In this episode Sian Norris speaks with The Guardian’s Luke Harding about his book Betrayal: Putin, Trump and the New Age of Conquest, covering Harding’s 2007–2011 Moscow posting, FSB harassment and his expulsion while investigating Litvinenko and Putin’s wealth.
Luke argues Putin’s worldview is neo-imperial and explains how Western leaders misread Russia before the February 2022 full-scale invasion. He describes Biden’s fear of nuclear escalation and slow delivery of weapons, and says some Ukrainians hoped Trump might end the war, but Harding believes Trump behaves like a Russian asset, citing deference to Putin, policy shifts, cuts to Ukraine aid, and possible kompromat.
We also explore Kremlin ties to the British right, Brexit-era influence, Nigel Farage’s Russia Today appearances, and the Nathan Gill bribery case, before ending on Ukraine’s resilience, drone innovation, and a strategy of degrading Russia’s war economy.
00:00 Introduction
01:13 Expelled From Moscow
03:34 FSB Harassment Campaign
07:05 Warnings Before Invasion
10:17 Putin Mythology Ukraine
13:56 Biden Zelensky Tensions
17:51 Alaska Summit Deference
20:03 Why Trump Aligns Russia
23:42 Oval Office Ambush
26:15 Britain Right Russia Links
29:27 Nathan Gill Bribery Case
35:12 Far Right Influence Network
37:18 New Age Of Conquest
40:05 Drone Warfare Template
40:54 Ukraine Resilience Winter
43:49 Ukraine Innovation Victory
Credits:
Presented by Sian Norris
Produced by Harry Beney