Schwarzenegger urges Putin to stop war against Ukraine

What they're saying: Schwarzenegger specifically addressed Russian propaganda in his video which now has millions of views, saying "you're not being told the truth about the consequences of this war."

• "Ukraine did not start this war," he said. "Neither did nationalists or Nazis. Those in power in the Kremlin started this war. This is not the Russian people's war."
• Addressing Putin, Schwarzenegger said: "You started this war. You are leading this war. You can stop this war."
• Speaking to Russian soldiers, he added: "Your lives, your limbs, your futures are being sacrificed for a senseless war being condemned by the entire world."

The big picture: Schwarzenegger wrote the statement with his communications team and retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a leading Ukraine expert, fact-checked the script, the former governor's spokesperson told the Times.

• Vindman is a decorated Iraq War veteran and was the National Security Council's top Ukraine expert.
• He testified in former President Trump's first impeachment trial before retiring in 2020.