France and the UK Walk Back Reports of Military Peacekeeping in Ukraine

Podcast Summary:

Human Events Daily with Jack Posobiec
Episode: France and the UK Walk Back Reports of Military Peacekeeping in Ukraine
Date: August 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves deeply into emerging international negotiations around Ukraine, focusing particularly on peace talks involving the US, Russia, and other global powers. Jack Posobiec examines the shifting positions of France and the UK regarding peacekeeping in Ukraine, and evaluates the potential for new “security guarantees” and the implications for US and European commitments. Later, significant attention is also paid to US health policy, with particular scrutiny of RFK Jr.'s recent cancellation of federal funding for mRNA vaccine research.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. International Peace Negotiations on Ukraine

A. Recent High-Level Meetings and Proposals (06:00–10:12)

Jack recounts his presence at the Anchorage summit where Trump and Putin met, followed by a multilateral meeting in Washington DC.
President Trump floated the idea of incorporating British, German, and French troops as a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
Major Obstacle: Russia’s unequivocal refusal to accept any NATO troops on Ukrainian soil.
- Quote: “No security guarantees that involve NATO troops. However, [Lavrov] had an interesting statement … Why not security guarantees of the United Nations Permanent Security Council members, which ... include the United States, Great Britain and France, but it would also include Russia ... and China.”—Jack Posobiec (06:08)

B. France and the UK Push Back (11:17–13:29)

Dan Caldwell joins to explain that prior European attempts at forming a peacekeeping “assurance force” fizzled due to lack of participation by key countries.
Recent statements by France and the UK “pour cold water” on the idea of them providing significant troops—repeating the trend of European partners “passing the buck” to the US.
- Quote: “What I'm increasingly worried about is that the Europeans are trying to do a bait and switch on us ... they won't hold up their end of the bargain and lead us holding the bag in terms of providing these security guarantees by ourselves.”—Dan Caldwell (12:47)

C. US Policy and Dangers of Escalation (13:29–15:39)

Caldwell and Posobiec discuss the real dangers of “coordination, air support, no-fly zones,” comparing it to previous “red line” moments in the Syrian conflict and their potential to drag the US and Russia into direct confrontation.
- Quote: “One mishap ... suddenly you're going to find yourselves in a shooting war with Russia. And this is something that even Barack Obama understood ... is not something the United States wants to get into.”—Jack Posobiec (13:55)
Caldwell warns that no-fly zones require willingness to attack Russian forces directly: “It entails shooting down other aircraft and also bombing air defense sites ... that's probably a non-starter for the Russians ... and something we need to be incredibly cautious about.” (14:23)

D. Security Architecture & China’s Role (15:39–18:54)

Lavrov proposes UN Security Council as the forum for guarantees, possibly bringing China into the security equation.
- Quote: “Security guarantees doesn't necessarily just mean troops on the ground. It could mean... providing training, certain capabilities... There's a lot of different things in between... that ultimately the Russians would agree to”—Dan Caldwell (17:22)
Discussion on how real security guarantees might resemble the US-Israel defense relationship, rather than NATO’s Article 5.

2. Obstacles to Peace & Political Dynamics (19:35–26:48)

A. Will Powers Align? (19:35–21:00)

Despite leadership willingness (Trump, Putin, Zelensky), Posobiec posits that the true blockade is “the blob, the media, neocons, industrial complex.”
- Quote: “It really seems as though the impediment to peace is not the leaders or the people involved here... it's the blob, it's the media, it's neocons, it's the industrial complex.”—Jack Posobiec (20:43)
Caldwell notes US aid cut-offs earlier in 2025 shifted Ukrainian and European rhetoric.

B. European Intentions and Buck-Passing (22:00–23:48)

Caldwell: For many Europeans, the goal is not just peace, but keeping the US as the “primary security provider for Europe,” with efforts to build in an “American backstop” as part of any future security guarantees.

C. Internal Ukrainian Politics (25:31–26:48)

Caldwell suggests elements within Ukraine’s government see “writing on the wall” and want peace, while President Zelensky may prefer the war’s continuation to preserve his political power.
- “If there are elections held … Zelensky probably loses… to somebody like Zaluzhny or someone on the super far right.” (25:55)

3. RFK Jr. Halts Federal mRNA Vaccine Funding (28:51–33:50)

A. Major Policy Change Announced (28:51–32:13)

RFK Jr., now Secretary of Health, announces BARDA’s cancellation of 22 federal mRNA vaccine research contracts, citing poor performance against respiratory viruses.
- RFK Jr. (clip): “As the pandemic showed us, mRNA vaccines don’t perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract ... a single mutation can make mRNA vaccines ineffective.” (29:50)
Dr. Alejandro Diaz (guest immunologist) strongly supports the decision and criticizes mass COVID vaccination as a “human catastrophe.”

B. Industry and Media Backlash (32:13–32:58)

Mainstream media and pharma respond negatively, with widespread “fact checking” and claims that cancellation will harm US science. Diaz frames this as evidence that RFK Jr. is “delivering” on campaign promises.

C. Health Risks Associated with mRNA Vaccines (33:50–37:13)

Dr. Diaz lists adverse events attributed to COVID mRNA vaccines: myocarditis, autoimmune diseases, infertility, and increased cancer risk.
- Quote: “There are approximately 5.5 billion people who unfortunately took those jabs worldwide. And we are seeing the damage ... side effects, from myocarditis ... autoimmune disease ... cancers ... a human catastrophe.”—Dr. Diaz (34:14)

4. Rise in Alpha-Gal Syndrome: Meat & Dairy Allergies from Tick Bites (40:12–46:49)

A. Description and Recent Surge (40:12–46:25)

Alpha-Gal syndrome, a potentially severe allergy to red meat and dairy, triggered by tick bites, is explored with patient stories and scientific explanation by Dr. Diaz.
- Quote: “It's a foreign protein ... when you get a tick bite, you will get sensitized … it mimics an anaphylactic reaction ... it's very tricky.”—Dr. Diaz (41:34)
Notably, this syndrome has spiked in Martha’s Vineyard and is most common in the Southeast and Midwest US.

B. Broader Implications

Posobiec expresses skepticism about the origins, noting how rapid upticks in rates, especially in high-vaccination areas, raise questions.
Diaz notes it’s “a fairly new disease … approximately 90,000 cases since the early 2000s.” (43:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Europe’s Commitment:
“The Europeans are trying to do a bait and switch on us... they won't hold up their end of the bargain and lead us holding the bag.”
—Dan Caldwell (12:47)
On No-Fly Zones:
“One mishap ... suddenly you're going to find yourselves in a shooting war with Russia...”
—Jack Posobiec (13:55)
On mRNA Funding Cuts:
“As the pandemic showed us, mRNA vaccines don’t perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract...”
—RFK Jr. (clip, 29:50)
On Vaccine Risks:
“5.5 billion people who unfortunately took those jabs worldwide. We are seeing the damage ... a human catastrophe.”
—Dr. Alejandro Diaz (34:14)
On Alpha-Gal Syndrome:
“How come this is a new trend? ...We've been in touch with ticks for thousands of years. We've been eating red meat for thousands of years.”
—Dr. Diaz (45:21)

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Opening—theme and world events framing | 00:31–01:48 | | Ukraine peace negotiations: recaps, security guarantees, Lavrov remarks | 06:00–10:12 | | Dan Caldwell on failed European peacekeeping initiatives | 11:17–13:29 | | Escalation risks, no-fly zones discussion | 13:29–15:39 | | UN Security Council/China role and security architecture | 15:39–18:54 | | Political impediments, “the blob,” influence on peace process | 19:35–21:00 | | US leverage, European motives | 22:00–23:48 | | Discussion of internal Ukrainian politics | 25:31–26:48 | | RFK Jr. cancels mRNA funding—policy and reasoning | 28:51–32:13 | | Media/pharma backlash, safety concerns | 32:13–33:50 | | Side effects and vaccine critique | 33:50–37:13 | | Alpha-Gal syndrome: patient perspective, scientific overview | 40:12–46:49 |

Additional Details

Caldwell urges US caution: “...administration needs to be really careful about how these security guarantees are structured... make sure the Europeans don't buck pass to us yet again.” (23:16)
Dr. Diaz describes types of vaccine injuries and encourages those with new symptoms to see an allergist, especially with rising concerns around new syndromes.
Posobiec and Diaz express skepticism at the official explanations for emerging syndromes, tying in themes of media and health establishment mistrust.

Conclusion

Jack Posobiec’s episode provides a timely, insider look at the Ukraine peace process, revealing deep skepticism about European reliability and warning of dangerous escalation. The show then pivots to controversial but popularly discussed areas of US health policy, giving platforms to perspectives critical of both mRNA vaccines and mainstream health narratives. The conversations blend news analysis with pointed political commentary, in Posobiec’s signature “unfiltered” style.