WION ‘Game Plan’: With a Friend Like US and Enemy Like Russia - What Are Kyiv's Options?

With nearly 10 million subscribers, India’s largest English-language global broadcaster, WION (stands for ‘the World is One’) is an important media force. I consider it an honor to have been invited by them to deliver commentary on Russia-related events going back more than two years.

During that time their programming has changed somewhat: more daily coverage is handled strictly by their own journalist staff and outside experts are less frequent guests. Nonetheless, when they do extend an invitation, as they did early this morning, it is to participate in a well-prepared discussion with one of their lead presenters.

You will note that the presenter slipped in the word ‘aggression’ when speaking of the latest Russian advances on front lines in Ukraine. This is understandable because Indian public opinion is fairly divided between the United States and Russian positions, and when inviting on air an analyst known to be critical of U.S. narratives like myself, the broadcaster balances this out by leaning a bit in the other direction.

I recall a comment from a listener to one of my early interviews with WION: ‘he makes good sense for a white man!’ I hope to continue to find fans among their Indian as well as foreign audiences.