Luke Harding and Alastair Campbell: Trump, Putin and the New Age of Conquest (Part One)
Summary
Guardian correspondent Luke Harding and former Downing Street chief Alastair Campbell discuss Harding’s new book, *Betrayal*, analyzing how Trump’s foreign policy and Russia’s war in Ukraine are dismantling the post-war international order. They critique the US diplomatic approach, highlighting the humiliation of Zelensky in the Oval Office and the Alaska summit as evidence of a shift toward great power politics driven by coercion and national self-interest rather than rule of law.
Topics discussed
Introduction and episode overview
Introducing the book and current diplomatic efforts
Critique of US envoys Witkoff and Kushner
Zelensky's dilemma and Trump's alignment with Putin
Trump's indifference to Ukraine and business-first diplomacy
Ukraine's disappointment with the Biden administration
Ukrainian expectations of Trump in 2024
The UN vote: US sides with Russia against Ukraine
Sponsor breaks
Scott Bessent's aggressive tactics and misinformation
The Oval Office ambush of Zelensky
MAGA figures and ideological affinity with Russia
The Alaska summit and Trump's deference to Putin
Analyzing the roots of the Trump-Putin relationship
Compromise, wealth, and the end of the episode
Closing sponsor breaks
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