Battleground 350. "Make Money Not War": The $2 Trillion Price Tag on Trump's Ukraine "Peace"
Dec 5, 2025
Askold Krushelnycky, a seasoned journalist and Ukraine correspondent, joins the hosts to unravel the complexities surrounding the ongoing war and Ukraine's corruption scandal. He shares insights on how these scandals impact President Zelensky's reputation amid Russian propaganda. Discussions also highlight the chilling motivations behind U.S. peace efforts, suggesting personal financial interests may outweigh national security concerns. The bold drone strikes on Russia's shadow fleet are examined as a significant tactical maneuver in the conflict.
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Putin Uses Talks To Freeze Opposition
- Putin is deliberately "stringing Trump along" with ineffectual negotiations to freeze external responses while Russia gains territory slowly.
- This tactic buys time to erode Ukrainian resistance and exploit diplomatic pauses for incremental battlefield advances.
Groundhog Day Of Peace Missions
- Roger recalls repeated cycles of futile US peace missions described as 'Groundhog Day' deja vu.
- He notes Russian territorial gains continued slowly while talks stalled.
Peace Plan Framed As Big Business Opportunity
- Wall Street Journal reporting frames the peace push as a business-first plan to reintegrate Russia's $2 trillion economy with US firms prioritized.
- The initiative reframes Russia from military threat to commercial opportunity to split Europe and the US.