Ukraine

[Vrede too]

With the regional secession and occupation it seems certain that we'll be discussing Ukraine for a long time. Feels worthy of its own thread to me, but if folks want to stick with Other countries, so be it.

Ukraine-Russia: Germany suspends Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

Big step towards NATO solidarity.

[GoCubsGo]

With the regional secession and occupation it seems certain that we'll be discussing Ukraine for a long time. Feels worthy of its own thread to me

Probably overdue for it's own thread, just hope we don't need to expand it.

The fear is real. It's got a 1930's vibe.

[billy.pilgrim]

The thread title may prove to be geographically optimistic.

[Ulysses]

I wonder if Putin will be content with "just" annexing Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, or if he will insist on all of the larger Donbass region.

[GoCubsGo]

I wonder if Putin will be content with "just" annexing Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, or if he will insist on all of the larger Donbass region.

Really?

The fear is real. It's got a 1930's vibe.

[Ulysses]

I wonder if Putin will be content with "just" annexing Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, or if he will insist on all of the larger Donbass region.

Really?

The fear is real. It's got a 1930's vibe.

Well, I don't discount Putin's capability to annex all of Ukraine, to restore the Russian equivalent of the Soviet empire. And perhaps topple various western democracies at the same time. And it could happen. Putin being Trump's good buddy.

[Vrede too]

The thread title may prove to be geographically optimistic.

Ouch, well put.

We may need a thread titled 'SSRs'.

[GoCubsGo]

The thread title may prove to be geographically optimistic.

Ouch, well put.

We may need a thread titled 'SSRs'.

Or former "Stans".

[Whack9]

He's even gonna go after people currently named Stan.

[billy.pilgrim]

[billy.pilgrim]

[billy.pilgrim]

[neoplacebo]

It sort of makes me wish Reagan was still alive. But then again, the GQP is so far gone at this point not even Ron Ray Gun could fish slap some sense into them.

[Vrede too]

It sort of makes me wish Reagan was still alive. But then again, the GQP is so far gone at this point not even Ron Ray Gun could fish slap some sense into them.

Interesting, and relevant to your post:

The real reason Putin played a pussycat during the Trump presidency

... Trump was indeed volatile, impulsive, and capricious. It's certainly possible that Putin feared a move against Ukraine could spark a massive military response from Trump.

But it's far more likely he hoped for something very different. As Jonathan Last pointedly suggested on Tuesday in his newsletter for The Bulwark, Trump expressed his desire on numerous occasions for the United States to withdraw from NATO altogether. He did so while campaigning for president in 2016. He did so as president. And apparently, he even made clear to advisers he hoped to make it a reality after he won re-election in 2020.

Since such a withdrawal is Putin's fondest wish, it makes far greater sense to suppose his relative restraint during the Trump presidency was a function of a reasonable expectation he might get everything he wanted without having to fire a shot. Only now, with a less … unorthodox American president in charge, has war become Putin's only means of advancing his more immediate aim of ensuring NATO moves no closer to Russian territory.

Putin didn't play nice guy from 2017 to 2020 because he was afraid of Donald Trump. He did so because he knew he had nothing to fear from the fanboy in the Oval Office.

In a different region Dolt 45 handed Syria to Putin. Vlad never had to challenge the US there.

[Whack9]

Russia has invaded Ukraine.

[GoCubsGo]

Russia has invaded Ukraine.

The "Peacekeeping" mission begins.

In earnest.

[GoCubsGo]

Vlad has been taking lessons from Kim Jong Un.

[Ulysses]

It's almost as if Trump is now writing Putin's speeches.

[Whack9]

China on the situation in Ukraine:

China has refused to condemn Russia's attack on Ukraine Thursday, instead repeating calls for parties to "exercise restraint" and accusing the United States of "fueling fire" in the tensions.

In a Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefing that went on for more than 90 minutes, spokesperson and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying dodged more than 11 questions regarding Russia's actions in Ukraine. They included repeated inquiries on whether Beijing would consider Russia's acts an invasion and whether they violated Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Hua added that China would begin importing Russian wheat, a move that could ease the impact of Western sanctions on Russia.

"The Ukraine issue has a very complicated historical background. It has evolved to the present situation due to the joint action of various factors ... security should be a matter of joint cooperation and sustainable security, and the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be respected and addressed," Hua said sticking closely to comments made the previous day.

China is "closely following the latest situation" and calls on parties to "exercise restraint to avoid the situation getting out of control," Hua said repeatedly.

After questions from multiple media on whether China considered Russia's moves an invasion, Hua asked reporters, "Why are you obsessed with this question?
"You can ask the US side. They keep fueling fires ... You can ask them if they have any plans to put out the fire."

Http://cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine ... index.html

Damn. I feel like they're not even trying.

[Whack9]

Vlad has been taking lessons from Kim Jong Un.

I saw a video of Putin speaking with one of his ministers. The dude looks like he's losing it. He looks stressed and pissed and straight up crazy. I feel like throughout this whole situation he hasn't been able to control the narrative, and the west beat him at his own propaganda game by releasing Intel refuting everything he claimed. And in the end that Intel was proven correct. I wonder if that's gotten under his skin?