Newt’s World – Episode 819: Ukraine – A Nation at War

Air date: March 8, 2025
Host: Newt Gingrich
Guest: Ambassador Gregory W. Slayton, author of Portraits of a Nation at War

Episode Overview

This thought-provoking episode delves into the ongoing war in Ukraine, framing it both as a battle for sovereignty and as a pivotal moment for freedom, democracy, and the future of Europe. Newt Gingrich is joined by Ambassador Gregory W. Slayton, whose new book Portraits of a Nation at War offers both historical context and vivid, on-the-ground perspectives. The conversation covers Ukraine’s resistance, international diplomacy, U.S. and European roles, Russian intentions, disinformation warfare, the importance of continued support, and personal stories connecting Slayton to the cause of freedom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Launching Portraits of a Nation at War from Kyiv (02:48–03:37)

• Context: Slayton was present in Kyiv on the third anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion (Feb 24), marking the launch of his book.
• Personal Note: “It was a very somber occasion, as you can imagine. I was invited by President Zelenskyy's office… The amazing thing, Newt, is that the following Friday I was in Washington for that incredible dust up at the White House.” (02:59 – Slayton)

2. The Washington–Kyiv Diplomatic “Dust Up” (03:37–06:38)

• Slayton’s Reaction: Disappointed by diplomatic tensions, he underscores “peace through strength” as essential:
  “With a guy like Vladimir Putin, you know, his record is crystal clear. We just can't trust him… Peace through strength is the way forward.” (03:37 – Slayton)
• Bridge-building: Slayton alludes to his efforts and others’ to bring parties together, convinced a minerals deal will be reached and U.S.-Ukrainian relations will recover.
• Historical Parallels: Warns against repeating the post-Vietnam U.S. withdrawal scenario, emphasizing the consequences of “appeasement.”

3. Diplomacy and President Zelenskyy’s Letter (05:02–06:21)

• Zelenskyy’s Public Outreach: During a U.S. joint session, Zelenskyy sends a letter signaling Ukraine’s readiness for negotiation and a minerals/security agreement.
• Strategy: “In a letter you can control exactly what you say… it had to be a little humble, a little contrite, had to be thankful... nobody wants peace and needs peace more than the Ukrainians because they have suffered so much.” (05:50 – Slayton)

4. U.S. & European Support – Ukraine’s Lifeline (06:21–08:25)

• Military Dependence: Europeans lack military-industrial capacity; “they absolutely need the heft and the breadth of the U.S. military industrial complex to keep this war going.” (06:38 – Slayton)
• Potential for U.S. Contractors as Deterrence: American presence in Ukrainian mineral exploitation seen as a de facto shield:
  “I don't think Putin's gonna be wanting to kill Americans who happen to be in Ukraine.” (07:31 – Slayton, see discussion with Newt at 08:25)

5. Deterrence, Nuclear Threats, and Historical Lessons (08:25–10:38)

• On Russian Threats: “He's never used nukes. He's not going to do it… we learned in World War II that appeasing Hitler was a complete and total failure. We cannot appease Vladimir Putin.” (08:44–09:18 – Slayton)
• Questions about U.S. Aid: Discrepancies in aid figures discussed; Slayton affirms the number is substantial but less than claimed by some:
  “The number that we put confidence in… is about 120, 125 billion, which is a big number.” (10:38 – Slayton)
  “Zelenskyy's right to be thankful because without those weapons, this war is over.” (11:31 – Slayton)

6. Ukraine’s Defense: Why Did Ukraine Hold Out? (13:35–15:24)

• Misjudgments: Russian miscalculations about Ukraine’s unity, supplies, and the will to fight:
  “They only had four or five days of bullets, of equipment, of gasoline… their spies had told Putin… the Ukrainians hate Zelensky. They love Russia, which… is not true.” (13:54 – Slayton)
• The Role of Morale: Gingrich compares Ukraine’s survival to Israel’s in 1947-48: “the balance of forces are offset by the balance of morale and moral courage.” (15:24 – Gingrich)
• Slayton’s Faith Journey: Personal stories of his faith inspired by a Chinese family, connecting his worldview to resilience and service.

7. Slayton’s Global Experience & Lessons on Governance (15:49–20:56)

• Asia Experience and World Vision: Insights on his time as a Fulbright in Asia and with World Vision in Africa.
  “Where you had the rule of law, strong currency, and allowed people to just get after their business… everything flowered.” (16:44 – Slayton)
• Consul General to Bermuda: U.S. connections to Bermuda and the importance of international economic interdependence.

8. Russian Disinformation: Roots and Reality (20:56–22:31)

• KGB Tactics Updated:
  “They have accelerated their misinformation and disinformation campaigns… Western intelligence services believe they spent at least $1.2 billion a year on disinformation.” (21:08 – Slayton)
• Moral Clarity:
  “Ukraine doesn't have freedom of religion? Our book documents over 500 Christian churches… closed or destroyed... There is no religious freedom in Russia, there is religious freedom in Ukraine.” (21:40 – Slayton)

9. Putin’s Aims and the Risks of Negotiation (24:09–29:47)

• Putin’s Vision:
  “He sees himself as Peter the Great. He wants to re establish the Soviet Union… That’s why Poland is in this battle.” (24:59 – Slayton)
• Backfire of Aggression:
  “Putin is not hearing about all these military disasters… because you do not bring bad news to the boss.” (26:22–27:06 – Slayton)
• Can a Real Truce Happen?
  “With an American military backstop, and especially the minerals deal… I think it could hold.” (27:17 – Slayton)
• Ukrainian Resilience:
  Ukraine’s increased drone production and manufacturing legacy create a formidable defense.
  “The drones… have been super impressive… Russia just doesn’t have the manpower to occupy Ukraine.” (28:44 – Slayton)

10. Technology’s Role: Starlink in Ukraine (29:47–31:03)

• Starlink’s Critical Importance:
  “Starlink is absolutely critical to the Ukrainian military... If you don’t know where your enemy is, you can’t hit him.” (30:00 – Slayton)
• Leadership and Morale:
  “That decision [by Elon Musk]… just like when Zelensky said, ‘I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition’… that really rallied the Ukrainians.” (30:40 – Slayton)

11. The Book’s Mission, Disinformation, and Democracy (31:03–33:16)

• Aid and Advocacy:
  The book aims to raise resources for Ukrainian nonprofits and dispel destructive myths:
  “We kept hearing these crazy stories from people… Where does [Tucker Carlson] get this stuff? He’s a Kremlin mouthpiece and he knows better… Yes, there is corruption in Ukraine… but... they’re working hard on that.” (31:56 – Slayton)
• Defending Freedom:
  “This is a battle for everyone who believes in freedom, in democracy, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly… There is no freedom in Russia.” (32:42 – Slayton)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Putin:
  “He can, you know, shout and roar all he wants, but he’s in a very weak position.” (07:31 – Slayton)
• On military aid numbers:
  “Zelenskyy’s right to be thankful because without those weapons, this war is over.” (11:31 – Slayton)
• On Disinformation:
  “To say that NATO started this war, Ukraine started this war… that’s the type of disinformation we want to take head on.” (21:46 – Slayton)
• On America’s obligation:
  “I don’t believe that we can, you know, wash our hands of this. … This is a battle for everyone who believes in freedom…” (32:28 – Slayton)
• Morale under adversity:
  “It’s a little bit like the survival of Israel in ’47, ’48, when the balance of forces are offset by the balance of morale and moral courage.” (15:24 – Gingrich)
• On Starlink and technology:
  “Starlink is absolutely critical to the Ukrainian military.” (30:00 – Slayton)
• On freedom in Ukraine and Russia:
  “You try to go to Russia and criticize Vladimir Putin, you’ll be there for less than a day until you’re thrown in jail. There is no freedom in Russia.” (33:08 – Slayton)
• Closing words:
  “I hope we’ll educate some of our listeners into understanding how important it is that Ukraine not be defeated and that Ukraine continue as an independent country and that we do have an obligation to find a solution which… means that Russia cannot come back and try again.” (34:11 – Gingrich)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:48 – Slayton discusses Kyiv trip, book launch, and “crazy juxtaposition” with events in D.C.
• 03:37 – Reflections on U.S.-Ukraine diplomacy and “peace through strength”
• 05:02 – Zelenskyy’s letter and negotiation postures
• 06:38 – Importance of U.S. military support; European military limits
• 07:31 – Deterrence via economic (minerals) deals, American presence
• 08:44 – Nuclear threats, analogy to historical appeasement
• 13:54 – How Ukraine stopped the Russian advance in 2022
• 16:44 – Lessons on the rule of law and governance from global experience
• 21:08 – Russian disinformation campaigns, scale, and tactics
• 24:59 – Putin’s “Peter the Great” mindset and consequences for NATO
• 27:17 – Possibility of a real, durable truce in Ukraine conflict
• 29:47 – Drone production, the manpower mismatch for Russia
• 30:00 – Starlink’s role in Ukrainian defense
• 31:07 – Why Slayton wrote the book and the battle over U.S. public perception

Tone and Style

• The conversation is candid, historically grounded, and occasionally urgent, emphasizing both the high stakes and the values at risk.
• Slayton brings a mixture of warmth, experience, and frank critique—especially regarding misinformation and the realities on the ground.
• Gingrich focuses the discussion with strategic and historical context, drawing insightful parallels to the Cold War, Israel’s fight for independence, and U.S. global leadership.

Episode Conclusion

Slayton and Gingrich close by underscoring Ukraine’s fight as a defining struggle for 21st-century democracy and the global order, urging continued awareness, material support, and moral clarity in resisting both military aggression and disinformation.

For listeners interested in the context, Slayton’s book Portraits of a Nation at War is recommended, with all profits going to Ukrainian humanitarian nonprofits.