Fiona Hill

So I think this is going to be pretty messy.

Sure.

I mean, you know, we're only, you know, one step away from all kinds of uncertainty with his health as well.

And as Bill Burns said some time ago, former head of the CIA, unfortunately, he seems extremely healthy.

You know, he's had his health scares like, you know, most of us do.

You know, but he's in his 70s now.

He's heading towards his mid 70s.

He was born in October 1952.

So he's not quite 70, you know, 75 yet.

But, you know, this year he's 74.

You don't know how long people are going to continue with all of their factors.

I mean, Trump, of course, turns 80 this year.

So anything where Putin looks like he might be losing his grip, any singular disaster within the Russian economy or something else that is a major setback.

I mean, look how fragile things appeared to be when Yevgeny Prigozhin started his march on Moscow.

We don't know what could trigger things off.

It's all about events.

There is a great deal of uncertainty here today.

in this current geopolitical climate, as you've already laid out, and the economy isn't doing as well as it is, what if the Europeans suddenly get a backbone and a spine?

What if there's a change of heart or a change of government here in the United States?

What if President Xi of China suddenly starts to feel that maybe this close association with Russia is not benefiting in the way that they thought, and they might need to nudge Putin and Russia in a different direction?