Will Vladimir Putin invade, or not invade? That is the headline-dominating question that has sent much of the international community into panic mode. And while some are more optimistic that the Russian leader will ultimately decide against all-out war in Ukraine, many experts and journalists across the world—including The Daily Beast’s Nico Hines—aren't so sure.
“Vladimir Putin seized Crimea just seven years ago… he just waltzed in there and took it and nobody did a damn thing. I just don’t see this cause for optimism at all,” said Hines on Friday’s The World This Week. “I think there’s a very good chance that if Putin decided to go to Ukraine tomorrow or next weekend, that he would do so with very little resistance and absolutely no military input from NATO.”
Discussing the global fallout should Russia move ahead with an invasion, Hines added: “Everyone would tear their hair out and say how awful it was. And after six months, people will say ‘oh well, what are we gonna do about it?’ Europe is entirely reliant on Russia for its gas supply—and that’s not going to change anytime soon.”
Watch the full The World This Week episode on France 24.
