Topic: Gorbachev

Protests erupted in Berlin against the German government's decision to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine. Many Germans cite the country's post-WWII constitution and a deep-rooted "no more war" philosophy as reasons for opposing military involvement. Polls indicate that support for sending heavy weapons has dropped below 50% among the German public.

A brief discussion contrasts the leadership styles and public perceptions of Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin. Yeltsin is recalled for his public struggles with alcoholism and his use of slang-heavy Russian that was often difficult for citizens to understand.

Following the death of Mikhail Gorbachev at age 91, his legacy of ending the Cold War and overseeing the removal of the Iron Curtain is reviewed. While Western reports credit him with avoiding bloodshed during pro-democracy protests in 1989, his standing in modern Russia remains complicated, as Vladimir Putin reportedly views the disintegration of the Soviet Union as a tragedy. Gorbachev will be interred at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow rather than receiving a full state funeral.

A historical timeline of NATO-Russia relations begins with the 1990 verbal promise by James Baker III to Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would not move "one inch to the east." The timeline tracks the inclusion of ten former communist states into NATO by 2007 and the 2014 Maidan coup in Ukraine. The role of U.S. officials like Victoria Nuland and John McCain in supporting the overthrow of President Yanukovych is highlighted as a primary driver of current tensions.

Pieczenik argues that the Soviet Union, not the United States, was the primary force that won World War II. He discusses his role in developing strategies for the Reagan administration to negotiate with Mikhail Gorbachev. Furthermore, he claims that the rise of Vladimir Putin was originally sanctioned by U.S. intelligence to stabilize Russia after the disastrous Yeltsin years.

Mikhail Gorbachev, 90, gave an interview marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Soviet Union, emphasizing the need for continued international dialogue. The episode ends with a supercut of President Biden's recent addresses regarding the Omicron variant and the purchase of 500 million at-home test kits.

A former official from the Gorbachev administration analyzes the Crimea situation, attributing the crisis to "terrible errors" by the Ukrainian elite and the European Union. He argues that forcing Ukraine to choose between Europe and Russia was a path to breaking up the society. The segment also references Mikhail Gorbachev's view that the annexation was a redress of Nikita Khrushchev’s 1954 "historic injustice" of attaching Crimea to Ukraine.

General Martin Dempsey addressed the Aspen Security Conference regarding the changing relationship between NATO and Russia. He emphasized that Europe should be concerned about both its eastern and southern flanks due to rising instability. Dempsey also touched on the historical debate regarding whether the U.S. promised Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would not expand eastward, asserting no such formal promise was made.

Protests erupt in Moscow and St. Petersburg following allegations of widespread fraud in the Russian parliamentary elections. Mikhail Gorbachev calls for the results to be annulled. The hosts point out that Fox News aired footage of riots featuring palm trees, indicating the network used incorrect b-roll from a different location to represent Russia.

Mikhail Gorbachev has warned that Russia could face an Egypt-style uprising due to dissatisfaction with the Kremlin's governance. Protests have also targeted Barclays bank in Britain over tax avoidance issues. In response to global instability, the U.S. Army is reportedly planning to deploy machine guns capable of firing rubber bullets for more effective crowd control during violent demonstrations.