Why is the war in Ukraine still going, and what does Russia really want? I sit down with Nikola Mikovic, a freelance journalist based in Serbia who specializes in the foreign policies of Russia and Ukraine. From Moscow's motives and Europe's energy crisis to the quiet influence of China, this conversation reveals what mainstream headlines miss.

• What drives Russia's foreign policy
• Sanctions and energy
• How China is quietly shaping the war's outcome
• What it would take to end the conflict

Follow-up: Daniel shares his own peace-based economic solution in a short solo episode — "Daniel's Solution to End the War."

Watch, think critically, and join the discussion in the comments below. Subscribe for more deep thinking conversations and the search for truth.

Show notes + MORE

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Creator's Note (updated):

After recording, I read a piece in today's newspaper: Silicon Valley 'Warlord' Gets Pentagon's attention." It reinforces one of the points we talked about - the only winners in this war are the United States and China. (The US benefiting from arms sales; China from selling cheap energy to Russia due to sanctions). In the article, Steven Simoni, co-founder of Allen Control Systems that makes an AI-powered, autonomous machine gun says, "I hate war, but war is always going to happen. Someone's going to make this product at some point."

Wow! That's the best solution a Silicon Valley startup CEO can come up with for stopping the war? It's likely the more profitable one. Either these "smart" guys are not as smart as we give them credit or they are just plain greedy. The company raised $40 million in finding recently in a round led by Craft Ventures, the firm co-founded by President Trump's AI czar David Sack.

Under the hood, the circuit board has a printed image of him and co-founder Simoni. Co-founder Like Allen said. "If Russia or China recovered one of these they will have to see our faces." I think they forget that China reverse engineers products, makes them cheaper to manufacture, more affordable and available to anyone who wants one.

Allen said, "As an engineer, you can basically help the good guys, help the bad guys, or do nothing."

I'm sure these guys have good intentions. They just lack critical thinking - what happens when you put profit before trying to find an honest and effective solution. He made the assumption there are only two choices. There are always additional ones. These guys have't considered the real reasons for the war, and how they might use their influence and prestige as Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and their invitations to private parties at the White House, to encourage the White House to initiate an alternative solution to ending this war, as suggested with my guest on this episode.

Curious what you think — does this change how you see the issue?

Thank you for listening. Please leave a comment.