00:00Dr. Eli, we learned the UK was part of this mission, RAF actually, was part of this mission
00:05to capture this Venezuelan-linked Russian-flagged oil tanker yesterday in the North Atlantic.
00:14Do you think that the UK's done this because it needs to carry favour with the US right now?
00:20Because NATO has been something that keeps on coming up, and if the US is going to withdraw
00:28from NATO, obviously we discussed Greenland, so do you think this is a way of the UK to
00:33say, we're here for you?
00:35First, yes, definitely, but let me start with the bromance in that sense.
00:40I think it's not bad.
00:41It's good to have a good personal relationship between world leaders in general, especially
00:48in a situation where the American administration is so individual-centred in that sense, and
00:56the personality of President Trump and J.D. Vance and other people plays a huge role in
01:02how American policy is made in this period.
01:05So it's good to appeal to that personal connection.
01:08It's good to have that personal connection.
01:10It could break a lot of barriers or of hurdles in potential negotiations.
01:17Definitely, as Rebecca mentioned, the key focus of the UK is to find the solution for Ukraine,
01:23Ukraine, and they truly feel the Russian threat in that sense, which is not felt in Washington
01:30or not reciprocated.
01:32So definitely, they will be focusing on that.
01:35Definitely, I think more importantly, with regards to the whole NATO situation, I think
01:41if anybody is able to bridge that gap between the US position and the European position, it's
01:47going to be the UK, if they are up to the challenge, if they are willing to play that role, I think
01:53they are well placed to play that role.
01:56And small corporations like the issue on the tanker or other things could lead way to more
02:02discussions, more convincing of other ways on how to reassure the US on Greenland, how
02:07to give the US what it needs in Greenland without actually having an aggressive action
02:13against it, an action that is being really questioned by even the strongest supporters
02:19of President Trump in the Republican camp.
02:21And I was just telling you before the show that Senator John Kennedy, who is a staunch supporter
02:27of President Trump, said it would be extremely stupid to have an aggressive action against
02:34a NATO member.
02:35And he said, I strongly believe President Trump is not a stupid person, so he would not be
02:40doing such a thing.
02:42It's a very, very controversial issue.
02:44But again, Trump has done worse things in that sense.
02:48But there's a potential, again, for the role of the UK to bridge that gap between the Atlantic
02:54shores.
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