Neutrality Studies

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