In this episode, we discuss Trump’s China visit, whether Xi Jinping now holds the stronger hand, why China may be done accommodating the United States, and what this means for the emerging multipolar world.We then shift into a long-form discussion of Russia and Ukraine: the Donbas war, Minsk, NATO expansion, the power of Western propaganda, whether Putin’s SMO was a strategic mistake, and why narrative control may have shaped the conflict as much as military power.Finally, we look at Russia’s military technology, including Sarmat, Avangard, Poseidon, and the broader question of what the West is actually trying to achieve in a confrontation with a nuclear superpower.Timestamps:00:00 - Trump's visit to China & Xi Jinping's leverage04:08 - Economic warfare and China playing hardball11:15 - Pivoting to Russia: Overcoming "audience capture"13:28 - The untold history of the Donbas conflict & Minsk Accords21:40 - The Istanbul Agreement & Boris Johnson's interference26:06 - The dark reality of Ukraine today: Corruption & press gangs37:06 - Was Putin's SMO a massive mistake?49:39 - How Russia lost the narrative war to the West54:33 - The problem with Western "Putin obsession"59:21 - Russia’s advanced military tech: Satan 2, Poseidon & Hypersonics1:03:11 - The dangerous hubris of NATO's end goalsGo Deeper:https://ruinsreport.com/Substack: https://conversationsamongtheruins.substack.com/Support the Conversation:Join as a Member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW9CSfmP6gEjqtOdGTD_JKw/joinBuy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/amongtheruins