Why This Year of War Rewrote the Ukraine Playbook & Asia’s Strategic Crossroads

December 27, 2025

AI Summary

5 min read

The Format: This year-end special of the PDB Situation Report features host Mike Baker conducting in-depth interviews with geopolitical experts, reflecting on 2025 global hotspots like Ukraine and the Far East while projecting into 2026, delivered in a strategic and unflinching tone that cuts through diplomatic spin.
The Format: Interviews with subject-matter experts on security and foreign policy.
The Key Players:
- George Barros: Russia Team Leader at the Institute for the Study of War, a sharp analyst known for data-driven battlefield assessments and debunking Kremlin propaganda; frequent show guest providing granular Ukraine war insights.
- Steve Yates: Senior Research Fellow for China and National Security Policy at the Heritage Foundation, a veteran Asia policy expert with personal stakes in U.S.-China tensions, offering balanced critiques of Trump administration moves.

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1 **(00:00) 🎙️ Introduction: George Barros, Russia Team Leader at the Institute for the Study of War**
2 **(02:52) 2025 Ukraine Battlefield Recap**
3 **(05:48) Russian Negotiation Stance and 2026 Outlook**
4 **(07:34) Russian Economy and Post-War Risks**
5 **(10:01) Miami Negotiations Analysis**
6 **(12:37) Russian Negotiation Tactics**
7 **(19:16) Trump Admin Ukraine Support into 2026**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

In this episode of The PPDB Situation Report:

We begin in Ukraine, where another brutal year of war has upended long-held assumptions on both sides of the battlefield. What’s changed, what hasn’t, and what it tells us about where the conflict is heading next. Joining us to break it all down is George Barros from the Institute for the Study of War.
Later in the show, we shift our focus to the Far East, where strategic competition continues to intensify across the region—from Beijing’s long-term ambitions to Washington’s evolving posture. We’ll be joined by Steve Yates from The Heritage Foundation to break it all down.

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