The Bunker – News without the nonsense Putin plays Trump again! — Weekly wrap-up with Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis
Dec 5, 2025
Rafael Behr, a political commentator and Guardian columnist, joins Jacob Jarvis to dissect this week's key events. They explore the stalled US-Russia peace talks, delving into Putin’s tactics and Trump's unqualified negotiating team. Behr raises concerns about Trump's recent behavior, pondering its implications for GOP stability. The duo also discusses the political fallout from a recent OBR budget leak and the unexpected delay of English mayoral elections. Plus, a bizarre scandal involving South Africans recruited as mercenaries for Ukraine makes an appearance!
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Zuma Family Linked To Mercenary Recruitment
- Rafael Behr recounts a South African story where Jacob Zuma's daughter allegedly recruited mercenaries to fight in Ukraine disguised as security trainees.
- He uses this to show how the Ukraine war spawns dark, global corruption and trafficking networks.
Why Putin Might Prefer War To Compromise
- Vladimir Putin has strong incentives not to end the war because it would expose his failure and shrink Russia's war-driven economy.
- Rafael Behr argues these factors make Putin likely to prolong conflict rather than agree to a peace that looks like a status quo ante.
Europe Thwarted A Pro-Kremlin Peace Draft
- The Trump-sponsored peace plan began as a pro-Kremlin draft that would force Ukraine to cede territory and limit its army.
- Rafael Behr explains Europeans forced revisions so Ukraine needn't surrender land it hasn't lost in battle.