University of Houston history professor available for media on the Russia-Ukraine war, the U.S. and NATO.
As Professor Buzzanco sees it, “the current conflict, clearly an act of aggression by Russia in violation of international law, also has to be observed in the context of a long confrontation with Russia since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite George H.W. Bush and James Baker promised the USSR that NATO would not expand eastward, the U.S. did that in the later 1990s, moving into ex-Soviet areas, which Russian leaders warned would be a “hostile act.” The U.S. also invested heavily in the Russian economy and political system as ex-Soviet industries were nationalized. Because of this, American power grew exponentially in areas adjacent to Russia, thus merging Vladimir Putin’s plan to expand Russian power aggressively with defense concerns of encirclement as NATO grew closer to Russia’s borders. Now, as the Russian attacks are destroying Ukraine and killing innocent people, the need for negotiations based not just on Russia’s violation of international law but also the legacy of 30 years of political conflict with the U.S. is necessary to stop the bloodshed.”
Professor of History Robert Buzzanco from the University of Houston, and co-host of the Green and Red Podcast, is available for media interviews on the current crisis in Ukraine. Professor Buzzanco has an extensive record of publications, public appearances in Houston, and media interviews on local media regarding U.S. foreign policy, the arms race, NATO, U.S. armed conflict and wars, and U.S. relations with the Soviet Union and Russia. He is also an award winning author of numerous books and essays on the Cold War, the Vietnam War, U.S. military intervention, the military-industrial complex, and the military budget.
Professor Buzzanco can be reached via text message at 713.269.1508 or at buzzanco@cougarnet.uh.edu, or buzz@uh.edu
Professor Buzzanco has participated in two recent podcasts on this topic, see:
