Russia-Ukraine War (continuing)

European leaders statement on Russias 28 point peace plan for the Ukraine conflict.

In Father Ted, one of the priests asked 'what about another mass'. Following the European leaders' activities recently, coalition of the Willing, the EU, the E£, etc I think one could ask, 'what about another meeting'.

Reports of opposition to the plan in the Senate.

It's a Trump-Putin peace (capitulation) proposal. I believe Europe can do more but what specifically do you suggest we do? That won't be immediately rejected by Trump/Putin.

Sky says Trump now saying this isnt the final deal.

A lot of recent assaults by Russia have been with drones and motorbikes and noticeably lacking in tanks and armoured vehicles.

The Russian propaganda on the internet has changed a lot compared to last year. When it was US-Ukraine talking about a peace plan, the message was that Ukraine couldn’t keep up anymore and it was the reason for the talks followed by « why would Russia settle for this when they are winning and can get more land? »

Now that Russia is talking to US, it is because there is no need for Ukraine to fight anymore as the outcome would be the same anyway.
i guess Russia is talking because the cost to their economy is horrendous and is not sustainable long term. They need an end to this rather quickly or they risk being China’s vassal state (if it not too late already).

This will turn out to be a masterclass on how NOT to do a war regardless of the outcome.

He seems to be another realist regarding the Russian economy being on the verge of collapsing. Quite amazing how people have been waiting eagerly for it to collapse, but it soon become apparent the ones who suffered most were those who actually imposed sanctions.

Well thats if we believe the Russian government statistics, and I am sceptical. But I do think China has substantially - but not totally - replaced the trade Russia had with the EU. But its not for free. Occasionally Russian newspapers mention officials saying China wanting to own land in return for developing it.

A Russian newspaper says half of all Russian clothes shops have closed.

We cannot forget the lessons of Irish history when judging this conflict. And in the present, what Russia is doing would be like Britain invading Ireland in the Cromwellian fashion. If its wrong when it happens to us its also wrong when others do it. There are no excuses for what Putin did. There are no excuses for deporting children, forced adoptions, banning the Ukrainian language in occupied territories, the Bucha massacre, the destruction of Mariupol, a city of 500,000 people, and the way the people fleeing Mariupol were in some cases directed on routes that Russia had mined. All of this is barbaric. There are no excuses for the bombing of so many hospitals.

Also the requirement for Ukrainian to legalise the Russian Orthodox Church, which is KGB controlled and has collaborated with Russian forces, is an interference in Ukraines internal affairs. Religion should not be a flag of convenience for helping an enemy in time of war. Yes people have a right to private practice of religion, but the ROC is an arm of the Russian State. The Russian state gave it a monopoly on tobacco sales in the 1990s and its leaders are billionaires. In the occupied zone, Russia violently persecutes Catholics, Protestants, and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Reports that one of the reasons for recent Russian advances is the Russian Rubicon unit. This is a drone unit that has reverse engineered Ukrainian drones.

Senator Lindsey Graham says parts of the 28 Proposals are "problematic". Senator Mitch McConnell says Putin has been spending a year trying to play Trump "for a fool".

Is this the lad that gave Covid death numbers if the world didn’t shut down completely that bore no relation to reality?

We heard the same speculation about the Israel/Palestine/Iran/Houthi/shipping crisis in the Middle East calming down and it's "global effect" - do you feel any cost of living decrease since?

Russia has a GDP the size of Italy's. Two US states have larger economies.

The cost of living in the US is driven chiefly by housing costs, insurance costs, healthcare costs, services, int rates and labour shortages.

If the war ends, sure the needle will move somewhat, the price of oil will get a little cheaper at the pumps (although that's up for debate considering cheap Russian oil is already baked into global circulation), futures risk premiums go down, airline travel may get a little cheaper - but the average American voter isn't going to feel much.

If individuals want to believe Trump is doing this because "cost of living" for US voters, okay - I don't see it as a key driver at all.

Everyone can however see he very clearly wants a Nobel Peace prize.

Right, wrong, ethical, unethical, sustainable, unsustainable, good, bad, just, unjust..Big Fossil fuels, big pharma, big tech..they don't give a damn..its all about the dollar.