Russian invasion of Ukraine

[mexico1970]

Ukraine isn’t in NATO, has no real physical presence in Ukraine and the US has (so far) ruled out committing ground troops to Ukraine.

And is anybody interested in asking the Ukrainians what they want?

Being counted as a buffer zone, collateral damage can't be what we see in the west as freedom we're "supposed" to be advocates of.

If the Russians decided to re-take their other buffer zones that were behind the iron curtain we will all be in deep shit, I don't know what the answer is but a strong Whitehall headed letter from Boris or a snide comment from Biden probably isn't going to be enough to diffuse the situation.

 

[blueinsa]

A buffer zone like the Sudetenland. Didn’t work out too well though.

We can’t camp troops and arms at the Russian border and then bemoan the Russians doing the same.

 

[BobKowalski]

Ukraine tension: President Zelensky hits back at Biden comments

Its president bristles at suggestions a "minor" Russian attack may bring a weaker Western response.

www.bbc.co.uk

He's told Biden to stop shit stirring.

No, he told Biden to quit with the ‘limited excursion‘ nonsense. Want to do comments on Putin next? Zelenskiy has said Russia is pushing Ukraine toward Nato. Russian aggression is also pushing Finland and Sweden towards Nato.

What Putin wants is a return to old borders with countries like Belarus, Ukraine run by Russian proxies and under Russian control. Putin has Belarus in the bag after supporting the crackdown on the widespread unrest. What Putin fears is an independent and prosperous Ukraine on his doorstep. A Ukraine benefitting from EU membership is an affront to Russian control and prestige. Russia wants vassal states beholden to it for their existence.

Russia cannot compete economically, so it uses the only lever it has left. Military dominance. This entire dispute is about Russia refusing to let neighbouring countries determine their own future and sod all to do with Nato or any other excuse they wheel out.

If people are happy for Russia to subjugate countries then they should just say so, rather then this tedious whataboutery with Nato, the EU and the US.

 

[BobKowalski]

Being counted as a buffer zone, collateral damage can't be what we see in the west as freedom we're "supposed" to be advocates of.

If the Russians decided to re-take their other buffer zones that were behind the iron curtain we will all be in deep shit, I don't know what the answer is but a strong Whitehall headed letter from Boris or a snide comment from Biden probably isn't going to be enough to diffuse the situation.

Agreed. I‘m not sure what or if anything will defuse the situation. Russia feels it has a ‘right’ to control these countries and in Belarus, Georgia it does. Ukraine though will be a tougher nut to crack and do they stop there? The Baltic states, Poland, Hungary?

Russia can invade Ukraine, but it’s a large country with a large standing army and its own thriving defence industry. Invading will be bloody but it will be the easy part. Holding Ukraine in the face of a hostile citizen population will require a lot of military resource against a background of further economic sanctions.

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

No, he told Biden to quit with the ‘limited excursion‘ nonsense. Want to do comments on Putin next? Zelenskiy has said Russia is pushing Ukraine toward Nato. Russian aggression is also pushing Finland and Sweden towards Nato.

What Putin wants is a return to old borders with countries like Belarus, Ukraine run by Russian proxies and under Russian control. Putin has Belarus in the bag after supporting the crackdown on the widespread unrest. What Putin fears is an independent and prosperous Ukraine on his doorstep. A Ukraine benefitting from EU membership is an affront to Russian control and prestige. Russia wants vassal states beholden to it for their existence.

Russia cannot compete economically, so it uses the only lever it has left. Military dominance. This entire dispute is about Russia refusing to let neighbouring countries determine their own future and sod all to do with Nato or any other excuse they wheel out.

If people are happy for Russia to subjugate countries then they should just say so, rather then this tedious whataboutery with Nato, the EU and the US.

Great post

 

[BlueAnorak]

The West is totally fucked.
Beholden to Russian gas and Chinese Tat.
I just despair at Germany's current reaction to blatant Russian aggression. No defensive weapon sales, no ammunition sales, no transport of these things through it's airspace.
The US isn't great either with Biden's wishy washy words.
I bet Ukraine wishes it had kept some of it's nukes. The treaty it signed with Russia and the US is very not worth the paper it is written on.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

We can’t camp troops and arms at the Russian border and then bemoan the Russians doing the same.

That is a terrible argument.

There is no evidence at all that NATO are planning to invade and annex Russia if Russian troops weren't there. There is plenty of evidence that Russia is planning on invading Ukraine further.

 

[mat]

The West is totally fucked.
Beholden to Russian gas and Chinese Tat.
I just despair at Germany's current reaction to blatant Russian aggression. No defensive weapon sales, no ammunition sales, no transport of these things through it's airspace.
The US isn't great either with Biden's wishy washy words.
I bet Ukraine wishes it had kept some of it's nukes. The treaty it signed with Russia and the US is very not worth the paper it is written on.

One of Germany's military chiefs was forced to resign because his narrative on Putin and Russia doesn't fit the one being creates by the US/NATO.

 

[BlueAnorak]

One of Germany's military chiefs was forced to resign because his narrative on Putin and Russia doesn't fit the one being creates by the US/NATO.

Yes I'm sure Ukraine will enjoy the yoke of Russian Suzzeranty.
How many will die for that to happen?
I guess the will of the Ukrainian people is irrelevant to you.

 

[Indaparkside]

America has advised non essential staff to leave Ukraine an attack is imminent