Francis Fukuyama on the War in Ukraine, Authoritarianism, and Liberal Democracy

On the war in Ukraine, the weakness of strong states, and the resilience of liberal democracies.

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Chapter 1 (00:15 - 28:17): Where things stand in Ukraine

Chapter 2 (28:17 - 56:43): Liberalism and Authoritarianism

Eleven months into the war, where do things stand in Ukraine? What does the West need to do to help Ukraine win? What lessons can we draw from the war about the ambitions of authoritarians, the resolve of liberal democracies today, and the most pressing geopolitical challenges we face?

To discuss these questions, we are joined by Francis Fukuyama, the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, who has led important efforts in education and civil society in Ukraine over the last decade. According to Fukuyama, we are in the midst of a difficult moment in the war. Nonetheless, he argues, the fundamental dynamics remain unchanged: Ukraine can win if it receives adequate military and financial support from the West. Fukuyama argues that Ukraine’s impressive performance and Russia’s weakness should force us to confront and reassess the fashionable narrative of pessimism about liberal democracies. The war—as well as other recent developments—have revealed the reserves of strength and resilience in liberal democracies, while the weaknesses of “strong states” such as Russia and China have become more apparent. This assessment is not one of complacency. Rather, Fukuyama points to the high stakes of the war—and the importance of strengthening our resolve to defend free countries against authoritarian threats.