From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Ukraine, the man in the middle.

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Geographically,

Ukraine is midway between the liberal democracies of the European Union and the authoritarian

oligarchies of the former Soviet Union. It's also in between economically and politically,

and in recent weeks, tensions have led to increasingly violent protests. Over the weekend, the deaths

of protesters and concessions by the government produced an uneasy

standoff.

How long can it last?

Is there a risk of civil war?

What are the stakes for Russia's Vladimir Putin?

What about the U.S.?

And the consequences for the global economy?

Today's talking point, exporting America's culture war.

First, here's the news.

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