thomas penn thomas. good to have you on the program with us. um, i'd like to hear your thoughts 1st of all about that statement from the german defense minister. yeah, i mean, it's really interesting that the way that i mean that the latest turn of events has made it clear that the in europe is western europe. so called nato allies. i mean they're, they're not, they're, they're more of the more vassals, as we've always described them than anything else. and they have really no say and what's going on here and trump is assisted extra that they pay for the you know, for the clean up this mess if it comes to that and germany is in a position, it's in no position at all. really do anything and it has never been in a position to do anything. and i think that reality is becoming clear and clear. you know, as the days go by, especially in light of recent events to the europeans themselves, the, they've put themselves in this position. nobody really did it to them any thanks. a lot of it as a result of the 2nd, you know, world war the end of the 2nd world war, but now i'm in there. they're in no position to dictate anything or ask for anything. this is a matter between, really, as it's always been from the, from the get go between moscow and washington. thank you, next. so cube has long been saying no peace in ukraine without ukraine, but now we have this phone call between trump input in which lasted about an hour and a half. and then from spoke with a zalinski afterward, but spared reportedly only 10 minutes for him. for this phone call. so where does that actually leave you crane and all of this? and i think, i mean, that really highlights that this conflict has never been really about ukraine. it's always been about washington and moscow and of russia's desire to assert its sovereignty in the world to the dollars. it's really been about that. and the effort in washington has made, has been an effort to contain that desire for sovereignty. so it's going to be interesting to see how i mean, how things play out in terms of ink. for example, trump promising no, no further nato expansion. and then did they, did we don't want ukraine for example. i mean that there was an easy thing to promise, but in terms of, you know, allowing russia to remain sovereign and pursued at the dollarization effort that if we can even before, you know, the operate of this conflict but, but primarily in february 2022 is when it really began bounced, and it's going to be interesting to see how russia re response to that. what, what trump you very me because brush are really holds all the cards at this point. and it's going to be interesting to see what trump demands on that front. so if anything, you know at all, i don't, i don't think he has the room to really negotiate that point. dollarization and i mean perhaps he goes and returns us or makes an effort to return to, to the, to the status quote. i mean, prior to the, to the outbreak of the complex. uh, we're just gonna have to see he's, he's a good showman. i mean, you've heard before, he said he discussed doubling sanctions. if russia didn't give him, you know exactly what he wanted. but now there's talk of, you know, we want to get fresh everything they want. so we'll see how it plays out. i mean, he's a good show man, but in terms of the di dollarization effort, i want to see something concrete. and i hope that russia doesn't give in on that point. and then it continues to, to, you know, to, to further further, you know, creation of the dist, this multi polar world that it's, pursues those efforts further. i hope they don't fall by the wayside and some, some, some deal that you know, washington from cox because that's what they want. and i hope that doesn't come to them in terms of how europe is, is managing relations with the us here. it's clear that they're feeling left out. however, i do think that you're paying the and state should actually be at this point. how much do they really depend on washington? i think they should be strongly worried, and i think they're fully dependent on washington. i mean, i have discussed before on the r t and other programs, the, you know, trump is, is, is destructive. no enacting terrace and your opinion in germany 25 percent. i mean a steel and the other middle was a, the started down that route already. um, but in terms of a trade more clearly the united states, and it's not just the american arrogance here over time in american, but the, the america has all the leverage. it's true that the, you know, the european union, germany, for example, we have, we, we do, we americans run a large trade deficit with them. they, they sport a lot more to united states and the americans do to do germany. but if they were to enact those tear of sent me what really the german industry is already reeling this point terrace, which just further devastated. and yeah, i mean, for us in the united states, it would be a problem with miss, you know, a lot of our for, you know, imports are the things we consume. but the united states can, can, can take the paying a lot longer than germany can for example. and so, i mean, and militarily, i mean, there's no questionnaire that the europeans are not even on the same page. i'm so economically, militarily, uh, yeah, i mean these are vassal states, and that's the way it's been since the end of the 2nd world war. and that, that's the way i mean in this, this situation is now pretty clear to them themselves, i think. and the large part of the population. ok originally, but there are to contributor and former us army officer thomas pen thomas. thank you. thanks for having the international atomic energy agency vehicles came under ukrainian attack wellbeing escorted by a russian military con boy. the defense ministry in moscow published footage of wednesdays incident in the vicinity of this upper rose a nuclear power plant. i a chief said the plant rotation of inspectors was cancelled due to quote intense military activity in the region. i deeply regret today's cancellation of the carefully prepared and agreed rotation of stuff to a carrying out vital work and very challenging circumstances to help prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict. it is completely unacceptable that the safety of our stuff is jeopardized in this way. as a result of these extremely concerning events, i'm an active consultation with both sides to guarantee the safety of our teams and to secure the continued presence of the i. a v a at the zipper, rosie a nuclear power plant to enable our staff to continue the indispensable mi