Russia Invades Ukraine XVII

[Tidewater]

French President Emmanuel Macron, in an address to the nation, REJECTED a ceasefire in Ukraine He declared that peace in Europe is only possible with a weakened Russia, calling the country a direct threat to France and the continent.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1897379869379747957

Unfortunately, the video cut off before Macron got to what exactly France was proposing doing about the situation.
I see that France and the UK have expressed the acceptability of British and French ground troops on the ground in Ukraine. That is good, since they are two of the most capable militaries in Europe. The Bundeswehr man-for-man is good as well, but I am not sure of the political will is there to deploy them to Ukraine and suffer casualties. Germany has an unfortunate history in Ukraine (Einsatzgruppen, Baba Yar, etc.)
Other militaries are capable as well. The Dutch, Italians, and Poles strike me as capable.
I have no idea what is going to pan out now, after the Oval Office debacle.
I hope for the best:
Ukraine and Russia sign a ceasefire.
Europe deploys an enforcement force with a robust mandate to enforce the ceasefire.
The US signs the minerals deal with Ukraine, and thus has skin in the game.
The US (and Europe) arm Ukraine to the teeth so this does not happen again.

 

[Bodhisattva]

He's French, he will end up arrogantly surrendering.

Fixed

 

[Bodhisattva]

Unfortunately, the video cut off before Macron got to what exactly France was proposing doing about the situation.
I see that France and the UK have expressed the acceptability of British and French ground troops on the ground in Ukraine. That is good, since they are two of the most capable militaries in Europe. The Bundeswehr man-for-man is good as well, but I am not sure of the political will is there to deploy them to Ukraine and suffer casualties. Germany has an unfortunate history in Ukraine (Einsatzgruppen, Baba Yar, etc.)
Other militaries are capable as well. The Dutch, Italians, and Poles strike me as capable.
I have no idea what is going to pan out now, after the Oval Office debacle.
I hope foir the best:
Ukraine and Russia sign a ceasefire.
Europe deploys an enforcement force with a robust mandate to enforce the ceasefire.
The US signs the minerals deal with Ukraine, and thus has skin in the game.
The US (and Europe) arm Ukraine to the teeth so this does not happen again.

@Tidewater, have you heard anything about post-war Ukraine involving government reform - specifically about cracking down on all the corruption? (Or maybe is that accusation overblown?) Ukraine needs to become stronger militarily. In conjunction, they need to improve their economy and integrate more with Western countries. Reducing corruption will greatly help with FDI.

 

[crimsonaudio]

@Tidewater, have you heard anything about post-war Ukraine involving government reform - specifically about cracking down on all the corruption? (Or maybe is that accusation overblown?) Ukraine needs to become stronger militarily. In conjunction, they need to improve their economy and integrate more with Western countries. Reducing corruption will greatly help with FDI.

After what the Russians have done to Ukraine, the rebuilding process will be extreme and ripe for corruption. Hopefully some oversight will help the Ukrainian people.

 

[Tidewater]

@Tidewater, have you heard anything about post-war Ukraine involving government reform - specifically about cracking down on all the corruption? (Or maybe is that accusation overblown?) Ukraine needs to become stronger militarily. In conjunction, they need to improve their economy and integrate more with Western countries. Reducing corruption will greatly help with FDI.

Ukraine is a very corrupt country.
I think Zelensky has tried to clean it up, but corruption is lucrative, so vested interests do not like cleaning up corruption. When VP Biden made his "You're not getting the aid unless this investigator gets fired" comment, the investigator was an anticorruption investigator who was allegedly investigating Burisma.

I remember when the Brits came to an agreement with the IRA. At that time, petrol lorry drivers were making £80,000 a year because it amounted to driving a firebomb into a shooting match. When the Easter Accords were signed, the risk disappeared and the salary dropped to £30,000. Lorry drivers were not happy about that. Peace was very bad for them.

In Ukraine, a veritable firehose of money is squirting cash into Ukraine because of the war. What is going to happen to that firehose when peace breaks out and who is going to be unhappy about that change?

Bottom line: FDI may pay real dividends in the future, but corruption pays off right now. Fighting corruption will be an uphill slog.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I mean - a MEAT GRINDER? Like, literally what they call the front in the war? Nice touch. And some here act like the Russian government is heartless...



Russian officials console mothers of soldiers killed in the war against Ukraine with free meat grinders. Local officials from Putin’s United Russia party in Polyarnye Zori in the Murmansk region are facing tough criticism online for their choice of gifts.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1897743108928160239

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I mean - a MEAT GRINDER? Like, literally what they call the front in the war? Nice touch. And some here act like the Russian government is heartless...



Russian officials console mothers of soldiers killed in the war against Ukraine with free meat grinders. Local officials from Putin’s United Russia party in Polyarnye Zori in the Murmansk region are facing tough criticism online for their choice of gifts.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1897743108928160239

Talk about not reading the room...

 

[crimsonaudio]

Intense wave of airstrikes against Ukraine right now. Russia has launched dozens of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles as well as more than 100+ suicide drones Air raid alarms are going off across the country.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1897868554302570550

 

[JDCrimson]

Yet more confirmation that Trump is in Putin's pocket. Turn off intelligence sharing and Starlink access and voilà Russia launches largest airstrike in almost a year...

 

[crimsonaudio]

Yet more confirmation that Trump is in Putin's pocket. Turn off intelligence sharing and Starlink access and voilà Russia launches largest airstrike in almost a year...

I mean, could be - or it could simply be that the Russians aren't stupid and knew as soon as that news broke that they'd have better access.

 

[crimsonaudio]

 

[JDCrimson]

Trump is quickly gaining a reputation as a wolf cryer. Implement tarrifs and then within 48 hours roll some of them back. Fire a bunch of people then hire a bunch them back.

People both domestically and internationally seem to be wanting figure out which FAFO club they want to join right now. Hamas and Russia are testing Trump. And it looks like there is a mandatory membership for all of us for one of them.

View attachment 49653

 

[Bodhisattva]

Trump is quickly gaining a reputation as a wolf cryer. Implement tarrifs and then within r8 hours roll some of them back. Fire a bunch of people then hire a bunch them back.

Pausing tariffs might be because positive negotiations are occurring behind the scenes. Who knows?

Firing the wrong people is definitely a mistake and is a bad look.

 

[JDCrimson]

Could be but good leaders dont walk back policy so quickly. Effective negotiations would have likely resulted in more positive outcomes before consequences are applied.

People dont care if it was a good reason or not the walk back or pivot on a policy undermines leadhership.

Pausing tariffs might be because positive negotiations are occurring behind the scenes. Who knows?

Firing the wrong people is definitely a mistake and is a bad look.

 

[Bodhisattva]

Could be but good leaders dont walk back policy so quickly. Effective negotiations would have likely resulted in more positive outcomes before consequences are applied.

People dont care if it was a good reason or not the walk back or pivot on a policy undermines leadhership.

Maybe. I don't care for the public brash style. But who is to say the guy (or gal) on the other side of the table is not just as brash behind closed doors? All I can do is wait to for the results.

 

[Huckleberry]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1898158505204310250

Hours after suggesting sanctions on Russia, President Donald Trump said that Russia’s intensified attacks on Ukraine were “what anybody else would do” in their position. “But they’re pounding the hell out of them,” he said.

Still, he reiterated that Vladimir Putin wants peace and criticized Ukraine for being difficult to deal with in achieving a settlement in the conflict. “They don’t have the cards … Russia has the cards,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Trump had threatened large-scale sanctions and tariffs on Russia unless it agreed to a ceasefire and peace deal.

 

[bamamc1]

Pausing tariffs might be because positive negotiations are occurring behind the scenes. Who knows?

Firing the wrong people is definitely a mistake and is a bad look.

At least he’s trying to do something. The last “administration” who incidentally took almost a year to convene a cabinet meeting, did nothing except send $ to the Ukraine and didn’t speak to the Russians for 3.5 years.

 

[bamamc1]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1898158505204310250

Hours after suggesting sanctions on Russia, President Donald Trump said that Russia’s intensified attacks on Ukraine were “what anybody else would do” in their position. “But they’re pounding the hell out of them,” he said.

Still, he reiterated that Vladimir Putin wants peace and criticized Ukraine for being difficult to deal with in achieving a settlement in the conflict. “They don’t have the cards … Russia has the cards,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Trump had threatened large-scale sanctions and tariffs on Russia unless it agreed to a ceasefire and peace deal.

At least he did something. biden did nothing but send money to the Ukraine.

 

[Bamaro]

Trump is quickly gaining a reputation as a wolf cryer. Implement tarrifs and then within 48 hours roll some of them back. Fire a bunch of people then hire a bunch them back.

People both domestically and internationally seem to be wanting figure out which FAFO club they want to join right now. Hamas and Russia are testing Trump. And it looks like there is a mandatory membership for all of us for one of them.

I good indication that he doesn't have a real grasp/understanding of the facts and no one around him will speak up.

 

[Huckleberry]