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In this conversation, Charles and Peter Erickson discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the implications of its potential defeat, and the broader consequences for Europe and NATO. They explore the dynamics of military spending, the concept of a ‘shadow fleet’ used by Russia to evade sanctions, and the rise of authoritarianism and populism in European politics. The discussion highlights the complexities of globalism and the challenges faced by Western nations in navigating their relationships with Russia and each other.
-Ukraine’s situation appears dire, with little hope for reversal.
-Russia is likely to win the war, but the nature of that victory is uncertain.
-The West will face significant repercussions from the conflict, especially Europe.
-Populist parties may rise in response to dissatisfaction with current policies.
-Authoritarianism is on the rise in various European countries.
-Military spending does not equate to military effectiveness or readiness.
-Corruption within the military-industrial complex is a significant issue.
-The concept of a ‘shadow fleet’ is more about legal evasion of sanctions than illegal activities.
-The US may shift blame for Ukraine’s defeat onto European allies.
-Self-destructive policies may ultimately lead to the downfall of Western hegemony.
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What a brilliant conversation! It delivers insightfulness, which many analysts struggle or simply fail to achieve. Bad news for those of us in Europe, who can see through the cheap propaganda. My only worry is the number of people, who still subscribe to the official narrative, despite all its contradictions.
Russia has won on all fronts !! The big loser apart from fascist Ukraine is Germany and the rest of Europe. High energy costs and financial ruin is the result! …..and for what ? A neocon plan to destabilise Russia ….madness!
Balkan?
Russia's victory mean the next 50 years peace and democracy in EU.
Europe needs to worry about the criminal US! Russia is their neighbor not the US! Most EU does not fear Russia!
Im from and live in Norway and I agree with all these two gentlemen have to say, 100%.
The whole west is corrupt. Talk about that ! White man speaks with fork tongue!
The neoliberals lost the moment the mainstream media and deep state agents tried to censor, block, and shadow ban the whole of Global South, Europe as well as America.
No future for germany
Russia has legitimate national security interests and so does the US. There was no reason at all for NATO to fund and train a large army on Russia's border and then encourage talk of Ukraine joining NATO. It was a deliberate provocation and western leaders knew this. The US would react immediately if China or Russia did the same in Mexico or Cuba. Why is it so hard to understand? Russia does not need more territory in Europe – they have all the resources they need. This is about dealing with an aggressive regime on their border. Just a reminder – Hitler invaded Russia through Ukraine and Russia lost 40 million people as a result. They have a long memory and are right to be concerned.
Money alone can't build a mighty force but lack of it can break one.
Vasal states? They're the most aggressive of all.
The chances are that if it looks likely Russia is about to win the west will carry out some fall flag like a chemical attack. This could well turn into ww3. The west can’t afford the humiliation of being defeated by Russia after all the money and weapons they have supplied and all mocking about how useless the Russian army is
You talk about going nuclear like it would be a positive thing 😂
Wait till you learn the truth about democracy. How do you vote against american occupation in Britain? How do you vote against mass migration? How do you vote against economic fascism? Voting is illusionary
How can you talk about authoritarianism as something different from the west? Britain arrests FAR MORE people for tweets than Russia
Re defence spending, you should be analysing the difference between a fully privatised defence industry and a partially state owned one as in Russia and China and the impact of this. Russia also retained factories and production capacity while the west dissolved the same due to them not being profitable enough.
The west has almost no industrial power anymore. Britain doesn't produce steel. You can only think NATO should have won if you think a lot of finance industry has an impact on tangible production of real things (it doesnt)
This crisis goes FAR BEYOND defence – it as a full and complete crisis of everything. Please learn the real reason for mass migration. The right wing opposition is illusionary and the reason the corporate left support it is fake.
All thos fearmongers that says " if Russia wins we are all doomed " are just terrible woke liars. Nothing will happen to EU.
Peace will come again and hopefully USA wil have less influence in EU.
USA is the great bandit, robber, liar and warhungry nation.
My fear is that the rise of authoritarianism in the west is almost inevitable simply because when democracies fail to keep their people safe and stability dissolves into chaos people will look to anyone who can believably present policies to restore that safety and some measure of stability. We're very near that now, because of the progressive left.
There’s a great lecture by John Mearsheimer at the University of Chicago titled “Why is Ukraine the West’s Fault?” He gave that lecture almost 10 years ago and predicted exactly where we are at now. The writing was on the wall a very long time ago, and the US’s insistence on “rules for thee, not for me” in the form of requiring the rest of the world to respect the Monroe Doctrine, while pushing NATO into “Russia’s Mexico” ie Ukraine, is hypocritical beyond belief. One of the most atrocious parts about this was how Lindsey Graham stated to America and world “we don’t care about the Ukrainian people, we just want Ukraine’s resources.”
It means our governments days are numbered.
"What a Russian Victory in Ukraine Means for the Future of Europe"
Nothing will change. Well, maybe in the future the EU will want to buy oil and gas from Russia, or will buy from the US, several times more expensive. 🤔🤔
It's cute that the common folk believes they have a choice in becoming cannon fodder! People do not seem to realise they will always be the peasants slaving away to feed their masters. Same play, same script, actors keep changing. That's all.
Russias Victory means peace and stability for Europe !
Cheap oil and gas from Russia means prosperity, if only European leaders would know that.
How much Putin paying you guys? 😂 downvote
First Cia removed Yanukovich , then they started pumping Ukraine with weapons , I never liked the invasion, but I always saw Ukraine as a hostage in a game between US and Russia , the Russia drawn a line … Shouldn't have listened to Boris Johnson …
European countries demonstrated independent foreign policies during the US invasion of Iraq, but they were quickly brought to heel through US intimidation, bribery, and relentless determination. The EU is now a branch of NATO, which in turn is a branch of the CIA. Almost all European leaders are US plants. All this foreign intrigue is ballooning US debt.
It is the US proxy war created by Obama/Biden to weaken Europe as well as Russia. The pipeline did it and the continuation of obsessive hatred towards Russia. This did not start in 2022 as you think…it was 2014.
Unite Europe east and west
Time for everyone to stop talking about victory. Ukraine should be a neutral independent country and act as a buffer zone between between NATO and Russia. The real reason why NATO wants Ukraine is to use it as their bridgehead to threaten the Russian Federation.
No to nato is key to peace.
Serbia is less than 7mil and we don't won't and will not be ruled by anyone, Ottomans tried, Austo-Hungarians tried, Stalin almost tried , Americans still trying , FU all
it means that west wont get their way this time. also as for future of europe, sanctions are already killing economy of those idiots who went along usa´s plan to destroy europe´s economy. congrats.
If eastern euroean coubtries look to the benefits for their own citezens GREAT . . UK Prosperety. Has declined to. Be. On a par with MISSISSIPPI and. look. what never ending wars have done to syria libyah meanwhile my older. Sister in US cant FIND A SINGLE DOC. TO ACCEPT HER PPO INSURANCE *ADVANTAGE * PLAN .
Russia has produced more modern weapons than All of NATO including the United States. They do even have enough Munitions to Support Ukraine in its NATO PROXY WAR! Dudes, the EU is Authoritarian.
It's the speculating vague people's channel.
Wait, they didn't expect Russian would wage war when NATO expanded?
It's all America's fault!
The US should not have intrigued this proxy war into existence. Europe should dissolve NATO, reconcile with Russia and look to its own independent nuclear deterrent for its defence. In due course Russia will embrace the liberal democratic values of the EU.
Europe's future is Islam. Russians future is Islam. Just deal with it
Europe needs Russia more than they need them, Europe would be an economic power house if the put their differences aside and instead of sanctions endorse greater trade with Russia which is part of Europe and Asia it would be Win Win Win.
As a Russian, I will say that Russia has been preparing for war with NATO for the past 20 years. Based on the invested money and human resources, we had to restore the borders and influence of the USSR, which was in Europe with all the puppet states. The fact that even Donbas is still not liberated, and we still have only a few puppets in Europe in the power of Slovakia, Hungary and Georgia, all this is the merit of the work of not NATO countries, but an underestimation of Ukrainians.
You, fellow Europeans, will not have long to suffer under the USA, soon you will be free.
Europe better have a plan if Putin decides he wants more than Ukraine.
The united West tries to destroy Russia every 100 years. This is already a historical fact. Despite all attempts, we are strong and developing. Stories about Russia that we can attack for profit are nonsense. NATO has enormous military power and Russia, like any adequate country, is obliged to ensure its own security. If there was no aggression from NATO, then there would have been no problems.
Zekensky, Macron, Trudeau should all be locked up for treason against their own countrymen!
Americans have destroyed any stability in the middle east, caused refugees influx into Euroope. Then they cut off Europe from Russian energy by provoking the war in Ukraine effectively deindustrializing Europe. This is what America First looks like. Europe has no chance of prosperity without good relationship with Russia. Its like they never lear from history.NATO is America, the rest are paying their dues just like serfs pay feudal overlord.
The west have the technology the weapons and the money but what they don't have is the will that the slavs have. Case in point in 1940 it took the German Reich about 6 weeks to takeover the entire France which on paper had the best army in Europe but in 6 weeks they couldn't even capture a district in Moscow because the Russians were willing to defend to the death. That they thought all their weapons and money would cause the Russians to just tuck tail in Ukraine shows they really don't understand the people they're dealing with.
With respect to the ships in the so called shadow fleet .Are they seaworthy ? What is the average age of these ships? Do they increase the risk of an oil spill?