The Bulwark Podcast Michael Weiss: Helsinki in Anchorage?
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Aug 14, 2025 Michael Weiss, Editor of The Insider and a contributing editor at New Lines Magazine, dives deep into the murky waters of U.S.-Russia relations. He sheds light on Putin's likely maneuvers at the Alaska summit, aiming for another round of manipulation, recalling the notorious Helsinki meeting. Weiss highlights the danger of Russian intelligence recruiting operatives for chaos in the West. The discussion also touches on Europe's role in supporting Ukraine and how unexpected gestures, like a sandwich throw, can symbolize resistance against political overreach.
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Sandwich Toss Becomes Protest Moment
- Tim Miller recounts a viral protester who threw a Subway sandwich at an ICE officer during DC deployments.
- The US attorney called it felony assault and charged the thrower, highlighting charged responses to small acts of dissent.
Symbolic Win For Russia
- Inviting Putin to Alaska is a symbolic win for Russia and undermines moral pressure on Moscow.
- Michael Weiss argues this legitimization helps Putin even if no concrete concessions follow.
War Is Central To Putin's Regime
- Russia's invasion is embedded in its regime and economy, so Putin has little incentive to end the war.
- Weiss stresses that handing back annexed oblasts is politically and strategically unlikely for Moscow.
