Ukrainian President Vladimir zalenski comes to Washington DC and receives a hero's. Welcome Republicans debate, whether to vote against a massive Omnibus spending boondoggle and house, Democrats, released Donald Trump's attacks returns and bench, bro. This is the bench Pharaoh show, bench Bureau sponsor expressvpn, protect your online privacy today at expressvpn.com / band. Well, big news of the day, obviously, Vladimir zielinski visited, Washington, DC, yesterday, he spoke before a joint session of Congress last
Tonight, this is his first trip outside of the country, since the beginning of the Ukraine war that Russia launched in February of 2022, a lot. Earlier this year, the war has been going on for, at least 10 months at this point. It has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. One of the big questions that has arisen, particularly on the right but also on some, for some people on the left is why the United States is involved in this in the first place. And the answer is actually multifaceted because foreign policy is a complicated area. So the answer is actually not all that.
Complicated. Russia is a geopolitical foe of the United States degrading, Russia is in the Strategic interest of the United States. Now, there's some people on the right are very isolationist and orientation and they're constantly asking why the United States should basically be involved anywhere in the world, which wasn't fair question in about 1850. It is less fair question. Today, when obviously Global Supply chains have to do with International politics, when Global economics, have to do with International politics when the ability to move weaponry and troops and terrorists around. The globe is very
Very easy, we live in a very Global Society. What that means is that the water is that, once protected the United States from all encroachments abroad, those Waters look a lot narrower than they did Circle about 1850 and what. That means the geopolitical E our foes are either on the move or they are in Retreat, United States is either on the move or is in Retreat. The world is a safer place when the US has more hegemony, the world's a less safe place when the u.s. tends to create a vacuum in foreign policy which is then filled by geopolitical foe is like Russia or like China. What this means
Unnie unnie sort of hard-nosed level is that we do have an interest in degrading, Russia's military strength to invade surrounding countries. We have that interest because Russia again is a geopolitical foe of the United States. That is not interested in forming. An alliance with the United States has been our foe in Syria that are phone in Afghanistan. Has been our foe repeatedly throughout the world. That is hoping to shape a new sphere of influence to activate against the West. Russia is not a part of the West Russia being every given every opportunity, particularly in the fall of the Soviet Union 22.
Do that. Russia just has not taken advantage of any of that. Russia's goal has been pretty overtly to break NATO, nato, in the aftermath of the Cold War was reconstituted as a sort of anti-russian Alliance knowing that Russia, had predatory instincts with regard to the Baltic states. Particularly, but also with regard to Ukraine, we're going to Poland regards to a lot of the former satellites of the Soviet Union NATO continued to be a viable defense mechanism against the Russians doesn't mean that NATO's policy with Ukraine has meant his many sent. It hasn't made any sense NATO.
Which originally was formed with a tripartite purpose. Keep the Americans in. Keep the Germans down, keep the Russians out, right? That was the tripartite purpose that continues to be NATO's. Mission is to keep Germany at the center of European politics without allowing them to sort of break out. Because they've done so twice in the in the 20th century to the devastation of the world, to keep the Americans in because America has an interest in European politics, at least to the extent that we send the money and to keep the Russians out. Because again, Russia's predatory, instincts were Communists. And now
They are more oligarchic said that mission maintains, but that does not mean that NATO wasn't playing games with Ukraine and they kept making overtures to Ukraine. Maybe you should come, maybe you should not come. And finally, Russia got tired of it and invaded and you see why Putin invaded doesn't mean it was justified, but you see why he did it? He also had the bizarre notion that Ukraine was not at this point, a policy of its own that it considered itself. Part of Russia's, he'd be able to walk in just the way that Hitler walked into Austria during the on shallows and everybody just cheered Putin obviously, thought that was going to happen in Ukraine. That's it.
Have him part of the reason. By the way, it didn't happen is because Russia has invaded the desk. Luhansk region as well as Crimea in 2014, and turn those places and to Absolute hell holes. So, if you're Ukrainian looking to your East and you look at the Hampton house, co-working yourself at Crimea and you say I can be living like those people or I could be living. Not like those people. The answer is you don't want to live under Russian rule. It turns out that Vladimir Putin's rule has not been good for Russians, and it has not been for ukrainians inside Lohan, Stone mask, or inside Crimea. So that miscalculation by Putin has led to an entrenched war in, which he has been pretty thoroughly.
Butted in the, the surprise of the war is not only that Ukraine was able to Stave off Russia, but the Ukraine has been able to inflict extraordinary casualties on Russian a part of that is because Russia's conventional military is actually incredibly second-rate, not just their trained soldiers, but also their Weaponry, their Weaponry is really old because Russia is a very poor country. I mean, it really is. Russia's GDP, total is about the GDP of the State of Florida.
Russia is not a rich country. Russia is as some people have suggested an oil station with a nuclear Arsenal and because of that, Russia's conventional military was defeated by Ukraine, which was armed with NATO Weaponry, which actually is significantly upgraded Weaponry over whatever the Russians have to offer. So Russia has been forced back. That is in the interest of the United States, it upholds, the deterrent, power of NATO. It's a graze. Russia's conventional military to the extent that Russia is going to have a very tough time with adventurous Ambitions in terms of foreign policy and violating other countries borders which is good for the world stability.
Generally good thing violation of orders who generally a bad thing and it deters China as well. Because again, the cost that Russia has now. Born is so significant that if China is looking at Taiwan and thinking to itself, maybe we'll try that. Well looking at what happened to Russia, not wonderful if you're tryna get some more on this in just one minute. First, are you tired of overpaying for your wireless network? Get talk, text and blazing fast data for just 30 bucks a month. Pure Talk, gives you the same network. The same Towers the same coverage as the other guys at half the price, happy Hanukkah. And merry Christmas everybody here. Talks you.
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Instead of China once being a client state of the Soviet Union now, Russia is essentially a client state of China. So in some ways it's maximize Chinese Powers but in other ways it's actually degraded a very strong strategic Ally of the Chinese and made it harder for them to engage in adventurous foreign policy in Taiwan. So the United States has achieved a bunch of Interest with regard to Ukraine war and as far as the investment that the United States has made in the Ukraine war. Again, we've expended no lives in the Ukraine war. We've expended a fair bit of money in the Ukraine war but the truth is that the amount of money that we have.
And in 2022 amounts to approximately 6% of total us defense spending in 2022. The US defense, budget was seven hundred fifteen billion dollars. The amount that we've spent in Ukraine is something like seventy seven billion dollars. It'll raise to maybe a hundred billion dollars. It's a lot of money. It is a lot of money, but it represents a fraction of the United States is military budget. If you could trade, say, 10% of the American military budget for the complete degradation of the Russian military, that actually,
Is is not a bad move, considering that Ukrainian armed forces, have already killed and wounded, at least 100,000 Russian troops. That is half of its original fighting force. There have been almost 8,000 confirmed, losses of armored vehicles, including thousands of Tanks, thousands of a PCS artillery pieces, hundreds of fixed and rotary Wing, aircraft numerous Naval vessels. So basically destroyed half of the Russian military by just giving the weapons to Ukraine.
So that is that is a pretty solid return.
I mean, the, the truth is that on a year-to-year level, the amount of money that we'd be spending in the American military budget in order to counter, whatever moves, the Russians are making would easily be that amount of money. And here, you're talking about a one-time expenditure that has taken out an extraordinary percentage with Russian military.
So is it in America's interest to fund this sure. Now the question becomes what the end of this war looks like and this has been my point, the United States and Ukraine had convergent interest when it came to the beginning of this war, stop the Russians, push the Russians back to grade the Russian military. Now, the question becomes for how long what is the end point here? Because the truth is that the United States does have an interest in stability despite all the talk about how we would love to see regime change in Russia. The truth is we don't know what comes next in Russia and where the Russian regime to fall what you could end up with is Henry Kissinger has said
Is it complete destruction of any centralized Authority in Russia? And now you're talking about an extraordinarily large landmass with tribal situations, taking over all over this land. Mass armed, with 2,500 nuclear weapons. That's not sound like an ideal situation. You actually do need a centralized government in Russia. As much as you think that gladman Putin is a thug. In a strong man as much as that is true. A complete collapse of the Russian government into sort of chaos would be a worse solution probably and what we are currently looking at right now. And so this means that we actually
Have some Divergent interest from the ukrainians a convergent interests brain, pushing back, the Russians, where it diverges is the end goal. If your Ukraine, what you want is for the Russians to actually just render, you want the Russians to surrender and Ukraine. You want them to just leave. That is not going to happen. Putin can't allow that to happen. If you're the United States, what you want is for the Russians to be defeated. They have been conventionally. You want the Russian military degraded? You want NATO upheld 180, deterrence upheld. You want to turn to China? All that stuff's already happened. So the question becomes where the line gets drawn and
How we best, get to that line. And this is why I've been saying for a long time here and we need to pursue a two-fold strategy, the United States one, you have to continue funding Ukraine. So they don't actually lose the war. You need to allow them to continue to push the Russians, pretty hard on the battlefield at the same time. We need to open up back-channel. Negotiations with Putin. And we have to say to him. What does a solution, what does it go look like to you? What is the end goal look like to you? Because at a certain point here, Joe Biden is going to have to be the bad guy at a certain point here. The president of the United States is going to have to say, here is what a solution looks like in Ukraine and we are going to stop.
Funding military aid. That is used this way until we get what we need, if ukrainians are the ones who actually push back against that possible solution. The reason that Biden needs to be the bad guy is because the lenski at this point, cannot go back to his own people and say I'm going to accept Russian domination of particular territory. He's lost too. Many people is people are mobilized on behalf of war, world leaders have a very, very difficult time. Say it with a negotiated peace. That's a very difficult thing to do.
Absent. Just the abject surrender of the other side which again is not going to happen because Putin cannot allow that to happen. Which means that Biden is going to have to make the sacrifice of going out there and saying, here is what negotiation solution a negotiated solution. Looks like I'm gonna cram it down. Is he actually going to have the stones to do that? I have very serious doubts, whether it's going to have the stones to do any of that. Now in this whole analysis is not necessary to ignore all of the problems. Inside Ukraine, been a lot of talk about, why are we even supporting Ukraine against the Russians? I just explained on a Geo.
Political level why we're supporting Ukraine against the Russians. Russia presents a geopolitical threat to the United States. It backs all of our foes including Iran, including China. It has been an aggressive foreign player in foreign policy, invading other countries and surrounding regions. It does not have the economic interests of the west or the United States at heart. It is abject, it is clearly opposed. Many of those interests. Ukraine is to all extensive purposes for the United States kind of a nothing Burger until the Russians invaded.
So the United States had an interest in Ukraine remaining an independent country apart from Russia. But it's not as though the United States had like heavy investment in Ukraine, Ukraine was just another country until Russia invaded it. And you don't have to ignore the problems. The inside. Ukraine has serious problems, Ukraine. You don't have to be a person who flies the Ukrainian flag, because you'll love Ukraine because you love the government in Ukraine. In order to oppose the Russian predations upon Ukraine is a false binary.
I can accept all these things. Foreign policy is a place where you are constantly making choices between unpalatable actors.
Is Ukraine a place where you'd normally want to sink billions of dollars. No it is completely corrupt. The government of Ukraine has been completely corrupted for decades. There's nothing new about this and those corruption allegations do include people like Vladimir zelanski. There's the Associated Press, it was reporting all the way back in. July quote Ukrainian President. Vladimir zelinsky's dismissal of senior officials is casting An Inconvenient light on an issue that divided Administration has largely ignored since the outbreak of war with Russia, Ukraine's history of rampant corruption, and shaky government is leading a lot of Americans. Say, okay, why are we sending?
Ending so much money over there without any oversight, which is a proper and correct question. Obviously, we need to oversight of where that money is going and some ways. It's better for us to just ship the Weaponry directly in as opposed to sending them the money to buy the Weaponry. At least if you just ship them to Weaponry, you know, they have the weapon review. Ship them the money. I might be going in as Lansky's personal bank account, you just don't know, unless that sound like some sort of slanderous idea about solinsky. It's been true of literally, every Ukrainian prime minister. So far as I'm aware for the last several decades,
As a press ahead with brightening tens of billions of dollars in military economic and direct financial support to Ukraine and encourages allies to do the same, the by Administration, according to NPR ganas, NPR back in July is now, once again, grappling with long-standing worries about Ukraine's suitability. As a recipient of massive, infusions of American Aid, those issues which date back decades and we're not an insignificant part of former President. Donald Trump's first impeachment have been largely pushed to the back burner in the immediate run-up to the Russian invasion. It's lensky. Fired. His top prosecutor intelligence Chief and other senior officials resurfacing.
Concerns. This may have given fresh attention to allegations of high-level corruption in kyiv made by one outspoken u.s. lawmaker. Now, again, it may be then in the years to come, we find out that a lot of the money that we've been sending to Ukraine, actually went into the pocket of Latimer's olenski's front like that would not be the craziest possible outcome of this because again given how politics Works in Ukraine actually be shocking. If that wasn't the outcome here, with that said, that does not undermine the idea that the United States should be providing Aid to Ukraine for all the reasons that we've already mentioned. Mainly,
Checking the Russians and deterring Chinese. The same thing holds true with regard to Ukraine and religious treatment. Now, there are few myths that have been pervade here with regard to Ukraine. One is that Ukraine is some sort of secular liberal Paradise. It is not Ukraine has higher levels of church-going than Russia does. Ukraine does not allow same-sex marriage or is not pro transgender. Ukraine is a very socially conservative country
However, is it true that Vladimir zalenski is cracking down on the Ukrainian? Orthodox Church? The answer is yes. And the reason that he's been doing that is because he believes that Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Not without evidence is linked to Moscow because as it turns out they've actually done some raids on the Ukrainian Orthodox church and what they found is large amounts of cash dubious. Russian citizens leaflets calling on people to join the Russian army, and Setters are. Now is that a violation of religious freedom? It very well may be and you'll have to excuse it away in order to say that it's still better.
Better to choose to give Aid to Ukraine to Stave off the Russia. Megan, who's Russia that cross Ukraine's. Borders is not the other way around here. You also don't have to ignore the reality that battalions like the azov Battalion have been covered since like 2014 as rooted in Neo. Nazi ideology that that was reported by virtually. Every major media outlet. That is not Russian propaganda. That happens to be the truth and white nationalism is, in fact, quite present. In many areas of the Ukrainian military. It all those things can be true.
All those things can be true. It can also be true that the vast bulk of the Ukrainian military is not those people and can also be true that. Again, Ukraine is standing up to the Russians and that is a good thing for the United States. United States does have an interest in all these things. So all these things can be true at once because we are constantly thinking in such manichean Black and Whites romantic and means manichean terms. What we tend to think is what we either are fighting for the forces of light, against the forces of Darkness,
Or the only side that we can support has to be absolutely pure and every dollar has to go exactly where we say. It's going none of that has ever been. The reality in foreign policy whenever informed policy we give ate a lot of that. Money is wasted whenever we give military aid to a country where giving Aid to countries generally that are not as open and honest as the United States, United States happens to be the greatest country on Earth. That means that by definition when we give Aid to other countries, those countries are not as great as the United States. This happens all the time in American foreign policy. And yes, America does have an interest in shaping the world to its
dirty.
There are a lot of folks out there who say that it's not America first. If you are interested in the foreign sphere know precisely the opposite, it is because I wish to protect America's interests that. I believe that a muscular America on the world stage is better. It's the reason why it was an idiotic move to pull out of Afghanistan for no apparent reason and hand. The country over to the Taliban who promptly, welcome terrorists back in, whenever United States were tracked on the world stage people who hate us take over. This is the rule in American foreign policy, and this is why the United States.
Involved. Now, again, one of the things that drives people absolutely up a wall is the fact that everyone in politics speaks about this stuff without any Nuance? Everybody in the political sphere, the people who should be expressing some sort of nuance with regards to this sort of stuff and making clear all of the, all of the holdups that they have with Ukraine making obvious that they do not think that, that Ukrainian government is free of corruption. That it is a Bastion of light and happiness, but we are going to support them against the Russians because the Russians are the predatory power in this particular situation. And the United States has an
an actual National interest in staving off Russian Victory in this particular Arena.
Instead of politicians actually saying any of that stuff, what you get is the the happy talk and they happy talk. I understand it. Rubs everybody the wrong way. Instead, what you have is the ukrainians are the Ukrainian government is absolutely scot-free. Wonderful. It's the greatest Ukrainian Flags when I won't fly the American flag, but I won't fall, I will fly the Ukrainian flag. I won't shut the American Border but I will shut off ship 45 billion dollars in military aid to Ukraine. Now the criticism there is not about ripping Aid, Ukraine, the criticism about shutting the Border
So whenever you hear people who say, why are we shipping the AIDS? Ukraine as opposed to running the border. The real question for Joe Biden should be why are you shutting the Border sound out the aid? The eight isn't really the question. The question is, why are you shutting the border? The notion that while I can't believe we're spending forty five billion dollars on Ukraine or spending one point seven trillion dollars we don't have a borrowing money to spend it. That's a question about American spending generally speaking. It is not about this specific spending priority. I agree with all those critiques. I just think it's a non sequitur in many cases.
And the question is, whether it is in the interest of the United States. So again fund Ukraine to the defeat of Russia and the answer is truthfully speaking. This is one of the greatest American Military investment of all time. You've degraded the Russian military by a factor of 1/2 at the cost of less than 100 billion dollars, it's a pretty big win. Especially when you look at the wars that are gonna be prevented in the future, because you have basically made it impossible for the Russians to get predatory anywhere else in the world because their military has been degraded so much by this particular War now again.
The big problem is our politicians have no capacity to explain any of this. They're not honest with the American people. And so instead what you get is the light versus darkness, dark side of the force, versus the Jedi, kind of description of this conflict. No Nuance at all. And that's a problem because it actually doesn't teach Americans or tell Americans are explain to Americans that foreign policy is Place filled with lots of complexity, lots of nuance and lots of Darkness. We got two more on this in just one second. First, it is very important to have life insurance. Are you responsible human being? You have dependents. Well,
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To
have an outfit complete total hero in the Congress of the United States. Fighting for democracy, leading people who are fighting for democracy, would bring honor to the Congress of the United States.
And then Pelosi of course, did what she always does. And she tried to like in January 6th what's happening in Ukraine. This is this is just a bad habit, for Democrats pretending that a couple hundred rioters breaking into a building and quickly. Being ousted is the same thing as a country, nearly being Stamped, Out by another country, is pretty ridiculous on its face and I will say this about sonski zalenski, acted heroically and staying in key. If you could have led many other leaders, have you saw us in Afghanistan? His leadership has been excellent as in terms of wartime.
Leadership in Ukraine's ones. He's leadership has been very good. He's great on TV, he's very charismatic. This is his job and he's very good at his job. And is that Ukraine's? Interest. Sure. So if you are Ukrainian, do you like zalenski? Sure, of course. I mean he's acting in his National interest of the sort of drooling. Overweening talk is not necessarily. I think the most honest yes he's acting heroically is he is he a quote unquote total and complete? He is this the way that you should talk about something we're going to have to impose a negotiated solution in the very near future. I have some problems with it.
Meanwhile Mitch McConnell using very similar language to talk about this. Here is the Senate, minority leader,
voting assistance, for ukrainians to defeat the Russians. That's the number one priority for the United States right now. According to most Republicans, that's sort of how we see the challenges confronting the country at the
moment.
Okay. That's that's a wild overstatement mean that is not remotely the number one, priority for most Republicans are most Americans. I mean, by pulling to, this is not true. I think it's a major foreign policy priority. Is it the main priority of the United States to fun Ukraine? No, I mean these Mass over statements, all they do is drive opposition because again, they're not true, it's not true. That this is the best priority of the United States, Kevin McCarthy. Presumably, at some point, the Republicans in the house will make him the speaker. He was actually more accurate about those whose on with Laura Ingraham. Last night. He said, listen, we should be signing
Chest Ukraine. But there needs to be oversight and we need to make sure we know what we're doing with the money. This seems like a perfectly reasonable response. From Kevin McCarthy,
Germany's already reneged on its own military. Exactly expenditures. And we're spending 62% of all the costs in Ukraine, but it's supposed to be the big threat to Europe. Why are the American people on the hook for this to the tune of 85 billion more? It looks like well we shouldn't be before the election I explain to everybody no more blank checks for Ukraine.
No, more blank checks for Ukraine. Is probably right mean there should never be a blank check. I mean, I understand that's all the Congress does these days just time blank checks to everything. Now, here's the thing, the American people actually are pretty much on the same page about this. Meaning they support Ukraine against Russia. They don't want this to be endless. They don't think that America has any interest are entirely convergent with Ukraine's interest in terms of the end goal. So when you hear politicians, say we're willing to fight this thing where you just going to keep it going on infinitum, the American people are not with that. The American people want to see Russia. Jason they want to see Russia lose.
They wants his Ukraine funded. They also want to know what the end goal. Here's, they want to know where our money is going. They want to know what this looks like. What is the solution looks like? And the latest opinion, poll that I can find on. This is from December 5th is from the Chicago Council on global Affairs. And here is what they find in equal percentage of Americans. Say that Russia 26% Ukraine. 26 percent has the advantage in the current conflict plurality. 46% police and the other neither country has the advantage solid majorities of Americans. Continue to support supplying Ukraine with arms that 65%.
Sent and economic aid 66% accepting Ukrainian refugees 73% in sanctioning Russia 75%. Only 40% of Americans. However, believe that the United States should maintain its current level of support for Ukraine indefinitely.
Now, the rest of the public splits in two different ways, right? Three in 10, say the United States should intervene militarily to tip the advantage to Ukraine, which, of course is silly. We're not going to put troops on the ground. Or should we and in the war as soon as possible or at the United States, should gradually withdraw support for Ukraine at 29 percent, which means that again, the American public is pretty split on this are pretty a of ambivalent about the spending. They don't know what the solution looks like. Because Joe Biden has not talked about a solution according to Washington, Post peas, maybe a month ago, talking about the vitamins,
Jason said, this is not going to end with Russia leaving Ukraine. We don't know what it is going to look like the end solution. We're not going to impose a solution. We need to continue funding. That is a very bad policy that is a policy. That doesn't look like anything that approaches an M. You literally have to have an end goal in mind. When you go into a war there will be no end to the war. And this is a this is a judge basic rule of War. Americans are now closely divided on whether Washington should support Ukraine. As long as it takes 48 percent American of Americans say that Washington should support Ukraine as long as it.
X, 47 percent, say Washington should urge Ukraine to settle for peace as soon as possible. That's 47 percent. So again, Americans are pretty split on this issue this notion that it's like a wild, right wing conspiracy to say that we should get to a solution here. At America's interest is in coming to an end point, because we've already achieved our interests that is on a wild right wing position. That's a fairly mainstream position.
If you look at the if you look at the US policy on Ukraine Russia and and pull statistics on what Americans believe, majority of Republicans, believe in increasing economic and diplomatic sanctions on Russia. Sending additional arms and Military supplies to the Ukrainian government, providing economic assistance to Ukraine accepting refugees.
Only 26 percent of Republicans believe that the US should send troops to the Ukrainian government. But that's a company by about 34 percent of Democrats, right? Only 130 Democrats believe in that. So Americans are actually fairly in an agreement on all of this. The stud the only area in which they are in significant. Disagreement is when it comes to maintaining the current level of support for Ukraine indefinitely Or whether we should intervene militarily militarily to end the war in favor of Ukraine, as quickly as possible. Mainly Republicans, think we
Gradually withdraw us, support for Ukraine and Democrats by plurality or by majority believe that we should maintain the current level of support for Ukraine indefinitely. Then number is going to shrink over time
Again, fewer Americans say the United States should support Ukraine. As long as it takes right now, at 61 percent of Democrats think that us should support Ukraine. As long as it takes, which again means open-ended spending which Democrats will not support the minute. A republican takes office as we, although, but only 48% of Americans, overall actually agreed that position. If you look at Independence, Independence are split 4646, and what did you guys? Should gradually reduce its Aid.
They take the position, the United States should, are you trying to settle for peace as soon as possible? So the class aren't so great for American households, even if that means Ukraine will lose its own territory. So the notion that there's sort of like an overwhelming majority for Endless. Aid is not true. The American people are beginning to settle on the notion that there has to be some sort of end point, which of course is perfectly correct. This is perfectly right now. You don't blame zalenski for coming and asking for the a that's literally what his job is to do. I'm not gonna blame zalenski for that. Because why would I blame his landscape of that? That is his job. What I blame is the president of the United States for not making
unclear what exactly America's policies are or doing the things that are necessary to come to a conclusion Point here. Now it's weird about this is that the the Democratic party and and Joe Biden particular, the president they're taking a very split rhetorical view of the situation. On the one hand they're saying they want to be careful. On the other hand have been completely not careful. So for example, John Kirby loses national security spokesperson. He says we're going to be very careful what we talked about with Vladimir's lines. He said this on MSNBC and then publicly, they're not careful at all.
If
you give us broad Strokes as to how the u.s. is ensuring his safety to wash it and then back home. So I can tell you that that the u.s. is in support in various ways of helping him. Get here to the United States safely he is in route right now and obviously because he has to get back into country we're going to be careful in terms of what we talked
about.
Hey, but it's not just aren't careful in what they talked about with regard to him. Coming in him coming out they say they're gonna be careful as far as what they talked about in terms of weaponry and there's some pretty significant disagreements between the binder ministration and between Ukraine. Ukraine, would love for them to they'd love to have Patriot missiles capable of striking into Russian territory. For example, there are cases, you have to hit the Russians where they live in order, so that they stop sending people over the border. And the United States is saying, we don't want you to escalate by attacking across the border, but the by demonstration is not making that very clear, okay. So finally zalenski arrives at the White House yesterday.
Stirred. A lot of people are making a big deal out of the fact that zalenski war, essentially his military suit, which is his is green sweatshirt and his and his military pants. I mean, looks like he's wearing fatigues, almost getting out of the getting out of the car here. Here's what it looks like.
You can see here. And here comes lensky, he's wearing sort of the military fatigue uniform and biting his wedding suit. A lot of
people were apparently upset that he wasn't wearing a suit. I mean, frankly, I don't care. I think the bigger problem is that we have a senile daughter. Does the president of the United States? I care very much less what people wear to greet that that scene out is that when I hear people from my, like, they're not showing proper respect to job is like a guy's pretty sure that the level of respect that Joe Biden is number one do and number two, that we have granted him on the right are not particularly high and I think that
Is Justified. Second of all obviously this is a photo op. If you are doing a photo op in your Vladimir zalenski, leaving your military invaded country, for the first time since the beginning of the war and you're still dressed in sort of your military gear. I'm not gonna blame you for that. I think it's kind of ridiculous that people are getting very upset, about what Vladimir zalenski is wearing to meet, Joe, Biden, and come on, come on and one second, we'll get to zelinsky's comments with Joe Biden, and Jill, Biden's response. Then we'll get to his speech in front of Congress. My book club and Shapiro's book clubs back tonight for a whole new episode.
Eight seven, Central exclusively on daily wire plus this month's book is the screwtape letters by c.s. Lewis. It's a phenomenal book. It is a deeply moving book with a, a ton of great philosophy, great religious theology. You must be an all-access member to join in. On the fun head on over to daily where.com /, men become a member today. Join us tonight at 8:00 7:00 Central as we discussed the screwtape letters that is daily wire.com, /ban, I will see you there. Okay, so Vladimir zelanski comes to the United States. He sits down with President Biden at the White House and I promptly calls Russia, a terrorist country, he then proposed
He called a global formula for peace Summit but he didn't offer any details as to what exactly that looks like. And here in is the Rob, we actually need to know what the solution looks like before we decide whether to back that solution. I'm not sure why that conversation is not taking place. It was as long as yesterday, we are discussing sanctions and legal pressure on the terrorist friends with Russia. Russia needs to hold to behold held accountable for everything. It does against us against our people
against Europe and the whole free world and it is very important that we have the peace formula. And for that we offer very specific steps. What America can do to help us do Implement them. We propose Global formula for peace Summit
So you know what exactly is that Global formula? For peace Summit. Nobody, nobody actually knows good man. Joe Biden himself spoke and and he just spoke in in constantly High Praise for his lunch. Be now, again, zelinsky's War leadership in Ukraine has been incredibly impressive in, just on a pure leadership, level him staying in. Give him refusing to leave the country, his Global appeals. All this has been very, very effective pretending. It's not been effective would be very silly. Of course, it's been effective. The question is, what is the Strategic aim of the presidents of the United States?
If in fact, he wants to get to some sort of negotiated solution with Putin. Now you don't know what's happening behind closed doors. Obviously on the one hand, I am not gonna blame Biden for talking up the Lansky at the same time that he's pushing on the other end for Putin to make some sort of negotiated move, question is what the end of that's going to look like here was a Biden praising zalenski. Yesterday,
we have a famous thing that occurs once a year, you pick him Man of the Year. In Time Magazine. You are the man of the year in the United States.
He's the man of the year in the United States, America. Now, Ghana the is this, an overstatement? It is, I mean, he's the man of the year in terms of, you know, sort of political news coverage for sure. Is he the man of the year in the United States? Is this an issue that Americans really even care about very much? The answer really is kind of no Biden said that Ukraine's. War is part of it. Something bigger, I get, I don't like these sort of big sweeping terminology. The bad news, is when he talks about this sort of stuff, mainly because it's wildly inconsistent, right? He'll talk about how we're standing up against autocracy on behalf of democracy. Well, I mean, we constantly make alliances
Isis with autocracies. If it's in our national interest, what he should say is in the American People's National interest to back Russia in order to back Ukraine against Russia in order to prevent the constant Crossing of borders, the destabilization of the world in order to degrade a military power that has been threatening to America's allies and a lot of reasons to support. Ukraine. Chief among those reasons is not the giant battle. Like this is all language. That's been adopted from WWII and it really is not completely applicable.
Americans of every Walk of Life, Democrats, and Republicans alike had the resources and the, to rebound and resounding United Way to do provide unequivocal and unbending support for Ukraine, because we understand in our bones that Ukraine's fight is part of something much bigger.
You know, he then went on to talk about how is part of a bigger fight against autocracy, and there's a guy who literally handed over Afghanistan to the Taliban. So I don't buy a lot of this kind of broad spectrum language from the president of the United States. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It also tends to alienate erstwhile allies who actually are non-democracies. Plus Ukraine is a rather imperfect democracy at best is better than Russia. Absolutely is a perfect democracy, not even close. Meanwhile, John Kirby again, the spokesperson for the National Security wing of the presidency. He says we're not going to
Force a conversation on solinsky and herein lies. The problem. When you make this sort of pre-commitment, we're not going to force it a conversation on zalenski. The question is, is America's interest identical with the interest of Ukraine? I don't think so. I think there's crossover, I don't think that it's identical.
It's President Biden, need to understand what presents olinsky's, bottom lines are and have how to get Putin to the table and of what happens to Crimea and you know, territory that Putin has had since 2014. I absolutely think that diploma.
He will be part and parcel of what's discussed today. This won't be about however forcing president zielinski to negotiate or describing or dictating to him what the terms of a negotiation might look like. He's the commander-in-chief, it's his
country.
Okay, well, I mean that may be true but it's our money. So I mean, it is certain point we are going to have to have a pretty strong say in this. Are we not and what does that say look like as the administration made that clear along any lines? And the truth is that on a practical level, there are disagreements between the by Administration Ukraine and all of the sort of pretend we stand shoulder by shoulder everything you want will give you is not true as the Washington Post reports and it sweet labeled my Christmas wish list posted earlier this month before this week's announcement of another 1.85 billion dollars worth of US security assistance. So Wednesday advisor mykhailo podolia, acts top five items.
Loaded for the by an Administration has declined to offer or help provide including advanced battle tanks and long-range missiles. The fifth at the Patriot air defense system was included in the new Aid. Package us defense officials said, Ukraine already has enough tanks and that the u.s. M1 Abrams sought by Kiev are too difficult to maintain and complex, to operate. Meaning that we'd actually have to put soldiers on the ground or to operate those things which are not willing to do when asked to join news conference with zalenski, about the missiles, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike targets inside Russian territory by naturally worn such Weaponry, could shatter NATO unity and support of Ukraine. He said of the alliance we're not looking to go to war with.
Which of course is correct little bit more of that little bit more balanced in terms of the rhetoric might be something nice here, okay? So all of this led up to zalenski, actually speaking in front of a joint session of Congress last night. Again is all PR. It's all Optics and can't blame zalenski for being good is job. He is good at his job mean that's literally, his job is to go into the joint session of Congress to brag about his country's achievements and to get the picture of Nancy Pelosi. And Kamala Harris holding up a Ukrainian flag, which is what he did.
By the way, I'm aware of no other time in modern American history in which you have the vice president of the United States and the Speaker of the House holding up the flag of another country. No matter what that country is. So it's pretty astonishing display on their behalf. When I don't think was actually entirely appropriate said, at least again, you believe in Ed. Th you cannot believe in those sort of Optics. I think that they would have a harder time holding up an American flag at this point. Then Ukrainian flag. Anyway, zalenski. He gave a speech, speech was good. He said that Ukraine is alive because Russian tyranny has lost control.
Here was zelanski last night Against All Odds, and doom-and-gloom scenarios, Ukraine didn't fall.
Ukraine is Alive and Kicking Europeans gain this Victory. And that's why your is now stronger and more independent than ever.
The Russian tyranny has lost control over us.
I mean it is important. Remember how historic it is that the the Russians tried to invade a country and got thrown back means like the winter war in 1939. In Finland, it's kind of an amazing achievement and certainly zelanski deserves incredible props. For all of that, then zalenski ask for more Aid. And here's a line that the tended to take a lot of people off. He said this is not charity. Financial assistance is also critically important and I would like to thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for both Financial packages. You have already provided
provided us with and the ones you may be willing to decide on your money is not charity. It's an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way. Okay? Now, I understand again, why he's saying that, I also understand that it is in fact, charity. I mean, it is both these things can. These are not mutually exclusive you assume when you give charity that, people are going to use the charity. Not to buy drugs or alcohol.
All with it, you assume that they will go better their lives with that it is in fact, both in America's interest for Ukraine to stand up to Russia and also it is charity. And by the way, when we say it's charity, we mean that it is taxpayer taken charity. It is not the government. Having its own money is going to be taking your money and give me that Ukraine. So, a little, you know, he's being grateful, but he should say, we thank you for the money that you're giving us and we are in acknowledgment that it is in America's interest to do. So said the line that it's not charity. I think is completely Superfluous. They're absolutely okay. But
Does the ones he come away with what he wants? Or what he comes up with a political win for sure. Does it provide more cover for Joe Biden to give more Aid? Sure, that was probably going to happen. Anyway, the question again is going to be what a solution looks like here. And I keep asking it over and over because the B Administration has provided no guidance. As to this, not only of they provided no guidance when you when you actually have in a PR opportunity like this, where are you have a foreign leader coming to the United States in the middle of a war that we are funding meeting with the president of the United States?
That's what you're showing his shoulder to shoulder. So is it any surprise that Putin is now upping the ante already guys? The rest of the show is continuing right now. You're not gonna Wanna Miss will be getting into your phone calls, plus an update on Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. I don't care, but you guys apparently do. So, we're covering that apparently. She now signing, a check to Johnny Depp. If you're not a member, click the link in the description and join us.
