Airborne_Again wrote:
What’s your point? It’s possible that he was a Russian collaborator – or not – and it’s also possible that the Ukrainian security service killed him. Does that in any way change how we should view the war?
My point was that we should look at the facts only. I am definitely against the war and not pro-Russian, for sure. The statement was that Russian sercret service is cruel, but Ukranian is much more professional and probably not as cruel than the Russian. How the hell we know? And yes, I do ask the same: “Does that in any way change how we should view the war?”
But just because we are supporting Ukraine, let’s not write such things like Ukraine is a leading example of modern european democracy, etc., because this is false.
I do understand that is easier to see this war as fight of a nation which is having all the spektrum of positive values against an evil empire having none.
Its a war against an aggressor. I have no doubt about it.
But why to paint this kind of false picture I don’t get it.
Emir wrote:
It’s not going to be easy and I seriously doubt it will happen judging by my experience.
I agree. The etnical problems and risks are something that even the EU is just ignoring. They would have the power to formulate a set of minimum requirement about properly treating etnic minorities and hold member states accountable against these standards, but they just don’t care. This is a problem that is not existing for decision makers. There seem to be either no interest or no understanding what this issue have caused and could cause in the future.
Talking about EU, one of the issues is double standards. If the member state is mostly aligned, doesn’t make much of a trouble, that member state can do what ever they want within their borders. For example related to minorities.
Referring back to my previous post about Ukraine – this should never happen that just because we are supporting Ukraine in the war, we do not hold them accountable for treating their minorities properly for example.
I don’t see this as something that is mutually exclusive.
Wales v. England… I’d say nobody with a brain gets massively excited about that issue
Sure but Ireland vs England has spilled quite a bit of blood in recent memory. That is an issue dating from 1622, warmed over in 1922, and brought back to life in 1980 or so. And probably not over yet, once reunification gets to be seriously on the agenda.
The % of the population participating or even caring is miniscule. Unification won’t happen anytime soon because NI is a social security money pit of about 9BN a year and Eire can’t swallow that unless Brussels pays it, and for ever.
Re Ukraine and minorities, that will likely feature in any EU membership application. Serbia cannot get in, for various reasons. Same as Turkey
The EU (and most of the civilised world) supporting Ukraine is a much bigger matter. Russia simply must be stopped. The stakes are huge.
Ukraine is a country with lots of potential. It has only recently come out of the medieval place called Russia, so give it a good opportunity. They can do it, but the invasion is obviously a huge setback. OTOH the conflict will drag into the open the issues below the surface which is a good thing.
In the news right now. Russia has closed all export of electricity to Finland. It’s about 10% of the consumption in Finland. The reason: Finland is joining NATO. Sweden is next, on Monday they decide, but it looks like it is more of a formality ? I bet Putin didn’t see that coming a couple of months ago
That was surely to be expected. Russia loses some more hard currency but they have already bet the whole farm so they don’t care.
Russians have blown up 2 bridges to stop Ukraine driving them back to Russia
The story of the bodged river crossing is amazing but Ukraine is not saying much…
Peter wrote:
The story of the bodged river crossing is amazing but Ukraine is not saying much…
Yes, that went seriously wrong. What I’ve understood is that they were crossing the river like it was on an excercise. Potential aerial surveillance from the other side? Artillery?
Apparently it was obvious where and when. They set fire to forest next to the river to make smoke, which gave it away. Artillery is effective especially 155mm US stuff; this isn’t the 1700s. I don’t know how the targeting is done (drones can be used) but I read that laterally they get better than 0.001 of a radian. Then air force was called in to destroy everything remaining. 50-100 armoured vehicles and 1k+ Russians.
I don’t know to what extent the West knew for decades that the feared Russia is basically a “monkey with a hand grenade” (and nukes) but Ukraine always knew it, and spent last 8 years preparing for what they saw as inevitable.
LeSving wrote:
Sweden is next, on Monday they decide, but it looks like it is more of a formality ?
I’m 99,99% sure a decision to join was made weeks, if not months, ago and the “decision” on Monday will be no more than an announcement.
In the 20th century wars, neutrality was a tour de force in cynicism and double speak (one provided the Big Bully with confidential banking and safe deposit facilities for their loot, manufacturing for their military and prostitution for their soldiers) and with Vlad the Impaler’s current adventure it would raise it to new levels, with the US taxpayer expected to sort out the mess every time. The main difference I can see is that prostitution facilities are not needed for the Russians as they are fully self sufficient in any invaded territory.