Authoritarian governments prioritize their own interests above their own people and over the people of other countries. The Chinese government benefits from the war in Ukraine, while the Russians have a significant advantage, yet both governments disregard human rights.
The Chinese view the war in Ukraine as an opportunity as it interferes with the US's pivot towards containing China in East Asia and depletes the US's stockpiles of weapons, giving Russia an advantage.
The speaker highlights that authoritarians often think in their own interests above the interests of their people and other countries, and how it is important to defend free countries from despots. Additionally, the speaker notes that China is benefiting from economic sanctions on Russia as they buy their resources at a discount.
The debate discusses whether the West should act in unison against China and Russia or continue to act separately. The two speakers share differing opinions on whether to send Biden to Ukraine or to have the West act together.