Jordan Peterson has tried to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

On October 27, 2023, Canadian thinker Jordan Peterson is scheduled to appear at “Arena Riga”. Peterson has garnered controversial fame due to many of his views. However, several Latvian “Twitter” users have suggested that he has expressed support for Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. “Delfi” has confirmed that Peterson never publicly expressed direct support for the invasion but has attempted to justify it.

Peterson extensively addressed the conflict in an almost hour-long video published on July 10, 2022. Throughout 2023, he continued to discuss this topic at length in various interviews, including conversations with conservative journalist Piers Morgan and other media outlets.

In his public discourse, Peterson has touched upon  several theses, some of which closely align with those put forward by the Kremlin.

For example, Peterson has frequently argued that historically, Ukraine falls within Russia’s sphere of influence, a narrative that closely aligns with the Kremlin’s position since the onset of the invasion. However, it is important to acknowledge that such terminology has no relevance in the 21st century, as emphasized by the European Union. Ukraine is a sovereign state entitled to determine its own destiny, rendering the concept of a “sphere of influence” de-facto synonymous with Russia’s imperialist ambitions.

Peterson has asserted that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is, to some extent, a conflict against “degenerate Western values“. He has identified the alleged ongoing culture war against gender as one of these “degenerate values.” Consequently, Peterson implies that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is justified as a means to halt the proliferation of “degeneration” within Russia’s perceived “sphere of influence” by promoting traditional cultural values.

It’s worth noting that according to reports from “The Moscow Times,” data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia indicate that only 6% of Russian citizens attend church several times a month. Additionally, Russia consistently ranks among the highest in the world in terms of the number of divorces.

Peterson has also contended that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine should be classified as a civil war, a viewpoint he supports by framing it as a clash between Western and Eastern moral values. It’s notable that Vladimir Putin, the authoritarian leader of Russia, has employed very similar reasoning in his speeches.

In summary, while Peterson has not explicitly voiced support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he has consistently attempted to justify it, often parroting Kremlin propaganda narratives.