WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:02.640 It's night Side with Dan Ray. 2 00:00:03.319 --> 00:00:06.040 I'm going easy Boston News Radio. 3 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:10.480 Well, my thanks again to US Attorney Lea Foley, uh 4 00:00:10.599 --> 00:00:13.160 if having spent that hour with us. And again, one 5 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:15.800 of the things that I think is important about Nightside 6 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:20.600 is to have folks in her position come in and 7 00:00:20.679 --> 00:00:23.399 explain the office. A lot of people really don't understand 8 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:27.480 how important the Office of United States Attorney is. I 9 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:34.759 think again it's the most important office prosecutions prosecuted, prosecutorial 10 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:38.759 office in the come off, whether it's a state, local, 11 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:40.679 or federal, and by virtue of the fact that it 12 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:45.679 is federal, it is most important. We now want to 13 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:52.640 open up a different conversation. We try to follow all 14 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:56.399 of the developments, not only locally but nationally, and there's 15 00:00:56.439 --> 00:01:00.640 been some developments this afternoon dealing with the United States 16 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:04.560 relationship with Ukraine. Now, I think all of us know 17 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:10.239 that in the last few weeks, the US position visa 18 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:20.799 the Ukraine has changed. The Trump administration has taken a 19 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:27.200 very different posture. Donald Trump has called the president of 20 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:31.120 Ukraine a dictator because he has not held elections. Well, 21 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:34.640 his country is at war with Russia and also under 22 00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:37.920 attack from Russia. So it's very difficult to hold elections 23 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.760 under those circumstances. We've never been in a position where 24 00:01:41.879 --> 00:01:48.680 while we're our homeland was under attack. We certainly held 25 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:52.640 elections in nineteen forty four during World War Two, and 26 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:57.640 we've held elections when other wars were ongoing, including the 27 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:01.920 Vietnam War in nineteen sixty eight and then again in 28 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:05.599 nineteen seventy two, and the wars in the Middle East 29 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:12.240 after nine to eleven. But today there has been all reports, 30 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:15.479 and I'm reading from the New York Times an agreement 31 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:20.919 between the United States and the Trump administration, which is 32 00:02:20.919 --> 00:02:24.800 now the United States government. US and Ukraine agreed to 33 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:28.479 minerals deal. Officials say. This is in the New York Times, 34 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:32.120 declared tonight about seven seventeen PM. And let me try 35 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:36.280 to give you some idea about what this deal reportedly 36 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:41.000 is and what it might suggest is going to happen 37 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:46.800 in the not too distant future. Apparently a final draft 38 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:50.960 of this agreement still has to be worked out between 39 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:56.400 the US and Ukraine. But what this agreement does. The 40 00:02:56.520 --> 00:03:01.759 draft agreement says that Ukraine, now, after all of this 41 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:06.919 problem with the Trump administration, including the comments that the 42 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:11.159 President has made about Zolensky, which shocked a lot of people. 43 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:15.280 The draft agreement said Ukraine would contribute to a fund 44 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:21.080 half of his revenues from the future monetization of natural resources, 45 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:24.879 including critical minerals, oil and gas. The United States would 46 00:03:24.919 --> 00:03:28.800 own the maximum financial interest in the fund allowed under 47 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:32.520 American law, which I think is fifty percent, though not 48 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:36.479 necessarily all, and the fund would be designed to reinvest 49 00:03:36.520 --> 00:03:40.080 some revenues into Ukraine. The US would also commit to 50 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:45.199 supporting Ukraine's future economic development. The discussions about mineral rights, 51 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:48.560 which are very important, by the way, have occurred as 52 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:52.120 Russia has seized the advantage on the battlefield. Mister Trump 53 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:54.919 has also aligned himself with this Accordings in The New 54 00:03:55.000 --> 00:04:00.439 York Times with President Putin while excoriating mister Zelensky Trump, 55 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:04.400 mister Trump has called Ukrainian the Ukrainian president a dictator 56 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:07.719 and falseley said that Ukraine had started the war, though 57 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:12.680 the conflict began with Russia's full scale invasion actually three 58 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:17.639 years ago yesterday, February twenty fourth of twenty twenty two. 59 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:22.319 The President has prodded, according to The Times, miss Ski 60 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:25.240 designed the deal, saying he better move fast. He's not 61 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:28.199 going to have a country left. In response, mister Zelensky 62 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:32.439 said that mister Trump was trapped in a Russian disinformation bubble. 63 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:37.279 So what's interesting to me and what it might portend 64 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:43.079 for the future, is that this deal has, I think, 65 00:04:43.319 --> 00:04:52.000 tied our economic success to an independent Ukraine. And that 66 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:58.079 might be not only the payback that this administration, meaning 67 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:02.279 the Trump administration, was looking for for the support that 68 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:07.600 our country has given Ukraine for the last three years 69 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:15.319 to these minerals. He must also, I assume, I assume 70 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:20.720 that President Trump must have some sort of a of 71 00:05:20.759 --> 00:05:27.279 an agreement with Putin to have at least a cease fire, 72 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:33.800 if not a more permanent cessation of hostilities. Now, I 73 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:35.759 know that there are some of you who listen to 74 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:40.160 this program who worship the ground that Donald Trump walks on. 75 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:44.959 I know some of you see him as the worst 76 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:48.959 thing since Hitler. But I'd like to see if I 77 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:53.000 could get a wide cross section of my audience tonight 78 00:05:53.639 --> 00:06:00.199 to participate in this conversation. I think this is an 79 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:06.160 amazing breakthrough. Now I may rue the day that I 80 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:09.319 say that, but if this is true, and it appears 81 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:13.519 the President has said that he expects or he would 82 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:17.560 be more than happy to have Zelensky join him at 83 00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:22.800 the White House to finalize this agreement by Friday. I 84 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:27.120 mean that's less than seventy two hours from now. This 85 00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:31.759 is moving at a very very fast speed, and I 86 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:36.759 think that it's good news for a lot of people. 87 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:40.959 It's good news for the Ukrainian population, which might for 88 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:44.680 the first time in three years wake up in the 89 00:06:44.680 --> 00:06:49.759 morning without Russian drones attacking their cities and towns. It 90 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:56.160 might be good news for the United States that we 91 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:01.879 now have a financial and an economic relieflationship with Ukraine, 92 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:05.519 which will force us to stand up for their continued 93 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:10.160 right to exist independently of Russia. And it might give 94 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:19.279 putin a way to basically end this war in which 95 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:23.759 he can claim somehow that he has some territorial advantage. 96 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:27.560 I don't know how it's all going to find out. 97 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:31.199 This was a day or so ago. This is the 98 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:36.680 French President Emmanuel McCrone in the Oval Office, sitting next 99 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:41.920 to President Trump, making firm a statement, making a firm 100 00:07:41.959 --> 00:07:47.040 statement about who is the aggressor in the Russia Ukraine war. 101 00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:51.279 This is cut number nine. Please, Brett Tran's going. 102 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:53.000 To lift the block on the three hundred billion in 103 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:54.800 frozen Russian assets in Belgium. 104 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:58.439 France has opposed on freezing it to pay Ukraine and 105 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:00.240 compensate the US for its work. 106 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:03.240 Is friends going to lift its opposition to that. 107 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:05.920 This is from I mean we speak about frozen assets, 108 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:09.160 we already use them to back precisely is the loans 109 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:12.079 negotiated at the G seven and it's part of the sanctions. 110 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.680 So it will depend on the follow up of the discussions. 111 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:15.519 But clearly, with. 112 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:19.040 Respect international law, it's just frozen assets. Now you can 113 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:21.519 take the proceeds of the frozen assets, but you cannot 114 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:25.639 take the assets themselves because it's not respecting international law 115 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:27.000 and we want to respect in. 116 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:28.959 Terms that is one different than the other. You can 117 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:30.079 take the proceeds from it. 118 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:31.879 How can you not because it's very different. You keep 119 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.240 the assets, you take the proceeds because they are parave 120 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:36.600 in a certain way, you think the proceeds during the wartime, 121 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:38.240 But you keep the assets. And it's part of the 122 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:41.120 negotiation at the end of the war, because I mean, 123 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:44.120 this war costed offers a lot of money, and this 124 00:08:44.279 --> 00:08:46.960 is the responsibility of Russia because the aggressor is Russia 125 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:49.559 should be so at the end of the day. This 126 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:51.480 frozen asset should be part of the negotiation. 127 00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:56.559 It's interesting that that exchange with the reporter. It is 128 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:59.759 very clear from that back and forth that there are 129 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:04.039 now negotiations underway, and I assume the negotiations have to 130 00:09:04.039 --> 00:09:11.000 include both Russia and Ukraine to conclude the hostilities. Now, 131 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:14.720 there was a meeting in Ukraine of world leaders early 132 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:20.840 this week. Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, made 133 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:25.639 it very clear that Russia was the aggressor. I don't 134 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:30.279 think anyone disagrees with that. The President was asked. President 135 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:32.360 Trump was asked that, and he sort of danced around 136 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:36.120 the question yesterday. But this is Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime minister, 137 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:39.000 speaking at a summit of world leaders in Ukraine. This 138 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:40.480 is cut number ten, Please, Brent. 139 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:45.519 Regardless of the great distance separating our two countries, Canada 140 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:49.559 knows this is a war that we cannot afford to ignore. 141 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:54.360 I know the stakes. Canadians know the stakes. All of 142 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:58.320 you around this table know the stakes, and most of 143 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:03.240 all Ukrainians know the stakes. This is a war of 144 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:11.559 aggression on Ukraine's people, culture, identity, and very existence. But 145 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:15.360 it's also a war on our way of life. It's 146 00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:18.360 a war on democracy, on the rule of law, on 147 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:23.159 self determination, a war on justice, a war on truth. 148 00:10:25.159 --> 00:10:28.320 I would agree with Justin Trudeau, I don't necessarily agree 149 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:29.600 with him on a lot. So what I want to 150 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:35.120 do is open up the conversation and has President Trump, 151 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:41.600 in the matter of a few weeks five weeks, maneuvered 152 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:51.120 Putin and Zelensky in some form of a delicate vallet, 153 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:56.559 if you will, where somehow they're like fighters who have 154 00:10:56.679 --> 00:11:00.639 gone to fifteen rounds and they can throw more punches, 155 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:04.360 but the punches are not going to have an impact. Uh. 156 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:07.399 And and that it's and it is time to call 157 00:11:07.480 --> 00:11:10.960 this thing off. Uh And if Donald Trump can do that, 158 00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:16.759 should what credit should he receive? I think he should 159 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:19.960 deserve a lot of credit. But he's still it's not 160 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:23.679 yet a done deal. Six one seven, two ten thirty 161 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:27.639 six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. Let's light 162 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:32.240 the lines up. I want to talk some real significant 163 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:36.759 politics here that involves Zelensky, Putin and Trump back on 164 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:40.360 Night's side. After this, we're talking about what might be 165 00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:45.360 a breakthrough in the now three year war of aggression 166 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:49.159 by Russia on Ukraine. UH in Ukraine with US help 167 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:53.080 has has stood up for three years when this war 168 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:56.639 first started. To remember many people, including myself, I thought, 169 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:58.480 you know, if this is going to be over more 170 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:00.960 like in three days or three weeks as opposed to 171 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:05.200 three years, let's get to phones. Gonna go first, up too, 172 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:08.360 Bernie up in New Hampshire. Hey, Bernie, welcome back. How 173 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:08.799 are you, sir? 174 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:12.399 I'm doing well, Daniel so doing great. 175 00:12:12.440 --> 00:12:15.440 So what's your thought on these developments out of Washington 176 00:12:15.559 --> 00:12:16.279 Lake today? 177 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:20.440 Well, I read the article a little bit ago, and 178 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:23.159 I at first I had a jaded point of view 179 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:25.720 when I says, oh, here we go. You know, you 180 00:12:25.799 --> 00:12:30.240 always hear war's over business, not over morality. And then 181 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:32.840 I heard what you said, and I took and I 182 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:36.000 took it in. And this was Trump's way to tie 183 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:40.440 it in that we have a vested interest in ending 184 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:45.120 this war and being a partner with Ukraine. But he 185 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.720 had also worked out a deal with Putin so that 186 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:52.559 it all comes together. You know, Putin will get what 187 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:56.000 he wants, we'll be a we'll be able to be 188 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:59.879 a partner with Ukraine and see this through because they 189 00:13:00.120 --> 00:13:02.919 had to be some type of end to this war, because, 190 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:05.840 like you said, I remember me and my wife watching 191 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:10.039 this the like the news before, right before the invasion, 192 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:15.759 and they're showing like citizens with with wooden guns just practicing. 193 00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:18.360 And my wife says, they're not going to use wooden 194 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.559 like guns against the Russians ave and I said no, 195 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:25.639 they just they were mobilizing the whole population. And and 196 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.039 and it's been a horrible war and there's been a 197 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:33.000 lot of a lot of death and destruction. And Trump's 198 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:37.919 Biden did nothing, not not nothing that's the wrong with he. 199 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:42.039 He gave them support, but there was no end to it. 200 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:44.600 Now there seems to be some type of end to 201 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:49.399 it that the US is gonna partner up with them 202 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:52.000 in some way so that there's a way out for 203 00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:52.600 every Well. 204 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:55.120 The other the other thing too is that Putin would 205 00:13:55.159 --> 00:14:02.200 never allow Ukraine to join NATO, and uh and Zelensky 206 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:07.440 was essentially saying that one of the conditions for him 207 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:12.440 to agree to end the war would be the security 208 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:17.159 of a membership in NATO. So if this deal is true, 209 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:21.360 this economic deal of US owning mineral and oil and 210 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:26.399 gas rights in Ukraine, that should give some security to 211 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:29.639 the Ukrainian people to know that we're not going to 212 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:31.720 sit around a year from now, or five years from 213 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:34.120 now or ten years from now, and watch Russia attempt 214 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:36.879 to take over Ukraine again because they would now be 215 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:40.519 going after minerals and oil and gas that the United 216 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:42.480 States owns. 217 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:51.080 Correct, And Trump's sent in a precarious position because He's 218 00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:53.519 just trying to find a way out. He's just trying 219 00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:56.600 to find a way out for everybody, and as we 220 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:59.840 all well know, there's no easy way out in this conflict. 221 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:03.399 Well, it will be interesting this is I mean, if 222 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:08.320 President Zelensky shows at the White House as it appears 223 00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:11.279 he might on Friday to sign this deal. And obviously 224 00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:14.600 the deal could go south at any point. But this 225 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:18.720 is this is quite a coupe for Donald Trump. And 226 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:21.399 it's funny, you know, you talk about the quote unquote 227 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:24.879 art of the deal. Uh, maybe this is the way 228 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:30.559 in which everybody saves face. Putin saves face, Zelensky saves face, 229 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:37.639 and and and Donald Trump gets nominated for the Pilpies Prize. 230 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:41.679 I know it sounds crazy, but I could see that scenario. 231 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:46.960 Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, And thank you for taking my opinion. 232 00:15:47.799 --> 00:15:50.159 You bet you. You're always welcome here, Bertie, Thank you 233 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:51.679 so much, appreciate it. 234 00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:52.759 You have a good night. 235 00:15:53.399 --> 00:15:55.960 Let me go next to Bill is in Danvers. Bill, 236 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:57.000 you were next to Night Sag. 237 00:15:57.000 --> 00:16:00.840 Go right ahead, yes, then, I I mean I. 238 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:03.960 Say they're about halfway there. It's definitely positive, you know. 239 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:06.720 And I don't think they'll give Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, 240 00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:08.639 no matter. He could end all the wars and the 241 00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:11.080 and the whole planet and they wouldn't give it to him. 242 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:15.639 But uh, by the way, you might be right on that. Obviously, 243 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:21.919 Donald Trump is not seen by European leaders as as 244 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:26.039 part of their community. Uh and uh, and they are 245 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:29.279 the people who in large part decide the Peace Prize. 246 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:33.399 But go right ahead, Yeah, and uh, you know, I'm 247 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:37.200 I'm I'm I'm so far you know, happy, I'm reserved. 248 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:39.639 You know, I like to and and the main thing is, 249 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:42.679 Dan you look back and I think on previous calls 250 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:44.559 over the last year, I called that when tensions were 251 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:48.600 real high and the and the doomsday clock was moving close. 252 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:51.320 I mean, there was really a feeling that, you know, 253 00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:53.799 if something went the wrong way, it could really escalate 254 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:57.519 the wrong way and be a big problem. And you know, 255 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:00.960 I get the feeling that, you know, maybe that's being 256 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:03.200 pushed back now you know what I mean that ten. 257 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:07.319 Well, I think also I think in fairness, you've got 258 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:10.680 to give a little credit to the Biden administration. I'm 259 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:13.240 not a fan of the Biden administration, as you know. However, 260 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:18.799 they gave the Ukrainians enough weaponry that held the Russians 261 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:24.240 at bay without bringing us into a confrontation with the Russians. 262 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:27.480 So that was a bit of a type wrote that 263 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:32.039 the Biden administration had to walk, and it really does 264 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:35.960 set the stage maybe putin fields somehow that he can 265 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:38.680 that he can trust Trump. I don't know. I mean, 266 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:43.599 I don't know what goes through his mind, but his 267 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:46.039 his country is tired of this war. They've lost. I 268 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:48.839 guess they're talking about a million soldiers. I mean, some 269 00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:52.519 crazy number they have North Korean troops who have gone 270 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:56.480 in there to basically be Russian Hessians if you will, 271 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:01.279 like you know, soldiers of fortune from North Korea. They 272 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:04.119 don't make any fortune. But I'm sure that the head 273 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:06.839 of North Korea got some payoff for for that. 274 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:11.279 Oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah. 275 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:14.720 It had It had the potential to get out of control, 276 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:18.519 and the Biden administration kept it under control. That's one 277 00:18:18.519 --> 00:18:22.799 of the things that you know that that that they did. 278 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.519 If can you imagine if we had a plane that 279 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:29.160 got shot down by Russia or something like that, it 280 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:31.839 could get it could have got pretty hot pretty quickly. 281 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:33.359 Oh I know. 282 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:36.440 And I was very I was, you know, I mean, 283 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:39.519 you know, watch it and with a while, you're here crazy. 284 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:42.160 A missile went off. It was by the Polish border. 285 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:44.480 I'm like, oh, this is the stot. You know, something's going. 286 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:47.079 To happen, you know, Yeah, yeah, there was. There was 287 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:50.680 a couple of those that there. You know, there were 288 00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:54.480 some anti aircraft missiles that went awry, and I think 289 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:56.880 one of them landed in Poland. So the question was 290 00:18:56.920 --> 00:19:01.759 as a Russian anti aircraft missiles struck territory. But yeah, 291 00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:05.000 that everyone kept their heads about them. I hope this 292 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:06.839 is the end of it. I maybe there are some 293 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:08.839 people out there who are going to be disappointed. I 294 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:12.680 have never on this program heard a lot of people 295 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:16.519 who wanted this water go on, because in reality, the 296 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:19.680 people who were paying the price were you know, Russian 297 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:25.359 soldiers and Ukrainian civilians. 298 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:26.000 And in the country Ukram. You look at some of 299 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:29.000 the buildings, the structures that they had and stuff. There 300 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:32.359 were beautiful places there in the cities and they seem 301 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:34.599 turned in the rubble was terrible. 302 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:37.559 Yeah, he doesn't look as bad as Gaza, but it's 303 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:38.160 pretty close. 304 00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:43.720 No, no, yeah, it's pretty quel. Gaza is that's basically 305 00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:47.079 level and you know, just clean up and start over that. 306 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:49.759 I agree. Hey, Bill, appreciate you call much. Thank you 307 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:51.720 an thank you very much. Taught to you soon. Okay, 308 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:53.599 we've got the ten thirty news coming up. Now it 309 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:56.640 is time for you to join the conversation. Six point 310 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.960 seven two four ten thirty or we got two lines 311 00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:04.799 at six one seven nine thirty. Is this are we 312 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:08.680 now in the final hours of the Ukraine Russian War. 313 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:15.640 I'm beginning to think we might be. I don't want 314 00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:19.640 to be overly optimistic. Uh, if you think I'm wrong, 315 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:24.799 let me know. I just look at this, as you know. 316 00:20:24.920 --> 00:20:30.000 A week ago, Donald Trump was calling Zolensky a dictator 317 00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:35.720 who refused to have elections. Certainly understandable under the circumstances. 318 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:41.519 But Donald Trump used that terminology, and it appears now 319 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:45.400 he may. President Trump may welcome President Zelensky to the 320 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:48.240 White House as early as Friday to sign an agreement 321 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:52.240 between Ukraine and the US in which the US would 322 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:56.039 take ownership of minerals, certain minerals and percentage of minerals, 323 00:20:56.039 --> 00:21:01.599 oil and gas in Ukraine. Things are moving quickly. Feel 324 00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:04.160 free to join the conversation back after the news at 325 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:08.279 the bottom of the hour. We're talking about it's possible 326 00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:12.640 that we are seeing the first steps in the end 327 00:21:12.680 --> 00:21:18.920 of the Russian Ukraine War. I'm assurprised as you, Bob 328 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:21.160 and Rain and Bob you were next door nightside. Welcome 329 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.599 Hey Dan, Hey Bob, welcome back. 330 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:27.000 Yeah. 331 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:28.039 Thanks, Hey. 332 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:36.519 I guess I have to say that did President Biden 333 00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:41.200 ever send a team to either location to try to 334 00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:45.039 negotiate any kind of peace in his whole term? And 335 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:50.759 that that you can remember, because I don't. 336 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:54.799 No, there wasn't remember Joe Biden actually took a trip 337 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:58.720 to Ukraine. Remember he took a train I think from 338 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:01.799 Poland into you crane and spent a half a day there. 339 00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:06.759 Uh so he was there, Zolensky had visited the White House. 340 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:10.640 I don't know what conversations they had, Uh there was. 341 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:13.279 There were no conversations to the best of my knowledge, 342 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:16.880 between Putin and President Biden. 343 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:20.759 So no, but I mean put a put a team 344 00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:23.799 together to try to negotiate a peace with. 345 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:26.599 These I have no idea, because I don't know if 346 00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:31.759 at some point Jake Sullivan or the other members of UH, 347 00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:35.599 the you know, the Biden foreign policy team UH met 348 00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:38.359 with Zelensky and said, hey, look, you're going up against UH, 349 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:43.160 a country that's ten times your size, and UH has 350 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:46.759 a population that is significantly, you know, bigger than yours. 351 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:49.960 UH and UH, and you can't win. What what can 352 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:53.119 we do? I don't know. I don't know, but it 353 00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:57.559 looks as if Trump has tried to play both Putin, 354 00:22:58.279 --> 00:23:01.200 tried to work both with Putin and and Zelensky to 355 00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:05.920 some extent, I don't know. I mean, it could be 356 00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:09.960 that that Trump realizes that Putin is in a position 357 00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:12.440 where he can't win this war, and the best he 358 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:16.519 can do is UH, you know, come across as someone 359 00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:19.359 who's willing to end the war. I just think that 360 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:23.960 my sense is, and that's my only sentence. People can 361 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:27.680 disagree with me. The fact that that Zelensky has, apparently, 362 00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:29.400 according to the New York Times, is going to sign 363 00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:35.480 this agreement with President Trump now a week after Trump 364 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:39.519 called him a dictator. He must have some some pressure 365 00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:41.680 points or some leverage points on Zelensky. 366 00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:47.480 Well, well, I think that's another point is that both 367 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:53.160 Zolensky and Putin respect President Trump as a leader as 368 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:57.640 opposed to Biden. Biden, you know, Biden. I don't believe 369 00:23:57.640 --> 00:24:01.920 Putin had any respect for Biden. And I think Zolensky 370 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:05.480 just saw Biden as a cash cow and uh, he 371 00:24:05.640 --> 00:24:10.000 just you know, Zolensky just wanted to keep the cash flowing. 372 00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:12.680 And again, Biden had. 373 00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:16.359 No I think that's a I think that's a little harsh. 374 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:19.599 I mean, his country was under attack from Russia for 375 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:22.599 three years. Uh heck of a way to make a buck. 376 00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:25.960 You know, well, you well you want, well, you watch 377 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:29.960 what happens, because Zolensky will ride off into the sunset, 378 00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:33.720 just as Biden has with all the cash, and we'll 379 00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:37.279 never hear from him again at some point, and Putin 380 00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:42.160 will remain in power. And and in fact, Biden actually 381 00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:47.400 instigated He's as much responsible as Putin or Zolensky for 382 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:51.400 the war that happened there, for trying to tell uh 383 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:53.519 Zolensky that he was going to be a pot of 384 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:57.920 NATO and stuff on that in Putin's face, which he 385 00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:59.680 never was going to allow to happen. 386 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:05.759 So that's I disagree with your analysis. But again I 387 00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:09.119 gave you, I give you, you know, credit for you know, 388 00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:13.160 making an effort. You know. I don't know what histories 389 00:25:13.160 --> 00:25:17.640 go to show here, but I do think that the 390 00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:19.680 one thing I would fall Biden on was I think 391 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:21.440 he was asleep at the switch when all of us 392 00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:25.559 saw those Russian troops massing on the eastern border of 393 00:25:25.720 --> 00:25:34.200 Ukraine in December, well January of twenty twenty two, in 394 00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:38.880 advance of the invasion in February. I think that at 395 00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:41.920 that point the President Biden kind of missed an opportunity 396 00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:44.880 and said to should have said to Putin, look, you're 397 00:25:44.920 --> 00:25:47.599 making a huge mistake, and if you make this mistake, 398 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:49.240 you're going to have to deal with us directly. 399 00:25:50.200 --> 00:25:54.759 But Putin had no respect for Biden's Maybe Biden is 400 00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:59.000 as much responsible for the deaths in Ukraine in Russia 401 00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:00.920