S8 Ep383: Victoria Coates warns that the Kremlin may use the presence of Russian-speaking populations in the Baltic states as a justification for future aggression, replicating the strategy currently deployed against Ukraine. She notes that this established pattern

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John Batchelor

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🗓️ 28 January 2026

⏱️ 1 minutes

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Summary

Victoria Coates warns that the Kremlin may use the presence of Russian-speaking populations in the Baltic states as a justification for future aggression, replicating the strategy currently deployed against Ukraine. She notes that this established pattern, which claims that Russian speakers belong to Russia, poses a threat not only to the Baltics but also to Moldova, although she expresses concern that European powers like Germany are failing to heed these warning signs.
1923 PETROGRAD

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is John Batchel, a conversation with Victoria Coates of the Heritage Foundation about the threat to the Baltic states.
0:07.4	Why? Because of all the Russian speakers in the Baltic states.
0:12.1	The Kremlin's pattern is to claim whoever speaks Russian belongs at home in Russia.
0:20.2	Therefore, Ukraine. Therefore therefore the Baltic states, therefore Moldova.
0:26.8	That is the pattern. Will it follow through after Ukraine? Unknown, but Victoria addresses
0:32.5	the matter now, and how Berlin and Paris, Berlin in particular, are not listening.
0:38.3	More of this tonight.
0:40.3	Well, I think you have to understand that the Chinese history for as long as anyone can remember has been raised and dashed expectations.
0:49.3	So, you know, you start to think, like in the 1890s, China opens up to international trade
0:56.2	and everybody gets really excited about all the prospects and then, and then, bam, it slams down.
1:02.2	And then, you know, around the communist revolution as well.
1:05.9	And again, 1979, China opens up to the West.
1:10.0	Everybody's really excited and everybody has all of these prospects that they didn't have before.
1:17.1	And now that's really closing down.

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