Ukraine War Update NEWS: Geopolitical News
Table of Contents 📖
“I am beyond sympathy for anyone who still holds Trump in high regard. The guy is a freaking idiot, right? And he's not only an idiot, he's a liar and he's a dangerous liar.”
Hello Team
🎦 00:00-00:13⏩
Jonathan welcomes viewers to a Ukraine War Update News (part 2) and confirms that this video is specifically a Geopolitics video.
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Czech President Petr Pavel on Ukraine achieving "Just Peace"
🎦 00:13-00:51⏩
Petr Pavel, Czech President and former NATO officer, has said that Ukraine is unlikely to achieve "just peace" (peace with 1991 borders). Whilst he is a strong supporter of Ukraine, he is a realist and acknowledges that achieving this goal may be unlikely.
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Finland to create NATO armoured brigade near Russian border
🎦 00:58-01:13⏩
Finland is to create a NATO armoured brigade of 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers near the Russian border in the Finnish city of Mikkeli. Jonathan sarcastically asks Putin how NATO expansionism is working for him.
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Danish Rapper tricked into fighting in Ukraine
🎦 01:12-02:17⏩
Danish Rapper Niklas Hofgaard travelled to Russia because of his love for Putin. He was tricked into signing a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry, believing he could choose his position. He complained of being bullied and pressured to drink vodka by his fellow soldiers and Nepalese mercenaries. He was forced to serve near Luhansk and was later granted a court-ordered termination of his contract with the Russian Defence Ministry.
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Hungary evicting Ukrainian refugees
🎦 02:15-03:33⏩
Hungary has reportedly started evicting some Ukrainian refugees from shelters. A new law limits government-subsidised housing only to Ukrainians who fled the territories directly affected by hostilities. Jonathan contemplates whether this is a sign of Hungary reversing its support for Ukrainian refugees, or if it is a policy borne out of the need to manage an open-ended influx of refugees.
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Poland cracking down on goods going to Kyrgyzstan
🎦 03:33-04:21⏩
Using charts from Robin Brooks, Jonathan highlights how Poland is the only EU country that has cracked down on the influx of goods being sent to Kyrgyzstan (a route for goods entering Russia). Jonathan argues that the EU is failing to act on this situation and that it poses a challenge for maintaining effective sanctions.
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Belarusian embassy in Armenia pelted with eggs and tomatoes
🎦 04:21-05:22⏩
A protest rally was held in Yerevan, Armenia outside of the Belarusian embassy, with protestors pelting the building with eggs and tomatoes. The reason for the protest is insulting statements made by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko towards Armenians. Jonathan points out that Armenia is moving further away from the Russian sphere of influence, with Belarus's response being somewhat antagonistic.
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Biden Administration under pressure to release strategy for Ukraine
🎦 05:22-07:50⏩
Colby Badwar highlights the Biden Administration's failure to provide Congress with a detailed strategy for supporting Ukraine. He notes that the administration has been accused of providing insufficient support for Ukraine's victory. Republican representatives Michael McCaul and Roger Wicker, who both support Ukraine, have expressed their frustration at the administration's lack of action, with McCaul stating that the administration has been hesitant to provide more advanced weapons systems. Jonathan agrees with their assessment and believes the Biden administration is beholden to individuals like Jake Sullivan who are arguably not giving Ukraine what it needs.
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John Ridge on Antony Blinken
🎦 07:50-09:31⏩
John Ridge, from the Turchyn team, expresses his admiration for Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, for his support of Ukraine. He believes Blinken is being hampered by others in the Biden administration who are more hawkish in their approach to Russia. Jonathan agrees with this assessment, noting Blinken's personal support for Ukraine, including dressing his daughter in Ukrainian colors and his son as Zelensky for Halloween. He believes that John Kirby, the US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, is likely to be constrained by the US government's need to manage escalation, and is unlikely to remain in office for another term.
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US investigation into Americans who worked with Russian state television
🎦 09:31-10:33⏩
The New York Times reports that the US is investigating Americans who worked with Russian state television, including Scott Ritter who has admitted to being paid by RT (Russia Today). Some officials believe criminal charges are possible, and that more searches are expected.
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FBI raids US home of Russian-born analyst Dimitri Simes
🎦 10:34-13:56⏩
The Guardian reports that FBI agents raided the Virginia home of Dimitri Simes, a Russian-born analyst who advised the Trump 2016 Presidential campaign and currently hosts a program on Russia's state-run Channel One. Jonathan points out that Simes's name was included in the Mueller Report which investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, but concluded that there was no collusion. He believes that the raid is significant given that Simes was involved in the Trump campaign in 2016. Jonathan recommends watching the documentary "Active Measures", which highlights the extent of Russian influence on the Trump campaign through individuals like Paul Manafort who has since been pardoned by Trump. He highlights the concerning nature of individuals who support Trump and Russia whilst supporting Ukraine, as it seems contradictory to him.
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H.R. McMaster's new book on Trump's ego and insecurities
🎦 15:00-22:09⏩
H.R. McMaster, former US National Security Advisor, has written a new book called "At War With Ourselves, My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House" in which he describes Trump's ego and insecurities as a major factor in allowing Putin to manipulate him. He notes how Trump's refusal to accept criticism of Putin led to the firing of McMaster himself. Jonathan highlights how Trump's behaviour towards Putin, including his actions at the Helsinki press conference, demonstrates his willingness to appease autocrats, which he finds concerning. He also criticizes Trump's false claim that Kamala Harris met with Putin before the invasion of Ukraine, arguing that this is further evidence of his disregard for the truth. He believes that Trump's admiration for autocrats stems from his own desire for power, and that he is not a suitable leader for the free world.
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Trident on an ancient coin
🎦 27:14-28:07⏩
Jonathan shares an interesting nugget about an ancient coin with a trident (Ukraine's national symbol) on it, which dates back over 1,000 years. He contrasts this with the origin of Muscovy (which preceded modern-day Russia), which did not even exist at the time of the coin's minting. This points to the cherry-picking of history that Russia engages in to support its claim of Ukraine being historically part of Russia. Jonathan then expresses his frustration with Russia's actions and ends the video with a brief sign off.
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Wrap Up
🎦 28:07-28:18⏩
Jonathan signs off the video, expressing his frustration with Putin and his actions, before reminding viewers to take care and saying he will speak to them soon.
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