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Ukrainian Boxing Icon Wladimir Klitschko Blasts Joe Rogan Over Suggesting Attacks On Russia Could Start ‘World War III’

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Ukrainian Boxing Icon Wladimir Klitschko Blasts Joe Rogan Over Suggesting Attacks On Russia Could Start ‘World War III’

Topline

Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, one of the most famous boxers globally, posted a video Sunday challenging popular podcaster Joe Rogan after Rogan argued the Russian-Ukraine war is a “proxy” battle and that President Joe Biden has moved to incite “World War III” by recently allowing Ukraine to strike inside Russia with long-range U.S.-provided missiles, suggesting the podcaster is buying into “propaganda.”

Key Facts

Klitschko posted the video to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday, disagreeing with the recent explanation that Biden and Zelenskyy are starting “World War III” by allowing Ukraine to fire long-range U.S.-made missiles inside Russia, and saying Rogan is “repeating Russian propaganda”; the video now has more than 9 million views.

Klitschko, 48, is the brother of the mayor of Kyiv and a retired heavyweight boxing champion who held the title for a record number of years during his career—in recent years, he has leveraged his fame to advocate for his homeland in its war against Russia, which has bitterly fought Russia since it invaded in 2022.

Klitschko, who has more than 750,000 followers on X, also challenged Rogan to host him on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, the most listened-to podcast on Spotify, to discuss their “points of difference” as ”free men.”

Klitschko’s video responded to Rogan’s comments in an episode with music producer Scott Storch, in which Rogan attacked Biden, said Biden and Zelensky escalated the war into a broader conflict and said he would feel safer with President-elect Donald Trump in office.

Rogan also called for a “pause” against “significant actions” from outgoing presidents, said Biden’s granting the move “was f***ing insane” and implied the war is a proxy war funded by the U.S.

Rogan’s criticisms of Biden are largely partisan as Trump has often lauded that he would be able to end the war while never outright supporting Ukraine, but his descriptions of the war as a proxy war parallel Russian-stated ideas that deny Ukraine’s independence and deny that support it receives would be to defend itself against invading Russia.

Contra

The decision to allow Ukraine to fire the missiles inside Russia is one even Biden’s own advisers had been skeptical of, with CNN reporting some officials were concerned such a policy could escalate the conflict.

Key Background

Rogan, a comedian and well-known UFC commentator, has become an outspoken supporter of Trump in recent weeks. The podcaster hosted Trump on Oct. 26 for a three-hour-long, viral interview, and the episode is largely considered a winning strategy for Trump, who won reelection this November in a sweeping victory. While Rogan previously did not support the president, he formally endorsed the candidate on Nov. 4 in an interview. Rogan has long been friends with UFC’s Dana White and is a known fan of boxing and fighting. Rogan, whose podcast often talks about various conspiracy theories, has faced controversy for spreading misinformation or the beliefs of far-right individuals such as Alex Jones. His guests and episodes, including now high-level political figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and JD Vance, also often discuss anti-vaccine beliefs and alternative health treatments that have been disproven.

Surprising Fact

Rogan, who did concede in the episode that Russia was wrong to invade Ukraine, is not alone in fearing a broader war has escalated. A former Ukraine official stated in a speech on Nov. 21 that a world war is in motion. Putin himself has pointed to the missile attacks and said the war is becoming an international affair.

Crucial Quote

“Putin’s Russia is in trouble, so Putin wants to scare you and people like you. His war was supposed to last three days. It lasted three years, thanks to the heroism and sacrifice of us Ukrainians. You’re using the only weapon that Putin really intends to use: propaganda. And this weapon really weakens our Democracies. Putin’s Russia wants to destroy Ukraine quietly,” Klitschko said in the video.

What To Watch For

Rogan has not stated whether he plans to accept the interview request.

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