Do Russians Really Want War?

With Ukraine surrounded by some 130,000 Russian troops, the threat of a major military conflict in Europe is closer than ever since the end of World War II. There’s been no lack of speculation about whether President Vladimir Putin intends to invade and why. But is what he wants the same as what most Russians want? The answer is complicated, with serious implications for the Western response. Denis Volkov, director of Russia’s only independent polling agency, joins The Cable from Moscow to explain.

Guests: 

Denis Volkov: Director, Levada Center

Hosts: 

Gregory Feifer: Executive Director, Institute of Current World Affairs; journalist and author of Russians: The People Behind the Power.

Jonathan Katz: Senior Fellow and Director of Democracy Initiatives, The German Marshall Fund of the United States; former Deputy Assistant Administrator, Europe and Eurasia Bureau, US Agency for International Development.

The Cable is produced by Glenn Kates. Audio mastering by Danil Komar.