James Carden — Ambassador Jack Matlock makes the case for the United States reaching a practical compromise with Russia.

Jack Matlock makes the case for the United States reaching a practical compromise with Russia.

Something is amiss, according to the ambassador, when heretofore serious voices in Washington believe that arming Kiev is a relatively consequence-free policy choice because they insist on viewing Russia as “a regional power.” To Matlock’s way of thinking, this is an error of the first order. “No one with ICBM’s is a regional power, not by any means.” 

Matlock stressed that his position—that the United States needs to find a modus vivendiwith Russia in spite of the crisis in Ukraine—is not driven by any animus towards the Ukrainians, far from it. “I respect and know Ukraine; I know it, its people and its literature,” but we in the West and in the United States in particular need to understand that for Russia, Ukraine is of “existential” importance.

The Nation
Legendary Ambassador Delivers Some Straight Talk in DC
James Carden