Mike Baker

Of course, Ukraine and Russia.

I understand that you just got back from Ukraine.

And I mean, Russia in sort of a fascinating development, I don't use that word lightly, but just recently over the past couple of days launched a very large barrage on Ukrainian cities, particularly Kiev.

But I think the most interesting aspect of that particular aerial assault, because they've been doing it for years now,

was the way that they set the table, the way they built up the threat and talked about it for days and days and days.

Do you think...

I mean, it's a two part question because I'm looking at both Ukraine and Russia, but two or three years, you know, that implies this thing is going on a seven, eight, nine year war.

Now, obviously, I know we were we were in Afghanistan for a long period of time, but that was a different type of you could argue a different type of conflict.

Do both sides have the ability to drag this out that long?

Well, I was going to say it's really that second part of your statement is not so much.

I mean, he'll he'll continue to do it as long as he feels like he's not creating the sort of civil unrest that will result him losing his grip.

That's what we can help.

Yeah, that relationship is always very interesting to analyze.

And look, even as we talk now, the sort of the fickle energy markets, it's not really fickle, I guess.

It's just an indicator of how anxious they are with the Middle East conflict.

you know oil is about 93 to 95 dollars a barrel right it it came down a little bit because yet again there was another positive comment from from the administration about where the iran negotiations may be and and despite the track record so far of every time there's a positive comment or an optimistic comment um and then it gets shot down by the iranian regime um

The markets still react in this.

And again, it shows sort of the anxiety and the fact that they're all living on hope that something's going to happen.

But you're right.

If oil stays over 100 a barrel, then Putin's in a much better position.