Rethinking War and Power: What We're Getting Wrong about Ukraine's Counteroffensive (with Phillips O'Brien)

With the Ukrainian counteroffensive nearly two weeks in, many optimistic observers have been quick to call it a failure. To discuss this mass misunderstanding—and misunderstandings around modern warfare writ-large—Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with Phillips O'Brien, American historian and professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. To what extent did Ukraine's unprecedented success during the February 2022 battle of Kharkiv warp public perception about how wars are fought? How much of a constraint is a lack of airpower for Ukrainian forces? Given the available resources, what should we reasonably expect from Ukraine this summer? O'Brien concludes by suggesting that any true understanding of the Russia-Ukraine war requires a fundamental reassessment of what makes a great power.

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