"How much do you know about Ukraine?" Obama asked with his back to him.
"I know a bit," Song Heping said. "After the Crimea incident in 2014, there's been ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine. Russians support the insurgents, Americans support the government army. It's been years of conflict, with many casualties."
Obama asked, "Why are they fighting?"
Song Heping paused and offered his answer, "Because of NATO expansion?"
"That's half right." Obama turned around. "NATO expansion is a reason, but not the fundamental one. The fundamental reason is that Russians have had enough. They can't stand having a pro-Western government at their doorstep, can't stand their Black Sea Fleet base being potentially reclaimed at any time, can't stand seeing their former brother nation turning into an enemy's outpost."
He walked back to the chair but didn't sit down, just stood there.
