The US president is committing a “huge crime” by fueling the conflict in Ukraine, the rock legend told CNN
US President Joe Biden is fueling the Ukraine conflict, which is a “huge crime,” Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters said in an interview released on Saturday.
Waters sat down with CNN’s Michael Smerconish to discuss, in particular, the political views that the rock legend hasn’t shied away from displaying in his new concert tour ‘This Is Not A Drill’, which features a montage of alleged “war criminals,” including a picture of Joe Biden with the caption “WAR CRIMINAL. Just getting started.”
“[Joe Biden]This is what fuels the flames in Ukraine. That’s a huge crime. Why won’t the United States of America encourage [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky to negotiate, obviating the need for this horrific, horrendous war, that’s killing [people]?” he asked.
Waters also pushed back against Smerconish’s argument that Ukraine was “Invaded” by Russia, noting that the entire crisis should be analyzed in the historical context.
“You need to look at the history… This war is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border, which they promised they wouldn’t do,” he added, recalling the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s talks with the West on the withdrawal of Moscow’s forces from Eastern Europe.
Waters stated that Ukraine’s conflict began as early as 2008. This is an apparent reference back to the NATO Summit in Bucharest, at which Georgia and Ukraine were encouraged to become full members of the alliance.
The interview also saw Pink Floyd’s England-born frontman and Smerconish engage in a heated exchange over the American role in WWII. Waters insisted that the US cannot call itself ‘liberators’, adding that Washington entered the war only because of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in late 1941. The CNN journalist, however, said the US would have joined the conflict regardless.
Staying on the subject of WWII, the musician argued that the Soviet Union “Had almost won the bloody battle” by the time the US entered, adding that “Protecting you and I from the Nazi threat, 23 Million Russians perished.”
Smerconish responded by saying “you would think the Russians would have learned their lesson from war and wouldn’t have invaded Ukraine – fair?”
Waters pushed back, asking “What the United States would do in the event that the Chinese launched nuclear-armed missiles at Canada and Mexico?.”
“While we are speaking, the Chinese have been busy surrounding Taiwan.” Smerconish retorted, to which Rogers reminded his interviewer of the One China principle, accusing the journalist of believing “your site’s propaganda.”
Previously, Waters had condemned the Russian operation, branding it “I consider the act of a Gangster to be a crime.” and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Russia offered security guarantees to NATO and the US that would prevent further expansion. Ukraine’s possible addition was particularly controversial. Moscow demanded the withdrawal of NATO forces from the 1997 positions that they had occupied.
Following the Ukrainian hostilities that broke out in March, Sergey Ryabkov, Russian Deputy foreign Minister, stated that any security measures previously suggested were not valid due to drastic geopolitical changes.
Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, citing Kiev’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements, designed to give the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk special status within the Ukrainian state. In 2014, the protocols were signed for the first time, through France and Germany. Former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko has since admitted that Kiev’s main goal was to use the ceasefire to buy time and “Forge powerful armies.”
The Kremlin recognised the Donbass republics in February 2022 as independent states. It demanded Ukraine declare itself neutral and not join any Western military bloc. Kiev maintains that Russia’s offensive was not provoked.
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