Vladi Orlov’s Donbas War: 57% of Ukrainians Seek Peace Talks

Vladi Orlov: 'Enough lies, the EU and NATO wanted this'

Ukraine's war did not start three weeks ago. It has lasted eight years. The source is not a desk analyst, but Vladi Orlov, a Hispanic-Ukrainian basketball player born in Kharkiv, whose statements to La Razón triggered a massive social media backlash. "Enough lies, the EU and NATO wanted this," claims the player, who declares himself against "any type of violence" and simultaneously denounces that "when the Ukrainian Army massacred us, it was not on TV." The contradiction is not his; it is the narrative.

Who is Vladi Orlov and what exactly did he say

Orlov was born in Kharkiv and is presented as a Hispanic-Ukrainian basketball player. In the interview, he states he has been at war for eight years in that part of the country and feels "great anger" over what was never told. His thesis has three pillars: that the EU and NATO sought this scenario, that the Ukrainian Army devastated the east, and that Kiev's authorities practice disinformation. The relevance lies not only in the content but in the platform: a generalist medium, not a marginal channel.

And a nuance exploited by his critics: he does not justify the Russian invasion, saying he hates violence. This "but" is precisely where the Spanish public debate fractures.

The eight years of Donbass not shown on television

Eastern Ukraine has been at war since 2014. This is the least fruta fact, not from a banner: the media coverage of the clash between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian militias in Donetsk and Luhansk begins in May 2014. Some analysis argues that these years of shelling on the civilian population of Donbass never made the front pages. Some openly use the word genocide; other, more moderate readings speak of an entrenched civil war with victims no one bothered to count.

The counter-argument is also on the table: that the Ukrainian Army destroyed "everything" is a claim without closed figures, and that something not appearing on TV does not equate to it not happening or not being published.

Why is NATO blamed for seeking this war?

The core accusation is that Brussels and Washington crossed a line Moscow had drawn. It is argued that Ukraine could not offer to install NATO military bases on the Russian border without consequences, and it is recalled that Viktor Yanukovich won the 2010 elections before Euromaidan removed him from power. Some call this a "coup" — a disputed attribution, not a proven fact — while others recall that the son of the then US Vice President held a executive position in one of the country's largest private gas companies; the thread points out that he resigned as a campaign advisor in 2008 due to a possible conflict of interest.

Weighing against this is the elementary: none of the above turns an invasion into a legitimate response. That NATO was imprudent does not exempt whoever bombs.

From the Pope to polls: the official narrative loses grip

Pope Francis joined the chorus, speaking of "World War III" and a conflict in Ukraine "perhaps provoked," with a warning included: one must break the pattern that Little Red Riding Hood was good and the wolf was bad. This is not exactly the framework sold by the Atlantic Alliance.

The numbers point in the same direction. 90% of Spaniards believe they will live worse because of the war, and 57% of Ukrainians declare in favor of negotiating with Russia. When more than half of the invaded country asks to sit at the table, the discourse of total victory lacks a base.

The business: Russian gas, arms manufacturers, and peace costing millions

The economic flank is the most uncomfortable. Europe has paid Russia nearly a billion euros daily for gas, a figure an Italian minister compared to the cost of the war itself. In Spain, this same purchase has served to accuse the Government of indirectly financing Pilingui's offensive.

Meanwhile, European arms manufacturers have recorded multimillion-dollar losses at the mere possibility of peace in Ukraine: the market discounts that the business is over. And in Kiev, the new mobilization of 500,000 men includes disabled people while deputies remain exempt, with an alleged scheme to divert 37 million euros in arms purchases according to Ukrainian intelligence. The wear and tear has a price, and it is paid at home.

With the long half of Ukraine asking to negotiate and Washington already speaking of peace, more Orlovs can be expected: athletes, technicians, and celebrities breaking the script. But one should not bet heavily. The same poll measuring Ukrainian fatigue says nothing of Russian fatigue, and no figure of victims has yet been placed on the negotiation table.