(music plating) - The speech follows the conclusion of Aaron's conversation with Mikhail Zeger.

The speech was written in May of 2022 about the war in Ukraine and was recorded a few months thereafter.

It was Aaron in the role of President Biden, explaining to the American people what should be done at that critical time.

This is the first time the speech ever has been broadcast.

It reveals how Ukraine could have been saved.

- Welcome to the Aaron Harber Show.

My guest today is Mikhail Zeger, international journalist.

Thank you Mikhail so much for joining me.

- Thank you for inviting.

- My sense is the United States under the Biden administration was just too tepid in that it wanted its cake and eat it too.

For example, the calculus in the White House was we know one of the steps we could take would be to literally shut down the energy industry in Russia completely.

And the United States had the ability to do that.

But on the other hand, the concern was, oh, that's going to result in higher gasoline prices in the United States.

- Sorry, I'm sorry to interrupted, but you are speaking about the humanitarian catastrophe?

- No.

- If he shutdown the energy system in Russia that would-- - No, no.

I'm talking about the energy industry.

I'm talking about the export of oil and gas.

We have the ability to shut down that business completely.

- Not so sure.

- I am.

- Now we see that Russia is not isolated because it's only isolated from the west.

- Right.

- Now we see a lot of countries starting from Turkey or Kazakhstan, and we see that even European countries are getting Russia's oil and gas, but through the third parties.

- Right, but we, well, we allowed-- again, we allowed the continuation of Russian natural gas going to Europe.

I'm just saying we could have had an extraordinary impact on Russian energy, fossil fuel, energy exports if we wanted to.

And we've had a minimal impact for exactly the same reasons that you discussed.

But if we were willing to take the risk, if we were willing in terms of those allies or whatever.

To say we are going to shut this industry down, I'm not saying that we would have been 100% successful, but we haven't been successful in my opinion at all because of that calculus that we actually want Russians, we wanted Russian supplies to reach the market because we were afraid that if we stop them entirely or 90% of them, or 80% of them, that would result in price shocks domestically here and politically, that would have been unpalatable.

And that goes to my other point that what I think this administration or the Biden administration failed to do was make the effort to educate the American people about the importance of helping Ukraine.

The mportance of having Ukraine win the war and by failing to educate Americans of that importance.

The result was the administration was unwilling to ask Americans for any kind of sacrifice, including perhaps slightly higher gasoline prices.

- Do you really think that it's possible to educate American population that way?

In 1979, President Carter had the same issue and he wanted to explain to American population that that's not a big deal, yeah, the prices are rising, but we need that because the situation in Iran and so on so forth, he ended up losing the election against Governor Reagan.

So I think it's hard to persuade people that they should pay for some political reasons.

- So it is hard, but if you don't do it then you lose the opportunity.

And so it depends on what's important to you.

Do you want to do you want to simply do whatever you think is expedient to win reelection, which is what I think happened.

In which is why I think Putin ultimately will prevail.

Or do you want to be a leader and say this is what we need to do?

This is why and if it costs me my re election, I'm willing to run that risk, which also sends another message, or would have sent another message to the American people that, wow, this is clearly important.

We're hearing a president say I'm willing to risk my political career because of how important this is.

I'm just saying there's much, much more we could have done.

- That's true.

That's true.

- And my other argument was, we constantly said, we're not going to put troops on the dround.

We're not going to have a no fly zone.

We're not going to provide certain munitions because we're afraid.

- I'm not sure about troops on the ground, but I think no fight zone was a very good idea and that was crucial for the sake of Ukrainian people, a lot of people are dying, and so we see that situation as as it is now.

- Sanctions have had no significant effect because I mean, the Biden administration would issue sanctions and with great sanfair.

And the reality is if a Russian oligarch couldn't travel to New York, big deal.

I mean the sanctions and-- that we issued were laughed at, I think by so many people in Russia.

- It's not exactly true.

A lot of people were shocked by the sanctions and you know it's different because if we're speaking about those people who lost the opportunity to travel to the West.

They lost their dreams.

They lost actually the best hopes they had in their lives.

None of them have ever wanted to live in North Korea.

They dreamt of some kind of different life.

But the situation has changed a lot since the Cold War.

And yes, Soviet Union was really isolated and yes, all the sanctions against Soviet Union worked much better.

First of all, because Soviet Union didn't have the source of the technologies, it could not buy the computers from China because there were no computers in China.

And now there is no such a problem.

The fact that Russia is isolated from the West with some, with some exceptions, with some Western companies still working in Russia.

With Austrian bank working in Russia.

So it's not, that black and white, but at the same time being isolated from the West doesn't mean that Russia is isolated.

- Not at all.

- Russia can't get anything it wants.

I remember during the first week of the war I had the conversation with a very high profile Russian businessmen not in oligarch very decent person.

And he was telling me that probably, he has to stop flying.

Because very soon, any flight within Russia wouldn't be safe because no-- because of the absence of the new parts of the new details from Boeing or Airbus.

Russian aircraft would start falling.

What's happening right now?

Gabon is on the 1st place as the exporter of airplane parts to Russia and Thailand is on the second place.

If I'm not mistaken, Maldiv islands.

- That's my point.

- Yeah.

- That sanctions haven't had the impact that we were told they were going to have and that the reality is Russia has relationships with countries representing billions of people representing all kinds of trade and manufacturing capacity.

That many of whom want especially the discounted rate Russian oil, Russian natural gas, and that we haven't had nearly the impact that we said we were going to have.

- So, I think that the some kind of more thoughtful strategy is needed.

And I think that strategy is something that was missing because just sanctioning all holders of Russian passports which happened during the first months of the war, was not-- - Strategic.

- Was not strategic and actually it to my mind it harmed much more than helped.

But there was no real strategy and no one cares that the bonds sells technologies to Russia.

It was OK if it's hard to persuade China or India, probably it there is a possibility to persuade the bond.

- Yeah.

I'm not even sure of that anymore, but, what do Americans not know about Russia that they should know?

- I think Americans don't realize that Russia is not monolithic and there is a huge generation gap in Russia.

And the difference between the Soviet generation and the post Soviet generations is amazing.

So these are completely different nations.

Everyone who's older than I would say 50.

And everyone who is younger than 45.

Do not share values at all.

The latest survey about LGBT rights in Russia.

The question was, what do you think about LGBTQ people?

So more than 65% of those who are older than 60 said they should be executed.

Kill them all.

Because, yeah, that's the stereotype from the Soviet gulag.

People who used to live in the Soviet Union saying that that's the worst that can happen to a human being.

They should be executed.

But if the same question is asked, and we have 45 minus.

They would say, they said more than 65% said equal rights.

Yeah obviously same sex marriages should be legalized in Russia, and that's completely different mindset.

Completely different people.

Everyone who were raised after the collapse of Soviet Union, they share completely different values.

They are much, much more Western people, no matter where they live, no matter, no matter if they live in Far East on the border of Japan, they still consider themselves to be Europeans, and they share all the globalist European values.

And all those people are-- most people are much more of that generation, are much more liberal and we can just look at the faces of most Putin's bureaucrats.

These are his old pals from KGB.

These are the people born and raised in Soviet Union.

They share all those Stalinist values.

They want their huge empire back.

They want to make Russia great again and they're scared of the new generations, they do not understand they cannot control, they have all those people who are not-- Who don't love them.

Who don't buy the idea that Russia is doomed to be the dictatorship?

No, because a lot of people don't think that way.

Alexei Navalny was a unique Russian politician because his idea was that there is no unique path for Russia.

Russia doesn't have its destiny to be a great empire.

No, Russia should be the normal decent country as any other country and there is nothing extraordinary about Russia or about any other country, there is no unique path.

And actually it's-- That's a strategy that Alexei was murdered in prison.

But what's important that he died for those ideas.

He gave his life for that Democratic idea and it's going to outlive him.

He's going to be some kind of Russian Martin Luther King.

He's going to be the symbol for many generations to come, so I'm more or less optimistic and I know that different people in Russia share very different values.

And I hope that indicates that's not going to happen soon, but I'm very optimistic about the future of the democratic Russia.

- Mikhail, thank you so much.

- Thank you.

- That was Mikhail Zygar, the famed international journalist on Russia and Ukraine.

I'm Aaron Harber.

Thanks for watching.

We'll see you next time.

- The next segment of the show is the speech and is the first time it ever has been broadcast.

The speech was written by Aaron in May of 2022 about the war in Ukraine and was recorded a few months thereafter.

It consists of Aaron speaking as President Biden boldly detailing what needed to be done to end the war in Ukraine at that critical time.

- My fellow Americans, I come to you having made a decision with which I know many of you will disagree, but I believe it is the right thing to do and in the long run best for our nation and for the future of our planet.

So I will ask you to listen and if you can support this decision so we can be as united as possible.

The unjustified invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin and Russia has been, and continues to be based on a strategy targeting the innocent civilian population.

Once Putin's initial effort failed to quickly overcome Ukraine's heroic defense forces, he switched to the inhumane and war crime tactics of bombing schools, hospitals and children's playgrounds while using rape and torture as a means to intimidate the Ukrainian population.

We have made an effort to stop Russia by using sanctions and by supplying weapons to Ukraine.

But this will entended endeavors have not and will not stop Putin, who is determined to destroy every structure in the country if that is what it takes for him to subjugate Ukraine.

We have done everything we can to avoid a nuclear war by insisting we will not put U.S. troops on the ground.

Not engage Russia in the air or attack Russia, on its own soil or even on Ukrainian soil.

Unfortunately, all this has done is embolden Russia because it believes it can act with impunity, knowing it can outlast the country with only 110th the resources of Russia due to our hands off commitment, Russia believes it can use tactical nuclear weapons.

And outlawed chemical warfare to defeat Ukraine.

So even though it has been Putin and his threats of using nuclear weapons, which created the risk of a nuclear war, we have done nothing to stop him from using such a horrendous option.

In a sense, because our efforts and those of our allies have been so successful in providing arms, munitions, defensive systems and intelligence to Ukraine, the country has been able to defend itself to a far greater degree than Russia or even the United States ever expected.

Both countries intelligence services failed because they originally predicted Ukraine would fall in a matter of days.

However, Ukraine's success defending itself is driving Russia to make even more terrible and deadly decisions.

But the reality is that we have only given Ukraine enough military support for it to die a slow, painful death.

We need to give it the resources and support to win the mistake we made by constantly telling Russia we will do anything to avoid a nuclear war has given Putin cart launch to do anything he wants.

Because all he has to do is make a nuclear threat and he assumes we will back down.

No matter what horrendous actions he takes.

However, the battle in Ukraine no longer is just about the freedom and lives of Ukrainians, important as they are it is now also about Putin's strategy to deny food to the world.

With the UN Secretary General having declared that Russia's tactics blocking Ukrainian grain and crop production, and transportation threatens as many as 1.7 billion of the poorest people on the planet.

It is now about Putin's attacks on Europe's largest nuclear energy facilities, which pose the threat of the greatest nuclear and radiation disaster in modern times.

This could affect the entire planet.

If radiation is released and then spread around the globe.

Just as importantly, this now is about the kind of world in which 195 nations live its weather, the genocidal conduct of a superpower should be tolerated.

It is about whether or not a nation breaking every vital rule of international conduct should be allowed to continue its criminal behavior.

And it is about our responsibility to the world and whether or not the United States should stand by and watch as entire cities are level and as the elderly and children are slaughtered by Russia, should those able to stop a bully from harming people stand by and watch?

Or should they intervene even if it means they will get harmed in the process?

Is it time for us to admit that the only way to stop some bullies and some terrorists is to use force?

My answer is we cannot and should not stand by any longer.

I believe those with the ability and power to stop a baseless attack on innocent people should not turn away to avoid seeing the slaughter.

I believe we have a moral obligation to do whatever we can to stop the reign of terror led by the International Criminal Vladimir Putin.

Our strategy has been to arm the Ukrainians and have them extend the fight as long as they can.

We have publicly said we see this as a way to weaken Russia, by depleting its military capability.

But a continuation of this strategy means 10s of thousands more Ukrainians sacrificing their lives and ultimately hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian casualties.

And it also means, ultimately, the subjugation of the Ukrainian people and our failure to hold Putin responsible for his murderous acts.

Our timid approach no longer is the wisest or best strategy to pursue, it's not even the right one.

Because its success only means due to recent Ukrainian military successes, Russia will resort to the use of weapons for which Ukraine and we have no adequate response.

That is if Russia uses illegal chemical weapons we are not going to give similar weapons to the Ukrainians, and if the Russians use nuclear weapons, we aren't about to deliver nuclear weapons to Ukraine.

The sad and terrible truth is that Putin is irreversibly committed to conquering Ukraine, even if it means the destruction of that country and its people.

It is time we and our allies recognize this fact.

In 1994 Russia, and the United States convinced Ukraine to give up all of its nuclear weapons and transfer them to Russia on the condition that Russia, the United States and Great Britain would guarantee Ukraine sovereignty and its security.

We all know how Ukraine kept its nuclear weapons.

Russina would have launched an invation.

Ukraine upheld its end of the bargain.

Yet in 2014, Russia broke its promise by invading and taking over Crimea.

It's then even more grossly violated that same promise with its unjustified invasion of Ukraine.

It's now time to face the reality that any promise made by Putin is meaningless.

And it's also time for America to keep the promise we made to protect Ukraine.

In this war, America has been participating with one hand tied behind our back.

I am untying that hand today and with our allies I am announcing the end of the war in Ukraine via an immediate ceasefire by both sides.

I've consulted with the leaders of Congress and our allies and have their support to do the following.

First, the Allied nations are declaring all Ukrainian airspace as a no fly zone.

Any non ally aircraft entering the space will be shot down.

This condition will be enforced starting in 24 hours.

Second, If Russia does not respect the no fly zone or fails to terminate its offensive military actions, my administration will designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and impose severe conditions on that country.

And as a result on all of its allies as well.

Third, If any flights or missiles are launched, targeting Ukrainian targets by Russia or its proxies, we will destroy those jets, plains, helicopters, drones, rockets and missiles, as well as their launching locations.

If you shoot a missile, we will destroy you.

If you don't shoot a missile, you have nothing to worry about.

Fourth, We and our allies will help Ukraine build back its defenses by immediately providing Ukraine with the long range systems it has been requesting for months.

This will allow Ukraine to strike key Russian targets if Russia fails to respect the ceasefire.

This would be part of a $100 billion humanitarian and military A package.

We will propose to Congress for immediate approval.

Fifth, we will give Russia 48 hours to begin moving all of its troops and equipment out of Ukraine.

This effort must be completed within the next 15 days.

If we don't see sufficient movement, we will begin thinking every Russian war vessel in Ukrainian waters.

As well as taking out any land based position, Russia attempts to maintain in Ukraine.

Sixth, the United States and its allies are sending an international force of 5000 troops to take over control of the area, including the Zappa Hariza Power plant, to ensure there is no loss of life by Russia or any country we will give Russia 24 hours to vacate the area within a five mile radious of the plant.

Seventh, I am authorizing our military leaders to begin a one year effort to send an additional 100,000 troops to join our NATO allies and to develop a plan to add 250,000 more men and women to our armed forces.

It is reasonable for you to ask won't these actions provoke Russia and have them initiate a nuclear war?

The answer is that's possible.

But if we don't act now due to Putin's growing desperation, the risk of a chemical or nuclear war will become even greater over time, as will the growing list of threats to our European allies and the rest of the world.

Right now, Russia can leave Ukraine and Putin can tell his people he accomplished his key objectives.

Most Russians have been unaffected by the war, and by ending it now, Putin avoids a dark future which would expose his severe misjudgments to his own people.

Obviously, Ukraine does not present a threat of any kind to Russia and never did, and the damage Russia has done to Ukraine will take hundreds of billions of dollars and decades to repair.

Sadly, the thousands of Ukrainian lives which have been lost can never be replaced.

Nor can we end the suffering of millions of Ukrainian families.

But we can stop more carnage from happening.

Does Russia want a nuclear confrontation?

Vladimir Putin is a very intelligent man.

I am convinced Putin knows if he were to start a nuclear war, his country won't just be devastated, it will be eradicated.

Putin does not want to go down in history as being responsible for the total elimination of Russia and its reduction.

to radioactive piles of rubble.

None of us want that.

Russia is an extraordinary country with ---- resources and an amazingly talented hard working population.

It has a great history, and if it chooses, can have an even greater future ahead as a leader of NAtions.

America and its allies are prepared to work hand in hand with Russia, so it in all nations have the opportunity to achieve their potential.

But Russia's potential is not going to be achieved by it murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent people.

That has to stop today and we are going to stop it.

Each American also has an important role to play during this crisis.

In an effort to stop the billions of dollars Russia earns from its oil and natural gas sales, the United States and many of our allies are ending the purchase of these Russian products.

But our allies need alternatives in an energy market which is highly constrained.

One way each of us can help is to reduce our own energy consumption.

So prices stabilize internationally.

And so there are more resources available for those seeking to cut off Russian supplies.

Therefore, I'm asking every American to support Ukraine and our allies by uniting in an energy conservation effort.

Our goal is to reduce our energy consumption by 15% for at least the next 12 months.

When you are using heating, please turn down your thermostat by a daily average of just 4°.

When you are using cooling, just turn up your thermostat by a daily average of 4°.

Try to reduce your driving mileage each week by just 1/8 and minimize the purchases you make which get delivered to your home.

If we all join together and do this, we will help make energy prices more stable and make energy supplies more plentiful for our allies, as well as help the planet.

I realize many of my fellow Americans will disagree with me, and that the political implications of this decision likely will be terribly unfavorable for me.

While this saddens me.

I know it's far more important to do the right thing than doing what is most politically expedient.

The right thing based on what America stands for, is to do everything we can to end the war in Ukraine.

I hope you would join in this difficult decision, and do whatever you can to support Ukraine and our allies, God Bless America and God bless our troops.

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