Peter Zeihan has launched a multi-part video series examining the intersection of Trump administration policies and Russia’s strategic objectives. While some political shifts can be explained through ideology or standard governance, other defy conventional logic—raising deeper concerns about the forces at play.
The Russian Reach unpacks these developments, exploring how Trump’s actions align with Putin’s geopolitical ambitions. From Ukraine aid suspensions to intelligence cutoffs and foreign policy upheavals, this series examines the broader consequences for the U.S. and global stability.
Below are the first six installments, each unraveling a critical piece of the puzzle.
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The Russian Reach: Series Introduction
By Peter Zeihan
There’s been a slew of US policy changes that the Trump administration has laid out. I’ve done my best to explain away as many as I could with conventional political reasoning, but I’m not sure I can anymore. Today, I’m going to be laying the foundation for a multi-part series on what is happening in Washington.
The list of policy changes is far too long to mention every single one, but some of the heavy hitters are: Ukraine aid suspension, trade tariffs, government firings and bureaucratic disruptions, and major foreign policy shifts. Again, I’ve tried my best to justify these moves using all the frameworks at my disposal, but when the things I’m seeing can’t even be rationalized away with MAGA ideology or incompetence…something more concerning could be shifting in US governance.
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The Russian Reach: Why Leadership Doesn’t Matter…Until It Does
Despite the short-term emphasis placed on the title of president, chancellor, or prime minister, the reality is that leadership typically has minimal impact on the trajectory of a nation. The real movers are geography and demography; however, sometimes a leader can be the exception to that rule.
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The Russian Reach: Geography and Intelligence
Putin, like the Soviets before him, is clouded by fear of invasion due to Russia’s vulnerable geography. Understanding that makes Russia’s strategy of expansion and occupation towards defensible borders clearer.
That’s the backbone of today’s conflict in Ukraine – Russia seeking a secure and manageable perimeter. While this war was inevitable, it is no way the end of the line. Should Russia win in Ukraine, it will push into NATO countries like Poland and the Baltics to “reclaim” the natural geographic barriers once held by the Soviets.
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The Russian Reach: US Cuts Ukraine Intel & Dominos Fall
If you thought the weapons cutoff was a big deal, buckle up. Since Ukraine relies on US intelligence for battlefield maneuvers, we might as well start air-dropping blindfolds to Ukraine.
You can bet your ass that Russia will happily exploit this weakening of Ukraine. However, the fallout of this move by the US is not contained to the battlefield, or even the region.
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The Russian Reach: Playing Catch Up Part 1
We’re only four days into this series and somehow it seems as though we’re weeks behind current events. So, I’m doing some rapid fire updates this weekend to bring everyone up to speed.
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The Russian Reach: Playing Catch Up Part 2
This is part 2 of my attempt at catching up to current events in our Russian Reach series. Again, I’m going to let the videos do the speaking for themselves, but here are some questions to ask yourself before diving in:
