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Ron Filipkowski
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Ron Filipkowski
Cancel contact T mobile phone President Zelinsky of Ukraine is going on the offense. I mean literally going on the offense. Announcing a major offensive strike against Russia. And President Zelensky has a message to the United States and to the world, a powerful one. He says, look, in Ukraine we know more about modern warfare than the rest of the world combined. So you want to work with us, we can work with you. But prove that you are loyal to us and that you actually support the free world if you want us to help you out. That's Zelensky taking the upper hand. That Zelensky delivering a powerful message to an increasingly weak and sickly looking Donald Trump. I'm going on an offensive right now against Russia. You can join us if you'd like to learn about our military technologies or. Or you can look like a weak and pathetic individual. Essentially what he is saying. Just take a look at Zelinsky's video that he made right here looking at the camera announcing the offensive. Let's play it.
President Volodymyr Zelensky
Chapter Wishing you health. Dear Ukrainians, many things today there were reports from the military, the commander in chief we continue counteroffensive actions in the Donetsk direction The Pokrovsk area, the Dobropillia area. It was one of the most important directions for the Russian offensive and they were unable to launch a full scale offensive there. Our military is destroying their forces. The Russians have significant losses. The exchange fund for our state has been significantly replenished. Every day adds Russian prisoners. I want to thank all our units involved, the 79th, 82nd Air Assault Brigades, our assault units first 33rd, then in this next clip.
Ron Filipkowski
This is where President Zelensky talks about the technology and the weapons and the tactics that he and Ukraine has developed better than the rest of the world. And listen carefully to what he says, because there is a message here, in my view, to the Trump regime, which is we will work with people who support Ukraine. If you don't want to support Ukraine, then we don't need to work with you. Here, play this clip.
President Volodymyr Zelensky
It is essential that they also help us so that we help them. Right now it is Ukrainians, Ukrainian companies and the Ukrainian army that have one of the strongest experiences in modern warfare. This largely concerns advanced weapons, advanced technologies. Ukraine will not engage in arms charity and help those who are indifferent to Ukraine. We are ready to work with those who would genuinely support us. Our independence. Of course, there must be reliable export control so that Ukrainian technologies and our weapons do not reach the Russians and their allies. Our Ukrainian companies, weapon manufacturers have talked a lot about this. There is a lot of interest in the world in joint projects with Ukraine for weapon production. There is also a clear demand for our weapons. Accordingly, thanks to controlled exports, we will be able to accumulate money for more production of the things our army needs. Another thing that strengthens the army. I thank the parliamentarians for passing my bill on the Military Ombudsman. This is about the real protection of our soldiers rights. The law has already been signed and published. Today I signed a decree for the law to take effect. A decree on the establishment of the Office of the Military on Budsman. The regulations for the operation of this institution have also been approved. And I will appoint Olha Reshitylova, a person well known to our soldiers, as the first Ukrainian Military Ombudsman. Ahead is the launch of institutional systematic work. It is important that this is felt at all levels in the defence forces of Ukraine. We are doing what strengthens the army. We are doing what strengthens the warriors of our army. Thank you to everyone who helps. Thank you to all who work for our Ukraine. To everyone fighting for our state. Glory to Ukraine. Ukraine.
Ron Filipkowski
Powerful words by President Zelensky there. And yesterday we can See the weakness of Donald Trump permeating throughout the world. Right, there were three Russian MiG31 fighter jets breaching Estonian airspace near Vandaloon island, staying almost 12 minutes with transponders off and no flight plans. Very provocative action. Estonia is a member of NATO the same way Romania is, which was also an area targeted by Russia, the same way Poland is, which, which was. So Russia is testing NATO's resolve here. We're seeing over here a Russian kamikaze drone found on the beach of western Latvia. Do you see the pattern here? They're testing NATO. They're seeing how weak and pathetic is. Also, while Donald Trump was in the uk, Three more individuals were arrested in the for being spies for working with Russian intelligence. Let me show you what Donald Trump said on Friday when he was asked about the Russian jets entering estonia's airspace for 12 minutes. Donald Trump's like, well, maybe I'll take a look at it. They'll be briefing me in a short while. They'll brief me. Maybe I'll look at it. Maybe. Maybe you'll look at it. Maybe. Here, play this clip. Russian jets entered Estonia's airspace today for 12 minutes. Do you see that as a threat to NATO? Well, I'm going to have to look at it. They're going to be briefing me in a short while. So I'll let you know about it tonight or tomorrow. What's your take in general? Well, I don't love it. I don't love it. I don't like when that happens.
Mike Pence
It could be big trouble. But I'll let you know later. They're going to brief me in about an hour.
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Ron Filipkowski
Utterly pathetic at a time where also we learned that Trump blocked $400 million in military aid to Taiwan as he attempts to negotiate his trade deal with China. Except what China is doing is actually negotiating with intention and purpose. Unlike Donald Trump, who's behaving like an absolute mania, China has withheld purchases of soybeans from farmers. When I say withheld purchases, literally not buying any. They're going to Brazil. American farmers are about to go out of business en masse and declare bankruptcy if action isn't taken by the federal government to bail them out. We're hearing about this from farmers across the country right now. In addition to China basically strangling American farmers, also the input costs are excessive as a result of Donald Trump's trade war against against the world. Whether it's fertilizer prices, equipment prices, farmers are absolutely suffering. Two people familiar with the matter said the package to Taiwan, if it was approved, would have been more lethal than past rounds of aid to Taiwan, including munitions and autonomous drones. But by the way, the same guy at the State Department and Pentagon and State Department and Pentagon who are directing these policies, same people with Ukraine, same people with Taiwan. It is really moving the United States towards. Trump wants to be allied with Russia and China, it seems, instead of our traditional allies. But Russia and China, as we saw recently in the recent convention in China, are basically just laughing in Donald Trump's face, as John Arbosa says. So Trump is now doing the unthinkable for Republicans. He's selling out to China. But they'll accept this. To remember when Republicans, the same ones who pretended they were Russia hawks, remember those who pretended they were China hawks and that they were protecting Taiwan. And they would say the Democrats are being weak on Taiwan and the Democrats are not standing up to Xi Jinping. Donald Trump literally blocked the president of Taiwan from entering American airspace because Xi Jinping called Donald Trump and told him to. That's how weak Donald Trump is. Donald Trump is so weak that he is basically trying to negotiate this deal with for TikTok and China to give the rights to some of Trump's billionaire friends to basically just license the name TikTok in the United States while China can continue to control the algorithm and all of the issues that the Senate on a bipartisan basis recognized made it very dangerous in the first place. So he's going to reward his billionaire friends. He's going to allow China to maintain the IP and the technology and the algorithm, which is the whole, which is everything to begin with, and make America weaker and sacrifice Taiwan over TikTok. Wild stuff. Meanwhile, you had King Charles during Trump's visit to the UK trying to lecture Donald Trump on the history of the relationship between the UK and the United States. I guess hoping that Donald Trump would do the right thing with Ukraine. I think in, in King Charles, his mind, he thought that this would be a way to convince Donald Trump. You all the pomp and circumstance, you literally give Trump, like the, the Disney experience of, of, of Windsor Castle. But sorry, King Charles, Donald Trump, as you saw, doesn't give a crap. So it's just going to require, you know, Europe, which just authorized another 19 sanctions package, no help of the US to stand with Zelensky. And Zelensky is going on the offense here, watch this.
President Volodymyr Zelensky
Our countries have the closest defense, security and intelligence relationship ever known. In two world wars, we fought together to defeat the forces of tyranny. Today, as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine to deter aggression and secure peace.
Ron Filipkowski
Notably, even Mike Pence. Former Vice President Pence is comparing Donald Trump's behavior of seizing cor corporations in the United States like Intel to the state ownership of businesses in China and Russia. He's like, Pence is like, there's really no difference between how Trump's acting and Putin's acting. Here, play this clip.
Mike Pence
Estate ownership of business is very common in China. This is passive, but this is passive in Russia. Yeah, taking. Is that a no of the sales of Nvidia percentage of the stock? You don't like any of that? Intel is inconsistent with free market principles. And I think it's taken our country to a very perilous place. And I, I think we need to resist that very strongly. The Constitution is clear. We have a takings clause. There has to be just compensation. There was nothing in the CHIPS act that required a percentage of sales. And I really do believe that what's happening with tariffs, what's happening with state ownership business represents a departure from the free market principles that have been at the heart of the Republican Party. And for the sake of our long term prosperity, we need to get back to those principles.
Ron Filipkowski
And speaking of, there's no difference between how Trump is Acting and how Putin is acting and Viktor Orban is acting. I want to give a shout out to Pekka Komi. The organization of the US media has begun. This is a powerful piece right here. Let me just read a short portion of it to you. Donald Trump is following Viktor Orban of Hungary and Vladimir Putin's playbook to capture America's media and silence dissent. Twenty years ago, Putin snuffed out ntv, Russia's last major independent TV channel, and placed the country's broadcast networks under state control 10 years ago or bonded the same in Hungary, handing almost every mainstream outlet to loyal oligarchs and turning the press into a government echo chamber. Does that sound familiar? Today we see the same playbook being used in the United States as power powerful businessmen and oligarchs move to seize America's key media institutions. This is how democracies die in the 21st century. Not with overt censorship, but with media capture. The organization of American media has begun. Putin's method was simple. First, harass independent media owners with legal pressure until they sell or flee. Second, and their outlets to loyalists tied to the state or security services. Third, flood the media market with state money, currently to the tune of over a billion euros per year of Russian taxpayer money spent on government propaganda media while starving dissenting voices. By the mid-2000s, all of Russia's major television channels and most of its printed radio outlets were either state owned or controlled by Kremlin loyal oligarchs. Only then came the final step. Laws branding critics as foreign agents and banning opposition outlets outright. By then, there were not many left to protest. After consolidating control, Putin went even further, having dissident voices and investigative journalists imprisoned and exiled or murdered. This ensured that no independent scrutiny of his regime could survive. Orban imported this system wholesale. Loyal allies quietly bought up nearly every major Hungarian outlet, consolidating the country's mainstream press into the Central European Press and media Foundation. In 2018, he issued a decree exempting this media empire from competition or media pluralism review. The state became Hungary's largest advertiser and showering cash on pro government media and starving the rest. Within a few years, independent journalism in Hungary had almost disappeared. Elections still happen, but voters now live inside a government controlled information bubble. Independent voices have fortunately begun to resurface on social media platforms. Yet most of the country's traditional media remains firmly controlled by Orban's allies in Russia and Hungary. Oligarchs used fortunes built on state contracts to buy media outlets and convert them into political tools for their patrons. This was the engine of media capture loyal businessmen acquiring once independent outlets, then reshaping them into propaganda arms while maintaining the appearance of normal journalism. Sound familiar? Sound familiar? It's why we independent media right now, Midas, Touch and others need to stand up. Now's the time to put it all on the line, which is what we do each and every day here at this network. We hope you appreciate it. We hope you appreciate. We appreciate you. We really do. Go to midasplus.com check us out at our sub stack midasplus.com thanks for everything. Hit subscribe let's get to 6 million subscribers.
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Date: September 21, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett & Jordy Meiselas
Guest Contributor: Ron Filipkowski
This episode centers on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decisive new military offensive against Russia and the global message it sends, especially toward Donald Trump and the U.S. political establishment. The Meiselas brothers and guest Ron Filipkowski dissect Zelenskyy’s bold rhetoric and contrast it with Trump’s perceived weakness and transactional approach to world affairs. Broader topics include the shifting landscape of alliances, Trump’s dealings with Taiwan and China, the erosion of democratic institutions, and the mounting threat of “media capture” in the U.S., inspired by autocrats like Putin and Orbán.
(01:20–06:06)
Notable Quote:
“Right now it is Ukrainians, Ukrainian companies and the Ukrainian army that have one of the strongest experiences in modern warfare... Ukraine will not engage in arms charity and help those who are indifferent to Ukraine.”
— President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (03:45)
Notable Quote:
“We are doing what strengthens the army. We are doing what strengthens the warriors of our army. Thank you to everyone who helps. Thank you to all who work for our Ukraine… Glory to Ukraine.”
— President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (05:54)
(06:06–09:06)
Discussion of recent Russian provocations, such as MiG-31 jets violating Estonian airspace and kamikaze drones in Latvia, highlighting NATO’s being tested for resolve and Trump’s lackluster response.
Trump, when questioned about the threats, gives a dismissive answer:
“Well, I'm going to have to look at it. They're going to be briefing me in a short while. So I'll let you know about it tonight or tomorrow. What's your take in general? Well, I don't love it. I don't love it. I don't like when that happens.”
— Donald Trump (07:08)
Mike Pence insightfully remarks:
“It could be big trouble. But I'll let you know later. They're going to brief me in about an hour.”
— Mike Pence (07:47)
The hosts and Filipkowski mock Trump's indecision and lack of urgency, contrasting it with the clarity of Zelenskyy’s leadership.
(09:06–13:08)
(13:38–17:55)
Pence critiques Trump’s approach to state intervention in business, comparing it to practices in Russia and China.
“Estate ownership of business is very common in China... what’s happening with state ownership business represents a departure from the free market principles that have been at the heart of the Republican Party.”
— Mike Pence (13:59)
Pekka Komi’s essay is quoted, describing how Trump is following the autocratic playbooks of Putin and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán to capture the U.S. media and silence dissent.
The hosts warn about “media capture”—the quiet consolidation of media outlets by loyalists and oligarchs, leading to the erosion of independent journalism and democracy.
Notable Segment (Ron Filipkowski, 14:55):
“Donald Trump is following Viktor Orban of Hungary and Vladimir Putin's playbook to capture America's media and silence dissent... This is how democracies die in the 21st century. Not with overt censorship, but with media capture.”
Zelenskyy’s Direct Challenge to the West:
“Ukraine will not engage in arms charity and help those who are indifferent to Ukraine. We are ready to work with those who would genuinely support us.”
(03:45)
Trump’s Indecision Amidst International Crisis:
“Well, I'm going to have to look at it. They’re going to be briefing me in a short while…”
(07:08)
Comparison of Trump to Putin and Orbán:
“Donald Trump is following Viktor Orban of Hungary and Vladimir Putin’s playbook to capture America’s media and silence dissent.”
(14:55)
Pence’s Critique of Trump’s Economic Nationalism:
“I really do believe that what’s happening with tariffs, what’s happening with state ownership business represents a departure from the free market principles that have been at the heart of the Republican Party.”
(13:59)
This episode spotlights Ukraine’s battlefield momentum and Zelenskyy’s resolute leadership while exposing the risks posed by Donald Trump’s self-serving and ambivalent stance toward U.S. allies and adversaries alike. The conversation expands to the global implications of autocratic “media capture” and the erosion of democratic institutions, ending with a call for vigilance and support of independent journalism.