1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: On this episode of News World, it has been one 2 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:10,719 Speaker 1: month since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, and as we 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: tape this last night, the Russians bombed a shopping mall 4 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: in Kiev. Putin and his army have continually targeted innocent 5 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 1: citizens of Ukraine in this war, which by any standard, 6 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: should be considered war crimes. But the Ukrainian people have 7 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: stood strong. Citizens have decided to arm themselves and resist 8 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: the Russian invasion of their country. Not only should democracies 9 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: around the world be in awe of the power a 10 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: united and patriotic citizen can have, but we as Americans 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: need look no further back in our history than April nineteenth, 12 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: seventeen seventy five, when the first shots were fired in Lexington, Massachusetts, 13 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: beginning the Revolutionary War in the Colonies. We have a 14 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: duty to support Ukrainians in the fight for keeping their freedom. 15 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: Here today to discuss what is happening on the ground 16 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: in Ukraine. I'm really pleased to welcome my guest, Blada Ghalan. 17 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: She is a political consultant, having worked on campaigns in 18 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: both the United States and Ukraine. She is the current 19 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 1: President and Chairman of the International Ukrainian Crisis Fund. She 20 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: was born in Odussi, Ukraine. She moved to the the United 21 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 1: States with her mother at the age of eight. She 22 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: currently lives in Georgia and also has a home in Kiev, Ukraine. 23 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 1: Welcome and thank you for joining me. Thank you so much, 24 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: mister speaker. It's really a pleasure to be here. Thank 25 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: you for having me. You know it must be very 26 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: difficult for you seeing what's happening to your home country 27 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: and the attacks on civilians. The UN has confirmed nine 28 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: hundred and two civilian desks, but concedes that the actual 29 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: toll is probably much much higher. The Ukrainian Secutor General's 30 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: Office says at least one hundred and fifteen children have 31 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: been killed and one hundred and forty eight injured, and 32 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: according to the United Nations, nearly three point four million 33 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: people have fled Ukraine, eighty percent of them are women 34 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: and children. So tell me, first of all, what is 35 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: your reaction in general to what has happened. I think 36 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: my reaction is similar to many, and that is nothing 37 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,519 Speaker 1: short of shock. We've had many provocations from Russia over 38 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: the years since the last war, but it's truly a 39 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: shock and a surprise. That it has gone this far 40 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: across Ukraine. We've always had issues in the Lugansk and 41 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: the Danetsk region. Those have been flaring provocations for years. 42 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: But to see this as a nationwide attack, it's just 43 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: truly the face of Russian aggression, which tells us that 44 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: Putin is emboldened and will not stop. Of course and 45 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: I have both been in Kiev, in particularly also before 46 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 1: Putin seized Crimea. We actually went to a conference and 47 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: say Yalta, which as a historian was fascinating to be 48 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: in the same palace that Roosevelta and Stalin and Churchill 49 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,679 Speaker 1: had met in. And things have changed so much since 50 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: we were in Yalta. But one of the side effects, 51 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: it seems to me, has been the Ukrainians, whether they 52 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: speak Ukrainian or Russian, Ukrainians have become more self aware 53 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: as Ukrainians, and in a way, Russia's aggression over the 54 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: last eight years has actually driven people in Ukraine closer 55 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: together and created a clearer national identity. Was that your 56 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: experience when you would visit absolutely you know. I was 57 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: born in Ukraine. I immigrated to the United States at 58 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: the age of eight. I've worked in Ukraine in municipal elections. 59 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: Over the last five years, I have a home in Kievan, 60 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: spent quite a bit of time there, a minimum of 61 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: one to two weeks a month, and over the last 62 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: I would say eight to ten years, it's been amazing 63 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: to see that Ukrainian language has become just more ingrained 64 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: and more people simply speak the Ukrainian language versus the past. 65 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: And it's just amazing to see the strong national identity 66 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: that's developed within the Ukrainian people. Most people forget that 67 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: Ukraine gained independence only in nineteen ninety one, as it 68 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: broke away from the Soviet Block and as the Soviet 69 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: Block fell apart, and people also forget that presidents like 70 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: you should go they look towards improved relations with the 71 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: European Union and less towards Russia. And so we've started 72 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: that breakaway even since two thousand and five, is to 73 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,919 Speaker 1: really become closer to the West, become tighter as a nation, 74 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: really develop more our language, which for many many years 75 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: has been rooted out. We were not allowed to speak 76 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: the Ukrainian language for many many years. People don't realize 77 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: that kind of history. So yes, the national identity has 78 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: really developed so much more as we've been allowed to 79 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,559 Speaker 1: be our own free nation nearing to the west. Wasn't 80 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: there a two year effort to become independ right after 81 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: World War Two? It actually required Soviet military to put 82 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: down the people who are trying to become independent. Yes, absolutely, 83 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: and if you look back, it wasn't just around that period. 84 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: It's a history of Ukrainians always fighting for freedom, whether 85 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,799 Speaker 1: it was to speak their language, to follow their values. 86 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: We survived a horrible famine that killed millions and millions 87 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: of Ukrainians. They were targeting ethnic Ukrainians. It was really 88 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: considered a genocide. People forget that kind of history. It's 89 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: been a long fight for freedom and we don't stop. 90 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: I was very impressed when I was there with how 91 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: magnificent some of the churches and seminaries, and how deep 92 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 1: the history is. This was really, prior to twelve twenty 93 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: the center of Russian civilization, and you see it when 94 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: you're physically there. I had always had a sense that 95 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: there was a very deep sense of pride in the 96 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: history of their country, going back to the medieval period 97 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: and its relationship with Bazani him When you would go 98 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,239 Speaker 1: back to what extent did you said, said people really 99 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: not only did not want to be part of Russia, 100 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: but sort of looked down on the quality of life 101 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: and the quality of political freedom in Moscow compared with 102 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: how open and dynamic and robust the political culture was 103 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: growing in Ukraine. Well, you see, in Ukraine we've really 104 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: had a real fight for freedom, and you can see 105 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: the fact that we've gone through four or five presidents 106 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: in the time period that Russia has had one who's 107 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: really turned out to be a proper dictator. And the Ukrainians, 108 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: in fact, after the Euromaidan and after the last War, 109 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: one of the buildings was burned down in the capital 110 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: of Kiev, near Kristiatik, and the sign that they put 111 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: over that building as they were reconstructing it said freedom 112 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: is our religion, and that really is kind of the 113 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: slogan of the Ukrainian people. So over the years, the 114 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: fight for freedom has been long, and yes, we see 115 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 1: the quality of life in Russia. I have family that 116 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: actually lives in Russia, and if you ask them what 117 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: their pensions are like, they can't afford to buy meat 118 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: for two or three months at a time. Ukraine also 119 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: has an entire poverty sector, but it's nothing like what 120 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: Russia sees political dissent is completely shut down. You see 121 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: what they're doing with prison sentences for those that are 122 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: currently protesting this war and on the streets. I wouldn't 123 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: say that Ukraine looks down on the Russians in a sense. 124 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: It's more of a pity. We pity the fight that 125 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: they're having. We pity how stagnant and where they've left off. 126 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: But at this point with this war, I think what's 127 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: changing in the mindsets of Ukrainians is there's no more mercy. 128 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: We don't want to give mercy anymore. We don't want 129 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: to negotiate and compromise our territories and giving up our sovereignty. 130 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: That's a negotiation we're not willing to make. So, if anything, 131 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: we've pitied the Russians in the past, because the growth 132 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: in the freedom that we've had over the last twenty 133 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: years is very different to what they've experienced under one leader. 134 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: Putin claims, and in fact that Ukraine has always been Russia. 135 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 1: I was actually surprised. In his major speech to the 136 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: Russian people just before the war, he's actually criticized Lenin, 137 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: which is very unusual in their system, and said Lenin 138 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: was just wrong to treat Ukraine as though it was independent. 139 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: But that isn't that dangerous in the sense that he 140 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: may actually believe that the Russian border should start at 141 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: the Black Sea and that Ukraine should be an integral 142 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: part of Russia, in which case it's pretty hard to 143 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: see how you get to a compromise. Well, I think 144 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: where we should start as the fact that Kiev and 145 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: Ruce existed hundreds of years before there was nothing but 146 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: forest and swamp and Moscow. I think people also oftentimes 147 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: don't understand the background in that history. So the truth 148 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: is that Kiev as an epicenter, existed way longer than 149 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: you had any sort of Moscow and has always had 150 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: its national identity. And it's a huge mistake on his 151 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: part to assume that we should be a part of Russia. 152 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: He bases his assumption on the fact that he claims 153 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 1: that Lenin and Stalin essentially pitched up Ukraine. That's not 154 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: a fact of history. But what you can gather from 155 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: his rhetoric is the simple fact that he's an imperialist 156 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: and that he really believes in rebuilding that Soviet bloc 157 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: and that Soviet glory, which is long long gone. And 158 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: I think that Ukrainians have shown to be a worthy 159 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:35,839 Speaker 1: adversary and putting up a fight that he didn't imagine. Now, 160 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: since twenty fourteen, when Russia invaded an annexed the Crimean Peninsula, 161 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: the United States has actually committed over five point four 162 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: billion dollars in total aid to Ukraine. That includes the 163 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: most recent We provided three sovereign loan guarantees for about 164 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 1: three billion, We provided four hundred and five million in 165 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: humanitarian aid. We spent almost two million to supp or 166 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: eighteen cultural preservation projects. I mean, my sense was we 167 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: were pretty committed to the success of Ukraine as an 168 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,319 Speaker 1: independent country. And when I would visit and visit with 169 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: the American ambassador and on several occasions President Porschenko, I 170 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: always had the sense that there was a growing sense 171 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: of confidence that this was going to work. Ukraine has 172 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: been committed to freedom from the start, and having an 173 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:30,439 Speaker 1: ally like the United States, who itself had its own 174 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 1: journey to freedom means the world to Ukraine and to 175 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: the Ukrainian people. And we're going to win that battle. 176 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: And if you notice these aggressions, they flare up every 177 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: so many years. If you look back over the last 178 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: twenty years of the history in Ukraine, it's never been 179 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: a peaceful period where Putin hasn't tried to meddle, where 180 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: we haven't had a revolution. That's just kind of been 181 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: the history. And it's really important that the United States 182 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: and specifically President Joe bah I didn't step up to 183 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: the task to really give support that Ukraine needs. This 184 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: is really critical for the Ukrainian people right now. The 185 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: world is watching, and if we don't protect freedom in Ukraine, 186 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: we have a lot greater risk of what stands ahead 187 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 1: of us and what to be afraid of. One of 188 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: the greatest surprises of this war has been watching President 189 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: Zelensky sort of emerged as a genuine worldwide hero and 190 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: as a real wartime president, which I think as a 191 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: actor comedian people would have been very surprised in advance 192 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 1: at how much he has sort of risen to the role. 193 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: He's almost like Reagan in that sense, because you know, 194 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: Reagan late in his career made two move with Chimpanzee, 195 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: so they could have compared notes and being actor comedians. 196 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: Are you surprised at how much leadership Zelenski has shown. Yes, 197 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: I'm incredibly surprised. It's amazing because when Zelenski decided to 198 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: run for a president a few years ago, I actually 199 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: had the honor of being in the room with him 200 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: when he made that decision to run. And what you 201 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:26,319 Speaker 1: saw at that time was a leader who one wasn't 202 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: sure that he wanted to put his family through it. 203 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: He wasn't sure he wanted to give up the career 204 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: that he had, and he was a total outsider. But 205 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: if you looked at the political situation in Ukraine at 206 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: the time, that is exactly what people wanted. People wanted 207 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: an outsider, and the general wave of politicians was very negative. 208 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: The sentiment towards them was negative. If you saw him 209 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: at the time, I'd call him a green candidate. He 210 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 1: wasn't a politician in any way, and then you saw 211 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: his development and his growth as he fell into that role. 212 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: But a real leader is tested in hot water, and 213 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: that is what you've seen Zelenski go through. To rise 214 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: to the occasion to reject the offer from the United 215 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 1: States to move to a safe haven outside of the 216 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: country and to relocate his family. He said no, and 217 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: he said I'm standing to fight with the people. And 218 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: if that doesn't tell you everything you need to know 219 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: about his leadership. I don't know what will to the 220 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: fact that he returned to his work office and he's 221 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 1: not scared. Yeah, he had some line about I don't 222 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:32,559 Speaker 1: need transportation, I need ammunition. Yeah, he doesn't need a ride. 223 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,359 Speaker 1: That's why I don't need a ride. I need ammunition. 224 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,080 Speaker 1: I was looking at his career just for a second. 225 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 1: I want to read part of Zelenski's career because in 226 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: some ways he kind of beats Reagan in terms of 227 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 1: being implausible. He founds Kavarti a ninety five studio, which 228 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: is a TV production company that's back in nineteen ninety seven. 229 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:54,599 Speaker 1: Then he graduates from Kiev National Economic University with a 230 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: law degree. Then this is the one that started me 231 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: down the road. In two thousands, x Zelenski won the 232 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 1: Ukrainian version of Dancing with the Stars. Now, I would 233 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: say at that point he may be in the same 234 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: league as Trump with The Apprentice, but he clearly has 235 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: surpassed Reagan. I can't quite imagine Reagan doing Dancing with 236 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: the Stars. But then in twenty fourteen he voiced Paddington 237 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: in the Ukrainian version of the film, and again did 238 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: so in the sequel Paddington too. I think this is 239 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: very clever. In twenty fifteen, he stars in the TV 240 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: show Servant of the People, where he played the role 241 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: of an anti corruption politician who eventually becomes Ukrainian president. 242 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 1: So you have a guy who is in Servant of 243 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: the People in your living room in a pleasant TV show, 244 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: being an anti corruption politician, and then he decides to 245 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: run for president. I mean, it's almost like he had 246 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 1: thought this through and set the stage for his own 247 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 1: emergence when he was making that decision. Do you think 248 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: in his mind he thought he'd laid the groundwork, you know, 249 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: at the time when they were producing the films and 250 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: the show. I think he had no idea that it 251 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: would lead to any sort of presidential run. I don't 252 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: even think that was in the cards for him. And 253 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: I say that because in some of the meetings that 254 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: I had with him before he made the presidential run, 255 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: he was not sure if he wanted to run. He said, I, 256 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: you know, I never thought we'd get to this point. 257 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: And how funny. And I think what's even more funny 258 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: is his party is named after the movie, which I 259 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: think is such a funny reality of the situation. But 260 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: he's proven to be quite serious. No, I think he 261 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: never anticipated it himself, that's right. So he has a 262 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: Servant of the People party. Based on Servant of the 263 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: People TV show would be almost as if West Wing 264 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: had produced a presidential Canada on the West Wing ticket. 265 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: I mean, it's really quite remarkable, and that party won 266 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: the first single party majority in Ukrainian history in the 267 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: parliament in July of twenty nineteen. He runs and he 268 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: defeats President Porshchenko seventy three percent of the vote, which 269 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: is a true national landslide. But as I understand it, 270 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: there was sort of a sense afterwards that he wasn't 271 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: as dynamic and as compelling a president as he had 272 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: been as a candidate, and that people didn't see him 273 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 1: as the kind of hero he has become in the 274 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: last five or six weeks. I mean, would that be 275 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: an accurate statement that before the war he was okay, 276 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: but he wasn't a heroic figure. You're absolutely correct. Before 277 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: the war there was a sense to a degree that 278 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: people had a bit of buyer's remorse, and that necessarily 279 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: isn't the fault of Zelinski. As much as people had 280 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: wanted to move away from the era of the politicians. 281 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: People put so much hope in him that I don't 282 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: think any candidate in the history of Ukraine could fulfill 283 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: that role that people had envisioned for him. They really 284 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: wanted change to come over nineteen twenty four hours and 285 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: that just isn't the case, and no leader can fulfill 286 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: that kind of role. So to a set people said, oh, 287 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: we elected this new leader and things didn't change overnight. 288 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: But as we know, change takes time, and I think 289 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: that people expected this national hero, and in fact, what's 290 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,439 Speaker 1: really ironic about the situation is his approval ratings have 291 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: gone through the roof. They're in the nineties and they 292 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: actually got that hero that they voted for, and he 293 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: actually rose to the occasion and became I think everything 294 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: and more that any Ukrainian had hoped for in him. 295 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: In fact, I think that this war has really made 296 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: Zelinski and made not only a legacy for him, but 297 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: any election in the future. I think for him it 298 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: looks really optimistic when the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian 299 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,960 Speaker 1: people turned out to be much much tougher than anybody expected. 300 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 1: You'll remember that General Millie, who I think is the 301 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: worst chairman of the Joint Chiefs in American history, having 302 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: been totally wrong about Afghanistan, turned around and said, oh, 303 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,400 Speaker 1: the Russians would be in Kiev in three days, which 304 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: is what I actually think Putin thought, well, when in 305 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: fact the Russians couldn't get there and the Ukraine didn't collapse. 306 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: It struck me that they have sort of a stalemate, 307 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: with the Ukrainians beginning to gain momentum in expelling the Russians, 308 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: Putin and shifted to a terror campaign, and that's why 309 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,880 Speaker 1: you have all of these particularly like in Mariopo, where 310 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: there's just an ending, horrifying assault on civilian parts of 311 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: the city. I get a sense that that has had 312 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: an effect on Zelinsky in that watching his people get brutalized, 313 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,439 Speaker 1: you know, the terror campaigns do produce terror, and that 314 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,400 Speaker 1: he keeps talking about the desire for a negotiated settlement. 315 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: Do you think that there is in fact a potential 316 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: agreement that Putin could take or do you think that 317 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 1: anything that the Ukrainians would agree to is less than 318 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: Putin would demand. Putin finds himself in a very very 319 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: tough position because, as you said, they expected to take 320 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: he of within just a few days, and that's evident 321 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: by the amount of supplies the troops brought, by how 322 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: prepared they were and the kind of troops that they 323 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: sent into the country and how they were equipped. That 324 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 1: didn't take place because what people don't understand. The Russian 325 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: soldiers on the ground do not understand why they were fighting. 326 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 1: Many of them were told that they're sent on peacekeeping missions. 327 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: Many of them were then told to fight, and many 328 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: of them don't understand the reason they are fighting their neighbors. 329 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: The morale is very low among the Russians. The Ukrainians 330 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,400 Speaker 1: have a fight because if they we lose our country, 331 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: there's a lot on the line for us. And I 332 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: think we are much stronger than they ever anticipated and 333 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 1: have employed some very interesting tactics, whether it's flooding river 334 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,959 Speaker 1: regions that causes issues with tanks getting through and convoys 335 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: getting through, to dropping Molotov cocksails with drugs. I mean, 336 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: the Ukrainians have applied some really interesting tactics and if 337 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: we would give them anti ship missiles, they could literally 338 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: drive the Russian fleet in the Black Sea away from Ukraine. Absolutely, 339 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 1: and we keep being focused on close the sky over 340 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 1: Ukraine it's clear that that's not a move that NATO 341 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 1: or the United States is going to get behind. But 342 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: there are many other things like that that can be done. 343 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 1: So now the question is what is the way out 344 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: for Putin. He has to save his reputation and save 345 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 1: his face as a strong leader. In my opinion, that 346 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: can no longer be salvage based on everything that's happened 347 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: to date, from the fact that they are attacking cars 348 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: with children in them that say children on the car, 349 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 1: that Russian troops helped fill the cars with children only 350 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 1: to shoot at them as they leave through a humanitarian corridor. 351 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: So I think at this point the only negotiation that 352 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 1: could take place would have to be one where Zelinski 353 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: and Putin meet face to face, where Putin does not 354 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:49,919 Speaker 1: put an offer on the table that questions the sovereignty 355 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: of Ukraine or breaks off more territories of Ukraine. And 356 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,959 Speaker 1: I just don't know what that kind of offer looks like. 357 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: To me, There is no solution there because Putin is 358 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 1: very far away from the reality of the situation, and 359 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,199 Speaker 1: when it's very difficult to negotiate with a leader in 360 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: that kind of position who just doesn't want to accept reality. 361 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: For what it is. But I think we have to 362 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:15,400 Speaker 1: be realistic that no matter what happens after this war, 363 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 1: Putin is done, there is no future for him. Russians 364 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: are fleeing their own country to Finland. The ones that 365 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 1: can flee to Europe are trying. There's a brain drain 366 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: going on in the country and if you ask me, 367 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: they already lost. Was it worth it, No, it wasn't. 368 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: And while the terror campaigns that are being run hurt 369 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: morale in Ukraine, the Ukrainians are very tough, and even 370 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,680 Speaker 1: the Ukrainians in the occupied regions are saying, we don't 371 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: care kill us. We'd rather be with Ukraine than be 372 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: with Russia. Yeah, there are some reports that they are 373 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 1: actually shipping Ukrainians into Russia. I don't know if that's 374 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: true or not. That is a report that I've heard. 375 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: That would be a war crime, and it would also 376 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:59,520 Speaker 1: be horrifying. I did a newsletter yesterday basically saying that 377 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: as long as the Russians are engaged in a terror 378 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 1: campaigning and civilians, that the United States should give Ukraine 379 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: surface to surface missiles and cruise missiles, and should say 380 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:14,440 Speaker 1: openly that Russian air fields and Russian missile sites are 381 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:18,119 Speaker 1: legitimate targets because I think this idea that it's one sided. 382 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: They get to fly from safety to bomb you, but 383 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 1: you're not allowed to do anything that would affect them. 384 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: I think the morning they began losing air fields, you 385 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,119 Speaker 1: would see putin face a huge choice. I mean, he 386 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: could escalate, in which case he really would be crushed 387 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 1: because NATO would get engaged. Or hkins Hill right, maybe 388 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 1: it's time to actually negotiate because the war becomes at 389 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,879 Speaker 1: some point I think, and maybe within two weeks that 390 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: the Russians run out of ammunition and run out of trucks. 391 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: As a very interesting study, that their truck system is 392 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: breaking down dramatically and that they literally may not be 393 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: able to get either ammunition or food or petroleum to 394 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,479 Speaker 1: the front within two weeks, just because the Russian military 395 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: turned out to be much weaker than all of thought 396 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 1: they would. Now you were in Kiev still in February fifteenth. 397 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: The war was about to start, but what was the 398 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: mood at that point. There was a great job done 399 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 1: by the leadership in Ukrainian and Kiva specifically, I worked 400 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:32,919 Speaker 1: with the Maerkia of Italic Clucco at the time to 401 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: manage that kind of pianic and there was no run 402 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: on food, there was no run on the banks. It 403 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,120 Speaker 1: was actually a very kind of calm mood, and people said, 404 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 1: we don't really think a nationwide attack at this level 405 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: could take place, So that was kind of the sentiment 406 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: at the time. And I live in Padole next to 407 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: Andreyevski Church, a very historic church there, and I took 408 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: a walk in the morning before I flew out that day, 409 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: and what caught me off artists that KLM actually canceled 410 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 1: my flight, and I thought that was so strange because 411 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,719 Speaker 1: it tells you the situation is becoming much more serious. 412 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: So I quickly rebooked myself on Turkish Airways, which was 413 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:11,959 Speaker 1: still flying at the time, and even their flights were 414 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 1: completely full. And I actually walked past the British embassy 415 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: and there was a few staff outside and it said, 416 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:19,640 Speaker 1: I thought you guys were evacuating the embassy and they said, yeah, 417 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: for the most part, we are. And I thought, no 418 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: way this is going to happen. The city is so peaceful, 419 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 1: so calm. You didn't see military station anywhere. There was 420 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: not a military mobilization happening at that time. Everything seemed 421 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 1: so peaceful, but yet in the West, I had many 422 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: friends spread across the US and internationally at the diplomatic level, 423 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: at the congressional levels, saying you need to get out 424 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: of Ukraine, you need to get out of Ukraine. And 425 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 1: sure enough, you know, after I left, it's evident kind 426 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: of what took place and what happened in a very 427 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 1: short period of time. And it was really shocking to 428 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,160 Speaker 1: me because you didn't feel that walking through the streets 429 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: of Kiev just a few weeks ago. When the war 430 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 1: did break out. You started the International Ukrainian Crisis Fund. 431 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: Why did you establish the nonprofit and how is it 432 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,679 Speaker 1: related back to Ukraine. Well, I have to tell you 433 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: that as a Ukrainian sitting in a hotel room halfway 434 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: across the world, I felt completely helpless. In fact, my 435 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 1: first response was I'm going to grab a gun, I'm 436 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 1: going to grab a vest and I'm flying to Ukraine. 437 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 1: And my fiance said, you're absolutely crazy. That's not the 438 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:26,879 Speaker 1: way that you make a change. You can make a 439 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 1: strong change here in the US and start to rally support. 440 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: And that's when kind of the idea came to me 441 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 1: of organizing up five O one C three nonprofit, the 442 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: International Ukrainian Crisis Fund. The goal of the fund was 443 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,199 Speaker 1: centered on saving and protecting lives during one of the 444 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:48,719 Speaker 1: largest humanitarian crisis since World War Two, and so we 445 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 1: created this organization to basically set up distribution centers across 446 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 1: the country, to focus on food distribution, to focus on 447 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:00,199 Speaker 1: medical aid distribution to the hospitals across the country, and 448 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: then basic supplies like diapers, formula, but even the greatest need, 449 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 1: as we've seen ten million refugees have fled Ukraine and 450 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: the biggest part of what we've done so far is 451 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: just go to very dangerous areas, risking the lives of 452 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: our very own volunteers to pull people out and provide 453 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,400 Speaker 1: them with food and send them to the boarders, specifically 454 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,160 Speaker 1: women and children from places like get a Pin, which 455 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: we saw all over the news station there under the bridge, 456 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: many many people getting out. We had our teams there 457 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: pulling people out and the organization has received overwhelming support 458 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: and raised thousands of dollars. We are partnered with fun 459 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: Future Kiev, which is the mayor of Kiev's one of 460 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 1: his foundations, the Teleklitchkos Foundation, and one of our board 461 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:48,639 Speaker 1: members is actually Vladimir Klitchko, their brothers, They are bigger 462 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: than life. We have a huge bipartisan board of former congressman, 463 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 1: senator ambassadors and we've seen an overwhelming response and support 464 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:00,399 Speaker 1: and just in three weeks have been able to deliver 465 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: life saving aid. And your family's also involved. Now, your 466 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: eighteen year old brother and your thirteen year old brother 467 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: have escaped from Ukraine. How were they able to get out? Yes, 468 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: my thirteen year old brother and his stepmom exited Ukraine 469 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 1: via one of the borders with Poland. They are now 470 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: safe in Germany. And my eighteen year old brother was 471 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 1: stuck in Lviv for a very long time. My father 472 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 1: is unable to leave. He's under the age of sixty 473 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:29,800 Speaker 1: and has to remain to fight, and he's actually fighting 474 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: on the front lines in Odessa, and it's kind of 475 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: a bit of a horror story for an entire week. 476 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: He was too shy to tell me that he didn't 477 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 1: have a bulletproof vest, and as soon as I found out, 478 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: I sent a whole wave of vests over there and 479 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 1: aid to them. But he said I wanted to help 480 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: other people, you know, I didn't want to focus on me, 481 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: And I said Daddy cannot be fighting without a vest 482 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 1: and that just goes to show some of the shortages 483 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 1: that exist in the country. I've had relatives that just 484 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: a few nights ago fled across the Romanian border that 485 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:01,439 Speaker 1: had to walk through mine field to get out, and 486 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: that's terrifying. I'm curious, how do these things get delivered? 487 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:09,440 Speaker 1: How do you ship bulletproof vested into a battle of Zone. Well, 488 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: I have to tell you it's been a huge challenge 489 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: because most countries have an export issue. With that you 490 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: need special export licenses. What we've been able to do 491 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: is workout agreements and various countries like the Czech Republic 492 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 1: that still has those products, we receive an export license. We' 493 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: been working very close with their governments and the Ukrainian government, 494 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: and that is shipped to our warehouses in Poland and 495 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 1: we put supplies either on trains from Warsaw or on 496 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 1: large cargo cars that are going from the Polish border 497 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: or the Romanian border. So that is how we're getting 498 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 1: supplies in and then our volunteers are unloading them on 499 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:46,720 Speaker 1: the other side. On our show page, we're going to 500 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: show people how they can donate to the International Ukrainian 501 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: crisis fun and I think to make all those really 502 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 1: come home for people. With your permission, we're going to 503 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 1: play this clip of your phone call conversation with your 504 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 1: father who's still in Odessa fighting, And do you mind 505 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: translating what he says for us because he's speaking in Russian. Yes, 506 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:36,640 Speaker 1: of course, I'd be happy to do so. Hi, no mosca. 507 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: Hear him said, will you Iamsa, Let's see Tom Mikulaiova, 508 00:29:54,600 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: toml rats on virtually Australia. Gosh, mar it puts the 509 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 1: vice Baillia society. Yeah, why no, yeah, no to your 510 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 1: others tombs, yeah, watching to poet, No, let's see, No, 511 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 1: let's see. So in the call with my father, I 512 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,239 Speaker 1: just call him and ask him how he's doing. And 513 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: he says to me, look, it's really hard. They're bombing us, 514 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: but we're really standing firm and we're gonna defend Ukraine 515 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 1: to the end. And I tell him, looked at, I'm 516 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: really proud of you, But how are our friends and 517 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 1: Hirson and Mikolaiav, which are cities that are currently being occupied. 518 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 1: We have a lot of friends there, And he says, look, 519 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: it's very hard for them. They are bombing them NonStop. 520 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: My friend had a missile land in between his and 521 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: his neighbor's yard, between defenses, and it didn't explode, and 522 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: he said, you know, he came outside and he thanked 523 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: God for the fact that it didn't explode. He said 524 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 1: it was a miracle. And he explained to him that 525 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 1: if it had exploded, his house would be gone. And 526 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 1: you know, I say to my father, this is horrible. 527 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:43,840 Speaker 1: You know, are you at least using the bulletproof vest 528 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: I sent you? And he said, of course, the vest 529 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: is saving my life. And I wear it with the 530 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 1: helmet you sent me, because he also didn't have a helmet. 531 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: And he said to me, I'm really proud to have 532 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: such a daughter. And it just makes me tear up 533 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 1: because it was just it was a very emotional call. 534 00:31:57,560 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 1: And the sad part is that's a call I have 535 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 1: with him every day. I say to him, thank you, Dad, 536 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,080 Speaker 1: thank you, and I'm glad you're okay, hang in there. 537 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 1: I'm proud that you stayed. I'm proud that you fought. 538 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: And says someone has to defend our land. And he 539 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 1: says this every day, and you know, I said to him, 540 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 1: you're right, and he said, that is why I stayed, 541 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 1: and I said, Dad, I applaud you. It's hard to 542 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: do something like that. It's very emotional. We have called 543 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 1: it that almost every day, every day. It's a new 544 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: way with emotions. I want to thank you. I hope 545 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:27,239 Speaker 1: that that drives home for everybody listening how real and 546 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: how personal this is. And I hope it leads them 547 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 1: to go to the Ukrainian Crisis Fund, which can be 548 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 1: found at www dot Ukraine Crisis Fund dot com and 549 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 1: it will also be on our show page. And I'm 550 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: want to thank you for joining me. I think you 551 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 1: clearly are focused on helping Ukraine and helping the Ukrainian people, 552 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:50,440 Speaker 1: and I think you really have helped illuminate for all 553 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: of our listeners how real this is and how important 554 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 1: this is. So Lata, thank you very much. Thank you, 555 00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: mister speaker. It's been an honor to be with you, 556 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: and I thank you for sharing the stories of Ukrainians. 557 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest Vlada Galan. You can get 558 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 1: a link to donate to the Ukrainian Crisis Fund on 559 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 1: our show page at Newtsworld dot com. News World is 560 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: produced by Gingwish three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer 561 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:26,240 Speaker 1: is Garnsey Slow, our producer is Rebecca Howell, and our 562 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork for the show was 563 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:33,920 Speaker 1: created by Steve Penley. Special thanks to the team at 564 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: Gingwich three sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, I hope 565 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: you'll go to Apple Podcast and both rate us with 566 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: five stars and give us a review so others can 567 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: learn what it's all about. Right now, listeners at Newtsworld 568 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 1: can sign up from my three free weekly columns at 569 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 1: Gingwich three sixty dot com slash newsletter. I'm Newt Gingrich 570 00:33:55,640 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: and this is Newtsworld.