Neutrality Studies

The US-Israeli war alliance is losing its allies in the gulf. The resumption of the Iran War is a reflection of US desperation and the best idea Washington has? Start a new front against international law itself. The decline of the empire is accelerating.Support us on Substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

The contempt with which the US is treating international law has found a new low point. The State Department now officially says it wants to dismantle the ICC.Dr. Yusra Suedi, an international law scholar at the University of Manchester and founder of SAIL, joins Pascal Lottaz to examine the US campaign against the ICC, the limits and value of international courts, pressure on smaller states, and Europe’s role. They also discuss the Gaza case at the ICJ, why proving genocide is legally difficult, and why international law still matters.Links:SAIL Simplified Approach to International Law: https://www.learnsail.org/Yusra Suedi on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/yusrasuedi.b...Yusra Suedi on LinkedIn:   / yusrasuedi  Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 International Law and Its Courts00:07:03 The US Campaign Against the ICC00:19:42 Courts as Justice and Political Pressure00:34:00 Can the US Dismantle the ICC00:43:31 The Legal Test for Genocide

If all else fails, go to war with Russia. It's an age old European strategy to keep their own population from revolting against their economic slave-masters. And sure enough, the 21st century is no exception. The elites would rather have a nuclear war with Russia than admit that their economic policies at home are ruining the continent. For this, one only needs to reactivate age-old Russophobic tropes. And here we go. Like Anti-semitism is wielded against the enemy within, Russophobia has a very specific political purpose to rally people up against the external enemy. That dynamic is now in full swing..Dr. Yakov Rabkin, emeritus professor of history at the University of Montreal, discusses the links between Russophobia, anti-Semitism, racism, and war. He explains how stereotypes turn groups into simple enemies, block public debate, and support militarization. The conversation also covers colonial ideas, economic inequality, “demodernization,” Israel and Zionism, and why diplomacy is being replaced by deterrence.Links:Yakov Rabkin website: https://yakovrabkin.ca/Yakov Rabkin on Academia.edu: https://independent.academia.edu/YRabkinNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Russophobia and anti-Semitism00:07:11 Nazi racism and colonial thinking00:13:25 Racism, essentialism and inequality00:19:29 Demodernization and private anger00:24:46 Why elites need enemies00:35:04 Stereotypes, diplomacy and deterrence00:46:51 Anti-Semitism, Israel and public debate00:54:09 Empire, culture and racism

Ali Abunimah discusses live in Zürich in June 2026: The real story about Israel you won't hear on mainstream news. Ali discusses October 7 reporting, claims of sexual violence, media coverage of Palestine, and the US-Israel relationship. He also speaks about BDS, Gaza’s death toll, Swiss neutrality, support for student activists, and the role of electoral politics and public pressure in changing policy.Links:The Electronic Intifada: https://electronicintifada.netNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00 Introduction and October 713:00 Claims of sexual violence on October 723:09 Media propaganda and Israeli intelligence36:43 Who holds power in US-Israel ties?46:40 Amnesty reports and ZAKA claims01:01:01 BDS and keeping Gaza in focus01:11:05 Swiss neutrality and Palestinian voices01:17:19 Mamdani, elections and public pressure

Stas Krapivnik returns to discuss reports surrounding Lindsay Graham, energy pressure from the Iran conflict, and fuel shortages in Russia and Ukraine. He shares observations from Moscow, looks at refinery strikes and drone attacks, and argues that both sides are changing their tactics. The discussion also covers frontline logistics, arms production, anti-drone tools, the risks of wider war, and future security threats.Links:Stanislav Krapivnik YouTube:    / @mrslavikman  Stanislav Krapivnik on X: https://x.com/STANISKRAPIVNIKNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and energy tensions00:13:16 Russia’s refineries and drone defenses00:20:47 Deep strikes and Russia’s fuel supply00:29:06 Fuel stations and Ukraine’s front lines00:40:08 Energy war and Ukraine’s logistics00:45:41 The future of drone warfare

When things are going really bad in war, then what's the solution? Exactly. Start another on. It worked great for Third-Reich Germany, it worked great for Imperial Japan. So why would it not work for MAGA America? What could go wrong. The signs of hegemonic overreach and imperial desperation are now undeniable. The only question is how long until the ultimate collapse of the 21st century's empire of evil? And will it go quietly, or does it want to drag the world with it?Dr. Pietro Shakarian joins Pascal to discuss Iran’s war fallout, Khamenei’s funeral, Hormuz, and the limits of U.S. power. They also cover Armenia’s disputed election, the Trump corridor, EU policy, Turkey, Israel, Russia’s war strategy in Ukraine, NATO risks, Finland’s loss of neutrality, and why Washington may need deep reform at home.Links: American Committee for US-Russia Accord: https://usrussiaaccord.orgThe Realist Review: https://therealistreview.substack.comAnastas Mikoyan: An Armenian Reformer in Khrushchev’s Kremlin: https://iupress.org/9780253073556/ana...Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction and Iran’s position00:03:40 Qatar, the Gulf, and multipolarity00:09:03 FIFA, rules, and international law00:14:30 The Iran deal and Hormuz00:18:27 Armenia’s disputed election00:23:56 Pashinyan, the corridor, and EU support00:29:33 Turkey, Israel, and the Caucasus00:35:02 Russia’s strategy in Ukraine00:40:19 Europe, NATO, and escalation risks00:46:44 Finland, neutrality, and war lessons00:52:51 Trump, Russia, and U.S. decline00:58:17 Putin, Iran, and nuclear danger01:04:52 Ukraine’s front line and closing remarks

As the NATO summit delirium takes place in Ankara, the forces if war are pushing both Russia and Iran SIMULTANEOUSLY in to next rounds of escalation. Larry C. Johnson joins me today to discuss all of it.Links:Transition Protocol ENGLISH: ‪@Transition_Protocol‬ And Larry & Pepe‘s new foreign language channels here:(Only subscribe if you intend to watch there. Subs without views actively hurt channels)Chinese:    / @transitionprotocolchinese  Italian:    / @transitionprotocolitalian  Japanese:    / @transitionprotocoljapanese  Portuguese:    / @transitionprotocolportuguese  German:    / @transitionprotocolgerman  French:    / @transitionprotocolfrench  Spanish:    / @transitionprotocolspanish  Russian:    / @transitionprotocolrussian  Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and Transition Protocol00:02:09 US-Iran MOU and Hormuz clash00:08:48 Oil risks and Iran’s next moves00:20:10 NATO summit and Ukraine front00:28:48 Western claims and war escalation

On the ground report from Havanna, by Swedish journalist and activist, Kajsa Ekis Ekman. Support us on Substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comOr get merch on our store: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth... Thanks for your support!

Early on July 8, 2026, the US launched the largest air strikes against Iran since the MoU was signed a month earlier. Is this the continuation of the war, or a desperate move by the dying Empire? Professor Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran discusses the US-Iran MOU, Hormuz tensions, Iranian assets, Lebanon, Gulf talks, and the risk of another war. He also covers Khamenei’s funeral, Iran’s media response, US power, Europe’s decline, and why Tehran sees the current moment as unstable but full of leverage.Links:Seyed Mohammad Marandi on X: https://x.com/s_m_marandiSeyed Mohammad Marandi on Telegram: https://t.me/s_m_marandiSubstack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and MOU violations00:06:27 Hormuz leverage and nuclear talks00:11:26 Gulf states and regional diplomacy00:16:17 Khamenei funeral and public support00:20:11 Iran’s media and propaganda battle00:25:23 Red card and US empire decline00:28:40 Lebanon and the fragile MOU00:33:31 Risk of another war with Iran00:38:22 Europe’s decline and lost influence

If you thought Russia's restraint is weakness... think again. There is strategy behind every move. Today, Dr. Vladimir Brovkin, Russian-born American historian and former Harvard associate professor, discusses Europe’s weak public will for war with Russia, rising US-Russia risks, Putin’s long game, Ukraine’s drone attacks, Russia’s military and industry, the likely endgame in Ukraine, and why Moscow is turning it's back to Europe.Links:History and Politics with Dr. Brovkin: https://www.youtube.com/@vladimirbrovkin4052[BOOK] From Vladimir Lenin to Vladimir Putin: Russia in Search of Its Identity: 1913–2023: https://www.amazon.com/Vladimir-Lenin-Putin-Identity-1913-2023-ebook/dp/B0CKFNV3RTNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:19 Europe, Russia, and public opinion00:07:15 Escalation and Putin’s restraint00:13:26 Why US-Russia ties are more dangerous00:18:26 Russia’s military power and time advantage00:24:43 US politics, war hawks, and future risks00:30:56 Drone attacks and Russia’s response00:40:37 Weapons costs and military industry00:48:08 What a Russian victory may look like00:54:54 Borders, Kaliningrad, and the Baltic question00:58:18 Russia’s turn toward Asia01:01:09 Where to follow Dr. Brovkin

At 250 years, the US Empire and its satellites in Europe and East Asia are in irreversible decline. The lost Iran war, the terminal decline of the Israeli-proxy project, and the suicidal nature of Europe are unmistakable indicators.Ambassador Chas Freeman, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and former Under Secretary of Defense, discusses the Iran war pause, Israel’s growing political isolation, U.S. pressure in Lebanon, the war in Ukraine, Europe’s fear of Russia, Taiwan tensions, and the failure of old Western policy. He argues that diplomacy is becoming unavoidable as states seek more independence.Links:Chas Freeman website: https://chasfreeman.netChas Freeman Substack: https://chasfreeman662157.substack.comNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Iran war pause and West Asia00:07:51 U.S. politics and Israel-Palestine00:16:12 Israel’s grip on U.S. politics00:25:13 Europe, Russia, and Ukraine war risks00:35:00 Taiwan, China, and U.S. escalation00:43:33 A failed order and new diplomacy00:45:01 Follow Chas Freeman

While Israel and the US would love to foster a civil war in Lebanon, the social forces in the country are NOT going along with the evil plan. In fact, Lebanon is currently haunting IDF soldiers, and there is little they can do. Laith Marouf of Free Palestine TV joins from Lebanon to discuss Israel’s attacks, Hezbollah’s role, the Lebanon ceasefire claims, the US-Iran war, new drone tactics, Israel’s losses, leadership assassinations, the media battle, and why he believes the Axis of Resistance is gaining strength across the region.Links: Free Palestine TV: https://www.freepalestine.videoNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction00:00:24 Lebanon Under Attack00:02:00 The MOU and Hezbollah’s Weapons00:07:29 Iran War’s Impact on Lebanon00:12:08 Civil War Fears and the Lebanese Army00:16:20 Hezbollah’s Size and Military Shift00:19:28 Drones, Innovation, and Resistance Tactics00:24:52 Israeli Losses and Damage Claims00:29:05 Hezbollah’s Goals in South Lebanon00:32:36 Assassinations and Hezbollah’s Renewal00:37:53 Khamenei Funeral and Regional Signals00:41:45 The Media War and Public Opinion00:47:47 Next Round of War with Iran00:50:11 Where to Follow Laith Marouf

Stanislav Krapivnik returns to discuss his recent Donbass trip, including the destroyed school in Starobelsk, drone strikes on civilians, and why he sees them as terror tactics. He and Pascal cover Ukraine’s war aims, US and NATO roles, failed diplomacy, Russia’s military build-up, possible strikes on NATO targets, Finland’s nuclear move, and fears of a wider European war.Links:YouTube:    / @mrslavikman   X / Twitter: https://x.com/STANISKRAPIVNIKTelegram English: https://t.me/staswasthereenglish2Telegram Russian: https://t.me/stastydaiobratnoNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Donbas school strike report00:08:20 Targeting civilians and terror claims00:19:01 Diplomacy, trust, and Trump00:26:23 Russia prepares for wider war00:35:23 Retaliation and war aims00:45:51 NATO control and war cohesion

Vitaly Mironov, one of Russia's greatest humanists, discusses the profound shock he and his colleagues who always wanted better relations with the West are going through. We talk about the Pskov Forum, Russian-Western relations, Russophobia, the immanent danger of war, and why many Russians see the conflict as larger than Ukraine. He shares views on Russian history, memory of WWII, ties with Ukraine, and the need for people-to-people dialogue, culture, and peace forums to rebuild understanding.Links: Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction to Vitaly Mironov00:00:52 Why the Pskov Forum was created00:03:18 Russia’s view of Europe in 202600:05:35 Is the West dealing with Putin or Russia?00:14:37 Putin, the West, and a changed Russia00:21:14 Russian public opinion and the war00:26:20 Why the West misunderstands Russia00:32:00 The Great Patriotic War and Russian memory00:36:06 Feeling Russian history, not just knowing it00:40:35 The meaning of the Russia-Estonia border00:44:18 Rebuilding ties with Ukrainians and the West00:53:11 Can Russia and the West still avoid war?00:55:07 Optimism, peace work, and future forums

Dr. Rolando Dromundo, political analyst, journalist, and author, discusses the politics behind the FIFA World Cup, FIFA’s power, double standards on sanctions, host-country pressure, public spending, sportswashing, and national identity. The talk also covers Russia, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the role of states, and whether a changing world order could force reform in global sports.Links:[BOOK] State-Building in the Middle of a Geopolitical Struggle: The Cases of Ukraine, Moldova, and Pridnestrovia: https://www.amazon.com/State-Building...Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction00:00:51 Politics behind the World Cup00:04:31 FIFA, host countries, and public money00:11:49 Russia, Israel, and double standards00:16:54 FIFA as a private power structure00:26:53 Can FIFA be reformed?00:33:07 Could countries leave FIFA?00:39:44 Football, identity, and nations00:47:00 Multipolarity and future World Cups00:51:18 Final thoughts on FIFA power

David T. Pyne, former U.S. Army officer and Deputy Director for the Task Force on National and Homeland Security, discusses the Iran ceasefire, Trump’s memorandum with Tehran, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, JD Vance’s role, and the future of U.S. bases in the Gulf. He also analyzes Ukraine, Russia’s possible northern offensive, NATO risks, and the continued power of neocons in Washington.Links: David Pyne Substack The Real War: https://dpyne.substack.com/X: https://x.com/AmericaFirstConNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction00:00:27 Iran ceasefire and MOU00:06:29 Is Trump serious about peace?00:14:20 Will Iran enforce the deal?00:17:25 Future of US bases in the Gulf00:20:19 JD Vance and MAGA after Iran00:28:30 Strait of Hormuz control00:32:34 Russia, drones, and escalation00:38:38 Trump, Anchorage, and Ukraine peace00:43:02 NATO risks and neocon power

Gerald Celente, American trend forecaster and publisher of the Trends Journal, discusses market manipulation, the Iran war, U.S. decline, deindustrialization, Gen Z anger, the AI bubble, dollar weakness, and the risk of wider war. He argues that America needs peace, antitrust laws, trades, culture, and a new renaissance to avoid deeper crisis.Links: Trends Journal: https://trendsjournal.comOccupy Peace: https://occupypeace.comNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction and market reaction00:00:55 Market manipulation and U.S. decline00:06:13 Deindustrialization and war economy00:12:55 Gen Z anger and social breakdown00:17:41 AI bubble, bailouts, and dollar crisis00:21:20 Iran war and U.S. military limits00:26:53 What can be done now00:34:08 America needs a renaissance00:37:10 Ukraine, Russia, and World War III fears00:42:51 Why peace lacks power and funding

The zionists are losing BIG TIME. And one of the battles going completely wrong is unfolding in idilic little Switzerland. Today I'm talking to Ali Abunimah, founder of The Electronic Intifada, and Amira Berzi to discuss Ali’s 2025 arrest and deportation from Switzerland. Luckily, recent court rulings found the actions unlawful, which is very important for the wider concerns for free speech and public accountability. Mainstream media's silence about the case speaks for itself but goes seamlessly together with pressure around Pro-Palestine demonstrations across the West.Suppor Ali Abunimah here:The Electronic Intifada: https://electronicintifada.netNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comOur Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:50 Ali’s arrest in Zurich00:03:47 Legal wins and pending cases00:08:06 Accountability in Switzerland00:11:35 FedPol, Zurich, and immunity00:15:51 Free speech and public rights00:19:12 Israel, elites, and repression00:26:03 Swiss media and public silence00:31:45 Lessons from fighting back

We are witnessing the biggest change in West Asia since the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Professor Leila Hudson, anthropologist and historian at the University of Arizona, discusses the region, water routes, the Strait of Hormuz, US decline, Israel’s role, Iran’s survival strategy, and the future of Gulf states. She also examines Syria after Assad, Ahmad al-Sharaa’s leadership, regional neutrality, and her book on Syrian women displaced by war.Links: Lines of Flight, Assemblages of Home: Syrian Women Displaced: https://press.syr.edu/supressbooks/86...Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction00:00:53 Middle East or West Asia?00:03:14 How to Study the Region00:07:21 Water, Chokepoints, and Hormuz00:10:54 US Policy and Strategic Failure00:17:01 Empire, Suez, and Regional Change00:19:30 Gulf States and Multipolar Order00:27:34 Israel, the US, and Iran00:34:39 Iran’s Resistance Strategy00:40:18 Syria, Assad, and Iran Compared00:49:03 Ahmad al-Sharaa and Syria’s Future01:06:00 Lines of Flight, Assemblages of Home

Mohammad AlTurk, a recent Gaza university graduate and freelance translator, joins to tell us all about life in Gaza after almost 3 years of Genocide against his friends and family. He describes his bombed university, lost friends, daily survival, the return to a fake ceasefire, and why he believes Zionism and outside support are the roots of the violence. He also speaks about rebuilding Gaza, media pressure, and why he thinks the world is starting to change.Links:Mohamad Al Turk:X: https://x.com/MohAlTurkInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohalturkga...Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and Gaza background00:01:25 University bombed and studies continued online00:04:48 Life in Gaza, loss, and daily survival00:13:08 Death toll, ceasefire, and changing politics00:19:28 What the ceasefire really means00:22:54 Destruction of homes and Israeli behavior00:25:00 Gaza’s future and who is to blame00:28:47 Iran, resistance, and Sunni-Shia divide00:31:14 Two-state solution, Israel, and history00:35:52 Colonialism, Palestine, and world order00:40:31 Rebuilding Gaza and breaking propaganda00:45:01 Boycotts, pressure, and media power00:47:01 More Gaza stories and Zionism vs Judaism00:54:48 Final hopes and how to follow Mohamad

George Beebe, director of grand strategy at the Quincy Institute and former CIA Russia analyst, explains how intelligence should inform policy, why covert action can distort analysis, and how partisan bias has grown inside U.S. institutions. He also talks about Russia, Ukraine, the risk of escalation, and why a more neutral, multipolar world may need new rules.Links:Quincy Institute: https://quincyinst.orgGeorge Beebe Twitter/X: https://x.com/GeorgeBeebe13Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Intelligence and the CIA’s role00:06:42 Foreign intel, oversight, and Curveball00:17:59 CIA after 9/11 and policy bias00:24:26 DNI, transparency, and partisanship00:31:59 RussiaGate and intel reform00:35:56 Russia, Ukraine, and escalation risks00:41:58 Why neutrality is hard in Ukraine00:44:59 A multipolar world and new realism

Just when you think the USA can't dig a deeper grave for itself, the people in Washington surprise you with yet a bigger shovel. The Iran War is going from a war of choice, to a contingency, to a crisis, to a full-blown national economic emergency and there is NOTHING the US military can do to make things better. Oh boy oh boy. Larry C. Johnson joins me today for an update on Iran, the oil crisis, and how Gulf states may be pressuring Washington to step back. He also breaks down Israel, Russia, Ukraine, and the rise of a new China-led payment system, with Pepe Escobar’s Transition Protocol and Sonar21 in the mix.Links:Larry C. Johnson: https://sonar21.comLarry C. Johnson Substack: https://larrycjohnson.substack.comTransition Protocol:    / @transition_protocol  Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Intro and Transition Protocol00:01:21 Iran’s nuclear threat and the oil crisis00:13:53 Strait of Hormuz, shipping, and insurance00:15:53 Pressure on Israel and the ceasefire00:19:16 Gulf states, Pakistan, and U.S. pullback00:30:40 Israel’s support base is shrinking00:33:01 Russia, Ukraine, and NATO escalation00:47:00 China, SWIFT, and the new financial order

The Ukraine Proxy-War is not a Proxy-War anymore. The continuous drone strikes into Russia are changing everything. Ordinary Russian citizens are demanding a more forceful reply and the pressure on V. Putin is growing to escalate the war into NATO territory after they escalated it into Russia.LINKS:YouTube:    / @mrslavikman  X / Twitter: https://x.com/STANISKRAPIVNIKTelegram English: https://t.me/staswasthereenglish2Telegram Russian: https://t.me/stastydaiobratnoSupport us:Substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Shop: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth... Timestamps:00:00 Russia’s mood after attacks on Moscow02:00 Drone warfare and the danger of escalation06:50 Frontline updates: Donbass, Sumy, Zaporozhye09:01 Civilian targets and Russia’s response17:00 Is Ukraine trying to provoke NATO-Russia war?24:01 Europe’s loss of realism about war30:57 Targeting leaders and collapsing international norms33:54 Israel, Iran, and US hegemony40:40 The Gulf states, oil prices, and Trump’s calculation

The global economy is about to tank really, really bad. The US surrender to Iran foreshadows a much larger pain yet to come, especially for the Collective West. Only the delayed nature of oil markets has prevented all-out pain in the first months, but that grace period is now over.Today I speak with retired Royal Navy Commodore Steve Jermy, who now writes the Mor Gallos Substack, about how oil, diesel, and shipping delays could hit the world economy hard. They also discuss the Strait of Hormuz, pressure on Israel, the Ukraine war, drone attacks, and why a bigger economic shock may force leaders to change course.Links:Steve Jermy Substack: https://stevejermy.substack.com/Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comMerch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Intro and Steve Jermy return00:01:18 More Gallows and the war economy00:12:46 MOU, Israel, and US pressure00:22:22 Oil, diesel, and real shortages00:27:34 Ukraine war and budget strain00:31:52 How Russia may respond00:42:51 Drone war and reciprocity00:48:29 Economic crisis as the off-ramp00:52:17 Closing remarks

Alexander Mercouris of The Duran discusses Russophobia as a long-running political and cultural story. Mercouris explains how anti-Russian images were built in Britain and France, how fear and hate mix together, and why the West keeps repeating weak and evil stereotypes about Russia. He also talks about Gorbachev, NATO, Russian agency, and how culture, travel, and open debate could help break these false ideas.Links:The Duran:    / @theduran  Alexander Mercouris:    / @alexmercouris  Alex Christoforou:    / @alexchristoforou  Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and Russophobia origins00:06:58 Politics behind the narrative00:13:20 Russia as weak but dangerous00:18:13 Russia, culture, and the “good Russian”00:24:30 Gorbachev, reform, and Western bias00:33:03 NATO, power, and why Russia was excluded00:37:28 What Russia can do to fight back00:44:19 Film, music, and culture examples

Prof. Richard Sakwa joins Pascal to discuss Russophobia, the post-1945 “political West,” and why Russia was never fully accepted into it. He links today’s tension to old history, power politics, and the split between Atlanticism and continental Europe, then explains how the Ukraine war, sanctions, and weak Western states have pushed the world toward more division.Links:Richard Sakwa - University of Kent: https://www.kent.ac.uk/politics-inter...Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Intro and Russophobia00:03:34 Why Russia Was Excluded00:07:42 Power, Civilization, and Mearsheimer00:10:09 NATO, EU, and Western Hostility00:14:28 West in Crisis: State, Economy, Society00:19:16 Militarization and New Cold War00:25:27 Russia, China, and the West00:35:53 False Universalism and Decline00:42:33 Advice for Russia and China

After a long wait, the US has finally published the text of the MoU that they are intending to sign on Friday in Switzerland. I break down the 14-point plan through which the two sides intend to work toward a final settlement further down the road.Actual MoU Text: https://apnews.com/article/mou-transc...Tehran Times Articles:https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/5272...https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/5260...Links:Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Reading the 14-point plan00:07:49 Iran’s terms and U.S. surrender claim00:13:00 Reparations, sanctions, and executive power00:16:10 Nuclear issue and enriched uranium00:28:00 Security Council route and ratification00:32:40 Israel, Gulf states, and possible traps00:36:45 Hormuz, shipping, and control of the strait00:39:40 Final take: pause, not peace

Mikael Darbinian, a former U.S. diplomat and ethnic Armenian now living in Armenia, joins to talk about the June 7 election, claims of rigging, arrests of opposition figures, and the growing power of Prime Minister Pashinyan. The discussion also covers foreign pressure from the EU, U.S., Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Iran, plus fears that Armenia is losing sovereignty.Links:Security Observer Análisis (Spanish language channel) -    / @securityobserveranalisis  Security Observer Global Voices (my Think Tank channel in English) -    / @securityobserverglobalvoices  Security Observer website: https://security-observer.comNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Guest intro and background00:01:12 What happened in the election00:03:25 Election rigging claims00:06:22 Recount and parliament threshold00:10:05 Public frustration in Armenia00:13:08 Why Pashinyan still has support00:17:42 Foreign influence and corridor politics00:22:04 TRIP corridor and U.S. interests00:35:08 Iran, sovereignty, and Armenia’s future

Alexander Mercouris joins the show to discuss a likely Iran ceasefire, why he sees it as a pause rather than peace, the pressure on Gulf states to rethink their ties, Armenia’s risky turn toward the West, and how the second Iran war exposed weak US intelligence and military planning. He also talks about Tulsi Gabbard’s claims on US bio labs and the CIA’s growing focus on intervention over intelligence.Links:Alexander Mercouris YouTube:    / @alexandermercouris  The Duran:    / @theduran  Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Iran ceasefire and why it’s theater00:09:41 Gulf states, BRICS, and neutrality00:17:58 Armenia’s risky Westward turn00:23:34 What the Iran war revealed00:35:33 Tulsi Gabbard, bio labs, and the CIA00:39:58 American decline and intelligence failures

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Armenian dissidents Hovanes Ishkanyan and Nare Navasardian about the latest election in Armenia, claims of rigging, arrests of opposition figures, pressure on the church, and the danger of the Zangezur corridor plan. They also discuss foreign influence, the Artsakh issue, and why they believe Armenia’s statehood is under threat.Links:Aknandakan:Facebook:   / aknandakan  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Website: www.aknandakan.orgSubstack: https://substack.com/@aknandakanNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and guest backgrounds00:02:31 Armenia election fraud claims00:10:45 Foreign backing and early reactions00:15:44 Corridor plan and regional goals00:20:40 Bribes, arrests, and repression00:25:40 Artsakh, refugees, and state threat00:33:29 Threshold trick and recount dispute00:38:52 Army voting and list problems00:44:01 Why the opposition stayed calm00:51:59 Final thoughts on Armenia’s future

Dr. Arta Moeini, Managing Director of U.S. Operations and Research Director at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, discusses radical realism, regional power, and the limits of global hegemony. The conversation covers China, Iran, neutrality, middle powers, Ukraine, Israel, U.S. strategy, Europe’s dependence on America, and why a post-unipolar world may be shaped more by regions, cultures, and civilizations than by one global system.Links:Institute for Peace and Diplomacy: https://peacediplomacy.orgNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to Arta Moeini and IPD00:01:35 Radical realism and world politics00:03:59 Why radical realism differs from neorealism00:08:34 China, culture, and global hegemony00:14:52 Power beyond tanks and GDP00:18:10 Middle powers and multinodality00:22:34 Neutrality at the edge of empires00:30:34 U.S. regional disruptors and alliances00:36:24 Elite networks and bad state choices00:40:06 Europe, NATO, and American influence00:45:41 The coming post-unipolar world

Journalist reveals what Washington tried to hide forever: The USA is the world's largest democracy killer with an unbroken track-record of foreign interventions. Finian Cunningham discusses regime change, media control, and Western imperialism with Pascal Lottaz. They cover Iran 1953, CIA influence on major media, Ukraine coverage, censorship, class politics, and the return of open imperialism. Cunningham also explains why his book Killing Democracy argues that media manipulation has been central to Western power since World War II.Links: Strategic Culture Foundation: https://strategic-culture.su/Finian Cunningham on RT: https://www.rt.com/op-ed/authors/Fini...Sputnik International: https://sputnikglobe.com/Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction and Killing Democracy00:03:45 Iran 1953 and Media Narratives00:13:25 CIA Control of Western Media00:20:05 Uprisings, Ukraine, and Selective Coverage00:25:55 Propaganda and Alternative Media00:30:09 Censorship, Free Speech, and Class War00:35:26 Imperialism Then and Now00:39:00 Selling War to the Public00:44:28 Western Leaders and Irish Media00:53:00 Media Bubbles and Final Thoughts

Former British diplomat Ian Proud joins Neutrality Studies to discuss Russia-NATO escalation, Western support for Ukraine, Europe’s lack of diplomacy, and the risk of a wider war. He also talks about Europe’s dependence on the US, the need for direct Europe-Russia talks, Iran diplomacy, the Abraham Accords, and his new novel Searching: A Love Story.Links:Substack: https://thepeacemonger.substack.com/Searching: A Love Story on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Searching-love...Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:38 Russia-NATO escalation and Kiev embassies00:02:12 Western policy and risk of wider war00:07:52 How Europe could return to diplomacy00:12:01 Europe’s dependence on the US00:17:47 Iran, Minsk, and diplomacy as cover00:23:40 EU foreign policy and national diplomacy00:27:21 Ian Proud’s new book and where to follow him

Why did Yugoslavia have to die? And what exactly happened in Europe to the Slavs? Why is eastern Europe routinely left out in popular histories of the continent?Dr. Višeslav Simić is a professor from Mexico and former Yugoslav emigré. We speak about how Slavs have been erased from Western history, Yugoslavia as a test case for foreign pressure, and deep Russophobia in Europe and the US. Simić argues that media, academia, and empire use selective history, racism, and divide and conquer politics, while calling for stronger unity and better political action.Links:Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Guest background and exile from Yugoslavia00:08:00 Slavs erased from European history00:18:00 Yugoslavia as a testing ground00:33:59 Racism against Slavs in the West00:44:40 Western superiority and empire00:52:03 Selective reality and media bias00:59:19 Solutions and final thoughts

Multipolar deals are here. India’s most recent pragmatic foreign policy toward Russia defies the Western dictate.Professor emeritus Anuradha Chenoy from Jawaharlal Nehru University joins to discuss India’s foreign policy shifts: Putin’s India visit, US tariff and oil pressure, Modi’s Israel and Iran stance, BRICS, China, and how India tries to keep strategic autonomy while balancing the US, Russia, and the Global South.Links:Economic and Political Weekly: https://www.epw.inNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Intro and Russia Visit00:07:11 Tariffs and Investment Pledges00:11:30 Israel Visit and Iran Fallout00:14:13 India’s Split Foreign Policy00:24:07 Russia, China, and US Power00:29:40 Regime Change and Domestic Stability00:31:39 Iran, BRICS, and Gulf Tensions00:36:37 BRICS, Currency, and China00:44:12 Europe and the Iran War

If you think US politics happens only in the White House and on Capitol Hill, then think again. The US as a political system—the totality of it—is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Luckily, some brave researchers dare going into the deep.Dr. Aaron Good, author of American Exception: Empire and the Deep State, joins me today to challenge simplistic view of the US system. He argues that agency, blackmail, covert crime, and elite networks shape policy, tying together JFK, RFK, Nixon, Watergate, Epstein, Zionism, and Iran Contra as part of the hidden machinery of the American empire.Links:American Exception Patreon:   / about  American Exception book: https://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/97...Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Hyperstructuralism and the black box state00:10:27 Agency, Kennedy and the regime00:17:46 Blackmail, lobbying and hidden power00:22:22 JFK, RFK and the crime network00:27:33 Epstein, Trump and Watergate00:33:40 Nixon, CIA and covert crime00:38:59 Zionism, LBJ and Iran Contra00:48:59 Christian Zionism and elite networks00:55:00 Vanderpeel, Epstein and Massie

Barely able to supply its troops in the region or keeping them out of harms way, the US has struck again sites in Iran and Israel has been escalating the war against Lebanon. How long will Iran still accept the salami-slicing away of the ceasefire? At the same time, the US media claims 70 ships had been "escorted" secretly through the Strait of Hormuz. Is there any reason to believe this could be the case? David Pyne, Deputy Executive Director of the EMP Task Force, joins me to break down the newest events in the Iran war, failed ceasefire talks, Trump’s mixed signals, Israel’s influence inside Washington, the MAGA split, China tensions, and Ukraine’s slide toward collapse. Pyne argues the U.S. is overextended, running low on war supplies, and facing growing limits in every major theater.Links:David Pyne Substack The Real War: https://dpyne.substack.comX: https://x.com/AmericaFirstConNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and Iran war update00:04:24 Limited strikes and ceasefire games00:08:01 Israel influence on Trump and MAGA00:13:49 Fallout for Republicans and 202800:20:11 China trip and trade theater00:25:29 Ukraine war and NATO limits00:32:43 Strait of Hormuz blockade and Iran deal00:37:01 US bases, nuclear terms, and regime change00:41:01 US power limits and missile depletion

With every passing day, every new genocide, every atrocity committed by the Washington elite, they are losing more people on the ground. The little guy and girl. Some of whom voted for Trump. Some who didn't. But people who share the disillusionment about the violence America carries into all corners of the world, much as it once carried millions of unwilling subjects to its shores in chains. Some remember, and this is going to be a rude awakening for the elites once the unfinished Civil Rights Movement comes back.Rasheed Muhammad of The Red Pill Diaries joins Pascal to discuss Black America, US empire, Western double standards, civil rights, nuclear hypocrisy, Palestine, Iran, propaganda, the dollar system, and the roots of American power.Links:The Red Pill Diaries YouTube:    / @theredpilldiariesofficial  The Red Pill Diaries Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/TheRedPillDiariesThe Red Pill Diaries Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheRedPillDiaries:9The Red Pill Diaries Patreon:   / theredpilldiaries  The Red Pill Diaries X: https://x.com/pill_diariesThe Red Pill Diaries Twitch:   / theredpilldiaries  Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:27 Red Pill Diaries Origins00:02:47 Empire Hypocrisy And Double Standards00:06:25 Black America And Imperial Power00:13:49 Personal Awakening And Propaganda00:20:43 Citizenship Treaties And War Patterns00:24:29 Human Rights And Dehumanization00:27:56 Founding Violence And National Myth00:31:54 Hope Karma And The Dollar System00:43:45 Demolishing The System

Hegemony is over not only on the outside but within the US, too. The decline is irreversible says my guest today, Colonel Douglas Macgregor. We talk about Russia’s next moves in Ukraine, the risk of wider NATO escalation, U.S. support for foreign wars, and why America’s base network and war spending may be unsustainable. Macgregor argues the U.S. is losing control, the economy is the real pressure point, and a major pullback from overseas is coming.Links:McGregor Warrior Substack: https://macgregorwarrior.substack.comThe National Conversation: https://thenationalconversation.orgNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Russia and Ukraine Turning Point00:13:40 NATO Pressure and Nuclear Risk00:15:14 America Rejects Another War00:21:27 Bases, Parties, and Retreat00:24:50 Soviet Collapse and U S Decline00:29:21 Cuba Puerto Rico and the Hemisphere00:32:24 Empire Mindset and Iran00:37:23 Media Pressure and Public Pushback00:40:44 Debt, Cuts, and the End Game

US handling of the Iran peace process is by now mostly un-readable but also self-sabotaging. Subscribe to Substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Our store: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth... 00:00 Trump’s Iran peace process looks incoherent02:24 Why the Abraham Accords demand makes little sense05:00 Iran’s enriched uranium as a hard red line06:00 Where the U.S. and Iran could theoretically meet08:50 Iran’s demands: bases, reparations, sanctions, and Hormuz11:30 Why Israel and the U.S. are weaker after the war14:20 Why Iran cannot trust U.S. treaty commitments18:00 Iran’s pressure strategy through the Strait of Hormuz22:00 Sanctions relief and the need for a written outcome document

Updates on the Ukraine-Proxy War and the Iran War with Larry C. Johnson: Both wars are about to get worse as NATO is trying to expand the fight into Russia. Moscow will now escalate in Kiev to send final message to Collective West. At the same time, the global economic shock from the Iran War will only grow deeper and more intensive with every day. Links:Larry Johnson Sonar21: https://sonar21.comLarry Johnson Substack: https://larrycjohnson.substack.comCounter Currents YouTube:    / @counter_currents_channel  Larry Johnson Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=80288936Larry Johnson Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/lcjohnson1MNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Russia’s New War Phase00:06:52 From Attrition To Escalation00:14:18 US Role And Ukraine Air Defense00:24:19 Russia’s Endgame In Ukraine00:28:10 Trump, Ukraine And Iran00:29:04 Abraham Accords And Gulf Talks00:33:20 US Bases And New Gulf Security00:37:33 Sanctions And Diplomacy With Iran00:43:10 Lebanon, Oil And Wider War Risks00:46:11 China, Commodities And Market Collapse

NATO's proxy war in Ukraine is morphing into a direct EU-Russia war. And the war hawks in Brussels are further escalating by attacking civilians in the Donbas and Russia proper. The doves in the Kremlin, including Vladimir Putin, are running out of options to keep their own hawks under wraps. As things stand now, an all-out EU-Russia war is not only a possible, but by now a likely scenario. But to what end?I'm joined today by my colleague, Professor Glenn Diesen, to discuss what he has learned from his many interviews with top-notch IR scholars in Russia and the West, and where things are headed.Links:Glenn Diesen on YouTube:    / @gdiesen1  Glenn Diesen on Substack: https://glenndiesen.substack.comNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:21 NATO escalation and Russian retaliation00:15:06 Iran and the logic of deterrence00:20:31 Europe and the self-fulfilling war trap00:25:28 Sanctions dissent and mass formation00:31:55 Propaganda censorship and open debate00:36:52 Ukraine endgame and security order00:40:40 US decline and proxy war strategy00:48:44 Realism neutrality and the road ahead

Today, I speak with Richard Falk, professor emeritus of international law at Princeton University, about the state of international law in 2026, power and reciprocity, the UN order after 1945, unipolar decline, US militarism, neutrality, Gaza and Israel, media framing, and whether law can still restrain great powers in a more unstable world.Links:Richard Falk blog: https://richardfalk.orgTRANSCEND Media Service: https://www.transcend.org/tms/Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:16 International law in 202600:05:24 Law power and reciprocity00:10:28 Unipolarity and instability00:16:38 US militarism and failed wars00:27:35 Rules based order and reform00:39:25 Neutrality and shifting alliances00:47:21 Can US realism still change00:54:57 Israel Palestine media and war law

NATO is causing the very mass-migration its members then claim to be solving through more violence at home and oversees. It's a sick game in which the powerful once again pit the poorest and most abused people abroad against the poorest and most abused people at home to feed the West's system of violent domination. But cracks are now more than visible.Patrick Henningsen, journalist, writer, and founder of 21st Century Wire, joins Pascal to link NATO wars, sanctions, and regime change to migration into Europe and the UK. The talk covers the small boats debate, the rise of the new right, Christian Zionism, falling birth rates, labor demand, asylum policy, and the colonial logic behind modern politics.Links:21st Century Wire: https://21stcenturywire.com21st Century Wire YouTube:    / @21stcenturywiretv  Patrick Henningsen on Substack: https://patrickhenningsen.substack.comNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:35 NATO wars and migration waves00:05:43 Israel and the right wing loop00:09:01 Anti war right and Christian nationalism00:14:38 Great replacement and demographic fear00:20:20 Welfare state labor and immigration00:26:56 Libya asylum policy and migration abuse00:38:32 Small boats and political diversion00:43:59 Colonial methods genocide and empire

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Dr. Jonas Tögel, a German propaganda researcher and author, about war messaging in Germany and Europe, Bundeswehr outreach in schools, youth resistance, NATO narratives, the role of the US and EU, the collapse of antiwar politics, and the way propaganda, fear, and media overload shape public opinion. They also discuss public resistance, self-care, and keeping a peace movement alive.Links:Dr. Jonas Tögel YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@DrJonasToegelNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:40 Germany war mood and rearmament00:10:53 Resistance youth and public fear00:19:25 NATO pressure and Europe00:26:34 Gaza Iran and empire violence00:35:32 Peace movement and war messaging00:43:04 Propaganda tactics and counterstrategy00:51:10 Self-care and final thoughts

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Sheng Zhang, visiting fellow at Koç University’s Center for Asian Studies, on China’s changing view of Iran after the war, Beijing’s split between Iran and the Gulf states, military lessons from Iranian strategy, the Strait of Hormuz, Trump’s Beijing visit, and the wider message for US bases, trust, and power in West Asia and East Asia.Links:Sheng Zhang at Johns Hopkins Universityhttps://soc.jhu.edu/directory/sheng-zhang/Sheng Zhang at Association for Global Political Thoughthttps://globalpoliticalthought.hsites.harvard.edu/people/sheng-zhangAchilles’ Heel Self-Contradictions in the BRI’s Middle East Agendas Aggravate Limitations of the Iran-China Partnershiphttps://preprint.press.jhu.edu/anp/sites/default/files/Asian%20Perspective_preprint_Sheng%20Zhang_%28Spring%202026%29.pdfNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:20 China sees Iran in a new light00:09:29 Iranian unity and wartime resolve00:13:16 China between Iran and Gulf states00:21:25 Military lessons from the Iran war00:29:31 Hormuz shipping and China relations00:36:33 China’s wider regional message00:40:24 Trump in Beijing with no real deal00:56:24 East Asia lessons on US bases01:05:36 Guest links and upcoming pape

Giles Chance joins Pascal Lottaz to discuss China’s rise, from Deng Xiaoping’s reforms and WTO entry to the 2008 crisis, BRICS, Belt and Road, and rare earth leverage. Chance, author of Doing Business in China and China and the Credit Crisis, also examines Xi Jinping’s impact on the private sector, tensions with Washington, and the outlook for a more multipolar world.Links:Doing Business in China by Giles Chancehttps://www.routledge.com/Doing-Business-in-China/Chance/p/book/9781032147642China and the Credit Crisis by Giles Chancehttps://books.google.com/books/about/China_and_the_Credit_Crisis.html?id=1MfsAAAAMAAJNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and Giles Chance background00:04:53 China’s business model and rise00:08:01 Deng Xiaoping and the export boom00:19:35 2008 crisis BRICS and Belt and Road00:26:16 China’s industrial power and self reliance00:29:43 China and the new multipolar order00:39:13 Xi Jinping party control and business00:46:38 Tariffs rare earths and US China ties01:01:52 Books and closing remarks

Pascal Lottaz and Benjamin Schoendorf speak with Explosive Media, the creator behind the viral Iranian Lego videos, about using Lego and AI to break through Western media habits, the team’s roots in Iran, creative speed, humor, empathy, audience feedback, narrative warfare, cultural identity, direct media between people, and the spiritual drive behind the work.Links:Resistance is Fertile Podcast: https://resistanceisfertilepodcast.substack.comNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:40 Lego strategy and mission00:06:01 Values dignity and cultural voice00:08:56 Western audiences and narrative warfare00:12:05 Creative process humor and empathy00:16:04 Risk audience and media resistance00:22:01 Peace front and speaking to the West00:28:24 AI as the new equalizer00:33:03 War creativity and spiritual meaning

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Ivana Nikolić Hughes of Columbia University and Peter Kuznick of American University about the NPT review conference, nuclear deterrence, first strike thinking, Trump and launch power, pressure for more states to seek nuclear weapons, the role of US allies in the Gulf, Europe and Japan, and the small but real hope offered by the nuclear ban treaty and public action.Links:Ivana Nikolić Hughes at Nuclear Age Peace Foundation: https://www.wagingpeace.org/ivana_nikolic_hughes/Ivana Nikolić Hughes at Columbia University: https://www.columbia.edu/cu/chemistry/fac-bios/nikolic/faculty.htmlPeter Kuznick at American University: https://www.american.edu/cas/faculty/kuznick.cfmThe Untold History of the United States by Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick: https://www.simonandschuster.net/books/The-Untold-History-of-the-United-States/Oliver-Stone/9781982102531Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:24 Global danger and NPT review00:05:05 Proliferation pressures rise00:08:38 Deterrence and first strike risk00:17:26 Disarmament failure and collapse00:23:19 Iran and the limits of war00:29:28 Trump and nuclear launch power00:43:42 US allies and security shifts00:56:17 Nuclear ban treaty and final hope

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Dr. Kees van der Pijl, emeritus professor of international relations at Sussex, about ruling class formation, Marxism, finance, tech, intelligence, Zionism, and the shift from nation states to transnational power networks. They discuss Europe’s decline, war, BRICS, social collapse, collective values, migration, and the limits of resistance against a violent Western-led order.Links:Kees van der Pijl on Academia.eduhttps://independent.academia.edu/KeesVanderPijlNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comDonation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateTimestamps:00:00:00 Atlantic ruling class00:08:25 Marxism and class power00:11:43 Zionism tech and elite networks00:18:54 Globalism Europe and nation states00:40:44 Resistance and collective values00:47:27 Violence migration and world order00:54:44 Russia China Iran and restraint01:01:54 Guest links and closing