Joe Rogan, one of the world's most popular podcasters, has sparked outrage in Ukraine, after claiming that Kyiv and its Western allies, rather than Russia, "are about to start World War III."
In an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience last Friday, the U.S. host criticized the outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration for allowing Ukraine to strike with Storm Shadow and ATACMS long-range missiles deep into Russian territory.
In response to their use, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "test" of a nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, carried out in a strike on the city of Dnipro, central Ukraine on Nov. 21.
Despite the long-running nuclear rhetoric emanating from the Kremlin, and the fact Moscow launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the first place, Rogan pinned all the blame for the escalation of international tensions on Biden and President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"How are you allowed to (authorize strikes inside Russia) when you are on your way out? Like, people don’t want you to be there anymore," Rogan said. “There should be some sort of pause for significant actions that could potentially start World War III.”
"Zelensky says Putin is terrified. F**k you, man. You f**king people are about to start World War III," Rogan said, adding that negotiations with Moscow should be the path Kyiv pursues over military action.
Rogan also repeated unfounded stories that Zelensky uses drugs.
"This is cocaine-like behavior. ‘Putin’s f**king scared, man, Putin’s terrified. We got him. We got him, man, we got him.’
"Like, what are you talking about? He has nuclear missiles. You f**king monkeys," Rogan said.
Prominent Ukrainians including former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, and former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba have publicly condemned Rogan's statements.
On Nov. 26, the Kyiv Independent went out on the streets of Kyiv to see what people thought about them.
Natalia Romanets, purchasing manager
Let him come to Kyiv, let him come to Ukraine, see everything with his own eyes, and then make some conclusions. Because it's hard to assess the situation from so many thousands of kilometers away. I think he just doesn't feel or understand what is happening in the world.
It's strange. I thought Americans were polite, well-mannered people but what he is saying about us is simply offensive.
If he were attacked somewhere in America, at a gas station, for example, and they put a knife to his throat, how would he negotiate?
Maybe he knows some formula or scenarios for negotiating in such circumstances with a knife pressing on an artery. It’s hard to talk when you're being killed.
Albina Volobuieva, sales worker
(Rogan) does not live in Ukraine, so he cannot comment on it. He has nothing to do with us. This war already feels like World War III to me — many countries are already involved, they help us in various ways, and they also suffer because of it.
So, to me, World War III has already begun — and has been going for quite some time now.
I would be glad if this were over because I can't handle the constant deaths, explosions, people being taken away, and men going to war anymore. Life in the country is really tense right now. But if there were negotiations, they should be for the benefit of our country and our people.
This person's words are very strange and incorrect.
Yelyzaveta Kovalenko, social media manager
We are now simply hostages of Russia, which has come to our land.
We didn't call them, we didn't start this war, and we didn't want it. We were living peaceful lives in Ukraine, and they just invaded us. We have nothing else left to defend ourselves with.
Putin will never be satisfied. Therefore, negotiations should only end with the recognition that we are a sovereign entity that no one else should touch.
(Rogan) has never been in a state of war for three years, like our president. Considering how tired he already is, how he has no strength left, one could think all kinds of things about him.
But our president still addresses the Ukrainian people daily and supports us by doing that.
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Liudmyla Kushnir, on maternity leave
I would say this podcaster transfers the responsibility of the Russians onto us. But that’s not right. We did not start the war.
The responsibility is absolutely on them (Russians) for the possible start of World War III. We are being killed, and we have nothing left to do, only fight.
Who even said that Russia wants negotiations?
Oksana Hres, sales worker
Stop Putin, and then there will be no World War III.
Tell the mothers, children, and wives of tortured people about negotiations, about how you can somehow reach an agreement when you can't return the children who were tortured to death.
Viktor, programmer
As for his last words about World War III, I think he should remember the words of (Ukraine's former Commander-in-Chief Valerii) Zaluzhnyi about the fact that World War III has already begun, and so it makes sense to figure out what side he wants to be on.
To start negotiations, both sides need to want to do it. Unfortunately, no one is willing to make concessions right now.
Olha Serova, fashion industry manager
If I were to comment on this situation, I'd probably say “f*ck you.” What else can I say?
I think that advising to enter negotiations means he's only superficially observing the situation. Because if a person delves deeper into it, he will understand that negotiating with (Putin) is impossible.
Yuliia-Mariia Pismeniuk, economics student
The fact that Russia launches a bunch of missiles at Ukraine – is that normal? Should we feel safe?
We did not start this war. And in fact, the greater responsibility lies with Russia, with Putin, for starting World War III.
Mykola Korotkyi, video producer
Honestly, go f**k yourself. Come here, live here, and truly understand what’s happening instead of making assumptions with your headlines.
We would then look at you as if you were actually experiencing what’s happening in Ukraine every night. I'm not just talking about Kyiv, but places where glide bombs and other (weapons) are dropped. That's why someone like you, such a d*ckhead, shouldn’t open your mouth.
If the U.S. had fulfilled their international agreements on time, supported Ukraine, and taken a proper stance on what was happening, there would be no World War III.
Dmytro Kuleba
