The Duran Podcast
Vassals pushing for Ukraine intervention w/ Emil Cosman (Live)
<v ->Okay, we are live</v> with Alexander McCurris in London. And today we have a very special guest, the one and only Emile Cosman. Emile, how are you doing? Thank you for joining us on the Duran. <v ->Well, thank you very much for inviting me, guys.</v> I've been watching you for some time and I'm doing great, ready for anything that comes towards me. <v ->Let's talk, we have a lot to discuss.</v> A lot of stuff going on in the news in Ukraine. Real quick, Emile, I have the link to your YouTube channel in the description box down below. Is that the best place for people to find you? <v ->Yes.</v> <v ->Yes.</v> <v ->Okay, I will add that link as a pinned comment as well.</v> When the stream is over, Emile's channel highly recommended, he does an amazing job and he covers a lot of news every day. I'm astonished at the output of news that you publish Emile. Pretty incredible stuff. <v ->No.</v> Emile. <v ->Not enough.</v> <v ->Not enough.</v> <v ->There's not enough hours in the day.</v> <v ->Absolutely.</v> <v ->And there's a lot of news.</v> So before we get started, let me just say a quick load to everyone that is watching us on Rockfin, on Odyssey, on Rumble, and hello to everyone on the Direct Locals.com. That was everyone doing in the Locals chat. And to the awesome chat in YT, odd YT. Tish M is moderating. Hello, Tish, how are you? And Peter, Peter, how are things going? Zarell, he famous as Zarell is with us as well. And I think those are our moderators. So, Alexander, Emile, Lincoln is in Kiev, Budanov is losing his mind. And Germany's talking about Romania and Poland shooting down Russian missiles, but they have since walked that back. Estonia was going to send troops to Ukraine and they've walked that back. But Alexander, Grand Shaps of the UK came out this afternoon and said, "Hey, Ukraine can use our Storm Shadow missiles to hit Crimea." So Alexander, Emile, I turned it over to you guys. And there's a lot of stuff that we need to talk about. <v ->Absolutely.</v> And can I just say to add to all the things that Alex said about Emile's amazing coverage, the other thing Emile manages is that you often break, he often brings out, in my opinion, very well, the sheer absurdity of the whole situation at times. And within all the horror, the tragedy, there is often that absurdity as well, which we must never lose sight of. And the behavior of Kiril of Budanov, Ukraine's intelligence chief, an individual who I think is extremely dangerous in many respects, well, we can see also the absurdity of his behavior now. I was reading a report, I think it was on the BBC, that he's actually currently holed up in a bunker, in Harkov, he's apparently speaking to people from this bunker, he's telling contradictory things to different people, to the New York Times. It's all bad, to the Ukrainian people, it's all good. But as I said, tell us a little bit more, Emile, what you see, because my own sense is that everything is falling apart in Ukraine at the moment, at an accelerating pace, there's problems with the economic situation as well in Ukraine, which we haven't been really covering very much, but apparently that's also buckling. And I get the sense that the Americans are rushing Blinken to Kiev to find out what's really going on, because they're getting all this contradictory information from the Ukrainians, and that they're slightly panicking themselves, and the Europeans simply do not know what they're doing, they're all over, all over the place. So Emile, if I could just ask for your general view about the situation in Ukraine, maybe that's what we'll focus on today, but what do you think? - So much to say about it, it's, I think the Russians are taking their time and are not rushing. I think the end, I think this is a controlled war in which I think the big sides, which is United States of America are Capone, and the Russians are communicating that. I mean, they act like archopons, so they act, I think they communicate, and they're discussing behind the scenes, hey, I do this, don't do this, I do this, because this escalation, remember the first time when the Americans sent some Javanels, Javanals first, and then they up each and every time, the same scheme, and now they got to F-16s and troops. So I think it's, the Russians take it easy, not easy, maybe that was not the right word, but slowly and meticulously. They don't wanna leave anything on, like in mathematics, are it medics? If you lose something, you have a, behind you can't work further, but weak history is different with psychology. So that's one thing with the Russians. The Russians are obviously 140, about 140 million people. I don't know how many Ukrainians are still there. I think it was about 17 million at one point, about a year ago, I don't know if how many they are, but nevertheless, the Ukrainians have a manpower shortage, just for sure, the Russians have a potential, as I said many times, at least 30 million, for a general mobilization. They work with what? Work, fight with what, 600, 700,000 people? I mean, that's one. The Ukrainians will, unfortunately, I think, run out of men. And then what? I think it's gonna be the guys from the West. They're going to insert some peacekeeping troops over there, some people, they're just gonna transport goods and all that. And what's going on in Karakiv, Karikov right now, I covered today in a video, the fact that Wudanov, who is a wanted man by the Russian authorities, is on the wanted list as Zelensky. He is giving two different stories. One, New York Times says the situation is almost, he didn't say desperate, but something like this, on the edge. And then the other one was actually, we stabilized the front. And he said that the Sumi Obla, which is northwest of Karakiv, Karikov, the Russians would like to open another front over there. The Russians tried to thin out, I think, the Ukrainian troops since they are limited. - I think this is exactly what it is. I think you've summarized the situation exactly. There's a Latin tag, "Fistina Lente", "Make haste slowly", which apparently was favored by Caesar Augustus. And he always advised his generals to approach war in that way. And that seems to me exactly what the Russians are doing. They're making haste slowly. In other words, they're doing things methodically, one stir at a time, then grinding the Ukrainians down. And even Wudanov is now confirming what you said. He said, "We got no reserves". Now, that I think is the one thing he has said, which I think must be true, because if there were lots of reserves, he surely wouldn't have said that. So he says that there are no reserves, no reserves left, then the situation really does look terrible. That's my own sense. And yes, I think the Russians will always approach this in a methodical way, because their strategy has worked up to this point. But that doesn't alter the fact that without reserves, there's only a limited amount of time that Ukraine can keep fighting. So that brings us to what is the West going to do. And I want to just touch briefly on what has been spoken about in Germany. The Germans, there's some people in Germany who are talking about establishing a no-fly zone over Western Ukraine positioning air defence systems in Romania and Poland. I've not heard anything about this from the Romanian government or from the people in Romania. What do they think of this brilliant idea? - Well, I have to be politically incorrect, but if you live in a society, you kind of understand the dynamics and the way we think, obviously, I was born in Romania. So, Romanians, when they don't draw attention, that means they're doing something they're not supposed to. And I said this a few times in my channel, we have a Romanian saying, "Táchka por pór pór pór póshoy." There is, you keep quiet like the pig in the cornfield because you're doing something. So when you don't hear anything about Romania, it's not in the news, that means they're doing something. So the fact that they come now and say, "Well, should we give a patriot system to Ukraine?" Because remember the Ukrainians asked, the Americans asked Romanian president Klaus Johannes, "We need one patriot system. "Are you gonna share it with us?" Regarding defending about maybe a week ago or two weeks ago, about two weeks ago, it was the Romanians and the Poles, they were mentioned, who are those, it was with the Germans, who said that they could help and they could just not cover, I said, "Well, I just push it further." We're saying it's gonna be a no-flight zone, which I think is going to be implemented not legally, but de facto, not de jure. And the Romanians will do whatever Al Capone tells them. Romania is a, I would say, under a political, military, economic and cultural occupation. - So they will go along with this, despite the fact that the Russians have said that if Western forces intervene in Ukraine, including from their own territory or from NATO territory, they will not hesitate to go after those forces in those places. Do people in Romania understand how dangerous this is for the potential? - I visited Romania earlier this year, so I had some conversations with friends and acquaintances and so on. And some of them are, some of them are not. Some of them are understanding that Romania is basically a vassal state of Al Capone. And the other ones are indoctrinated to, and I will say it, dislike to an extreme, the Russians putting together the Russians and the Soviets. So even if I watch documentaries in right now, let's say in Romania, posted by Romanians, they refer to the Soviets as the Russian, and it's totally wrong, because you can place it on Ukrainians as a Soviet. Romania will not probably send troops right now. They will destroy incoming in their direction missiles, as the Poles said they will possibly do. That was the attempt. Something changed because they stopped talking about that for a week or so. I don't know what was behind the scene. It's just like probably the Russians told them, as you mentioned, Alexander, that they will hit those troops, incoming troops. But I think they're talking about a buffer zone of 70 miles inside of the territory of NATO. Now we have a territory in NATO. 70, they want to create a buffer. So anything that comes in, crosses into Poland, Romania, Estonia, where it doesn't go to Estonia, anything is just Romania and Poland over there. They will defend. But I think they will do it. That's just the first step. The next one is gonna be hitting in over the territory of Ukraine. And the Russians will claim something. Mass media will claim it to the other. - What do you think Blinken is doing in Kiev at the moment? I mean, what is he, perhaps it's too much to expect that Blinken has a plan, but do you think he's come with a plan? Are you personally think he's going to find out what the Ukrainians are? What's actually happening in Ukraine? 'Cause I think he's getting all these contradictory signals. But what do you think Blinken is there for? - He's not getting information. That's my assessment, because the guys who make the decisions on the territory in a war are generals and the NATO generals, I suspect, greatly suspect that. I have a gut feeling this way. No, but I think he's going over there as exactly what the media claims. He's over there as a support, because the Americans know what's going on in the field better than these guys know. That's my assessment. He's over there to show we are here, we're coming. Now, what exactly is behind this? I don't know, but I'm not certain that he needs to be briefed, including those guys who can like just like this. I mean, that's my... - What do you think the Russians are going to do over the next few days or weeks rather? I mean, are they going to stick with this operation in Harka, or are they going to allow us to walk? - I agree with what you said, that they're extending the front lines. And Badanov is saying that there is an attack on Sumi region coming and other parts of Ukraine, and that they might be thinking of going there too. Do you think that the Russians really would be interested in expanding the war in that kind of way, the expanding the front lines? - The Russians will continue on their fronts, which I mean the fronts. The ones that they already, I think are succeeding, which is Abdifka, Bachmut, or Artemovsk, is going to be in Kharkiv, what's the name of that? It's right on the east. - Kupyansk. - Kupyansk and Kupyansk over there. So it's going to be in the north of Kharkiv, it's going to be an east of Kharkiv, going towards the Kupyansk. It's going to be south, Liman, Bachmut, and Artemovsk. I read some articles that they are trying to do something in Kharsan, but over there is the Nipar River and it's really hard to advance over that. - No, if we're talking about this, go ahead. - Right, if we're talking about Kharsan, if we're talking about Odessa, then Romania has historic interests in this area. I mean, there's a lot of talk about Snake Island earlier in the war. Many people don't know that before the second world, World Snakes Island was Romanian territory, just saying. What, how would people in Romania feel if there was a Russian offensive west of the Nipar towards Odessa, towards Nikolayev, towards all of these places? Is there something that people in Romania would be nervous about, you think? - Well, it depends where they get their news from, because that matters very much. If they get it from the Romanian television mainstream, which, if you look at their parent companies, you're going to track them down here, some of them. Then if they get that information, then it's going to be panic and Romania has to react and everything that's going to be fed, I think, by these guys here, the Romanians will do it. That's what I think about Odessa, they're coming. See, that's the evidence. Then you have Moldova. Moldova, as I said many times, I consider it an artificial country, artificially, by existence. Why, historically, it was taken by an ultimatum, by Stalin in 1940. Romania said, well, we got Germans here, we got Soviets here. What are we going to do? These guys want the Transylvania, the other ones want the cadre la terre, the Bulgaria. These guys want Basarabia Bookovina. What are we going to do? We can fight with all. So then they gave Stalin Basarabia and Bookovina and the Snake Island. Then after that, after the fall of the 1991, full of the Soviet Union, Romania was supposed to get everything back. I mean, if I come and take your car, abusively, and then I go to jail, where is the car going? Back to the owner. Well, it didn't. They formed, which is the Americans and the Russians and the Brits. They formed this buffer zone between Romania. NATO was going to be NATO member with Russia. That's what it is then. Snake Island, the Romanian, I would say, corrupt government, which worked against Romanian interests. The Romanians interest. They simply gave it. It was no treaty. When Stalin took that, they were not talking about, when it took Basarabia and Bookovina in the to the ultimatum, they were not talking about Snake Island. He just went over there. I think in 2000, can you remember exactly six, seven, five, something like this, when Romania was trying to get into the European Union and NATO and so on? I might do. Yeah, I think about that about that time. The Romanian government dealt with Ukrainians who had the Snake Island not legally on the paper, just remained from the Stalin regime, which Stalin also cut Basarabia and the South and where we have Odessa and Namicolaive. South West of Odessa towards Romania, that part was Basarabia. That was given to Ukraine. Bookovina was given to Ukraine. And then in 2005, the Romanian government, I would say, at some orders, which was president Konstantinescu, Emil Konstantinescu. I never liked the guy. He went and said, we have to do this, that the neighbors are doing okay with the neighbors. And he just wrote down with these guys agreed to give them legally that Snake Island. Romanians don't even, some of them don't even know about that exists, but that's a little history about that. Now, Putin has floated possibility that if Ukraine starts to collapse, Poland and Romania might be interested in reclaiming their old historic territories, are people in Romania aware of that? And is anybody interested in that possibility? - That's what Putin said. And I think he agrees with that if Poland and Romania would be really independent. Because with an eye, Romanians are looking at those territories, especially the older generation and people who are a little bit more educated into history. The younger generation, I don't think they know anything about that. But maybe I'm just too rough on them. So if the Americans tell them you can't, they will not, Romania by itself, will not move one finger or a hoop to do anything about it. - Interesting. Okay, well that actually clarifies a lot about Romania. I mean, I eat it one was wonders, but it does clarify things. Now, let's actually pivot back to Ukraine and talk about the situation in Ukraine, because we're now looking at a very complex political situation. Also, Zelensky's term ends on the 21st of May. He's apparently nervous. He's become, I mean, I don't know if you've been seeing film of him, but he looks very depressed at the moment, I think. That's my own impression. He's apparently feeling increasingly insecure in his position. Do you think again, that maybe one of the reasons that Blinken went to Kiev was either to support Zelensky, or perhaps to canvas for alternatives, if it looks like things are going to go really badly wrong in eastern Ukraine under pressure on Zelensky to go increases. - Well, Zelensky is over there because he was elected by the Ukrainians. If there's Zelensky or there's no Zelensky, the same person, the same entity with a different face. Let's put it this way. So if it's Zelensky or someone else, the thing with yes, his term expires in May under the constitution, Ukraine constitution, and they like to quote the constitution where it works in their benefit. They said that if the country has martial law instituted, then he is allowed to keep going as he's going, as long the war is raging. So he's covered. The Russians say, "Hey, you are not legitimate," which I would claim that it's some truth in that because, remember, he was not elected by other Ukrainians from the eastern part of Ukraine, the Russian speaking population. So he's voted in by, let's say what, three quarters, in May, I would say, so of the population who voted. I don't know the pictures. I don't know where you saw the pictures or the him looking depressed because I know he has a PR group around him that is like a Hollywood. It's like Hollywood over there. So if you look at the pictures when, at least the media I'm reading and he's always tough and all these pictures like if you look how he really reacts, look at his previous life, it's totally different. I doesn't mean that he can't look presidential as Donald Trump said, but still they would, I think nothing gets uncovered or unshaped. If we are allowed to see him depressed, it's because these guys want us to see him depressed. I don't know exactly what mastering and squeezing our empathy or the Ukraine's empathy. I'm not certain, but they will make sure that they have filters, big filters. I mean, Kranzka, Pravda, he have independent and new voice of Ukraine. All these guys, Ukraine form the main channels for those guys. I see him the same tough guy. So I don't know, Blinken is over there to show support. I think it's an internal fight and I don't think, what's his name? Zelensky is, you know, his bodyguards are keeping him alive from other reasons too. Those guys are not his bodyguards. - No, I would agree with that completely actually. In fact, I saw a picture once and I got the impression he was scared of him. He was scared if he said both of you girls. So that was some time we get. What about, let's talk about the 45 lines because this is something that I think all three of us know a little bit about, which is corruption. We've all encountered it in our respective countries. I just read today, I haven't seen the pictures, but apparently in the area near Aharkov where the fighting is currently going on, the Russians found the 45 lines, which was a lot of dragons teeth that had been dumped on the road and weren't actually put in position anywhere. I mean, does this surprise you that in fact, it looks as if a lot of the money that was used that was given to build 45 lines was imbecile. Does that surprise you? - Not at all. Not at all, not at all. And I'm so, I know I've angered, very upset when I read Western media and Western media makes it like that society, as the Romanian society and the Eastern Europe in general functions, like they function here. Like for instance, when I went here to school at Michigan State University, I had a, what was it, anthropology class and a professor was telling us about the Zulu Empire and they were naming the Roman Empire. So you see there were both empires, but if you put them culturally and how they functions, totally different. So the same here, these guys here don't know what's going over there. So they say, well, everything is accounted for if the Romanians would get this money over there. I guarantee, I don't know, it's just the way I know things work over there. They wanna give you the receipt, all the receipts with pictures with everything. These guys are either willingly playing baboon or they are, I'm not certain yet. I think it's based on each person. So regarding the reaching the defenses over there, the dragon teeth and so on, I'm more concerned with the weapons. Weapons that are sold and they will end up in some very bad actors that would settle scores with governments in Europe, not in United States of America. It's harder to get it over the ocean. That transferred to Europe and they will settle scores in the organized crime or to change political systems. I read two articles yesterday, I think a day before or two days before, again, where it wasn't American news media outlet. They said that that was with the British intelligence and I can trust, as I can trust the weathermen. They said that Russia is planning terrorist attacks on the territory of Europe or European Union. I don't, I mean, it's not impossible. I mean, after all, Putin said it's gonna go after the guys who organized the theater terrorist attack was. So, but I think they just cover for the population, if something happens is the Russians and not the cartels that now have the weapons to move around. Imagine you have a Javanila or whatever is car is called and you want to settle scores. What can you do with that? What can, I'm talking about one, it's unbelievable. I think it's like a broken pipe big, big pipeline, like Nord Stream one or two, that weapons are going where they're not supposed to. - Emil, I am absolutely in agreement with you. In fact, it's a major concern because there's all this talk now about sustaining as insurgency in Ukraine. All that means, as far as I'm concerned, is giving a lot of weapons and a lot of money to also as a very dangerous people who are going to be free to operate and move around Europe with it. And I think that is something that given the kind of people we're talking about and given the kind of connections they have with other potentially equally dangerous people in Europe. I mean, I can see this creating no end of problems going into the indefinite future. How do we control a thing like this? We can't even know what happens to the dragons teeth that we've been funding. How are we going to keep track of all of these people with all these weapons? Could we say are going to be insurgents? I mean, it's a disastrous idea. Now, Romania is going to be before long. To some extent, it still is. A frontline state. Does anybody in Romania? Does the Romanian government understand that? Or are they still taking their orders from Al Capone? Even as this looms ever closer towards us. Closer towards them. - Romania is not a powerful country. Has never been a powerful country. It was always under some bigger actors and played whomever to achieve their goals. After the 1989, so it was a revolution and they moved down Ciao Shae School instead of really conducting a trial with him. What was that? That was the mockery. After that, Romania, I don't think was owned by the Romanians. During Ciao Shae School's time, we were owned by us ourselves. But good or bad, however that was. After 1989, Romania was given to different interests that fought to get it. So that is one aspect that is about Romania. And let me give you an example. The current president of Romania, his name is Klaus Johannes. He is of German descent. He's a suction from my hometown. He was a high school teacher, high school, I attended at one point. So nevertheless, but not met him. He was younger than anyway. So he had a little forum, forum of the Germans, a little party, which I don't even know if it has their 0.01% only in CBU with our Germans that remained. So obviously they kind of won in CBU because a lot of people saw the Germans they're more organized, more disciplined, I'm on my own vote differently. So I said, oh, let's have this guy. There was a lot of German intervention over there. And then from that, he was catapulted at first attempt, if I remember correctly. When he ran, he got to be the Romanian president just like this from a party that had 0.01% in the whole Romania. So that we know who he might be. So I think it's Al Capone and they think that, I mean, they caught a tiger by the tail. So they can let go. And it's the propaganda that pushes Russians are bad, Putin is an evil, crazy guy. We are with great Americans, which are great, are great. But not as great as we're told and it's said they are. So yeah, we've been waiting for the Americans when the Americans sold us to the Soviets, to Stalin, remember that one? The deals, right? Yalta, Malta, both them, whatever they were. We're sold over there. And then what happened? After 1980, we were waiting for the Americans. No Americans came and they brought weapons, political system is here, Western civilization and so on. They're not going to do anything. Is they going to do what these guys are telling? I'm 99.9 convinced that's the way it goes. Whatever these guys say, those guys will not stop. And besides, it's not only the president. I don't know if you're familiar with Adepa at that time, he was the chief, actually he was a second, they say he was a chief, but he wasn't Pachepa, General Pachepa, who affected him. He was an asset. And when he found out that he's going to be grabbed by things, he defected straight to Germany. I think he flew from Bucharest, just boarded the plane and over there. So that guy, when he went and he started chipping to the Americans, he gave all whatever he knew about the remaining intelligence services. Now that is the worst thing you can do. If even if you tell them military stuff, when you tell them intelligence and assets where you have them posts, they deconspire them. So after that, after 1989, you had people from, how do you call it, GUR? I think that's how you call it, the Russian Soviet, GUR, is that what? - G-O-U. - G-O-U. - G-O-U. - G-O-U. - G-O-U. - G-O-U. - G-O-U. - G-O-U. - Yeah, they were still planted. They were still over there. People who were educated in Moscow. So it's a fight between interest. An interesting point that I discussed with the person, I would say very, who knows a lot, he was involved in certain kind of things. Not illegal, but I don't wanna mention anything more than that. He said, "Now I have to, that this country, "that there is Romania, is more under Mosads." That's what he said, it doesn't mean that's true. And I heard it in three people, under Mosads and the security forces, like FVICIA here in Romania. These guys are in charge, not the Americans so much. But if you have Mosads, you have the Americans, I guess. - Yeah. I mean, there have been times when Romania and Russian relations have been quite good. You fought together in the 1876, '78 war, as I remember it, which liberated Bulgaria. And you fought together in the First World War until the Russian Revolution. Perhaps most people don't know, but you did. So I mean, there have been times when Russian-Romanian relations have been quite close. Is the no party, any no proposal in Romania looking at the catastrophe that's coming in Ukraine? No voice that says maybe we ought to think again about where we're going. I mean, the situation is not turning out well in Ukraine. We got to start thinking about our own future as well. And that might require some distancing from what the United States has been doing. - There are voices, but the voices are immediately called names, labeled as this or that, even if they tell the truth. Regarding the alliance or this fighting together, both wars were for personal interests, for personal interests, for the 1876, 78, the War of Independence, that's how we call it. Over there, yes, we joined the Tsar, the Russians then, because the French were busy with the Prussians. I think the Prussians beat the out of them. And then we thought that we can solve things here with what? The big threat here was the Ottoman Empire down south. And the Russians also had a problem with the Ottoman Empire as well. And then the Romanians thought we're gonna, for own interest, take whatever we need. First, Romania did not agree to fight alongside the Russian forces. They said we're gonna just block the Daniel Breaver. But then when the Russian army was losing at Vidin and whatever they lose, I can't remember, I don't think it was Vidin, I think so. After they lost over there a few times, they cried for the German king, Hohen Solon Zigmarinden. cried, come and help, and then the Romanians entered. And then they, yes, they fought. In the First World War, it was a different kind of alliance. And then it was Transylvania, that was the big thing. Transylvania was taken or belonged to, let's put it mildly, was part of the Austro-Hungary Empire at that time. So Romania, which was for Valakia or the Old Kingdom and the Moldova, Moldova is the territory in the country, they won at Transylvania. So that was the main reason why they went over there. And they got it, the Russians were pulled out by the good old guys shipped from Switzerland, right? Straight to St. Petersburg. It's the Russian Lenin, we gotta tell this. When they, in Romania, say the Russians, the Russians, the Russians, Lenin was not Russian. I think it was maybe one quarter. Ooh, ooh, and then we had Trotsky, not Russian. Then you get Stalin or Stalin, not Russian. It was the Groozin, and those were the biggest crimes during the Soviet Union was until Nikita Khrushchev, Russian/Ukrainian, he came to power after Stalin suddenly died. So these guys, blaming the Russians, are blaming the wrong people. So I don't know if Romania will look too much in a grip by these guys. There are voices over there. I communicate some time with some of them. I listened to their, they have some older videos. They're over there, but they are named this and named conspiracy. It's the same terms. Mm, absolutely. So when we're looking at a very, very dangerous situation, indeed, because I don't think the Russian offensive is going to stop. I don't know how it's going to play out, but I think you're probably right. I think that they're going to focus more on the central regions of Donbass. I think that's where the main breakthrough is. And that's where the heaviest fighting still is, by the way. But I don't think they're going to stop, and I think they're going to continue this special military operation. They've said they will until it achieves all its objectives. But the whole of Europe, including those countries that are most exposed, Romania, Poland as well, they don't seem to be able to assert themselves in this situation or act on their own interests or so it would seem. And they're being dragged along into a crisis, which I really don't see where they benefit from it, what they achieve by sticking to the policies of the present time. But it doesn't seem as if anything can change that. - When you say they, we have to make a distinction between Romanian's national interest and the guys who are in charge. They are benefiting. We are not benefiting. We, I put myself as a Romania because, you know, like you're not, I'm from there and I have that culture and so on. And I love Romania, the key word is Romania. And it's just one of the reasons why I left Romania was seeing who got the power, who's in charge. And Romania, it's obviously at the whim of these guys that are in the position where they are, they're picked. But regarding Poland, the same. Poland, I think, is the Trojan horse, the American Trojan horse in Europe. Romania has a military, I think it's 50,000 people. The Russians have been carteved in where they advance right now, 50,000 people. 30, right, fighting over their advancing and 20,000 waiting in the back. So Romania has, I think it was reduced based on NATO's limitations to about 50,000 people. A lot of Romanians, it's been 30 years since then. So I don't think they're still, because it was not a compulsory military after a while. So, no, and then in Romania, you have Belgians, you have French troops, you have American troops, you have what you don't have. Let's put it the other way around. I don't think you have Hungarian troops, that's for sure. I don't know if you have Polish troops. Why Hungarians? Maybe you're familiar with history between the two countries, so I don't think they will allow anything like that. But Romania as a country is just gonna be used, I think. And I think I said this 50,000 times already. - You have, you've made it very clear. Emil Kostman, thank you very much. Now, I'm gonna hand over to Alex, I'm sure he's got questions, but can I say thank you for your very clear and comprehensive explanations. I think he's clarified a great deal. Romania is in the country, by the way, that gets much talked about in this crisis, even though it's absolutely central to it on how it might evolve, at least, I think so. So Alex. - Emil, you have 15 minutes, answer questions? Got a lot. - Anytime you've got, I can beat you. - Great. (laughs) - Awesome, awesome. All right, let's begin with Tish M, who says, "Hasn't it become more evident of late "that these proxy wars by the US regime "just aren't supposed to win anything, "except propaganda to rattle up potential lapdogs?" - Oh, there's a lot of interests and spheres that economic interests, that makes a lot of money. And I always mention the three of them. One, the banks, they make a profit because they will reconstruct with loans. So yes, the countries might not benefit, but the businesses, the banks benefit, the second one, military industrial complex. The military arms manufacturing companies, those ones. And then you got the energy. If I impose sanctions on you, you can sell your energy, demand is like this, right? And then what, the supplies like this become smaller, the price gets, and get on the territory. Remember them, I mean, invade economically, push the other, the competition, like it happened in Europe. The Americans with natural gas, after they made the Europeans like weasels, to impose sanctions on themselves, and blew up, we don't know who. The Nord Stream 1, Nord Stream 2 pipelines. The Europeans say by 2027, we're gonna get rid totally of the Russian gas. Okay, so what are you gonna buy? The American liquefied natural gas three to four times more expensive. It's an economic, follow the money kind of thing. Can't borrow based on economics. Yeah, exactly. Math view to Emil and to Alexander. Britain is going to get hit over the storm shadows. Question mark. It's true. I mean, we are playing a very, very dangerous game here. Now, at the moment, for the moment, I mean, I listen to what Grant Sharp says to say. I think they're trying to confine the use of these weapons to Crimea itself. But the Russians have made their position completely clear. I think provided this Crimea only, and even Donbas, in other words, the contested areas, the Russians have accepted that in those areas, they're not going to respond further. But if missiles are launched at pre-2014 Russia, at Belgorod, for example, or wherever, then the Russians have said that they will respond, and they will respond, if necessary, against British military positions anywhere in the world, including in Britain itself. And I think that's a threat to take very seriously. And I think behind all the blaster, the British government is taking it seriously. We've had statements from Rishi Sunak. Now, our Prime Minister, comparing the situation with the Cuban Missile Crisis. He blames the Russians, of course, but I can't help but think that the British have absorbed the warning they will give him. - I agree with Alexander, but I would like to add certain facts that I think will give a different nuance. The storm shadows were used already to hit Crimea. You have a president, first one, second one. Yes, they said, we're gonna allow the Ukrainians to use our weapons only on the territories pre-2014. We will allow them. The Russians did not do anything about that before. It happened, they did. They used storm shadows as it in Crimea. So I think that's out. And the second one, I think you clearly remember, that in Perdianz, is that how it's called? Northwest of, remember when the Ukrainians hit that airplane with the prisoners, that was a patriot system, the Americans confirmed hitting on the Russian territory. So we have two presidents. Why didn't the Russians respond then? So I don't know if really what's going on here. I mean, they used it in Crimea. They used it on Russian territory per se, even if that airplane did not have anybody. They went over the air territory or whatever, or Russia per se, so I don't know. - I think the fundamental thing was that the British have encouraged the Ukraine to do it. The Americans at least go through the motions of pretending that they don't. So that is the distinction. If Ukraine, with British assistance, launches British missiles, a Russian territory, the Russians have said that's going too far, and we will respond. And I mean, they said it, they've never said it before about other systems. I think we need to take it seriously. - Sophisticated cavemen, can Emil tell us about Romania's cultural and political relationship with Bulgaria in the former Yugoslav states? Friendly, competitive, or conflicting? - It depends, I can tell you what I know about this, and attitudes. The attitudes of the people in society is based on how much they learned. So for instance, if you talk about probably Romania's that are not necessarily close to the border of Bulgaria, they would say, well, that's, well, Bulgaria's, that's very nice. No problem, we go over there and spend whatever, the summer, the Black Sea resort. But if you know certain things about Bulgaria and Romania, if you know anything about the two, I think two Balkan Wars when Romania intervened over there, if you remember, at one point Dovroja, the part between the Daniel River and the Black Sea, that was conquered by the Bulgarians, and history tells us that committed some things that they should not been committed. Romania's got the cadre latte, part that Bulgaria wanted. Bulgaria got that after the Second World War. So if you look into historical things, things could be hard to call it, resurrected. I don't think that's any negative view on Bulgaria whatsoever. I mean, not whatsoever. I don't think it's either or not big love, not hatred, nothing like that. Regarding Yugoslavia, that serves. Again, depending on how much people know about history, because Yugoslavia was the only country that when it was the 1968 crash of Prague, of the Czechoslovakia's revolution, all the countries from the Warsaw Pact, except Romania participated. And it was a speech, famous speech of the Ciaoushesco that time, when he said that, "Baba, we're gonna pose you a map." They put troops around Romania at that time, and they said, "These guys were about to enter." Only Tito, Tito of Yugoslavia, the Croat Tito. He told the Romanian's Ciaoushesco, I think the Romanian's asked. And Tito said, "If Russia, sorry, I should punch my face." See, Soviet Union would intervene and others would intervene, the Hungarians and so on, to get you, then you can, and they push the forces, you can cross a venue into our territory unarmed. Your military can cross. So it was the only country in the area that had. So I think people who, if they remember that, as Yugoslavia, regarding other countries over there, now that it's broken from Yugoslavia and all those Montenegro, Serbia and North Macedonia, and the song, "Why do I laugh about that?" is, "They all want Alexander the Great." I think that's my point. And that's why it's south and in any way. I don't think it's, if you remember history, you would get the Yugoslavia as being a friend. Romanian Yugoslavia put together and they designed and had a fighter jet. I can't remember how it was called together. - The Orao, was it the Orao? You know, I think, I remember. It was one engine, pop, and it was more for training, with just two seated, I think, one behind, one in front. So people who know something, they would look at the Serbs. You're not gonna go in the medieval times. Personally, for me, I like the Serbs. I like those guys, I have nothing against them, but I've never, I didn't see, didn't hear anything, or feel a dislike for the Serbs or the Croats, or, I mean, people know about the Ustashi and all those guys, but those are just groups, not the country, over all the people. So I don't know anything negative about how we hate those guys. I mean, I can tell you about Hungary, which is special case. I mean, I can tell you that, which way goes, again, with how much people know. - Can I just say, I mean, when I was a child in Greece, I mean, people had a very positive view of Romania at that time. And many people remember the old Romania before the war, when Bucharest was the Paris of the, was the Paris of the region in effect. So there was a positive view to Romania at that time. And I think that was widespread across the region. - I think it still is. I mean, you go to Bucharest today, and there's a lot of Greeks. I mean, you walk around Old Mountains, and you hear Greek being spoken. - I mean, I mean, who don't you like, the neighbor, because your close, first proximity, so you had overlap, and Greece was far away. Or now the Turks, they withdrew as a different story. But, you know, history over there, especially the second World War and all that, is all intertwined and too close together, but it's the beauty of nation-states. - That's why we need the globalists, Emil. (laughing) - Yes, good to keep them over the rest of the people. - Just kidding, everybody. - Just kidding, Ralph says Emil, that's it. I think it says Emil, with exclamation marks. Knit Switch says, "Obviously, the Soviet occupation "left much resentment in the once occupied countries. "Can you tell us how this could shape the reaction "of the Romanians in regard to what the Russians are doing?" - I think I partly answered that, conflating the Russians with the Soviets, and the media and the school keeps saying that, and even I make mistakes by saying exactly that. And instead of saying, "The Soviets, I say the Russians." The Russians landed in Michigan, so that the Soviets did bad things to Romania, that's for sure, after 1945. But on the other hand, I am, okay, I did. The guys would put him in charge of Romania, like Anna Pauker. She was a Zelensky Stein. So there are other people parachuted from Soviet Union at the leadership of Romania. Romania was under occupation. Obviously, until Görgy Görgy Görgy Görgy Görgy told Khrushchev, supposedly the story goes, they were drinking and hunting and all that, and no accident happened, and then, supposedly at this kind of, come on, man, get your troops out, okay, man, I do it. That's how the story goes. I don't know if it was so simple, but I can't believe that because we have precedents where we have people at the little glass of water, or not water, excuse me, wine, or even other circumstances when they would agree with things that in the normal circumstances, the circumstances, they would know. Yes, the Romanians and the guys in charge of Romania, the communists, who were a minority, very tiny minority, I would call it as a true though, tiny fringe minority in a Romanian political spectrum in 1945, they took control, why? We were sold, we were sold. And the king at that time, Michael, Michel, the German Hohen Solen, Sigmaringen, he played, he arrested Marshall Antonescu, a Romanian, and then these guys came in without a fight liberating Romania, but again, Transylvania was the deal. I was promised by Stalin, but not promised by the West. - Sophisticated cavemen says, follow-up question, could Romania find itself isolated on the Black Sea, potentially surrounded by bricks-friendly states way off in the future? - Well, it's not impossible, but I go by possibilities and probabilities, possible, 100%. Probable, let's analyze. So who do we have? We have Bulgaria, is under the grip of NATO and Al Capone, almost I think as bad as Romania. Then we have what? We have Serbia, Serbia is isolated. It's a landlocked country. In Serbia, you will, I would say, never have a Balkan revolution or an independence, re-independence. You can't intervene. And you see, eventually they go to physical, now invasion, bombardments, and so on. So Serbia, I don't think it's gonna become bricks. Now, if that becomes bricks, let's move a little bit further. What do we have? We have states that are already in the grip of Al Capone, NATO, except Hungary. Hungary is playing, I like Hungary. I like Viktor Orban. I think he works for his people. And the problem with that one is the Romanians, when they deal with Hungarians, it's always like a guard is up and vice versa. I don't think if European Union will collapse and I don't see how that will collapse with Al Capone having troops on the territory, and not only, they control these guys, I mean, they control. Look, how many sanctions they impose on themselves for the interests that dictate it to do this? Oh, it's for your benefit. What do you mean? Paying more for gas and loans and housing and all that. It's beneficial to me as a German. Well, I don't think that will happen. It's not impossible, but Hungary will not dare to do that. Before that, what's his name? Viktor Orban will have a mini stroke or will have a heart attack or just fall from a high rise or something trying to fly. I don't think that will happen. And then the rest, it's not crumbling on the contrary. I'm talking about the plantation. Al Capone's plantation is not crumbling. It is on the contrary, when you see that you are challenged, you impose more restrictions, more troops. This thing with, oh, we're going to defend our Eastern flank of NATO. It's just a justification, just a reason to bring your troops in those countries. If these guys think that we changed from what happened in the second World War, first World War, medieval fans, we're the same. A little bit more civilized, we've washed hands after we got the bathroom and so on. But eventually, I don't think the European Union will be free again, or European countries. And the countries surrounding Ukraine, if the Russians will impose something on Ukraine, which is the biggest thing, if they will impose any sanctions over there, I mean, they will take over, if they, again, probabilities, if they take over Ukraine in whatever way, probably Ukraine would be, I think, the biggest candidate. If the Russians win whatever they win, the operation, special media operation, Ukraine, then maybe Serbia, maybe, maybe, I don't even want to, Hungary, and it's about it, the other ones. - Irish partisan says, "Kit Klarenberg of the Grey Zone "has written about the dangers of radicalized "and disgruntled far-right Ukrainians "roaming around Europe." - He has. - He's just talking about it. - Yeah, yeah, good point. - Not really. - Yeah, go ahead. - It would be better preferred now, unfortunately. - Yeah, Ladder Moreau says, "Remania was "on the losing side of World War II, "therefore there were territorial concessions "due to atrocities, Romania, army under Antochescu, "committed on Soviet people." - Oh, okay, and the question is, which is a statement I can give you. Remember when the Romanians and the Vermacht enter Ukraine? These videos, you can still watch them. You remember how those guys received them? With flowers, with flowers, these videos still there. Now, what happened when the Soviets came back? The atrocities against whom, the guys with flowers. So atrocities, I'm convinced, occurred on both sides, on all sides. There's no such a thing as, I'm sorry, it's one country, we can name, that is perfect, never. But here, we have any army committed atrocities. I know Romanian atrocities, I know Russian atrocities, I know Ukrainian atrocities, I know German, I know American atrocities. Remember carpet bombing, Dresden? That was atomic bombs, that was war crimes, I would say that it was. If not, let's think Putin does something like that. So yes, there were atrocities, but remember who came with the army, who were the commissars? Yes, Antochescu, the Marshall, yes, there were crimes committed. Remember, it's easy for us, and I understand that, to philosophize, to talk about politics and all that. And because we are good, we are relaxed, eight, drank, rested. But when you're in the middle of the war, and you are dirty, you didn't sleep, you received maybe a letter from your girlfriend, or they should get pregnant while you were gone. Or, I know, one of your friends were blown up, or you hear stories that those guys were mowed down. I'm pretty sure that when that happens, and when you have the upper hand, you're not gonna, let me see the Geneva Convention a little bit. Oh yeah, we can do this, guys, sorry. I don't think, I'm not justifying that whatsoever, but crime occurs, occurred. And this is what happens when we have wars. Wars, I want something from you, and you don't wanna give it to me. - Basil Beshkov says, "Amil, I heard about Chachescu's demise two weeks before it happened, in Los Al Capone, California." - They knew, they knew Chachescu was told. Chachescu was told, there's some interesting, interesting videos in Romanian with Nashu, Nashu, meaning the godfather. And he invited a former Romanian intelligence boss, and he was a spy. I think he was in Sweden or something, in all these states. Anyway, he got the secrets for diamond making, or something like that, or he was part of it. So it's interesting. I can't remember what's his name, Teodorescu. Yeah, that's his name, Teodorescu. I can't remember his first name. He says over there, I went too far, I went too far. What was the question? - The question, it was more of a common question. Amil, I heard about Chachescu's demise two weeks before. - Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And that general, I don't know, he was colonial. He said that we knew he was, Chachescu was told by the intelligence services of Romania that this guy is gonna go buy buy. Supposedly, last time when Gorbachev visited, no, Chachescu visited Moscow, it was, when they met not one on one. Supposedly on the airport, Gorbachev told Chachescu, Oh no, Chachescu told Gorbachev. See you in Romania or something. And the other guy answered, yeah, yeah, yeah, if you're gonna be still around or something like that. They knew what Chachescu, when he came out, when the revolution started revolution with outside, with outside, and I'm not promoting this, this is a very interesting book. It says, save me God from friends. This guy's Tom Waite, Tom Waite, she's the Christ, Larry Waite, what? And he talks about what happened, he knew when Chachescu came out and he said that the revolution, there's foreign agencies trying to destroy you guys. Nobody believed him, Waite. He didn't have any credibility at that point. So yeah, he was informed, but he just dismissed them. He didn't do anything about it. Before the revolution started, there were lada, the lada cars, the Soviets, whatever built. They were crossing two or four, crossing the border in Romania, about 30,000 from Hungary. They were inside. Chachescu was briefed about it. It was a hotel in Yash, that was surrounded by the Romanians and they were listening to these guys. Only male, young male, coming with lada's three or four, two or four in the same, we knew, they knew. I have information, direct information from someone who worked in the system at that time and said, we knew this guy is gonna go. How in hell he knew? Well, the same with the so-called the fall of the Iron Curtain. That was orchestrated. You can say, well, I mean, you're crazy. You're talking about conspiracy theories here. Well, let's see, who would like to relinquish his power just because, you know, right now I don't wanna be in power on a contrary, I wanna be judged by other people. Who would wanna do that? I mean, a saint, we're not saints. All these countries just decided just to, you know what, yes, man, and on what, one or two years, we all came and we understand that's better on the other side. That's a freedom and democracy, I don't think that. And evidence, including this book here proves that. I mean, proves, this is a PhD American scholar is married with a Romanian nun or if that plays a role in his opinions, but assessments. So yeah, he knew. - Paul Walker. Paul Walker says excellent content. Spock 23 says I love the Duran. Thank you, Spock, for that, thank you very much. And Raphael says 25th of December, 1989. Why did they execute both? I can understand the president. Why did they not spare his wife? - Message, message, that's all. Message, Romania contrary to what I read here in, when I came to the United States of America, I was trying to read as much that I can about history, whatever these guys have, culture, and their perception of Romania. And in some 1970s books that I read here, history, they claim that, you know, which was true, Christianity was banned, but the practices were there. I mean, I know for a fact you could go to the church, the churches were open, the priests were over there. Some of them were part of the security. Why? (laughs) And you wanna confess, here you have it. So, you know, when that happened with 25th of December, that was obviously a holy day for the Christians. Why did they choose to do it then? Why didn't they wait for 26? All the guys over there were not atheists, or if they were, they were still going, and I think it was a symbol, given a symbol, why she was with him together. Look in history, a lot of examples like this happen. Look, for instance, that Mussolini, the bad guy, right? Doctrine and philosophy. He was killed with his mistress. What was her name? I can remember. Remember the Piazza di Milano? They were caught, they were caught by the partisans. They were sexually and physically aggressive and so on. They were taken into the market square, and they were still pictures. You can still see them. Why is she? Why did she have to do it? Well, it's the masses. Well, here I think it was an order. She didn't do anything. I mean, even with Ciao Czescu, they said, well, genocide and the charges brought to him and the conviction, that's laughable. It was just laughable, laughable. They deserved some punishment, but not, no, I don't, no, no, but he would have spoken. You don't want that to happen. - Right. Joe Public asked, does Serbia not have access to the Black Sea via the Danube? - Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, they have. But let's say they tried to go and they reached a part where Romania and Bulgaria is, what happens then? And then the Danube turns into Romania on the Dovroja and then meets Ukraine and Romanian border. Yeah, that's the axis. What are you gonna bring? Airplanes and submarines? I'm talking about airplanes landing, ships coming on the sea, not on the Danube. And on the Danube, it's a, no, no. And then you have the hydroelectrical power plane, the dam over there. I think it's one and two, I don't know if it's three of them, but between Yugoslavia and Romania, I think there's two. No, these guys, if they try it, and who's gonna come? The Russians? The Russians have to come right in front of Odessa. And then I have to go through Ismail and you have to go on whatever the arm of the Black Danube river is. And then go what? This is gonna be bombarded before they ever enter the Danube river. And one ship like this, everything is done. So how many ships? No, it's not viable. Besides, remember, when, I mean, remember, Erdogan does not allow warships to enter the Black Sea. Why? That's the, what, 1973, whatever, Rome, Milan, or whatever the convention was. No, it was Switzerland, Moreau, something like this. And if it's war somewhere in the Black Sea area, he can stop that warships to go in and out. Why do you think the Brits not bring their ships yet over there? Or the Americans, they have them over there before that. So they're gonna fight over there in the Black Sea. If the Russians, let's say, or the Chinese, the same. Remember, Xi Jinping just visited, that gave a signal. So no, I don't think so. I don't think, there's no chance. It's too landlocked by too many enemies. And there's, or unfriendly countries, they could be campaign donations. - And we'll do one more final comment for you, Emil. And thank you for your time. We kept you way over the 15th. - No, you didn't give me either one of the four. Emil, this is from Emil 913. I watch Emil, and I'm so glad you guys invited him on. P.S., I've pretended I'm Emil after reading Emil and the detectives as a child. I liked it particularly because my name is Emil Lee, and I've always been a tomboy. Thank God there was no transgender in the 70s, else my kids might not be here. Anyway, love all your, love all your cutting hugs commentary. - Well, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you. - People like us with a little half-depurita, I'm not trying to pretend I'm half-depurita. There's alternative voices, they're needed, they're needed. Because what these guys are doing, you can't let them just give that little side of the story. And the truth is much more than that. - Agreed. - I can agree. - Agreed. - Yeah, and you can get a lot of good truth from Emil's channel. The link is in the description box down below. I will add it as a link comment when the show ends. Alexander, we can answer the remaining few questions that we have. - Please. - Emil Cosman, thank you very much for joining us on the Duran, and we really do hope that you will come back again. - Yep, absolutely. - Thank you very much. - Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely. Thank you very much, Emil. And thank you for joining us today. Anytime, and you guys are gonna join me on my channel soon. Bye bye. - Absolutely, our pleasure. Thank you, thank you Emil, take care. - Bye. - All right. - Fantastic. Really good to have Emil on the show. - Indeed, and a perspective, a Romanian perspective, which is, we have Polish people, people from Poland, Baltic states, Scandinavia, Romania. How are they any point from Romania that I know about how do Romanian voice ever speaking? - Yeah. Let's answer the remaining questions, Alexander. And we can call it a night, at least for me tonight. From Nikos, KN125, what Putin wants is people, five million in Dombasa, five million refugees in Russia, at 10 million from Belarus, and it's a population now is at 165 million. - Well, indeed, absolutely, that's a very good point. But I think that he does also want security for Russia's Western borders. I mean, he's been talking about this now for years and years, and it's astonishing that people in the West still don't get it. So he doesn't want NATO troops in Ukrainian territory. He absolutely doesn't want nuclear weapons there. He wants strong guarantees that Russians and Russia itself will be secure on its Eastern borders. And that is the one thing that the Western powers don't seem to want to give him or to the Russians. And that's why we have this war. - Nikos says 25, I've only known Putin's Russia with his fifth term now. Do you know what he and the Russian people think about his predecessor, meant for Boris Yeltsin? - If you're talking about what the Russian people in general think, it is strongly negative. There's very, very negative. Plus in the last years of his presidency and it continues to be very negative today. It's seen as a time of catastrophe. It's seen as a time when he made impossibly big concessions to the West and when the government essentially stopped functioning in any effective way. - Nikos also says, I wanted to ask you, do you know what Yanukovych thinks about the SMO? Where is he? And last but not least, thank you for your respectful answer last time. - He's in Russia, it's the short answer. And we don't know what he thinks about it because the Russians are making absolutely sure that he's kept out of sight. Apparently he's trying at various times since he was overthrown to reestablish himself as a significant political figure. But the Russians have never allowed him to do so because they don't trust him. And they think that he's also deeply unpopular in Ukraine. - Yeah, that myth of Yanukovych being Putin's guy. Myth. - Not true. - Not true. - Absolutely a myth. - Peter Sketcher, welcome to the Dran community. Sammy says, good day Dran truth seekers. This is a chat, I can't read the name to the language, I don't understand, but the question is, would Ukraine be able to stand a better chance at holding their lines if they have access to the same hypersonic shovels the Russian sea to have? - Well, of course, that would enable them to march, not just on Moscow, but on Vladivostok as well. - With the shovels? - Yeah. - Oh boy, Bernadette Wilkater to the Dran community. Dana says, the Russians are fighting the war of attrition, a very smart strategy. - Absolutely, I mean, bear in mind, Ukraine is a huge country backed by NATO. How do you win in a war in Ukraine? - It's not the war that the Russians wanted to fight at the beginning, at the beginning, they were seeking a peace agreement and they almost got it. But when it became clear that there was going to be a war, this is the strategy that they adopted and we see that it's working out for them. - S says, please get Caleb Mappen from CPI on the show number. Thank you for that. Elza says, what was Koluba? - Koluba, what was Koluba doing in Serbia after she left? - Very good question. I mean, it's a very good question. - I've heard rumors, I've heard rumors Alexander from Serbia and people that I know that have sent me some rumors of what they're saying there, which is that maybe they're asking Serbia to mediate in some sort of talks. What do you think about that? - I think it is not impossible. I was also going to say that I understand that Zelensky's wife has been to Serbia as well. So something is going on. And I think that with the crisis on the battle fronts, developing fast, people do come up with desperate ideas and they're trying to find some way out. They can't talk to China because the US doesn't want them to do that. So they're trying to serve here as well. But what sort of concessions they're prepared to make, what sort of deal with the Russians they're prepared to do? It's another story. And where the vuchit wants to become involved in any mediation exercise like that, I really don't know. But I think that has to be what it's about. - I remember I think Professor Sticker, I know if you're Las Vegas think Professor Sticker, somewhere of 1970 says a four out of five people suffer from diarrhea. Does that mean that one enjoys it? That's a quote from George Karlin. Comedian, George Karlin. The Rufus Shinra says, Alexander, have you considered running for a political office? You would be a much needed voice of reason and I enjoy your daily reports. Thank you. - You know, I've talked to the people, tell me this all the time. No, I've not considered it. I mean, at one time, it was twice, it was suggested to me, once in Greece and once in Britain. And on both occasions, I've turned it down. And in both occasions, I've done it because I really don't think ultimately that I'm made for politics. I don't think I would succeed in politics. I've seen politics too close from the inside to really think that I have the skills to make a success of it. Just to say. Fisher says, sending love to Duran and Emil, who gave us so much everything for that dish. - Just to finish on that, I think I'm doing a much better job and I have a much more effective voice of reason doing what I'm doing on the Duran than if I'd ever got into any kind of electoral position, either in Greece or in Britain. - Agreed. Sparky says, make Ukraine Russia again. Sparky also says, don't even leave a patch called Ukraine, least it remain a NATO playground, carpet bag or money laundering becomes a black rock. - You know, the Western powers are doing everything they can to bring that outcome about. I don't know whether they understand it, but everything that they're saying, every statement that they're making about how Ukraine cannot join NATO so long as the war goes on, about Ukraine as long as it takes. All of this, it makes the Russians more likely to bring about that outcome that you've just described. - From locals, from Chris, in pretty much the entire West, it doesn't appear to be a mainstream political party, which is against the war in Ukraine or the genocide in Gaza, indeed even protests against these is becoming legal. Do you see a pathway to this situation changing? - Well, I mean, I don't see it pathway at the moment. I think that for the moment, the political class in Europe and the United States as the situation, very tightly under control, and I think it will remain so. The question is, how far are these people prepared to go? Are they prepared to take on the awesome risks of intervening directly in Ukraine? And are their militaries prepared to do that? And of course, they also have to calculate that if they do start going to those kinds of lengths, this situation, this very unnatural situation which you've described, in which nobody debates anything, might start to break down. Germany is now talking about introducing, reintroducing conscription. It only abolished conscription a few years ago. Maybe the German people will accept that, but they will not accept sending their boys to fight in Ukraine. Of that, I am absolutely sure. - Ask her and says, you said Russia meant Soviet, but Brezhnev wasn't here you creating it. I don't know if this, I think this was a meal or you, I don't know, 1964 to 1982, Brezhnev. - Yeah, Brezhnev, I, as I understand it, was a Russian speaking person from the April, the Trotsky, the region around it. Now, that of course is forced within Ukraine today. But as I understand it, he always self-identified as Russia. Now, Khrushchev was from the Donbas. Actually, he was from an area he was born in a village which is now, which remained in Russia when the Soviet Union broke up. But he's right on the border. But he also went to work and live in Donbas. And of course, he actually took a very great interest in Ukrainian things and was for a time for secretary of the Ukrainian Communist Party. But again, I'm not sure whether he would have self-described or self-identified as a Ukrainian. - From tabernac, industrious side of the iron curtain always wins. - Yeah, true. - Florina says, you should discuss the former Foreign Minister, you should discuss with the former Foreign Minister of Romania and former head of OSCE, Egrin Savarin, a person, an eligible person about the situation in Romania. - Very interesting, absolutely. - Former Foreign Minister of Romania. Thank you for that. Vladimir says, please do not rewrite history of World War II, unbelievable. Thank you for that, Vladimir. Rafael says, for both of you guys, do you think the US understands well that France in 1807 occupied France, Italy and Portugal, that these people hate France? - Well, I do know that they hate France, so that was a long time ago, that was under Napoleon. No, there was an intense war and it was very bitter and very angry, but that was a long time ago. Nova Strong says, "Thanks for all you do." Vladimir says, "I cannot believe this guest was trying hard to whitewash the atrocities of the Romanian army. You cannot equate what an AZI coalition did with the Soviet atrocities." What atrocities you've referred to? - Well, I mean, I get to respect the feelings of our guests. If you want me to discuss the events of the war, I don't think this is the time, this is the program, I'm going to do that. And what happened in Odessa specifically? - Sparky says, "I knew Hungarian from Romania, he swam across the Danube during the Cold War to escape the West. I wonder if now he would swim back." - Good question, interesting. - Newt too says, "Go guys, look after yourselves, doing good." That's a shot, thank you for the super sticker. Moon Dragon says, "Lavirof invited NATO for a fight, Russia must be in a very strong position now." - Oh yeah, I think they are. I think they're very self-confident. - John ski says, "What's your opinion on Lindsey Graham's rant about nuclear bombs on Japan to stop a war? Why not Ukraine? The man is insane." - He is, I thought it was one of the most crazy things I've ever seen, and he got so angry, and he was banging on his desk. And I mean, the man is just out of control. - Bad luck. Imagine if a Russian politician had behaved like that. Just say. - Yeah, very bad luck. Basil says, "Ukraine is the decoy for Russia to pour all efforts in. Unfortunately, Russia is not playing NATO's game." - True. - Excellent comment. Sherry, thank you for that super chat. Sparky says, "Renderd von Braun was born in what is now Poland, but we call him German, not Polish." - True. - Sophisticated caveman says, "Can Ukrainian ultra-nationalism be traced back to Lviv and the Habsburgs?" - This is a complex topic about which I'm not fully sure, but I think that there is a strong case to be made for that. But it's been challenged, and I think that there are others who say that it's a phenomenon of the inter-war years, this very virulent nationalism that developed in Ukraine, really developed in the '20s and '30s. Now, I'm not going to pretend that I have a deep academic or historical knowledge of this, but I know that this is indeed claimed about Ukraine, that the Habsburgs, that the Habsburg government played a role in creating these antagonisms, basically in order to keep Western Ukraine, Galicia, in opposition to Russia. - All right, and just a couple of more here. Thank you, Vincent Vega, for joining the Dren community. MindTap says, "We love you, Alex and Alexander." Thank you, MindTap, for a very generous super chat. And Zariel says, "Yes, I'm going to write this L, Graham, "is a F&H." - Yeah, thank you, Zariel, for that. And Alexander, we have from the last livestream to questions that came in when we signed off. It's often, let me just pull those up real quick. From Raphael, "Pay attention to this new language. "Russia will no longer tolerate to be threatened anymore." - Yeah, that's a very good point. - And Rubio says, "Good to see a crisis averted, "thanks for your update, yes, in dark times." - Thank you very much. - Thank you very much. All right, that's everything, any final thoughts? Alexander, as I do a final check on everything. No, I mean, I think, you know, we have heard a perspective from a Romanian person. And as I said, that is a central part of the crisis. And I absolutely agree with him, by the way. I don't think Romania is acting independently in a way that is calculated to advance its own self-interest. You could say that about every important state in Europe at the moment. And to my mind, what that says is that this ever closer union that we've achieved and posed in ourselves through the EU has become an absolutely disastrous trap, which is leading us into ever further into a crisis, which we don't see to have any ability to escape. - MF7 says, wants to know if you have a cold, Alexander, or if you had cold. - Yes, yes, this is the answer. I'm afraid one of many this winter and spring. Until the next year, when my children are older, and they've got more immunities, they'll be fewer of them. - Stranger, thank you for that super chat. Sparky says it's a shame, no matter how many times Lindsey Graham betrays Trump. Trump still counts him, a friend. And Elza says, just the personal thought, my ancestors left Germany centuries ago, me living here again, come to understand better why they left day by day. - Interesting. - Oh, sure, interesting. That's everything, Alexander. A fantastic show. And thank you to everyone that watched us on Rockfin, Odyssey, Rumble, YouTube, and the Duran, that local stuff. And thank you once again to our moderators. Hey, Val, yes. How are you doing, Val, yes. And Zariel, thank you Zariel. And I want to say Alice in London, that I just can't read. I can't read the writing there for this moderator. Thank you. And thank you to Peter as well, and Tish and as well. Yes, Alice in London. Interesting text or wonderland. Oh, yeah, interesting text. Yeah, they're interesting font. And that's everyone that's moderating. Yeah, all right, Alexander. Let's one more. Mikhail Vitojou's generals were Serbian. That's what stranger says. Okay. We have Jensus, generals or serpents. Thank you for that, stranger. And on that note, we will end this live stream. Thank you very much, everybody. Take care. [BLANK_AUDIO]