict, and why does he believe European leaders are now politically unable to change course?

Can the US influence Ukraine’s decisions? Have sanctions strengthened rather than weakened Russia? And is today’s “rules-based order” replacing international law – or is that itself a flawed interpretation of world politics?

What would Russia consider a lasting peace? Why does Moscow reject claims that it seeks territorial expansion beyond Ukraine? And how does Sen. Kosachev explain Russia’s security concerns, its relationship with NATO, and its vision of a future European security architecture?