Russia-Ukraine War (continuing)

Agreed, Russia will rebuild their army, wait for sanctions to drop off, wait ten years and then invade again.

USA can no longer be depended upon to defend democracy, Europe is on it's own.

Trump's idea of an election is inciting a mob to storm the parliament building.

Or one where the actual votes don't count because the result has been pre-determined.

Easily done in wartime.

Another example of his fascist thinking.

Russia are really pushing hard on false narratives to secure what they've gained, but if Putin's regime implodes will Trump give Putin and Assad sanctuary?

You're the one who said that NATO expansion can't be proferred as a reason behind the war because it resulted in Finland joining. In response, I asked you to posit a realistic and obvious path that Putin could have chosen that would result in both Ukraine and Finland staying out of NATO. You haven't done so.

Great plan, throw out decades of partnership because you don’t like the current president and invite in China, a country that has border disputes with almost all its neighbours and is constantly involved in hacking and corporate espionage. I can’t imagine that going badly at all.

The presidential term is four years, Trump could be gone forever then. The real question is why is Europe so dependent on the US for military support almost a century after world war 2.

If Putin doesn't want more countries to join NATO, then he should stop engaging in such aggressive actions, such as hybrid warfare against Europe and invading a European country.

It's really simple.

Stop being Hitler and countries won't join NATO.

And if a country does want to join NATO, that's up to the country. Yeltsin was considering it in the 90's.

I see UK and Norway are in talks over a new defence pact. Great to see but EU needs to stand up.

Course he is still his mate. Piers tends to tell it like it is, the good and bad, only brainwashed Maga followers never criticize Trump. I believe Trump will get a deal done, I'd still call out his BS though.

Plus if it ever did come to a shooting war between the US/NATO and miraculously stayed below the nuclear threshold, all the meaningful action would be from the air. By the time the tanks rolled across the border from Ukraine or wherever, Russia would be a smoking husk.

I always assume anyone pushing that line about 'genuine' Russian fears of encirclement by NATO is either a moron or arguing in bad faith…

OK, this is the story:

A joint media conference with US Envoy Kellogg and Ukraine President Zelenskyy has been cancelled at U.S. request.

However THEY DID MEET

Going of topic but so far all reports suggest Trump's tariffs have a bigger impact of all the traditional allies than on China.

You can see how Chinese companies pared back exposure to the USA after the Huawei ban so they're more insulated.

The Chinese strategy seems to be "do nothing; win".

You what, would not surprise me anymore if this actually happened lol

Timing is a poor excuse. Ukraine's negotiating position was stronger in 2019-2021 than it was at any time since. You might argue Ukraine's position was briefly stronger towards the end of 2022 after its Kharkov offensive. In Nov 22, the US General Milley publicly said Ukraine needed to open negotiations for peace then.

When there’s an opportunity to negotiate, when peace can be achieved, seize it….You want to negotiate at a time when you’re at your strength, and your opponent is at weakness.

But for all the talk about ensuring Ukraine can negotiate from a position of strength, even when that might have been said to be achieved, Zelensky still refused to negotiate. Zelensky has persistently ruled out negotiations and persistently pursued maximalist goals for Ukraine whereas his European backers have also opposed negotiations and pursued maximalist goals of their own. It has been proven to be a poor strategy.

Even now, Ukraine and the Europeans could open negotiations with Russia. They just need to appoint a negotiator and send them to Russia. But they don't. They can hardly complain if the USA - exercising its own rights as a sovereign, independent nation - pursues negotiations in its own interests. Ukraine doesn't get a veto on US policies. Europe doesn't either.

As for Macron, you could be referring to any one of a number of humiliations he has suffered as he has flipped and flopped from one position to another. Nobody takes him seriously.