10/9/26 Larry Johnson: Sanctioning Russia Won’t Work
Summary
Former CIA officer Larry Johnson argues that Western sanctions have failed to collapse Russia's self-sufficient economy, which now outproduces NATO in artillery shells. He discusses his recent meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov, who revealed that Russia was willing to freeze the front line in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia during the Anchorage summit. Johnson also highlights the escalating tensions over Kaliningrad, warning that NATO expansion and Baltic state threats create a dangerous flashpoint for nuclear conflict.
Topics discussed
Show intro and guest welcome
Russia's economic resilience against sanctions
US defense production and artillery shell output
Debunking claims of Russian military collapse
Russian troop recruitment and casualty minimization
Sponsor break: Matt Sersely tax attorney
Western media narrative and self-delusion
Historical context of US and NATO aggression
Visit to Russian military museums and WWII ties
Interview details with Sergei Lavrov
Russian concessions and the 2022 Istanbul talks
Long-term US-Russia relations and pivot to East
Sponsor break: Medical cost sharing
Russia's identity and relationship with China
Kaliningrad, NATO expansion, and Baltic tensions
Comparing Cold War and current Russia dynamics
Sponsor break: Mundo's Artisan Coffee
Origins of the Ukraine war and Putin's image shift
China-Russia relations and shifting world order
Economic impacts of Persian Gulf conflict
Closing remarks and show credits
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