The podcast episode discusses Vladimir Putin's inner circle and whether or not he speaks with moderating forces. The episode also touches on the people around Putin who have come from a similar mindset and the speculations about who Putin confides in.
There is a restorationist wing within Russia’s security services and state apparatus, who want to bring back Russian orthodoxy as a state instrument, according to Mark Ames in his podcast appearance.
Despite having a tight and trustworthy circle, Vladimir Putin is known to be extremely guarded, and very few people can actually have deep political discussions with him.
The transcript discusses the influence of the pandemic on Putin's viewpoints, and how diverse sources of information are funneled into him via people in the presidential administration.
The podcast discusses Trump's decision-making process and how he collects information from people to make decisions. They also analyze his decision to invade Ukraine and who he consulted before making this decision.