Latest Interviews
Showing 1–4 of 4 transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist22 min
Cold call: Putin thwarts Trump
Putin, Trump, Rosie Bloor, Chris Lockwood, Simon Wright, Katherine Nixie
President Trump and Vladimir Putin failed to secure a comprehensive ceasefire during a two-hour call, with Putin rejecting blanket terms in favor of a limited energy infrastructure halt that Russia violated hours later. This diplomatic setback, compounded by unaddressed US demands regarding Ukrainian recruitment and military aid, has alarmed European leaders who are responding by suspending debt brakes and withdrawing from landmine treaties. Meanwhile, the broader geopolitical outlook suggests a potential US pivot toward Russia in the Middle East that risks sidelining Ukraine, leaving Europe to accelerate its own defense preparations amid fears of diminished American reliability.
- The Economist26 min
Putin's hidden war: the Russians fighting back
Following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin intensified its transition to complete tyranny by systematically purging dissent, blocking 250 media channels, and neutralizing opposition figures like Alexei Navalny. In response to this repression and a subsequent partial military mobilization that prompted 750,000 citizens to flee, activists shifted from mass protests to individual acts of defiance and digital resistance while abroad. As the regime maintains internal control despite conflicting casualty estimates, analysts and activists such as Marina Litvinovich argue that political change will likely depend on a future shift in public perception driven by battlefield losses rather than domestic unrest.
- Lex Fridman1h 41m
Joe Rogan: Comedy, Controversy, Aliens, UFOs, Putin, CIA, and Freedom | Lex Fridman Podcast #300
Joe Rogan explores the intersection of extreme discipline, artistic resilience, and the psychological toll of public scrutiny, citing his own use of psychedelics and physical conditioning to navigate media attacks and career challenges. The conversation further delves into geopolitical skepticism regarding Donald Trump and Alex Jones, alongside theories on UFOs, government secrecy, and the corruption of the American political system. Looking forward, Rogan plans an unrecorded, one-way expedition to Ukraine and Russia to personally witness the war's impact and engage directly with local populations and leaders.
- The Economist16 min
Russia: how Putin is silencing his opponents
Following the 2020 attempted assassination of Alexei Navalny, the Russian Kremlin escalated repression by labeling his Anti-Corruption Foundation an extremist organization, resulting in over 11,000 arrests and the criminalization of dissent during the January 2021 protests. The state leveraged a rigged judicial system and pandemic protocols to systematically eliminate opposition figures, ensuring United Russia retained a supermajority that permitted constitutional changes extending Vladimir Putin's rule through 2036. Concurrently, intensified censorship against independent media and a massive political exodus have characterized an environment where economic decline and high fear of violence coexist with a government that prioritizes security spending to maintain a monopoly on power.