Russia-Ukraine War (continuing)

Amazing how your take on this information is so different to anyone else.

Only a dictator would not resign if it meant his country could live peacefully. Yet, you seem surprised by this.

exactly.

This simple act from Zelensky simply proves how ludicrous Trump’s ‘dictator’ comments are/were.

This is him politely telling Trump that he’s a fcuking idiot/Russian.

You're right as Trump/putin have no reason to row back on the proposed ' Deal ' ,it would take something really exceptional to change but there's always a chance of something happening however slim .

There's no reason for Trump or Putin to row back because they're both of the same mind. European leaders can, however, still back Ukraine, but they'd have to be ready for the very real possibility that the Ukraine war could turn into a proxy one between European countries and the US, as Trump's USA would invariably start to back Russia more openly if Ukraine/Europe don't roll over. And Trump would then attempt to tariff the fk out of European countries for revenge.

You can really imagine some fraught conversations at that emergency summit the last day. You're going to have European leaders who think that Trump is a blip that can be rode out vs ones who see the phenomenon as a fundamental pivot in American foreign policy. Europe and the US are too integrated from an economic perspective to cut the strings in a short, sharp way.

Another gruesome video doing the rounds today of Russians executing Ukrainian POW's. Obviously won't post the video, but this guy was one of the poor victims.

There is a very clear and present security risk for anyone using or any country allowing the use of starlink. Ukraine is in real danger of having critical info passed along to the Russians if they remain using it until the rat decides to shut it down.

would that be the tide coming on golf carts or hoverboards?

Zelensky has repeatedly and publicly stated throughout the war that he is tired and wants to retire once war is over, poor fella has unimaginable stress on him

If war finishes and Ukrainians get guarantees from NATO then he will do what he said

If there is elections you can bet someone like Zalushny coming from the millions who served in military will win

The chances of dictator Putin putting in a puppet are slim seeing how Ukrainians has to endure years of Russian rape, murder and looting. Atrocity after attrocities like the pow being discussed above.

This is a good start if the EU chooses.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/02/21/russia-urkaine-war-anniversary-trump-putin-deal-peace-zelensky-nato-europe-negotiations/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb#garvan-walshe

A short list here.

'

Here are 10 steps European leaders can take now:

1. They should include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in summits like the one in Paris; appearances matter in international relations. They should convene another summit next week in Kyiv, where they will mark the third anniversary of the war, in order to show that Zelensky leads one of Europe’s major nations, has a place at the top table, and will not be abandoned.

2. European governments should immediately seize the $150 billion in frozen Russian assets and give them to Ukraine, as international law allows. The money can be put to good use and buy more weapons and ammunition.

3. All major European Union countries should immediately increase defense spending to 3 percent of GDP, if they haven’t already, and plan to raise it to 5 percent within three years. To facilitate this, they should establish a proposed European rearmament bank.

4. The United Kingdom and France should increase nuclear weapons production. They have the technology but cannot afford to grow their arsenals, so other large countries should help pay. Some of the effort should be devoted to substrategic weapons, and a way needs to be found for front-line states to take part in nuclear deterrence.

5. Sweden should send Ukraine its 100 or so Gripen fighter jets, whose capabilities and maintenance requirements make them ideal for Ukraine. Sweden should also divert Hungary’s order for planes to backfill its own fleet—and to demonstrate to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban that changing sides has consequences. In the meantime, Britain and others should help defend Swedish airspace.

6. Norway should fund Ukraine’s defense by using the vast oil and gas windfall earned by its national fund due to higher prices caused by the war. Maximizing current European 155mm artillery production would be a good use for some of this money. Spare capacity exists in the Nordic countries and Germany.

7. The U.K. should reopen an artillery shell production plant. Its failure to do so since 2022 is sheer carelessness.

8. A coalition of the willing should impose secondary sanctions on companies that do business with Russia’s intermediaries. A coalition format strips Hungary and Slovakia of their veto power and allows Japan and others to be included.

9. Expand the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, of which the U.K. and several EU countries are already members, to centralize European procurement of strategic enablers that are too expensive for any one country to develop and purchase by itself, such as air defense, strategic airlift, command and control, and other essential capabilities.

10. Begin contingency planning—if it hasn’t already—for how European forces would fight Russia without the United States. This scenario has implications for doctrine, inter-services coordination, command and control, and logistics, all of which will need to be worked out.

Speed is of the essence. Flinching now would risk another continental European war.'

I think it puts to bed the idea that Zelensky is grifting and feeding of the dead bodies of millions, hoping to keep the war going.

I think Ukraine would be happy if they can secure a pathway to EU membership. NATO would be a bonus.

Sorry I posted this in the immigration thread which I guess it's kinda relevant to but I meant to put it here:

Germany election exit poll suggests the conservatives have crushed the current government with nearly 30% of the votes. This should be good for Ukraine if they practice what they preached regarding military aid.

The AFD doubled their vote to 20% who'd likely be more pro Russia but won't be in government. Although after doubling their vote expect whatever government that forms to crack down on immigration from countries where it's not really working out. This should stabilise Germany somewhat and stop them playing into Russia's propaganda policy of weaponizing immigration.

I'm feeling positive about this result so far but we'll know more tomorrow.