Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Really the German government have been shameful in their response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine right the way through. It seems even any of the help they have given is only reluctantly given and only because everyone else is chipping in so they have to do something. Very disappointing to put it mildly.

There is no conflict between our Constitution and Ireland participating in EU Battlegroup's.

All our Constitution states is that Ireland will not adopt a decision on the establishment of a common defence pursuant to Article 42 TFEU if that decision includes Ireland as part of the common defence, to date the European Council hasn't even taken a decision yet on a common defence under Article 42.

These EU Battlegroup's are not common defence groups pursuant to Article 42 (3) of the TFEU, though they are under the remit of the EUs CSDP which has a basis in Articles 36 and 41 through 46 of the TFEU. These "Battlegroup's" are essentially peace keeping groups (similar to UN missions) or Crisis Management Operations known as the Petersberg Tasks under the Petersberg Declaration, the various Battlegroups are formed by agreement of the individual nations involved in each group rather than by any decision at EU level. Any actual call to arms with one of these Battlegroup's still requires a UN mandate under the triple lock system.

There's no question of "likely" about it, we absolutely would require a referendum to accept any EU decision on a common defence which includes Ireland. A Referendum is required for any Constitutional change or for any acceptance of major EU treaties.

The amendment to the Constitution was proposed on foot of the Seville Declarations by Ireland and the EU to ensure the Nice Treaty Referendum passed the second time round as there was a fear that the common defence would force us out of our neutrality - so yes it was essentially to keep the people happy and get the Nice Treaty passed, it should be noted that whilst the Seville Declaration strictly speaking were not legally binding on the EU, they finally rectified that and gave legal status to their declarations when they Annexed the Protocol on the concerns of the Irish people on the Treaty of Lisbon onto the Lisbon Treaty making it legally binding on all EU member states.

Legally speaking there is no Referendum required as it is purely a matter for Government, however, it is widely accepted by that any such change in our neutrality policy will be a choice of the people via Referendum.

It didn't restrict the UK joining NATO because the UK didn't join NATO, rather it founded NATO (along with 11 other states).

But, yes partition is the reason why Ireland refused to join NATO, see the comments from the then Minister for External Affairs Seán MacBride in 1949 in the Dáil when discussing the formation of NATO (or the Atlantic Pact as it was called when being negotiated):-

Germany is turning out to be a Russian stooge - be replacing our car soon enough and bye, bye VW.

I can't see that happening whilst Russia still retains a massive nuclear arsenal. I really don't envisage Russia under Putin - or any other leader for that matter - being beholden as an "economic vassal" of China.

They've (Russia) already used veiled nuclear threats towards one and all, warning against intervening in Ukraine. And I believe if the Russian economic situation were to deteriorate to drastic levels, partly because of sanctions and partly due to loss of trade and manufacturing, then the West would be threatened by Russia once again - and I wouldn't put it past Putin to actually follow through on his threats if the alternative was Russia going under. Putin will, in effect, blackmail the West into lifting sanctions and commencing trade with Russia again. He knows he has us by the balls, in a vice like grip, for as long as he holds the keys to nuclear warheads. Even when this war is over, what would then be a complete tragedy is that Putin the coward would probably use a low yield nuke on poor old Ukraine as a warning to everyone else, if he further doesn't get his own way.

I don't believe there's any love lost between Russia and China. It was always going to be a temporary marriage of convenience in the way of posturing to show strength against democratic nations. Putin knows that if China sees Russia as weak then it's upping the chances of China making a move on Vladivostock and other disputed Russian territories. And China will now be extremely wary of Russia having seen the way they've been humiliated on the world stage. They'd pick each others pockets and steal the snot from each others handkerchiefs if they could. Shrewd Xi may well try to take advantage of Russia's situation but I don't see Putin letting Russia become a North Korea clone any time soon.

I think they got way too close to Putin over the last 20 years and probably thought they could tame him. It's coming back to bite them now, they seem seriously compromised through having been so close to Russia.

The Pentagon: We will provide Ukraine with 18 artillery systems soon

Terribly disappointed in Germany but I wasn't really expecting much new from them either.

I do think people need to bear in mind that the two biggest EU armies have been largely silent also: France and Italy. Although to be fair to Italy they don't actually spend as much as Germany or France in an average year.

Macron hasn't even spoken to Putin since Bucha; and clearly is too busy with his election to organise any additional military aid for Ukraine. Not sure why he and France seem to be escaping much of the ire aimed at Scholz and Germany. I'm pretty sure France has only sent the minimum amounts as agreed via the EU by all member states so... yeah.

They accelerated their relationship with him after he annexed Crimea, took part of the Donbass and bombed hospitals etc, shot down a civilian jumbo jet.

He was awarded Nordstream 2 and Germany went to wind down any independence it had energy wise.

They didn't give a hoot, Wandel durch Handel line is just a way of providing cover. Same as one of the largest arms sellers in the world is crying never again, no more war but it is funding cremation of civilians in Ukraine and fighting sanctions at every step.

Also I didn't see this posted yet but rumours abound that the UK is adding another new system to its support: the Stormer.

They're basically just a vehicle for launching LMM and Starstreak missiles; but it gives the operator some protection and also the ability to potentially engage multiple air targets in quick succession.

We have been clear with Ukraine from the start about what support we were willing to give. Germany has been the opposite of clear.

Canada and the UK sending heavy artillery to add to what the Americans are deploying this week ,and Romania is changing it's laws to allow weapons to be sent to ukraine

If you closed down the Russian embassy here, they would do the same there. You would be throwing Irish passport holders living in Russia to the wolves.

Correction; that 'Mariupol' explosion seems to have been a warehouse explosion in Balaklei in 2017. I wish people would stop faking so much.

Germany would have to deal with a right wing extremist if things get bad you say.

The old German line of "you won't like it when we get angry".

No one buys it any more.

No doubt Germany will take a hit but it will not be a standout recession by any means.

That it has any affect on growth at all is enough.

This right wing extremist you fear would have to be pretty bad to match the blood on Merkel and ScholZ's hands.

This is Germany today.

https://m.independent.ie/world-news/europe/death-toll-in-mariupol-could-top-20000-says-mayor-as-corpses-carpeting-streets-41544281.html