Sam Olsen
@samolsen.bsky.social
Author at States of Play Substack and geopolitical nerd https://samolsen.substack.com
Also samholsen.org
Also samholsen.org
My latest States of Play essay - inspired by my recent podcast with @keirgiles.bsky.social - digs into what Putin really wants — and why diplomacy won’t work until we recognise the 1914 mindset driving him.
👉 open.substack.com/pub/samolsen...
👉 open.substack.com/pub/samolsen...
From Alaska to the Baltic: Why Putin Won’t Settle for Peace
Trump seeks peace, but Putin’s goal is empire — a return to pre-First World War, not today’s world order
open.substack.com
August 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM
My latest States of Play essay - inspired by my recent podcast with @keirgiles.bsky.social - digs into what Putin really wants — and why diplomacy won’t work until we recognise the 1914 mindset driving him.
👉 open.substack.com/pub/samolsen...
👉 open.substack.com/pub/samolsen...
The real enemy for Putin isn’t Ukraine alone.
It’s the system that protects Ukraine: NATO, the EU, and the wider rules-based order. Break those, and Russia can dictate terms again.
It’s the system that protects Ukraine: NATO, the EU, and the wider rules-based order. Break those, and Russia can dictate terms again.
August 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM
The real enemy for Putin isn’t Ukraine alone.
It’s the system that protects Ukraine: NATO, the EU, and the wider rules-based order. Break those, and Russia can dictate terms again.
It’s the system that protects Ukraine: NATO, the EU, and the wider rules-based order. Break those, and Russia can dictate terms again.
That’s why Trump’s peace gamble was doomed.
Putin doesn’t want compromise. He wants legitimacy restored: Russia elevated as an imperial great power, Ukraine reduced to a province, and the post-Cold War order dismantled.
Putin doesn’t want compromise. He wants legitimacy restored: Russia elevated as an imperial great power, Ukraine reduced to a province, and the post-Cold War order dismantled.
August 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM
That’s why Trump’s peace gamble was doomed.
Putin doesn’t want compromise. He wants legitimacy restored: Russia elevated as an imperial great power, Ukraine reduced to a province, and the post-Cold War order dismantled.
Putin doesn’t want compromise. He wants legitimacy restored: Russia elevated as an imperial great power, Ukraine reduced to a province, and the post-Cold War order dismantled.
And we just recorded the podcast... out soon!
July 23, 2025 at 3:02 PM
And we just recorded the podcast... out soon!