Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Alastair Crooke: Western Politics Broken - China & Russia Triumph
Nov 8, 2025
Alastair Crooke, a former British diplomat and founder of Conflicts Forum, shares his insights on the crises within Western politics and the ascending powers of China and Russia. He discusses how China's Belt and Road initiative is reshaping global finance, while Russia resists temporary compromises in Ukraine amidst sanctions that lack real impact. Crooke warns of Europe's military limits and its reliance on the Ukraine narrative for cohesion, predicting a future dominated by a shifting world order favoring China.
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Reset Was A Strategy To Split Alliances
- Trump's outreach to Russia likely aimed to split Moscow from Beijing and weaken BRICS rather than genuinely normalize ties.
- Washington sees removing Russia from China’s orbit as central to isolating China economically and geopolitically.
China's Financial Bridges Grow Fast
- China is building alternative financial infrastructure: central bank digital exchanges and Panda bond markets widen non-dollar trade.
- These moves reduce reliance on US markets and attract Russia and other countries for financing and trade.
St. Petersburg Visit Revealed Hardened Mood
- Crooke describes visiting St. Petersburg and noting a hardened public mood shaped by bloodshed in Ukraine.
- He reports that even liberal urbanites accept Russia has paid dearly and won't accept weak compromises.