The Russia I Saw | Episode 8
Summary
John Mearsheimer details his September 2025 trip to Russia, noting that the economy remains stable and the elite is confident in winning the war through escalating air strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. He explains that Russian leaders view Europeans, particularly Britain and Germany, as the primary adversaries and have lost faith in President Trump’s ability to broker peace after the failed Anchorage deal. Mearsheimer argues that Russia aims to create a dysfunctional Ukrainian rump state rather than conquer the entire country, asserting that NATO’s 2008 expansion into Ukraine was a catas…
Topics discussed
Introduction and overview of the Russia trip
Observations on daily life and sanctions impact
Economic resilience and military production capacity
Political stability and the rise of Russian nationalism
War strategy: escalation and infrastructure targeting
Russian perceptions of the Ukrainian people
Views on Europe: Britain and Germany as adversaries
Perceptions of the US and the Trump administration
The failed Anchorage deal and loss of faith in diplomacy
Envisioned end-state: territory and a rump Ukraine
Denazification, NATO fears, and concluding remarks
Listen ad-free on Castria