The World Could Look Very Different on Wednesday—Especially for Ukraine (video commentary)

11/01/2026

Thank You for Standing With Ukraine https://ukrainesupport…

Russia is attacking Ukraine’s power grid, railways, and civilian areas as winter approaches. Ukraine, meanwhile, is again striking Russian oil infrastructure. On this week’s Big Picture, Professor Gerdes and I confront a dangerous double standard: Why is Russia allowed to keep striking Ukraine while political pressure falls on Ukrainians to limit how they fight back?

Then there are the 500 Patriot missiles. U.S. approval is encouraging—but approval isn’t delivery. President Zelenskyy says Ukraine needs protection now, not years from now. We debate whether existing interceptors could reach Ukraine sooner, what the November 3 U.S. midterm elections might mean for American policy, and whether political announcements are keeping pace with the war.

We also examine Erdoğan’s offer to host negotiations, a reported Russian drone incursion into Romanian airspace, FLASH’s warnings about Chinese technology in Russian drones, Ukraine’s efforts to target missile launchers and Su-34 aircraft, and the Oleshky evacuation amid concerns about Russian propaganda and renewed fighting. And we ask whether a new confrontation with Iran could divert Washington’s attention from Ukraine.