Ukraine-Russia War Take 2
Here is what the preliminary take on the Ukraine thread disappearing is:
The site was hit with a massive spam attack wher
Tough. In the 21st century how do you fight an enemy that has zero regard for their own population, and weaponizes your own empathy against you?
Remember, Yemen is a giant, overpopulated (and getting worse, one of the highest population growth rates in the world) welfare state that relies completely on Western aid for the survival of its people.
Under a different moral framework, you just cut off aid, cripple infrastructure and siege Houthis into submission. But tens of millions of people might die before that happened.
In the 21st century I am not sure there is much to do about the Houthis, unless we are willing to withhold aid as leverage. Seems everyone has decided just to go around South Africa and have higher shipping costs. China buys a lot of Iran oil and doesn't have their morality weaponized against them like western nations have, so they have leverage and have negotiated safe passage for their ships (there is also accusations China is directly aiding the Houthis).
He is definitely not a republican. The biggest donor to his foundation is Soros. He is very much a globalist. Perhaps his biggest position is investing in green energy.
He just sees china as the future leader of a globalist world. Who knows. Maybe this is the correct analysis?
So you saying someone being a globalist isn’t American ?
Globalism is about free trade right ?
Wasn’t Republican/libertarian vivid proponents of free trade , being the best way to run an economy and create wealth ?
Now it’s the opposite ?
Like I said, tell that to the people in Serbia, Iraq, Syria, and probably 15 places in Africa I dont know about. Didn't the Trump administration recently announce they supported some breakaway nation in the Horn of Africa area? I think there are valid reasons to support Ukrainian independence, and decry the Russian invasion. But I would caution against the "borders are sacro
I can agree to that and that is why I gave Putin a pass in 2014 for Crimea …
Not the second time around tho …
Why is a Ukraine delegation meeting with Rubio and team in Saudi Arabia?
I thought the latest was for the EU/NATO group to draft up some peace plan and review it with Trump.
Hard to keep track of who has the peace baton...
Only thing for sure is nobody is asking Russia what they would concede, but everyone piling on Ukraine with that question.
WOW
Politics
Ukraine willing to accept 30-day ceasefire with Russia after talks with U.S. in Saudi Arabia
By Jennifer Jacobs, Haley Ott
March 11, 2025 / 2:04 PM EDT / CBS News
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — Ukraine said it would accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia after talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the fighting on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the U.S. and Ukraine.
The agreement came after more than eight hours of negotiations between Ukrainian officials and a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
"Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation," the U.S. and Ukraine said in a joint statement released by the State Department. "The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace."
The statement said the U.S. "will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine."
the issue has never been ukraine. russia, the country that invaded in the first place, is not even close to satisfied
As Luciom said, it appears the US is resuming security assistance to Ukraine, saying, 'The ball is now in Russia's court.'
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ukrai...
Rubio says that if Russia doesn't accept the ceasefire, as Ukraine has, 'we'll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.'
As Luciom said, it appears the US is resuming security assistance to Ukraine, saying, 'The ball is now in Russia's court.'
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ukrai...
Rubio says that if Russia doesn't accept the ceasefire, as Ukraine has, 'we'll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.'
This is something Ferguson articulated in the podcast I mentioned earlier.
So many westerners were making nonsense statements about how Trump was playing to Putins drum by attacking Ukraine and Putin would be pleased.
But Ferguson noted Putin himself probably understands what Trump was actually doing was siezing the initiative, by giving terms ostensibly favorable to Putin (from a western viewpoint at least). And this is not something Putin would probably want.
For all of his rhetoric he wants peace, Putin’s actions have never supported it. And now Trump is putting him to the test.
It's heading towards the inevitable partiition. The only real questions are exactly which bits russia gets to keep and the text on ukraine treaties/troops/etc afterwards
A tragic let down from the beginning by the west. trump will end up with credit for a ukraine capitualtion which was considered an unthinkable failure at the beginning but which we were never willing to stop.
It's heading towards the inevitable partiition. The only real questions are exactly which bits russia gets to keep and the text on ukraine treaties/troops/etc afterwards
A tragic let down from the beginning by the west. trump will end up with credit for a ukraine capitualtion which was considered an unthinkable failure at the beginning but which we were never willing to stop.
there's not going to be a deal. want russia demands is still unacceptable to everyone else
some small chance of a ceasefire of some kind but i doubt that too
It's heading towards the inevitable partiition. The only real questions are exactly which bits russia gets to keep and the text on ukraine treaties/troops/etc afterwards
A tragic let down from the beginning by the west. trump will end up with credit for a ukraine capitualtion which was considered an unthinkable failure at the beginning but which we were never willing to stop.
It doesn't look as if Ukraine was ever going to get the Crimea or the Donbass back, and the pro-Russian population in those areas might have been a problem anyway. What Ukraine most vitally needs is independence, including independence in foreign policy, which is the big thing Putin doesn't want -- but he may have to accept it, as Ukraine accepts the loss of Crimea and the Donbass.
there's not going to be a deal. want russia demands is still unacceptable to everyone else
some small chance of a ceasefire of some kind but i doubt that too
I disagree. It's just a matter of when
there's not going to be a deal. want russia demands is still unacceptable to everyone else
some small chance of a ceasefire of some kind but i doubt that too
The war has become disastrously unaffordable for Putin -- particularly as the West Europeans, late in the day, are becoming more proactive, and the US has reinstated logistical and intelligence support for Ukraine. If Putin can claim victory with his territorial gains, and get himself off the hook, he might take that option.
It doesn't look as if Ukraine was ever going to get the Crimea or the Donbass back, and the pro-Russian population in those areas might have been a problem anyway. What Ukraine most vitally needs is independence, including independence in foreign policy, which is the big thing Putin doesn't want -- but he may have to accept it, as Ukraine accepts the loss of Crimea and the Donb
They were never getting anytning back without serious western support to actually win which was never forthcoming.
Now trump and putin will reap the benefit of winning the battle of their odious stupidity vs the pompous spineless bluster from the good side.
It's heading towards the inevitable partiition. The only real questions are exactly which bits russia gets to keep and the text on ukraine treaties/troops/etc afterwards
A tragic let down from the beginning by the west. trump will end up with credit for a ukraine capitualtion which was considered an unthinkable failure at the beginning but which we were never willing to stop.
History is made through a long process .
Ukraine will become the Berlin Wall 2.0.
The war has become disastrously unaffordable for Putin -- particularly as the West Europeans, late in the day, are becoming more proactive, and the US has reinstated logistical and intelligence support for Ukraine. If Putin can claim victory with his territorial gains, and get himself off the hook, he might take that option.
Everything is a red line for Russia/Putin and it's obviously a negotiating position just to see how much he can get. The bottom line is that a deal where they get Donbas/Crimea, a beginning of normalisations of economic relations and Putin avoids being tried for war crimes is obviously too good for him to turn down at this point.
What's the alternative for them at this point? If they refuse the deal, Europe (and probably the US) are going to escalate and while taking territory might be slow, they are going to put tens of thousands of Russian men through the meat grinder.
This is something Ferguson articulated in the podcast I mentioned earlier. So many westerners were making nonsense statements about how Trump was playing to Putins drum by attacking Ukraine and Putin would be pleased. But Ferguson noted Putin himself probably understands what Trump was actually doing was siezing the initiative, by giving terms ostensibly favorable to Putin (
As if it was needed ?
It doesn't look as if Ukraine was ever going to get the Crimea or the Donbass back, and the pro-Russian population in those areas might have been a problem anyway. What Ukraine most vitally needs is independence, including independence in foreign policy, which is the big thing Putin doesn't want -- but he may have to accept it, as Ukraine accepts the loss of Crimea and the Donb
Well, the Pro-Russia population is certainly a problem as Russian uses threat of violence to stifle opposition, used de-concentration policy to forcefully remove Ukrainians, uses displacement and gives away Ukrainian owned land and housing to Russians, and uses murder, torture and concentration camps against dissidents.
Russian occupied territories in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are some of the least free geographic regions on this planet, having next to no political liberties. Even life in totalitarian Russia can't really compare, these regions are at North Korea levels of oppression.
Welcome to the joys of Russian liberation.
Well, the Pro-Russia population is certainly a problem as Russian uses threat of violence to stifle opposition, used de-concentration policy to forcefully remove Ukrainians, uses displacement and gives away Ukrainian owned land and housing to Russians, and uses murder, torture and concentration camps against dissidents. Russian occupied territories in Ukraine, Georgia and Mo
At this point it's mostly displacement, anti-russian people just went away (either voluntarily or forcibly). In Ukraine in particulat. Which is why letting people in the Donbass vote would be non sensical
Giving the reins back to Rubio on this was a good idea.
I don't think peace is coming though. At least they reframed it so Russia loos bad again
Funny video from 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NuI2SRr...
Giving the reins back to Rubio on this was a good idea.
I don't think peace is coming though. At least they reframed it so Russia loos bad again
Putin is hemming and hawing and making vague conditions over the ceasefire, which is not what Trump wants, he wants his quick deal, so this may not play well for Putin and meanwhile the US is increasing economic sanctions against him.
Putin is hemming and hawing and making vague conditions over the ceasefire, which is not what Trump wants, he wants his quick deal, so this may not play well for Putin and meanwhile the US is increasing economic sanctions against him.
we'll see what happens but rumors have it the sanctions will be about Russian sales to Europe (wtf).
that's what Italian media (even reputable sources) has been saying
we'll see what happens but rumors have it the sanctions will be about Russian sales to Europe (wtf).
that's what Italian media (even reputable sources) has been saying
Europe still acquires A LOT of fossil fuels from Russia. It seems they are going to tighten the noose on this. Of course, now that winter is past the demand is a lot lower, and it seems there is no shortage of Asian countries willing to buy the excess fuel. Although Asian countries offer WAY less than European ones. It isn't even clear if Russia is braking even on the oil and gas it sells to Asia; they are so low balled.
It isn't even clear if Russia is braking even on the oil and gas it sells to Asia; they are so low balled.
Analogy for Russian economy
