Neutrality Studies

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comSteven Starr: https://thebulletin.org/biography/steven-starr/

Analyst mentioned in the video: Iván Ramírez de Arellano (https://x.com/JominiW)Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudiesNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Stas' channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MrSlavikmanNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

After 4 years of all-out war in Europe it is high time for peace. A german alliance of thinkers, journalists and a former Ex-NATO General have submitted a proposal to finally end the bloody Ukraine war. But the EU is still immovable.I’m joined again by Michael von der Schulenburg, Member of the European Parliament and longtime UN/OSCE peace negotiator. We talk on the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russia-Ukraine war and the uncomfortable gap between public war rhetoric and the hard limits of real diplomacy. Michael explains the peace proposal his group drafted, the letters sent to EU leaders, and the political climate that treats negotiation itself like a taboo. We also dig into collapsed arms control, the fading “red lines” of nuclear risk, and the way Ukraine’s future gets discussed in rooms far from the front.Links:Europe Needs Peace: https://michael-von-der-schulenburg.com/europa-braucht-jetzt-den-mut-zum-frieden/Open Letters to Kaja Kallas and Roberta Metsola: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/p/open-letter-to-kaja-kallas-and-robertaMichael von der Schulenburg (website): https://michael-von-der-schulenburg.com/Michael von der Schulenburg (European Parliament profile): https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/256966/MICHAEL_VON%2BDER%2BSCHULENBURG/homeNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comTimestamps:00:00:00 Anniversary setting and opening stakes00:01:40 Letters to EU leaders and peace proposal00:06:38 OSCE vision, Paris Charter, ignored security00:12:20 Deadlock mindset and endings in past wars00:19:41 US-Russia track and Europe as spoiler00:26:20 Military realism and silencing peace voices00:33:22 Propaganda lock-in and breaking the frame00:37:10 Backchannel attempts and Ukraine collapse risk00:45:21 Where the letters will be published and close

YouTube: https://youtu.be/mj5-wmnZBeQCan “limited” nuclear war be planned on European soil, or only survived in fantasy? Can preparation for nuclear use ever make sense once Berlin-scale firestorms, shelter deaths, and fallout are put on the table?I’m Pascal Lottaz (Kyoto University), joined by Ted Postol (MIT professor emeritus, nuclear weapons researcher) and Rainer Rupp (German former intelligence professional with NATO experience). Ted walks through the real physical effects of a single airburst over Berlin, then Rainer connects that reality to the 1983 war scare, Able Archer, and the dangerous gap between nuclear planning and what nuclear weapons actually do.Links:Able Archer 83: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_Archer_83Operation RYAN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_RYANNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and nuclear war premise00:01:06 One detonation over Berlin setup00:05:02 Fireball heat and shockwave basics00:13:08 Thermal burns and blast at 5 km00:22:00 Firestorms shelters and mass death00:26:21 1983 war scare Able Archer and RYAN00:43:11 Pentagon view submarines and accident risk00:53:14 Leadership blind spots and short warning time01:09:42 2026 Europe nuclear debate and closing remarks

Support us on Substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Our shop: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com Dr. Pietro ShakarianLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pietro-shakarian-7a792563/?originalSubdomain=amHomepage: https://people.aua.am/team_member/dr-pietro-a-shakarian/

Can Europe unify without repeating empire and breakup cycles? Is the euro a trap without a shared budget, and could real-time AI planning replace markets? I sit down with Captain Ivo Yotsov, professor at the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, to map six failed unifications and a choice for Europe.Links:Ivo Yotsov ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0300-9417Ivo Yotsov on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ivo-YotsovNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:02 Liberal institutionalism vs realism00:03:09 Six unifications from 800 to Napoleon00:12:41 German order and the eurozone trap00:20:00 Yugoslavia and the center-periphery split00:24:19 Borders shift and the escape problem00:26:01 Fourth theory and real-time planned economy00:33:10 Direct democracy and system control00:38:56 Museum Europe or reindustrialized Europe

Original video: https://youtu.be/F5RriRhSF5sA US armada off Iran, airlifts into the region, and Geneva talks running in parallel with Russia-Ukraine negotiations—signal for a real strike, or a pressure bluff meant to force a nuclear deal and spark unrest at home?In this episode I’m joined by Ian Proud, former UK diplomat and the voice behind The Peacemonger, to weigh the Iran buildup, Israel’s trigger risk, and the odd Geneva setup with Trump’s inner-circle negotiators. We also dig into Europe’s role in blocking an end to the Ukraine war, the EU’s push for militarization and central power, and the financial and political bombshell of fast-tracking Ukraine into EU structures. We close on the Russia-China-Iran triangle, hedging vs alliance talk, and the Hormuz nightmare scenario hanging over global energy.Links:Ian Proud Substack The Peacemonger: https://thepeacemonger.substack.com/Ian Proud YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IanProudIan Proud on X: https://x.com/proud_diplomatNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:36 Iran buildup, flotilla scale, pressure tactics00:05:02 Israel strike risk and US entanglement00:06:42 Geneva dual-track talks and war theater swapping00:10:16 Witkoff and Kushner credibility and sequencing00:14:45 Missile demands, JCPOA legacy, Europe in lockstep00:20:44 EU militarization, enemy politics, sovereignty pushback00:23:49 Ukraine fast-track EU plan and budget reality00:37:19 China Russia Iran coordination and Hormuz risk00:40:59 Hedging logic and closing remarks

Original on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cGSMEkf5mCgMunich sounded like empire talk again: last gasp or full return? Sanctions as speech control, financial warfare aimed at China, and an oil shock hanging over Europe all come up fast. Today I’m joined by my friend Stanislav Krapivnik to take this apart, line by line.Links:Stanislav Krapivnik on X: https://x.com/StasKrapivnikStanislav Krapivnik on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MrSlavikmanNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.comTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:31 Rubio speech and empire nostalgia00:03:19 Family history and empire mindset00:11:10 US roots revolt and expansion00:15:12 Empire comeback framing in Europe00:24:35 Sanctions and speech discipline at home00:26:46 Protect Taiwan Act and financial coercion00:36:19 Economic power shift and bloc formation00:50:06 Cuba tankers Iran flashpoint Hormuz shock

Can a blacklist replace a court? Can a travel ban turn Europe into a cage? I sit down with Dr. Juan Branco, French-Spanish lawyer and activist who advised Julian Assange and now defends Nathalie Yamb, to trace EU sanctions from asset freezes to speech policing.-- Sorry for the choppy connection. The recording had issues. Links:Juan Branco on X: https://x.com/anatoliumNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Can EU sanctions turn into punishment without trial, and can foreign-policy powers be aimed inward at Europeans? In this talk, I’m joined by Colonel Jacques Baud (former Swiss Army colonel and intelligence officer), now targeted by EU sanctions, to unpack the legal gray zone, the evidence problem, and the wider push for narrative control.Links:Appeal & petition site: https://www.appeal-baud.comNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Originally published on Feb 16, 2026.Why is the West suddenly terrified of hearing the other side? We used to study opponents without fear, but now it is forbidden. Are our governments just managing stories instead of fixing real problems? It really feels like we are becoming the closed system we once opposed.To make sense of this strange new world, I sat down with two men who refuse to follow the herd. Peter Lavelle left the corporate world to become a leading voice in Russian media, while Dr. John Laughland traded British politics for honest academic work in Europe. They are true non-conformists who aren't afraid to speak their minds.Links:The Gaggle with Peter and George:    / @thegagglewithpeterandgeorge  Neutrality Studies Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudiesNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...

Originally published on Feb 14, 2026.The US government promises a massive nuclear build-up, but do they even have the plywood to build the factories? What happens when the skilled workers needed for doomsday weapons leave for better-paying AI jobs? Is the American war machine running on pure delusion?To find the truth behind the curtain, I brought in Greg Mellow. He is an engineer and former enforcement official who has spent the last 35 years acting as a watchdog over these very labs. As the co-founder of the Los Alamos Study Group, he breaks down exactly why the system is failing from the inside.Links:Los Alamos Study Group: https://lasg.orgStop The Bomb: https://stopthebomb.orgNeutrality Studies Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudiesNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...

Originally published on Feb 11, 2026.Why is neutral Ireland suddenly rewriting its laws to send soldiers into foreign conflicts without a UN mandate? We are told our peaceful stance hasn't changed, yet we are seeing a rush to buy attack weapons and join EU battle groups. Is the government hiding a secret plan for war?To help me understand this shadow agenda, I invited Niamh Ni Bhriain, an author and activist at the Transnational Institute, along with Fionn Wallace, a former researcher at the EU Parliament. Together, we look past the official story to see how Ireland is being quietly pushed into a new era of militarization.Links:Neutrality Studies Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudiesNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...

Originally published on Feb 11, 2026.Sarah Luzia Hassel-Reusing and Volker Reusing have been human rights defenders for 25 years and achieved many victories. In this conversation, the two explain how they would proceed against EU sanctions, at which levels action can be taken, and why—even without any immediate prospects for change—court rulings and expert legal opinions remain important tools in the long struggle to defend individual rights against state overreach.Original Video in German:    • Menschenrechte Verteidigen Gegen Sanktione...  Links:Blog: https://unser-politikblog.blogspot.comZAAVV Report: https://www.zaavv.com/images/pdf/zaav...Neutrality Studies Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudiesSupport us on Substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comGoods Store: ⁠https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...

Originally published on Feb 8, 2026.Many people are talking about a collapsing Europe that is losing the war in Ukraine. But according to my guest today, the reality is exactly the opposite. The EU is in fact the war’s quiet winner, because the threat narrative provides it with everything it needs to transform itself into a state. One only has to look at how the EU has empowered itself by imposing sanctions on its own citizens and residents. The authority to define enemies, both external and internal, is a core element of state sovereignty—something Carl Schmitt already understood. And to put the final, ironic touch on it: guess who is now assuming the EU’s “leadership role”? Exactly. The Reich idea is far from dead. It’s back.Links:Original video in German here: ⁠   • Dank Ukrainekrieg: EU ermächtigt sich selb...  ⁠Neutrality Studies Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudiesNeutrality Studies substack: ⁠https://pascallottaz.substack.com⁠ Goods Store: ⁠https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...

Originally published on Feb 7, 2026.Links:Neutrality Studies Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudiesNeutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/a...)Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...

Originally published on Feb 6, 2026.Former German Spy, Rainer Rupp analyses the weak US hand in West Asia and how the US manoeuvred itself into a corner from which only Russia can help it out again without losing face.Links:Neutrality Studies Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudiesNeutrality Studies substack: ⁠https://pascallottaz.substack.com⁠ Goods Store: ⁠https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourth...