The Duran Podcast - Q & A: Russia-US rapprochement begins in Saudi Arabia

Episode Date: February 22, 2025

Q & A: Russia-US rapprochement begins in Saudi Arabia

All right, Alexander, let's answer the questions from the live stream we did with Robert Barnes. And let's start things off with Nikos. And this is about a five, seven, seven part question, eight part question. Eight part question. Okay, ready? Absolutely. All right. Nikos says, I didn't want to put columns this time. I know they exhaust you, Alexander, and I'm sorry, but I'll.

A lot of things happened and I like talking to you. The people in our circle are split on Trump. Larry Johnson, Colonel Davis, Scott Ritter support Trump, Napolitano, Mate, and Haifong dislike him. Brian is vehemently against him. Always said that our analysts, I value you the most. So I had faith in Trump just as you, just as you and. And in the last five days, it paid off. I have hope again. In just a month, Trump is delivering promise after promise while keeping common sense. He is on the right path to make peace with Russia and

China. Most importantly, he told the arrogant smug Europeans and Zelensky to F off. I admire the balls of this guy to finally say what we were all thinking. I see now that Scott and nerd-erotic were saying Trump made the first independent party consisting of common sense Republicans and Democrats. It's called MAGA. It's common sense versus narcissism. Brian thinks he's just preparing for a war with China. But I don't see that. He wants to compete economically with them, and that's good.

It will be interesting to invite Brian for a friendly debate. I believe we are moving towards peace. I believe that the great powers are uniting, and I believe in Trump like you, and Europe can F themselves. I think that's, okay, that's everything. Well, let me express my views firstly. I mean, I don't ever put faith in any person, or he's certainly not a politician or a political leader.

I look at what they do and I look at what they say. And in the case of Donald Trump, actually, despite what people claim, his words and his deeds, usually match together very, very, closely. And it seems to me that what he is doing is based on his understanding, which I think is a correct understanding of American self-interest. He's looking at this war in Ukraine, what has happened in Ukraine, and he sees a complete debacle there. The United States,

under Joe Biden, Victoria Newland, Tony Blinken, and Tony Blinken. Jake Sullivan and all of those geniuses and the Europeans, who are full accessories to the whole operation, decided that they were going to instigate a crisis in Ukraine, provoke the Russians into a war. They would then hammer the Russians with massive sanctions. They were confident that the sanctions would break the Russian economy. And when that failed to happen, they also believed that they could prolong the war in Ukraine and even achieve military victory there. by giving Ukraine unlimited military support, technological and intelligence assistance, organize offensives to break through to the Black Sea, isolate Crimea and all of that.

And it has been a complete disaster. It has failed utterly. The Russian economy has sailed through the sanctions shock. It is growing faster than it did before the sanctions were imposed. It is re-industrializing rapidly. People don't understand how rapidly, by the way. And at the same time, in terms of the military situation, it has turned decisively against the United States.

The other thing was that the Biden, Blinken, Sullivan, Newland people, the neocons all hope that this defeat that they expected they would engineer over Russia, or perhaps, even the destruction of Russia, would weaken the strategic partnership between Russia and China. And instead, it has done the opposite. So Donald Trump, who approaches these things, as a businessman does, looking at things in terms of profit and loss, failure and success, he says, look, this has been a complete failure. It has been a complete disaster. This project has failed.

We need to bring it to an end and do it as quickly as possible because it is not working and it is costing the United States. And that is what he is doing. So the reason to trust Trump, who are the conflict in Ukraine and the peace moves he is taking, is that they are rooted. His actions are rooted in realistic calculations of American self-interest. People constantly get this wrong about Donald Trump. I mean, he's not playing 5D chess or anything of that kind.

He's looking at the situation and he's looking at it objectively. And that's something which very few people, certainly very few people in Washington and no one at all in Europe up to now is done. Now, within all of this, there is also a secondary school, of thought within the United States, and it is a very powerful one, and it does exist within the administration, which does say China is the major adversary. We need to scale down our presence in Europe, because we need to focus on China instead, and that this is the adversary that we must match up against, and we must pursue conflict against them too. My own sense about this is that

Trump himself, and again, I base this on what he has said and on what he has done, is not of that school. I think he sees China as an economic rival. I think he wants to re-industrialize the United States. I think this is a major priority for him. I think that is what he means when he talks about making America great again. For him, it is returning the United States back to the position that it had 50 years ago of being a mighty industrial power at the technological edge. And he sees China as a potential rival. So he wants to keep Chinese economic influence from penetrating the United States. But again, as a businessman, he sees that war is unprofitable, and I do not think he's looking for war with China. Some people within his administration

perhaps have a different view. But again, I think that is the view that I discussed. I am confident is Donald Trump's. And again, this is not because he's soft or anything of that kind. It is because he is taking an objective view based on a realistic understanding of American self-interest. So that is my understanding of Trump. It is based on what he has said and the fact that his words match his actions. Zareal says, dear Robert, first of all, may I offer my sincerest condolences to you and your family for your loss. I pray for you all and may she rest in eternal peace and happiness. Zareel says, I have been waiting for a long time to ask this.

Are the preempted pardons at a mission to guilt constitutionally, even legal as they set precedents? Will we ever hold those bastards to responsibility? Robert answered that. And I know that he was, he's also aware of the condolences that you gave him. So thank you for those. Nico says, you said that Russia would keep their bases in Syria. However, HTS terminated the agreement that granted Russia use of tariff. So which is the case?

This is a misunderstanding. Tartis is a port within which there is a Russian naval base, which is, by the way, a very small naval base. It's a refueling stop. It's not an American-style base, you know, with aircraft carriers and all that kind of thing. Now Tartis, the port of Tartis, which is the civilian port of Tartis, Basha al-Assad's government, granted license, a license to a Russian company to service, to provide service to the civilian infrastructure of the port of

Tartis. Now, as soon as HTS took over, they basically cancelled that because, of course, Erdogan who really wants the show in Syria wants that servicing agreement for one of the companies in Turkey, which are his friends. I mean, I'm being a bit cynical about that. I don't know for that for a fact, but I am sure that that is the case. There is absolutely. nothing to do with the operation of the naval base at Tartis, which is a completely different facility. So keep those two separated from each other. They are not the same. Nico says with what they did to Syria, Turkey and their population has shown the world that they will always choose to be the aggressor and the worst example of religious extremism,

unlike Iran. Can they change? I think it was a massive mistake. I'd been told Well, in fact, you can see, I mean, we did, Glenn Dyson and I did a program with Professor Marandi from Iran, and he said that he's got lots of contacts within the ruling party in Turkey, and that they're filled with buyer's remorse that they do this thing in Syria, and it's been an absolute disaster for them, and they don't know how they're going to get out of it. And I think that's an increasing view in Turkey. and by the way, both the economic and the security situation in Syria has been steadily

deteriorating. And I think that Turkey's move has upset the Arab world, antagonized many countries, and reinforced the already widespread, in fact, universal belief that Erdogan is not someone to be trusted. So I think it was a huge mistake. And I think it was a huge mistake. And I think, The other one who is also the Houdini of geopolitics. I mean, he always gets himself into messes and always somehow, in the end, finds his way to get himself out of them. This one is going to be very, very difficult to get out of, but he's going to try and get the Russians to help him, which is why he's got Al Jalani, President al-Shara, as he now calls

himself to agree with the Russians that they can keep the basis. Tish M. says currently working justice for Gonzalo Lira and defund the genocide. Well, absolutely. Absolutely. Let's hope that there's proper investigation of what happened in the State Department now about Gonzalo. Can I also say, never forget he was an American citizen. The State Department had a legal obligation to ensure his protection, which, which, which we know they showed no interest in doing. Anyway, just that was a quick interruption. Thank you, Tish, for that amazing.

Super Chat, Inga Pezner. Thank you for that. Super sticker. Nino says, I said it here first. Russia and the U.S. will form a new world security alliance, and NATO revamped. That includes Russia or a spinoff of NATO. Well, we will see.

I don't think the Russians are interested in getting into an alliance with the United States. This has been something that the Russians who are very, very concerned to maintain and preserve their independence will try to avoid. And an alliance against whom, against China, Russia has excellent relations with China, which he doesn't want to jeopardize about the Europeans. I think the Russians, frankly, don't care. So what the Russians and the Americans want to do, and I think this probably goes well beyond Trump, by the way, is that.

They want to reestablish relations. They want stable, secure relations with each other because that serves the interests of both. The neocon fantasy of breaking up Russia into little pieces, using that to isolate China and ruling the world, that has failed and that has gone. KM says, what are Robert's thoughts on the Hannibal directive? I think he did discuss this actually, but anyway, if you We might touch it on him later. I'm not sure what it is, by the way, just to say.

Matthew says that Duran has been criticized for their faith in Trump. Brian Berletic offers a bit more of a pessimistic view. Trump appears to be involving Kellogg in negotiations. Why the faith in the U.S. system? Well, first of all, let me repeat again what I said before. I'm not somebody who makes assumptions about political. leaders based on faith. Faith is something that belongs to, you know, one's religious feelings and religious sentiments. And then these people, I have none. I again come back to what I said.

It's based on an assessment of genuine American self-interest. Now, the United States is a very, very complex country. There is Donald Trump, who has his ideas. There are other people within his administration who continue to hanker for a conflict with China, and they do exist, there are the neocons who have not disappeared. I mean, there are still neocons in the United States, and they are still allied with the Democratic Party and with factions within the Republican Party, and one cannot be certain that those people will not come back. But Donald Trump has been burnt by his experiences with these people. They tried to jail him. They made his previous administration impossible. They jailed many of the people who were either his friends or had been his supporters. He is no

reason to like these people at all. And besides, his policies are based on realistic, a realistic understanding of American self-interest. The word self-interest, notice is the one that they are using, the Trump people, are using all the time. Marker Rubio used it in his interview with Megan Kelly. And I think that is right. I think this is based on realistic self-interest. And when countries act on self-interest, that tends to prevail ultimately over the more fantastic preoccupations of people like the neocons whose ideas are not based on realistic understanding of self-interest, but on paranoia utopias. Elsa says Ursula had talks with Kellogg, who was in charge of carrots and sticks,

but not in serious negotiations. Ursula agreed to spend more money on Ukraine. You know, Kellogg, it's really so funny because Kellogg himself has said this, that, you know, there's two different teams operating. There's one that does the serious business of negotiating with the Russians. And then there's Kellogg, whose job is to work the Europeans and the Ukrainians. The Europeans still haven't understood that Kellogg isn't the person they need to talk to. The people we need to talk to, by the way, obviously they need to talk to Donald Trump and Marker Ruby and those sort of people. But they also need to talk to the Russians. Putin has just given a press conference in which he says, you know, these people complain that they've been excluded from the discussions.

Who is excluding them? They're excluding themselves. All they need to do is appoint a representative to negotiate and send him to meet the first. Russians in Moscow. The Russians have always said they're happy to receive such a person. It's the Europeans themselves who insisted that they will not negotiate at all. And now they're complaining that as a result, they're not included. Well, you can't have it both ways. Kim Thomas says thank you to the Duran for staying on it. Ossack says it doesn't get better than Robert Barnes on the Duran. I agree. Paul Walker says the Paul Walker says the

The EU-Ukraine held peace negotiations without Russia, but as soon as Russia and the US do it without the EU-Ukraine, they dropped their collective obvious. Are they that blinkered to their own hypocrisy? Well, they are. I mean, you're absolutely right. We had a whole series of these Jake Sullivan organized them. A whole series of so-called peace conferences, peace summits, starting with one in Copenhagen and ending with the one in Switzerland.

which the Russians weren't invited to participate. I mean, that was truly absurd. But that was the approach they took, that they weren't going to negotiate with the Russians. They were going to impose terms on them. The result is that they engaged the Russians in a war, which they have now lost, and they find that the Americans and the Russians, as a result, are talking with each other.

And they've been excluded from those discussions. Well, who is responsible? for that, if not the Europeans themselves. They should never have listened to Blinken, Vuland, Sullivan, and those sort of people. It was ridiculous that they did. But there we are. That's what they did. They were always part, as I've said many times on the Duran, in a joint enterprise. And the time has come to recognize that it is failed. Nicholas Walker says, even if Russia trusts Trump and his team, what would make them find any common ground with the establishment in the US-EU in the medium long term? Well, first of all, the Russians do not trust anybody. I mean, they made that absolutely clear.

I mean, they're going to look for very strong guarantees. And if we're talking about guarantees, in my opinion, that can only now be achieved through established. of a friendly or at least the same government in Kiev. I don't see any other way that this can end, and I think we are now definitely heading in that direction. The one thing that the Americans and the Russians agreed with about Ukraine in Riyadh was that there have to be elections in Ukraine. There was no agreement about the date or how those elections happen, but the elections must take place,

and what they mean by that is the... Zolanski must go. So that's where it's going. Ersake says the EU elite's behavior resembles the Native American ghost dance. They take solace in performative acts of liberal democracy, committees, decrees, joint resolutions, etc. toward them from Trump. You're absolutely correct, except of course they weren't even able to make joint resolutions because they all met pompously in Paris and then immediately argued with each other. So, I mean, they weren't even able to do that.

Yeah. Klaus Clemenson, thank you for that super sticker. Nobody says PSA yesterday, 2017, 2025. Musician Roger Waters gave explosive address at UNSC exposing fraud, shock waves across the West. Today, mass media blackout, 10 minutes, YouTube channel, the African News Network. Absolutely true. I mean, by the way, I mean, Roger Waters is an incredibly brave individual. Just to say, great musician as well, by the way, just to say. Paul Walker says, why would Russia trust peacekeepers from the very countries that backed Elensky with weapons and intel?

Is the West that foolish to believe they would? Well, I think the Americans are not. The Russians, by the way, have just again ruled it out. I mean, Lavrov was utterly categorical about this. But Kirstama lives in his own world because even Macron, I think, is starting to give up on this idea. But Kirstama is obsessed with it. And apparently he's going to go to Washington and he's going to try and persuade Donald Trump to agree to it. What Donald Trump will no doubt say, and I'm sure this is what's going to happen, he's going to say, look, if you want to go down this road, do so. But we are not involved.

We're not giving guarantees. We're not making any promises. It's entirely up to you. Elsa says, Huskin, who burst into tears at the closing of the Munich conference, laughed vigorously at Trump's speech in 2018, how times have changed. Well, indeed. For me, by the way, the greatest contrast is with the Munich Security Conference of February 2020. And the Munich Security Conference of February 2025, three years from you, four years from you, foria to melt down. It has been extraordinary. Mark Hewitt says, will Doge audit Fort Knox?

I hope so. Robert answered that. I hope so, yeah. Looks like it. YouTube sucks says Trump is making a technocracy. The Doge exposure is doing what AI will be doing when Trump leaves office exposing. The empty Fort Knox will bring on the new currency implementation. I understand that one of the thing, the DOGE is using in all its investigations, RAI tools which enable them to track all the money trails. Just to say, they are able to do it much more efficiently, much more quickly than could have been done previously. So that's all very interesting.

Nino says the Mad King is too much of a liability now. We'll be moving forward. My bet is he won't make it to elections. Russia and the US will agree to the disposal. I agree. I mean, sooner or later, that is going to happen. Alara G. says Mr. Barnes, will Amos Miller be reimbursed for lost business? He discussed that.

He discussed that. He discussed that food. Yes, he discussed all of that. Mark Hughes, thank you for that super sticker. Life of Bryant says, if Europe goes into full sabotage and takes up the U.S. AID, Slack to finance U.S. Democrats, does this give cover for the U.S. to leave NATO? Yes. Ultimately, I mean, this is again the thing that people have not been noticing.

But if you look at the comments that were made both by Hegsses and Vance, what they're basically, Hegsses said, you can't expect America to remain in Europe forever. A statement of the obvious, but it's still one receipt of total horror. And Vance said, look, if we're here to defend you, we've got to ask ourselves now, what are we defending? Because you're clearly not democracies anymore. Sparky says, Robert,

is President Trump holding back to help ensure Cash Patel is confirmed? That's difficult as it is to believe. Is it going to be a case of, to quote, Al Jolson, you ain't seen nothing yet? Well, I think this is, I think this is the last big test.

He's got, the two big confirmations that are still pending. Cash Patel for the FBI, Eldridge Colby, for Assistant Secretary. of defense for policy. And, well, we'll see whether he gets them over the line. Mitch McConnell is looking very, very isolated at the moment, but you can never be certain about these things.

At least I can't be certain about these things until they happen. Al Gonzalez says Barnes, New York sources say there could be a secret federal grand jury convening to indict Zelensky for monetary crimes if he continues to get in the way. Well, interesting. Yeah. Maria S. Thank you for that super sticker. Sparky says, Robert, when Fort Knox is audited, will they find Goldfinger sitting on top of the gold or will they find a bunch of empty storage rooms? Well, a very good question. They'll probably find Goldfinger an odd job than all of those people. Yeah. They're all still there in empty rooms. And of course, it's quite clear that they were working, they would have been working for other people and probably not the Chinese. As was the case in that film that was made in the mid-60s. probably for someone else, for various other people whose addresses can be found in Washington. Just saying.

Sparky said, Robert Javier Millay snuck Argentina's gold reserves to the UK and seems to be a globalist who pretended to be like Trump to get elected. I've been saying, will Millie become the real thing? Yes, I've been saying this for some time. I think people have got Malay quite wrong. This is my own personal view. I mean, I don't know Argentina that well, but in my opinion, he campaigned. and was elected as a radical change to the policies that Argentina has followed over the last 50, whatever it is, years.

And as soon as he became president, he basically, it became clear that he was a cat's pool of Macri, the billionaire who had been president of Argentina before. and he appointed all the Macri's people to the cabinet. And he's basically following exactly the same set of policies, trying to keep the Pezzo strong, where previously he'd implied that he would do away with it and replace the Peasel with the dollar. And, of course, carrying out cuts in public spending and all that kind of thing, which are probably necessary. I'm not denying that, but nowhere near as radical.

They're not anywhere near as radical in terms of true. changes, as he implied. Tatiana Karam Mitchell, thank you for that super sticker. Boss Jan Polchik, thank you for that super sticker. Tatiana, thank you once again for that amazing super sticker. And Andrew says, watching JD and Hexeth go into Munich, like it was Thunderdome and Bodybag, these EU tyrants, had all of me and my friends cheering in the US. Absolutely.

I can see why. The thing about Vance, just to quickly say this, is that he, didn't sugarcoat in any way what he said. He didn't mix his words with compliments, which might have softened the blow. He deliberately didn't do that. So the EU people were hit with it without any kind of embellishment. There was nothing in Vance's words that they could hide behind. Andrew says, I want to raise a toast to Barnes, Alex and Alexander for delivery us, J.D., J.D. called Barnes three years ago to understand the Ukraine conflict. Barns was well

informed from the Duran. You have altered history. Well, I'm quite sure I believe that. I think a lot of people alter history. And I think, you know, J.D. Vance and other people, no doubt, have done an awful lot of their own hard work and their own thinking. Just to say, if they watch us from time to time, well, of course, we're pleased. Marco Smith says Hey Sparky maybe Fort Knox's gold is being sold off to keep a lid on the price Wow who knows

I mean there's been a big big story here A big mystery It'll be interesting to know exactly What is inside Fort Knox From Claudia Spencer The Great Barnes and the amazing Durand duo I'm so thankful for you three

And I get to catch a live stream again After months Pazmo says only someone who hates America would say exposing USAID coup machine and bring it under the State Department so it has to act officially as bad. Well, I'm going to say straight away, I think it's an entirely good thing that USAID has been exposed. I really people who are skeptical hate America.

It's just that they've seen the experience and they've had this experience of all that's happened over the last, well, 30 plus years. I mean, indeed, I'm during the Cold War. And they're saying to themselves, is this really happening? And I can understand where these people are coming from. But, you know, I say, look at what's happening and look at where true American interests are. And if you understand that, if you take that as your starting point, then everything that's happening begins to make sense and gives you the confidence that it is real.

Life of Bride says the Soviet aparachchi plus global reserve fiat currency equals American deep state. Yeah. I mean, I'm going to say this. I mean, I remember the Soviets apparatchiki. And they were clever than some of the people, you see. I mean, they were certainly more grounded in reality. It sounds extraordinary to say this. We heard this to some extent when we went to Hungary. You know, we met, I'm not going to say which official, but he said that, you know, his father, who'd also have been an official, had had dealings with people in Moscow, officials in Moscow, and that they were cleverer than the ones in Brussels. That's true.

Claudia Spencer says, the great Robert Barnes and the amazing Duran duo. Thank you for the live stream. Thank you for that. Sparky says, correction. Millet pretended to be like Trump to get elected. I'd stuck an unnecessary comment in there. Sorry about that. Oh, it's not difficult.

It's not difficult. Let's see. Martin Middle says what is happening with Cash Patel. Robert answered that. Well, he answered that one. Yeah. Eric says Barnes missed one key part of the attack on the deep state. Musk used tech genius to go directly to the code and avoid being stalled by the deep state.

Yes, absolutely. I mean, this is where Musk has the enormous advantage because he has much more access to the highest technologies than a lot of these people and the bureaucracy do. The bureaucracy is far behind in technology to Musk. They can't keep up with him there. Notice what Barnes Roberts said that in some parts of the government, they use paper. I mean, they still do fax machines, probably. Andrew says the EU tyrant leaders need to try carefully about changing, about chaining

the U.S. to the EU. After a war with Russian continuously threatening to jail Americans or steal from companies of Trump pushes to leave NATO, public will support it. I agree. Kevin says, are some people on the left seeing the value in Trump and coming around to support what he does? An awful lot of people are, including some people I know in Britain. Of course, the majority have not come round, but you're starting to see, and I'm not going to name him, but there's one particular journalist in Britain who's very much on the left, and even though he still excoriates Trump in all sorts of ways, you can also see that he's starting to see that some of the things Trump is doing are in fact correct and makes sense and makes sense even for people with historic left-wing

perspectives. Just saying, I mean, genuine left-wing perspectives. Don Ho says, this talk is the best. Thank you for that. Amazing super chat. Armin says, thank you for your tireless work to make sure that the truth has prevailed. Also another great super chat. Thank you, Armin. Life of Brian says, what is Lindsay Graham, American Erdogan and other GOP thinking in full-throated Ukraine Hawks stance even now? Well, absolutely. I mean, Lindsay Graham is becoming increasingly disconnected from the rest of the MAGA movement, it seems to. On the one hand, he wants their support

because he probably realizes that he can't remain a senator without their support. I mean, that they're strong in his state and all of that. And he also wants influence within the administration, and that's very, very important to him. At the same time, of course, he remains a completely committed neocon. And you could see the schizophrenia building. Sparky says, Robert, I was skeptical about Cash Patel at first because he talked like he was against freeing Assange, but I'm now anxious for him to be confirmed so President Trump can turn him loose.

Robert, Robert discussed that at great, great length, and Cash Patel's key role in getting the Russia gate hoax exposed. Adriatic Hart, thank you for that. Superchat. Christopher Martins says, remember Gonzalo Lira. Thank you for that. Sparky says Robert Sotos set up NGOs in Eastern Europe to foment discord during the Cold War for the CIA and helped them ever since. Thinks Soros, thinks CIA. Elsa says non-existent European armies can fight the North Koreans.

That's true. That's very well for his action. Andrew Piskodlo says, Alexander, you should look at a career in comedy. I listen to your 1.5 hour breakdowns daily and your mocking, dry humor of these EU clowns have nearly caused a hernia from sudden laughter. Thank you for that. Well, as I said, I have humor. I don't think I have a comedic gift.

There is a difference between the two. But sometimes, and I have to say this, the EU clowns, as you put it, I mean, invite it on themselves. Their behavior is sometimes so absurd that it's impossible not to talk about in a way that exposes their absurdity. Mark Hewitt says, given the trove of 2,400 new documents found by the FBI, what do you think the upcoming JFK documents revelation will reveal? I am not sure, but I think it is going to reveal an awful lot. I think people who think that we are not going to get more important information are going to turn out to be wrong. I don't believe that we're going to get the full story. I don't believe that the full story exists in every. any documents in Washington. If there were documents that set out the full story, those have probably been destroyed long ago.

We need to be ready for that. But nonetheless, we can still find out all kinds of things. And of course, we can also look at where the gaps are. And that in itself can be quite revealing at times. Alid Marwin says, the people do not elect the president of the US. It's done by electors and electoral college, totally undemocratic, the un-democratic, the un-eatery executive will be nothing more than a dictator. Well, I don't agree with this.

I do understand the point about the electoral college, and I think there is some element of truth in this. But I don't think the president of the United States can ever be a dictator, because the president is subject to elections. And yes, there is the electoral college, but the people will indeed have their say. And how else do you call the president to a campaign? Can. Bear in mind that without the presidency, which is an elected institution, you are basically allowing the permanent structures of government, the deep state, if you like, to run things, which is exactly

what they have been doing, with the results we all see. From Udo Stevens, thank you for that super sticker. Ralph Steiner says the US joining Russia's devastating blow to Ukraine. Tell me me. I mean, it's it's it's terminal. I mean, if the American stop providing military and financial aid, it's over. Yeah, Ralph Steiner says USA is joining the side of Russia now against the UK. Well, you know, I don't want to dwell on this, but I think our government has completely taken leave with its senses. I mean, the moment there is a huge row between the United States and Ukraine. What does our prime minister do? He telephoned Zelensky in office support. That is idiocy. To get between Trump and Zelensky was having a row.

It is beyond foolish. From Sparky, two-part, Robert, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics were financially well run, so offended globalists. Did a young Chris Ray and Atlanta elite feel guilty about their disappointment leading to him being a globalist? I'd ask my brother who knows him, but he'd think I was up to something. I have no idea. I mean, I'm not going to enter into the motivations of any particular individual. Ralph Steiner says, does the British Redcoat Empire have the economic military power to defeat both Russia and the USA in a massive war? the British are the British powerful enough? You must be asking a rhetorical question.

As I said, I've just seen a program on YouTube by a British historian called Mark Felton, who mostly does programs about the Second World War, very interesting ones. Anyway, he's clearly very angry because he's done a program about today's Royal Navy. And we have so few ships now that we've got more admirals than ships. I mean, the idea that we can fight the Americans and the Russians either separately or God help us together. It's just the idea. It's just lunacy. And there's been more articles in the Daily Telegraph about the state of the army.

It can perhaps put together 3,000 men to send to Ukraine as a peacekeeping force if it ever came to that. the armored division, which we only have one armored division, has only 12 guns, 12 fortillary pieces. Most of the troops have no kit, or the kit they have is bad. The training is apparently increasingly poor. The whole military in Britain is in a deplorable condition. That is true of militaries right across Europe. Apparently the German military have just advised Schultz that they're in a worst state that they were in when Ursula was in charge, which is saying something. Adiartic Hart says, do you guys think that the reason Trump is helping with Israel with clearing

out Gaza is to make the Israeli version of the Panama Canal a reality? I don't think he really has any plan to clear our Gaza, despite all the things that he said. I think what he did, and I think we've discussed this in programs, What he did was intended to help Benjamin Netanyahu, who was facing severe political problems because of the ceasefire in Gaza that Trump broke it. That is my view. I understand that Robert has a different view, but that is my view. Zareal says the EU is just plain arrogant end it. Yeah, absolutely.

Boa Omega says, rest in peace to the P.U. Yeah. Ralph Steiner says, can the British keep the Germans down and the Russians out without the USA fighting all their wars for them? I guess we're about to find out. No, they can't. I mean, again, it's a rhetorical question. Of course they can't. That's why they wanted to create NATO in the first place. I mean, remember, as Lord Ismey, who was a British politician. He was a military person, by the way, who actually came up with the phrase, you know, that NATO's purpose was to keep the American. Americans in, the Russians down, the Germans down and the Russians out. Without the Americans, the whole thing doesn't work. And everybody in London knows it. Sparky says rare earth minerals, not raw earth minerals.

There's a lot, there's like a list of 14 or so, though not actually rare. They're rarely found in concentrations cost effective to mine. Exactly. You are exactly right. There is nothing rare apart rare earths. Collecting them and processing them is a very, very difficult enterprise. The United States gave up doing it basically in the 90s and apparently has lost the technology to do it.

They can always regain it. And China, by contrast, made a massive and systematic effort to establish itself as the main processor and miner of rare earths. but they are abundant all around the world. It's a myth that they are in fact rare. Multipolar world says Trump to the Zionist and Miriam, I give you West Bank and you let me do anything on my mind without interference. Zionist, yes, yes, deal.

Well, there may be some element. There may be some element in all of this. My own personal view is that what Trump wants is no wars in the Middle East for the time being. and he thinks that having Netanyahu in charge, and Netanyahu, who is now basically in Trump's pocket, is the way to achieve that. He made me wrong, by the way. I mean, I'm not sure.

This is a very difficult situation in the Middle East now. Eddie C. says NATO and Zelensky are in a panic because peace is being forced upon them by the US. You're completely correct. That's putting it wonderfully. I mean, peace provokes horror so prolong a war that is already lost. I mean, the illogic of it is just beyond, and the inhumanity of it is just beyond belief. Zareal says, don't forget Zelensky betrayed Donald Trump.

Yeah, absolutely. I'm sure Donald Trump hasn't. I mean, Robert made that point, of course, during the program. Martin Middle says, is it okay for Musk to salute as long as he pulls his arm down like Dr. Strange Love did? I think people are making far too much of that one gesture. It's just mischificate. Ralph Steiner says, if Germany and Russia repair the Nord Stream Gas Pipeline, will the British declare war on both to stop such an alliance, possibly overpowering Britain?

No. This is the Suritan, Samin. Again, there's a famous joke that Bismarck once made about the British army, and this is probably true. It was in the 1860s. There was a crisis with Denmark between Prussia and Denmark, and the king, the German king, asked Bismarck, what will you do if the British land in Pomerania, which is part of Germany at that time? And Bismarck said, I'll send the police to arrest them. I mean, it's almost at that level, man. The Black Cat said, almost missed a live stream.

Great to see Robert Barnes. Zelensky Kirst worked on Europe. Yeah. True. Ralph Steiner says the British Empire has sworn to defend Ukraine in a hundred-year defense pact. British honors now at stake. The world waits with bade of breath.

Stomers red coats spurred on by Churchillian speeches. Of course, absolutely. And we have the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Marlborough. We're going to lead the charge. and it'll be the battle of the second battle of Baclava and all of that. I mean, your irony, because I can detect your irony, is absolutely justified. I mean, these are absurd dreams, leftovers from the 19th century, which have no place in modern statecraft. Moelli says, hi, what's your take on the four big three Trump-Putin-Gee meeting?

I think it would be a great thing. I would have Modi along as well, actually, because though I agree, China, Russia and the United States, obviously, are the three great powers. The India is important and should not be overlooked. Joe Public, thank you for that super chat. Joe Public also asks, are public-private partnerships fascist? No, I don't think that they're fascist. I think we shouldn't go to those lengths and talk in that kind of way. I understand where you're coming from because, of course, Mussolenean fascism was based on ideas of corporatism and that kind of thing.

Though that fascism that was, you know, that conception of fascism that developed in the 1930s was not the same as private public partnerships in the modern things. But, you know, we shouldn't just say that because something like that existed in the 1930s in Italy and, you know, the Italians at that time claimed that it was the foundation of fascism. It has any real analogy to the situation today. People overuse these comparisons. S.B. Farmer says, what does it matter if Fort Knox is empty or full? Well, I think I discussed this. I think that the United States and the dollar can still function, even if Fort Knox is empty because the dollar is not tied to gold. But it will be a big blow to the credibility of the system.

And of course, if it is indeed empty, then there can be questions asked and investigations launched. And it would be very, very interesting in the United States to see what answers come out of the process. Ralph Steiner says George Galloway says that British lads shouldn't go dying in Ukraine to support the bankers in the city of London. Is this why the Americans started yanking their gold out of the Bank of England's LBMA? Well, indeed, yes. I think there's some element of truth in that. And of course, George is absolutely right in what he says. Matthew says war between NATO and Russia in a few years. No. I think one could see that.

as a very real possibility last year. I mean, just think this time last year, I mean, it really did look as if for a time, you know, we would have French troops sent to Ukraine. And then in April last year, we had the first discussions about missile strikes on Russia. We came dangerously close to some very, very scary things. And it was Putin's discipline and self-confidence and self-restraint. self-restraint, which played an instrumental role in getting us through that terrible period. And of course, Donald Trump's role in winning the election and bringing us back to sanity.

And, you know, we should acknowledge this. Ralph Steider says, at Sparky, maybe they will find pussy galore. Fort Knox. Arcane Eclectic says, please kindly inform Mr. Barnes that the very, very last thing Canadians want is to join the I mean, very last thing. Eddie, Eddie C. says Zelensky has a cheek to be upset because he wasn't given a seat at the negotiating table. Didn't he hold a peace summit and didn't invite the Russians?

Absolutely true. Completely right. Repeatedly. And he still refuses to rescind his decree refusing negotiations with them. So what is he complaining about? Jeff says, is there any further investigation into the attempts in Trump's life can Trump safeguard himself from the Seven Ways to Sunday this time around? I think Robert did touch on this. I hope there will be proper investigations. Robert said that, you know, the other files that need to be opened are the files that look, that will, you know, look into those assassination attempts. Jeffrey Jordan says, what's your take on Al Sharpton meeting with Hokel? He's an activist. He's a news.

personality and he's a negotiator who knew. I don't know about these. I don't know who these people are. I'm sorry. I haven't followed that meeting. Yeah. I'll Sharpton. I'll Sharpton and Hockel, yeah, from New York. Matthew says, Russia has agreed to not hit any energy infrastructure because the American's precious pipeline got hit. Talk of ceasefire. The Russians will make a bad deal, another war years down the line. This is so completely not true. The Americans came along at Riyadh, we've had this from Lavrov. And they asked Lavrov, can you agree to stop attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure? And Lavrov said, no, we have that public.

Lavrov actually gave a press conference in which he said this. You can find it on the Russian Foreign Ministry website. Yeah. Ralph Steiner says if Russia gets its 300 billion return due to the US-Russian Allied alliance against Ukraine, would this cause apoplectic consternation in the UK? Absolutely. I mean, they will be furious about this. I mean, the amount of articles that have been written in the British media are about seizing those assets and doing all kinds of things with them. It's just uncounted, uncountable. So the British will be apoplectic about this. Some people in Washington will be apoplectic about it also, just so. Doug Sweet, thank you for that super

sticker. Indigo Jones says the Oracle of London, the guru of Vegas is such a treat. How would you compare a fall of the EU to that of the USSR? Oh, by referring back to Karl Marx's famous phrase, the history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second time as fast. I mean, both liberating moments in a kind of way. But, you know, the Soviet Union, I mean, you know, this isn't a defense of it. Let me stress this again. But he did have a kind of power and grandeur, if you like, if you will. I mean, it was a gigantic human experiment, maybe a disastrous one, but it was something huge.

The EU, it's just by comparison, a farcical concoction, which has never had any real point or sense to it and has become an absolute bureaucratic expansionist aggressive piece of idiocy. Euro Gabor says the EU must have a place at the negotiating table, otherwise who will serve the sandwiches and beverages for the tire negotiators? Very good. Very good. from Colorado Watch. How can Russia possibly bargain with an unreliable negotiating partner like the U.S. Trump breaks deals. U.S. breaks deals. Trump is gone in four years or less. Well, absolutely. The Russians are saying that all the time. You go to the Russian media. You find all that being discussed every single day. They know this perfectly well. What they're saying to themselves is this. What the government in Russia is saying to itself is this.

Trump will be gone in four years' time. We don't. know who will come beyond him. So let's try and do a deal now and get what we can from it. Because in four years time, that might not be possible anymore. And yes, maybe the deal will be torn up. But if it makes sense for us, then we can build on that and buy ourselves time and strengthen our positions and hopefully at least sort out the issue of Ukraine in these four years. So if there's a new administration under the domination at the neocons in four years' time, we'll be in a stronger position than the one we are in today. What's Hap says many thanks to each of you, Viva and Glenn Greenwald too, for delivering real news

on your platforms. It's been an absolute comfort. Is it too late to invest in gold? Not getting in investment advice in any respect. Yeah. USA now says, heard Mercudis says he can't. starts to say how depressing to be a resident of Great Britain, having PM Prince of Hardliner's Stormer. Have hope Trump will bitch-slap some sense into them by 2027. I have great difficulty talking about Kirstama without getting angry. Just to say, I mean, about Ukraine, I mean, it just drives me, it drives me furious whenever I see his latest crazy idea. I mean, he is trying to get Britain into real trouble.

And you're now starting to get pushback. And it's interesting where it's coming from, because it's clearly coming from sections of the British military. I mean, where do you think all these articles about the true state of the British army, which are appearing in the daily telegraph, are coming from? They're coming from people within the British military, quite obviously. Beau Bird in 1954 says EU is equal to the W.E.F. What role influence does W.E.F. Have in all of this, or is the EU the same as the W.EF? The EU and the W.E.F. are joined at the hip. Remember, the W.E.F was set up in the 1960s as an advocacy group for European integration. When they achieved it or thought they'd achieved it in the 1990s, they They converted themselves into a group to achieve global integration.

So globalization, WF globalization, started with European integration. The Alkali says the EU can't return 300 billion while its securities on loans, while it's security on loans. So if Trump asks for it, what will the banks do? It's a very good question. I mean, I'll tell you what will happen. Well, the governments, the various EU governments that have given guarantees and they have will have to pay up. That's going to be very expensive. Ross Steiner says, how will MI6 and British whittle away their days in the new world? Could they return to Asia and stir up some trouble with the UK Navy elsewhere? You know, MI6, and I say this, it needs to be either radically reformed or shut down.

I mean, I would say radically reformed because countries need intelligence agencies, but it has been a sort of terrible intelligence, just to say. I mean, it doesn't work as an intelligence agency. And the things that it has been doing, all that they have done has been to get Britain into more and more trouble. Now, what will happen to as in the new world, I don't frankly care. Joe Harry says, do you think that the Russians will enter the Nipra Oblast while negotiations is ongoing? I don't know, but I'm going to make a, I'm going to say what I think about this. I think that the Russians are going to make military decisions based on military factors.

I think that people who think that they make their military decisions based on some kind of political agenda or timetable are complete. I think that Putin controlled the military very tightly in the first few weeks of the war when he was trying to get some kind of negotiated deal with the Ukrainians. When he saw that didn't work, he basically told the general staff right from this point on, you're in charge and you run the war as you think best. All right, those are all the questions from the live stream with Robert Barnes. Excellent.

Thank you very, very much, everybody. Great questions, can I say? Take care.