Feels compelled to go to war washingtons obsession with iran is hardly over. Joining me every thursday on the alex im im sure and ill be speaking to us of the world of politics sports business im show business ill see you then. Welcome to sophie and co im so ever not there is fortune is asked and made it into billions and billions of dollars and. Globally minded person who could theoretically be investing his money in lots a worldwide project if it werent for the western sanctions because businessman and sports money put aside president clintons closest circle today my guest is actually about the. Wisdom sanctions against russia are affecting companies and industries but they also targeted russias most influential businessman personally whats it like to be persona nongrata your own country. Will trade ties between russia and the rest of the world survive the sanctions and is russian business adapting to its new reality ed you know the narrative well its great to have you on our program at this really really happy because we have lots to talk about so there is no widespread idea in the west that slapping sanctions against certain people their assets their kompany will push those people to create an opposition to the russian president and that will eventually result in a policy change youre one of the 1st people who were hit by the sanctions and they mean they havent been since then its been 5 years and the sanctions havent changed russias stance at all how long are you ready just saying this pressure like forever. Will probably be better without sanctions since its easier to do business and sanctions do have a certain negative impact on the business. That we are living under these sanctions we had me for a while now and will continue to do so. Doesnt bother us really and there are no major disruptions here. Is that how much money have you lost because of sanctions and youve got your new. Number. No there is no such figure. There was the 1st wave that mainly affected to bank because there was a global rush and people started withdrawing money from their accounts and they took out significant amounts out of our bank. At 1st it did a failed operations then we took a number of steps and explain to our clients that it is no actual risk to them and thankfully they believe. So there is no danger. Basically we didnt lose anything you filed a complaint. To the European Court of justice challenging the restrictive measures imposed on us what are you hoping to achieve i mean the europeans imposed sanctions against you and they did it legally its based on the year loss what makes you think that the European Court of justice overturned its. Just sanctions and it was before we started building the crimea bridge so they had no basis for imposing sanctions i went to court and i warned. Dissensions to against me in 20142015 or unlawful moten 2015 we started building the bridge so they extended just sanctions made them what. For you was more about them acknowledging the fact that the sanctions against you are lawful and unfair rather than give getting Something Back yes it was about lowering justice because we believed it was completely unjust dissensions were imposed will no reason whatsoever we would build the crimea. Well we still have a bit to finish up with the Railway Tracks and we will be. Wrestling through what precious businessman has of state owned kompany as they stand united in saying that sanctions are all full they hurt business but you know will manage to pull through my at the very end will become Even Stronger as an ordinary person i dont really see any opportunities here i dont see that things have somehow improved over the last 5 years. I dont see them where do you see them could you explain what this opportunity is are and how the sanctions are mobilizing our economy are pushing us forward. I dont get it. The sanctions have influenced operations of course you know i simply man did we learn how to leave on to these sanctions. Its not the end of the world we dont scare us. Let them get all. Pascoe told me that sanction i mean a lack of Foreign Investment which is very dangerous for the russian economy and that in a sense whole thing is actually about opportunity strangely rather than. How come you dont share his passion is. I think hes being too pessimistic about this. Take a great culture for example. There is been a fusion breakthrough. Now we have a new technology. Were moving away from the ro experts role but if. We had to produce Something Else develop our own technology. That is definitely a good thing. That we go now we need to get results thank you very. Much we could afford to be idle and would things often work or not or do them at all but we need to do. That if we start falling behind if we slow down. We will fall behind and completely. So we have to be proactive all the time. Because it would be easier without saying theres no question about. That so you say. Thinking about the legacy behind what after crimea breach of a dream or maybe a plan to build something similarly impressive. Fails in march i dont really get what could be more grandiose than the crimea bridge. There is a number of things really i think its like giving birth to a baby we have made this arrangement and now its hour of daybreak i have many children. Love one of them more than all the others. I have to love them equally for russia the bridges on down to the a very important it was a challenging project. 4 times they tried to Start Construction and failed. I have many new projects in mind. I dont really want to go into that. But we do have a dream like the president will be working for a while yet. But i will. Let you know with whom with why do you think that you know you are interested with a crime a rich construction. Very important project because your presence close friend and he knows you for a long time. Or because he says Something Else and you because of their lot of rich people in russia but somehow you got intrusted with this project why wouldnt she being the one. Many takers to be honest. Some were afraid to buy some new. They wont be able to finish the construction many had relatives in ukraine or firstly our capacity whether or not we could build the bridge was then they made a decision and said if you trust us with it we can tell you this project and build the bridge so you know an engineer architect you spearheaded the construction of a unique region you had to act together a team that you could trust so its 100 percent how did you ever see that word and how did you get the experts consider that im going out a Bridge Builder youre not a specialist yourself i mean if anything had gone wrong responsibility would have fallen on you not the team. Youre right im not an architect and i didnt mention the instruction works. Too well what happened then we did not build the bridge bit old i couldnt sleep at night knowing with. All this 3 and a half years. Yes i actually never talked about this those are issues with food that was one of a kind operation and that was a man to be they were trying to imagine is where all the g. Is would work seamlessly similar to any. One of them broke down the bridge would be doomed we had never build anything that ambitious and that is why i knew that if we pulled through them i would have something to be proud of. Our children. Rather good but you turned your life upside down you dont regret it at all you cant even like get a vacation outside russia actually its not that i could go places anyway since i was on the sanctions less so my life didnt change march i do love russia i love the more people there know a lot of places were going to have a really good time especially now that we have crimea crimea ill try and buy col is absolutely stunning i regret nothing i have many children and i havent lost my appetite for life and i do enjoy it. But right now when were back talking to business men and present the closest of friends ive got you know at the back stay with us. Live live. Live. Live live. Live. Live. Live. Live live. Live. Live. Live. Oh. Please. Live. So. Slim. And very well welcome to you watching us inside us. Good food descriptions sound up the deicing even for the owners so how to choose had Food Industry is telling us what to feed our pets really more based on what they want to sell us than was necessarily good for the patent turns out in the truth and may not be as healthy as people believe and we have animals that have you know diabetes and arthritis and they have auto immune disorders allergies we are actually creating these problems its a huge of a democrat problems all of them i believe can be linked to a very simple problem of diet and some dog owners so heartbreaking stories about their pets last treats the larger corporations are not very interested in proving or disproving the value of their food because theyre already making a 1000000000. 00 on it and theres no reason to do that research. Is hard to take so from somebody if you know have some replacement. Work to syria to use market over and that they take me. For your area. So occupied so you start selling drugs but if well hear some of those the money it back. Into israel the way of life its almost a very sickly mccullers peaceful for the worse to us whats a good many security positions are you know. They are jacked me again. Youll see people get all their cars and ill see you coming in the herd and it seems like theyll hurry about run into the house like they dont want to they dont want to talk to your goods or mail or anything like that. Try reading. Public will. When the ruling classes project themselves. We can all middle of the room. And were back with business men are gods rocking very. Much. So i mean there has to be a reason for this common approach in russia which is you cant earn money in russia you can only steal it why cant people these days make money and they could be honest about it and how can we change it i mean its not like we can eradicate corruption by endlessly putting people behind bars one after another yes i mean look at china they have a death sentence for that just like what it during stalin times but every once in a while president s see these attacks at another corrupt official you have a list of them to my mind what we need is a revolutionary changes. Youre right saying that restrictions and punishments would get us nowhere when you forbid your child to do something they only keep thinking about how to do that very thing anyway. So no prohibition xenon of these numerous arrests but i think an even our president said that they can stir up some fear. But they will not bring fundamental change. In the deal so how do you have big businesses and you personally see this socalled high profile corruption expert says he published by either the authorities or the opposition that the number actually does this get on your nerves even Pay Attention yet it may be actually disciplined i think. When a case is all transparent and. Then we need to expose it so that ready everyone. Is certain to punish mint has to be there but i think. These people however should not go over the top and the problem was that we were to loss of. More of our own talent. But that keeps you on your toes right. Yes thats true. All the sanctions in place is there any hope that well be able to actually benefit from the basic breakthroughs in technology and Artificial Intelligence i mean yeah we should advance our own Scientific Research but its the west and the us in particular that at the forefront Technological Progress right now where are we going to get new technologies i mean are you thinking. China south korea perhaps. We are smart enough i think. Well never be lacking in mathematicians Software Engineers physicists or anyone else for that matter so we have what it takes to develop. So we just need to stop competing with all cells because everyone is holding the blanket. Someone develops a new technology or worse because they keep it to themselves who are not willing to share at any cost. Should be vice versa and we need to join our efforts with that. Certain amount socialism and patrie it isnt because when everyone is on their own thats capitalism. When theyre one is on their own its about capitalism this way the only thing we get is a handful of companies but a little capital with the word. I think it is way better to. Major company look at what alibaba and male dog. Building something really big it was when that would be a huge step forward to. Start and will have what it takes to actually grow and develop take a look at the defense industry. Even though no one in the worst wont we would actually do it but we did. That one then we will need to invest in technology as much as we did in weapons is this happening. Yes and that is exactly the plan of course the west is not going to stand in wait for the day were trailing behind but we need to move forward any way you can lets turn as if. We can find a way to snipe some new technologies from them they would respond with more sanctions and once again will be cut off and would have to go asking for handouts need to start doing something in our road for example Artificial Intelligence this is serious. Anyway we need to move forward whatever it takes and we shouldnt expect help from anyone new in china just find resources here in russia and tap into the potential we have to. Do we even have the money im not sure we have them yes absolutely their mindset to be here is more Asian Alliance who always had every ambitious slogans. 5 year plan in 4 years to be used to say in the soviet times so if we give our people enough inspiration and somehow unite them there will be nothing we couldnt do it just happened with the crimea break ill talk about that we pivot to the east to china i mean is it a good idea for Chinese People i talked to they say that this is good for us in the International Arena because china russia together are a power to be reckoned with and i also spoke about that with a lot of people from the political and business circles and they think that the chinese are very difficult partners actually and its difficult to reach an agreement with them on their loans or expensive terms and conditions are oppressive also could you share your experience ive had some experience of dealing with them even though i dont have any joint projects or the chinese at this point. Or the chinese have a whole different mindset thats a. Very different. Yes and that you encourage russian businesses to pull their money off from the off shores because of the risks and the west can arrest the money at any moment in this war of sanctions so why would a russian enter printer or need an offshore i dont i think ordinary people have certain tastes of the word why cant our businessmen just keep their money in russia. Which one is anything that im profitable or. What happened because for some time there was a like a honey pot. Everyone believe that it was all on stable and on the reliability. Of the thought that if one was great over the russian businessman the want to do business in the west and it was. Everything away from them in russia its now its the opposite a business is outside of russia were snatched lesters frozen old blog and whine about it and no one can take your business away here and were good all we have is in russia. Nothing is that are possible but i believe the Business Climate is Getting Better and better. And im asking this because after crimea there are rules of the game between major businesses and the kremlin have obviously changed now and a businessman who lives in russia and who is wealthy enough has to build Something Like you had to build a bridge back but it was sanctions right president asks to finance a project and you know our business is so we have no other way than to agree on the whole this way they all have to contribute somehow to russias geo political interests to compare that to what we had 10 years ago this is not freedom at all i mean your so on free well. If you look at the situation with the bridge for example the president. Come here youre going to build a bridge and if you do and. It was quite the opposite actually. To consider the risks and i was aware of the risks what we do here we do for our country or superpower is our what should live here. We have no plans to move anywhere else. But why shouldnt we build this bridge when i talk to all the groups there was a many of them saying this is local and i want more get me and all our money here to go under this president under of course why should we take you somewhere else because i want to give orders were telling us what to do with our capital but the words and you go out if you want to in this here or there where not only i mean our thought of what youre alive would be like when the president is not your close friend im asking because ive experienced something similar in georgia. You know one power change happens in our country so its that people that you thought you could rely on and just disappear somewhere and this is very surprising because its not at all like you thought it would be even understanding youre very close with him president 6 but what is your life going to be like when he was president. I think about it was a little bit is it with all the news weve been friends remain friends no matter what friendship has stood the test of time over 50 years. Thanks for everything or that in the thanks for the work of course and thank you bill. Birdsall ahead. For the future of the size. Of our group. Of 7 is that people. Just. Committed. To move. The net to fish you know not just before. They are the house of. God since we. Need. Them in donated. Skin who are. Looking for an assistant definition in. The news to. You know what i i dont want to talk to a communist news agency forgive me well have to find someone to. Lower the trying to stay with us wants to give meaning of the going to be just like the jews this is exactly when my father. Died. So i. Mean if i mean yes see him through that where. We have to be the bad guys 6 2. I think i can. Fight falsely its an indication of how important our small one song. So without a song to it indication of where the left was moved towards we are definitely winning it because we have the people they have people in power but we are in the month. I. Dont want to look at it i dont like what im saying i like on the front lawn. You know. You dont estates imposes sanctions on iran supremely in the wake of the drawing shooting we look at how washington the country seems to be pulling in different directions. The top of ministrations middle east peace plan is rejected by palestine critics are accusing washington of trying to bribe arabs to making political concessions. On the parents of critically ill palestinian infants taken from gaza to better equipped hospitals in israel are being denied access to the children exit permits