Russian invasion of Ukraine

jaseirai said:
Drivel as usual.

“We’ve seen how many ties your companies have with Russia,” he said in an address to the Bundestag, “with a country that just uses you and other countries to finance its war.”

Zelensky accuses Germany of letting down Ukraine

President says Berlin has for years put economic ties with Russia ahead of security
on.ft.com on.ft.com
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, I'd looked to see what Zelensky had said and missed that bit.

Having said that, I'm not sure how fair it is. Ukraine traded with Russia, $6.62bn imports in 2019 (with $4.69bn exports) so you could argue Ukraine was financing Russia.

That's dwarfed of course by the $50bn paid by European countries for Russian gas, but Ukraine has bought Russian gas (or latterly bought it from EU countries who've bought gas from Russia).
 
domalino said:
This is a really appalling comment.

There is a difference, believe it or not, in welcoming Al-Assad in 2002 and welcoming him in 2022 after killing 350,000 combatants, 600,000 civilians, slaughtering 10,000 people in prison camps, committing over 100 Chlorine and Sarin gas attacks, and forcing 6 million refugees to flee the country.

Why would anyone feel the need to equate the two to defend the UAE and Mansour?
Click to expand...

The UAE don't care about the optics and Ukraine might as well be on the moon as far as they're concerned. The number one worry they have is Iran, everything else is noises off.

I have no inside track on this but the UAE is a close ally of the US, prising Assad away from Putin might well be something the Americans would very much like, but can't be seen doing, so why not get a friend to do it for them?

Comparing 2002 and 2022 isn't as daft as you might think, the west wanted Assad onside back then primarily because of Iraq but also Iran, they want him onside now because of Russia and yes, as always, Iran.

It might sound cruel but Assad is still here after all these years, he's ridden it out, the west isn't interested anymore, the world's moved on.
 
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The perfect fumble said:
The UAE don't care about the optics and Ukraine might as well be on the moon as far as they're concerned. The number one worry they have is Iran, everything else is noises off.

I have no inside track on this but the UAE is a close ally of the US, prising Assad away from Putin might well be something the Americans would very much like, but can't be seen doing, so why not get a friend to do it for them?

It might sound cruel but Assad is still here after all these years, he's ridden it out, the west isn't interested anymore, the world's moved on.
Click to expand...

The US asked them not to meet in Nov 2021 and they did it anyway. According to the reporting on this the US didn't even get advanced notice this time.

Things are getting a bit weird in the Emirates lately. UAE-US political relations seem to be cooling down, the UAE have recently contracted Huawei to build their 5g networks despite the US banning them for security reasons, they're building a Chinese military base and in December there was an official state visit to Iran. Then they vote on Russia's side over Ukraine and now they're hosting Assad.

Last week they announced they would up oil production to help everyone get away from dependence on Russia and then literally a few hours later reversed that position. They've also refused to speak to Biden about the war.

www.reuters.com

U.S. ties with Gulf partner UAE are being tested, envoy says

U.S. ties with the United Arab Emirates are being tested, a senior Emirati diplomat said on Thursday, in a rare admission of strains in their strategic partnership which have been highlighted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com
 
Vic said:
Less well known is that in August 1939 the USSR offered to help defend Poland against a German invasion.

For some reason, the Poles turned down the idea of inviting the Red Army to come into their country. But then they did think Britain would come to their defence.
Click to expand...
Was that before they murdered 22000 Polish officers in cold blood then.
 
domalino said:
The US asked them not to meet in Nov 2021 and they did it anyway. According to the reporting on this the US didn't even get advanced notice this time.

Things are getting a bit weird in the Emirates lately. UAE-US political relations seem to be cooling down, the UAE have recently contracted Huawei to build their 5g networks despite the US banning them for security reasons, they're building a Chinese military base and in December there was an official state visit to Iran. Then they vote on Russia's side over Ukraine and now they're hosting Assad.

Last week they announced they would up oil production to help everyone get away from dependence on Russia and then literally a few hours later reversed that position. They've also refused to speak to Biden about the war.

www.reuters.com

U.S. ties with Gulf partner UAE are being tested, envoy says

U.S. ties with the United Arab Emirates are being tested, a senior Emirati diplomat said on Thursday, in a rare admission of strains in their strategic partnership which have been highlighted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com
Click to expand...

They can fuck off. Feel torn man.
 
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