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I'm John Batsu with George Friedman, the founder and chairman of Geopolitical Futures,

a subscription site, and we turn to George's assessment of the state of play in Ukraine

at the end of the year. Since you published this piece, George, I want to mention a couple

of events that may or may not be pertinent to the possibility of where we're going with

this, how it could end or what is the next step. One is that phone call with Shijin Ping

that Moscow wanted us to know about, you know, video screens and invitation to Shijin Ping,

the General Secretary, from a virus-devastated land to Moscow as a state visit in future.

And another is the Pentagon mentioning the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, which I understand

is a light tank. I only mention that because it's more of the escalatory steps that have

been taken these last ten months of the war. Let's begin with Shijin Ping. Did that change

the map in any fashion for war end? The China now, after staying back and acting, actually,

I'd say ambivalent about supporting Moscow, is now going to entertain a state visit.

Well, just before that, the foreign minister made a very conciliatory statement to the United

States saying that, look, any differences between us can and should be settled. China has

got to have investment, and that is investment comes from the United States. It has to have

markets to sell. It needs the United States. A good negotiating tool is to have one guy

...