Why Arnold Schwarzenegger taped an impassioned video to Russia, telling Putin: ‘Stop this war.’

In a response to a Twitter publish from Mr. Ketchell sharing Mr. Schwarzenegger’s video, Rob Flaherty, the White Home director of digital technique, referred to as the assertion “actually, actually outstanding.”

Mr. Ketchell stated, nevertheless, that the video was made with out the information or involvement of President Biden’s administration, which has approached different social media influencers with requests to assist fight disinformation.

“This got here from Arnold’s coronary heart, not the federal government,” Mr. Ketchell stated.

Like many high-profile figures, Mr. Schwarzenegger initially expressed sympathy and solidarity with the Ukrainian folks within the rapid aftermath of the Russian assault, however had in any other case avoided commenting extensively on the state of affairs. Because the state of affairs has worsened, Mr. Ketchell stated, the celeb has been inundated on social media with pleas, significantly from Europe, to leverage his platform.

He stated the conflict additionally was weighing on Mr. Schwarzenegger personally. The previous governor, born in Austria, refers within the video to the traumatic conflict expertise of his father, who fought with the Nazi military when it attacked Leningrad throughout World Battle II.

Late final week after conversations with quite a few associates and advisers, Mr. Ketchell stated, Mr. Schwarzenegger determined to ship an handle just like the one he had posted final 12 months, condemning efforts by the American proper wing to overturn the 2020 presidential election. These remarks garnered greater than 70 million web page views.

In his remarks about Ukraine, which had been additionally posted on Telegram, the place many Russians can nonetheless entry data blocked by the federal government, Mr. Schwarzenegger referred to as the invasion an “unlawful conflict” and a “human disaster,” and informed Russian troopers that “your lives, your limbs, your futures are being sacrificed for a mindless conflict being condemned by the complete world.”