I'm John Bachelors of the CBSI on the World and Quincy Institute scholar and my colleague

Anatole Leveness here, but within these last hours Anatole has led a webinar at the Quincy

Institute with his colleagues Jeffrey Sachs, Tom Graham and Miriam Pemberton about the

days ahead of the Ukraine conflict because of the imminent counteroffensive and we just

have a few moments here for me to first recommend it if you go seeking for it because it was

all recorded and a very helpful conversation about different points of view.

And Anatole, you and I have discussed your opinion that we all wait on the outcome of

the counteroffensive which I agree with.

It's one great big waterfall that's coming relentlessly over the cliff.

However, your colleague Jeffrey Sachs made the trenchant point that don't wait, make

peace now, start diplomacy now, do not hesitate, it can get worse.

I listen very carefully to him.

What is your measure of the possibility of diplomacy now, not later?

Well I fear my measure of the possibility of successful diplomacy is very low because

the Ukrainians simply will not listen and remember the Ukrainians do have to agree to any ceasefire.

But that's not to say that America cannot, you know, may not be able to get a ceasefire

now.

But America can begin the diplomacy to a very limited extent it already is, has by, you

know, talking to the Chinese.

But on the other hand, you know, it has, you know, really begun as far as one knows,

you know, even exploratory diplomacy yet.

And the instinctive response of the Biden administration has been simply to dismiss the

...