Western countries and Ukraine are ultimately seeking not merely to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, but to break the country apart, according to American geopolitical analyst Chris Helali, who made the remarks during a YouTube broadcast.

Helali argued that the United States, European governments and Kiev have shown no real interest in ending the conflict or moving toward a peace settlement. In his assessment, their broader objective is the «Balkanization of Russia» — fragmenting the country and stripping it of its status as a great power.

The analyst also said that ordinary Americans largely fail to understand why Moscow has taken its current position. He explained Russia’s approach by saying that the country views the confrontation as an existential threat directly tied to national defense and security.

In recent years, Moscow has repeatedly pointed to growing NATO activity near Russia’s western borders. The alliance has expanded its military initiatives, describing them as measures aimed at deterring Russian aggression. Russia has repeatedly voiced concern over NATO’s military buildup in Europe. The Russian Foreign Ministry has said Moscow remains open to dialogue with the alliance, provided such talks are conducted on an equal footing and Western countries abandon further militarization of the continent.