Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I wonder would this add to their displeasure?

US and Japan in bilateral military exercise.

And just to address your point on suddenly far right to ask questions.

You introduced the term to the conversation in your last paragraph. I was responding to you not bringing it in as an example of asking questions. So don't pretend I raised it ! ;)

Duplicitous, lying bi​tch.

Shouldn't be given any access to the media at the UN

Where there's a will there's a way. Would you ever contemplate doing a bit of volunteering yourself seeing as you spend a lot of time writing mini novels on the issue on this thread.

If Putin does attack Europe he'll go for a non Nato country, so Ireland will be the place to make a point .

It wouldn't be a bad thing in a way, if that way is eastern Europe living under the threat of increased Russian aggression because two of its largest military allies and stockpiles of nuclear deterrents just up and said they're under no obligation to intervene.

No, it would actually be completely sh/t. I'd far rather an organisation that may be imperfect, but gives Russia and China serious pause for thought in their imperial ambitions.

I've seen you now going on about the hypocrisy of America, and needing to let everyone know every time the Ruble gains .1%. I could write that off cynicism and realism, but to say the UK and the US pulling out of NATO might not be a bad thing really does make me wonder where exactly your sympathies truly lie.

Think he has already made his point. Ukraine is in Europe and is a non NATO country. If you meant who's next I would have said Moldova is much more likely. Although thankfully thanks to Ukraine's military the chances of that happening have diminished.

I'm not sure what Switzerland in the 1940s has to do with the West attacking Ukraine in 2022? If we're going down that sort of route, then there is De Valera and Hitler...Also if Ireland were located where Switzerland is and Switzerland were in the North Sea, maybe things would have been different.

Some European countries, of which Switzerland is one but not the only one, are neutral but back that neutrality up with well resourced armed forces. Switzerland has agreed to buy a heap of F35 fighter jets for example. Part of the reasoning is that it is easier to remain neutral when you are beholden to no-one - ie you can guarantee your own self-defence. Other countries, like NZ where I'm from, but also Ireland, rely to a certain extent (NZ => Australia, Ireland => GB I imagine) on other countries to guarantee their defence. If Ireland relies on the UK for a defence, it is a bit harder for Ireland to remain neutral should the UK attack another country and Ireland isn't in agreement. Switzerland on the other hand is very well armed, so can more easily remain neutral.

Ireland - popn roughly 5M. Armed forces 8'751 budget €780M (GDP 0.27%)

Switzerland - popn roughly 8M. Armed forces 21'000 (large reserve force though) budget €5 billion (GDP 0.68 %)

Which all does back to my original point that we have people giving out about other countries doing nothing, while Ireland is capable of contributing very little if at all to help Ukraine's armed forces. Ireland should in theory have a lot more investment in helicopters and a coastal navy, but relies on being an island, next to Britain, with no natural resources such as fossil fuels and minerals, to spend the minimum possible on defence. Fair enough, but you can't then go on about the other countries "doing nothing". Well you can, but you look like a hypocrite.

Hardly any reason to think Putin would have any problem with Macron.

If he was a great resource to the Ukraine or a threat to Russia in any way.

France is not a problem for Russia.

The world won't change if Macron disappears in to history or not.

Russia isn't winning it and that's a sort of winning for Ukraine.

The Ukrainians will be lobbing missiles and lead at Russian forces for decades if need be.

Can Russia sustain the level of winning it is enduring now

No idea what argument you're trying to make here.

Is it that Ireland and Irish people can't criticise other countries for not helping with their large and modern military; precisely because Ireland doesn't have a large and modern military? That makes literally no sense.

You might have a point if Ireland both had a large and modern military and also refused to send help to Ukraine. Which it doesn't; as you yourself so clearly pointed out.

There's no realistic separatist movement that could happen in Finland. More likely scenarios would be "unidentified" troops popping on the island of Gotland in Sweden, or the demilitarised Åland islands in Finland, or some partisan strikes on civilian/military infrastructure. There are likely to be Russian saboteurs in both countries.

Edit: Also, in 2015 Russia sent a lot of refugees to the border, to overwhelm the border crossings. You could see them doing something similar this time too, possibly with deported Ukrainians?

But of course, none of these will happen - Finland and Russia signed a friendship treaty in 1992, so they are friends. Surely Russia wouldn't violate an international treaty? 🙄