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By John Helmer, Moscow
@bears_with [2]
Listen to today’s discussion [3] with Nima Alkhorshid as we inspect the defences being built now against President Donald Trump’s ultimatums from the Ukraine to Iran, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, India, and China.
Before we start, though, ask whether there is any evidence in what Trump himself says to show he understands any negotiating terms short of capitulation.
PRESIDENT TRUMP ANSWERS REPORTERS’ QUESTIONS ON THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE DEPLOYMENT NEAR RUSSIA; ON STEVEN WITKOFF’S MESSAGE FOR THE KREMLIN — AUGUST 3
[4]“Question: On Russia, Mr. President, can you say, have those nuclear submarines been deployed yet to face Russia?
Donald Trump: I’ve already put out a statement and the answer is they are in the region, yeah, where they have to be.
Question: [Inaudible] Steve Witkoff’s message will be to the Russians? Is there anything they can do to avoid sanctions at this point?
Donald Trump: Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed. They had a number that just came out that a tremendous number of Russian soldiers are being killed and likewise, Ukraine. A lower number, but still thousands and thousands of people. And now we’re adding towns where they are being hit by missiles. So it’s a lot of people being killed in that ridiculous war…And you know, we stopped — we stopped a lot of countries from war, India and Pakistan. We stopped a lot of countries and we’re going to get that one stopped too. Somehow, we’re going to get that one stopped. That’s a really horrible — well, you heard about Cambodia and Thailand. We got that one done. We got the Congo, which was going on for 31 years… Rwanda, that one’s done. We stopped a lot of wars. This is the one we seem to be — this should be the easiest to stop and it’s not — I mean, Rwanda and Congo were going on 31 years and I got it stopped. Eight million people dead, at least. That’s what they have, but I think the number is much higher. And the leaders of each country, Rwanda and the Congo, they were great, they were great and they wanted it stopped. 31 years it went on. We stopped a lot of wars. Serbia Kosovo was going to be happening and I don’t believe it will now, so we stopped that one too. Yes….
Question: Mr. President, can you give us an update on Steve Witkoff and Russia and what happens on Friday if the deadline comes and Russia has not agreed to a ceasefire?
Donald Trump: Well there’ll be sanctions, but they seem to be pretty good at avoiding sanctions. You know, they’re wily characters and they’re pretty good at avoiding sanctions. So we’ll see what happens, but Steve is focused right now on the border in terms of — we’re talking about with Gaza, getting people fed. And he may be going, I think next week, Wednesday or Thursday, maybe going to Russia… They would like to see him. They’ve asked that he meet, so we’ll see what happens [5].”