Putin’s Russia, Ukraine’s Reparations (ft. Jamison Firestone) | German Spies, Iceland-EU, Iran

Vladimir Putin promised Russia a "dictatorship of law" when he took office in 2000. He delivered the dictatorship -- but not the law. This week, Russia expert, human rights lawyer, and founder of Russia's first independent foreign law firm Jamison Firestone joins journalist Rosanna Lockwood and former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove to discuss his new book, Rule of Lies: My Wild Ride Through Chaos, Corruption, and Murder in Putin's Russia. Firestone lived through the upheaval of the early 1990s and worked alongside Sergei Magnitsky, who was murdered after exposing a Russian state built to loot itself. Firestone explains why Russia may now be close to a historical tipping point, how $300 billion in frozen Russian assets could be legally transferred to Ukraine to fund Kyiv;s war effort, and the ways in which Donald Trump has emulated Putin and Yeltsin. Plus, in Brief: changes coming to Germany's BND, the legacy of former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, Iceland's referendum on restarting EU membership talks, and the latest in the Iran War.

In this episode:

(00:00) Why Ukraine Matters

(02:06) Germany Expands BND Powers

(05:01) Zhu Rongji

(07:52) Iceland EU Vote and NATO Role

(11:46) Iran Deadline and Strait Tensions

(15:11) Meet Jamison Firestone

(16:42) Growing Up Around Gangsters

(26:15) Loving Russia Despite Putin

(30:46) Can Russia Reach a Tipping Point

(34:32) Mobilization Pressure and Next Steps

(36:15) Ukraine Aid and Frozen Funds

(41:17) Legal Case For Seizure

(43:57) Reparations Loan Explained

(50:25) US Politics And Trump Parallels

(54:24) How Putin Could Fall

(57:06) Can Russia Be Democratic

(59:03) Putin Isolation And Ukraine Motive

(01:02:12) Life In London And Safety

(01:05:08) Magnitsky Legacy And Costs

(01:11:33) Drone Swarms And Future War

Show Notes:

• Rule of Lies: My Wild Ride Through Chaos, Corruption, and Murder in Putin's Russia | https://www.harpercollins.com/products/rule-of-lies-jamison-r-firestone?variant=44366648180770

• Website to learn more about Jamison Firestone’s advocacy: https://makeputinpay.org/

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and guest co-host Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist)

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