Russia-Ukraine War (continuing)

In fairness, that’s how every European empire thought until 1914. Russia’s problem is that it never matured into a modern European state existing peacefully and respectfully beside its neighbours. When we talk to them about international relations we are travelling back to the 19th century in many ways.

Chemical plant in putin's terrorist state has mysteriously caught fire again.

The West has so betrayed Ukraine since independence until 2022. Disarming them of nukes and then under the Bush admin of their long range missiles to curry favour with Russia. And now wanting them to trust us with security guarantees that have no teeth.

Also Trump sees it as about land. But to the people living there its their lives, homes, property, businesses. Would you give up all that without security guarantees if Ireland was invaded?

To be fair, Ireland is not a member of NATO so its more the West generally than Ireland specifically. I think CC Verona Murphy's speech balanced very well the feelings of the people here, of supporting Ukraine without fighting in the war. But I think NATO should provide concrete security guarantees. They need to stand up to Russia like JFK and Reagan did, buit without a nuclear war.

But I have reservations about those who say under no circumstances should there be war with Russia. I think if a country is attacked, then they have a right to defend themselves. Europeans often forget the sacrifices their ancestors made against tyrants like Putin, only then they were called kings. And the kings that survived were those who gave up their powers to elected governments.

The foreign aid spending by European countries is large (116bn USD by my quick check), but the money needed by Ukraine to win (estimated as anything up to 977bn USD over 4 years) is larger so even if all the European states zeroed their entire foreign aid budgets and sent it all to Ukraine instead (lets assume Ukraine isn't in the foreign aid figures already) for 4 years it still wouldn't be enough. That is even discounting the rampant corruption in Ukraine diverting the funds or that Ukraine is running out of manpower as much as money.

The bigger problem is that the UK, France and Germany are all financially struggling and talking about making heavy cuts and/or raising taxes. Starmer, Merz and Macron are all intensely unpopular with voters. It is not politically viable to make massive cuts domestically while sending tens of billions abroad. People would want any savings in the foreign aid budget to benefit their hospitals, schools, etc. This is why stealing the Russian funds is being discussed at all. It is a desperately bad idea, but they are desperate.

As for the experience of Russian recruits, everything we know indicates it does go better for them. The ratio of exchange of dead soldiers between the two sides is heavily skewed against the Ukrainians. In June, 6,060 Ukrainians were exchanged for 78 Russians. In Sept, more than 1,000 Ukrainians for 24 Russians. In Oct, another thousand Ukrainians for 31 Russians. In November, 1,000 dead Ukrainians for 30 dead Russians.

if all the European states zeroed their entire foreign aid budgets and sent it all to Ukraine instead (lets assume Ukraine isn't in the foreign aid figures already) for 4 years it still wouldn't be enough.

what's the other option though? what should Ukraine do? what should Europe do? how else should we stop the invading Russian army?

or do we just let Russia win? and genocide an entire country out of existence?

Nice

Do they think the public are that stupid?

How are military-grade drones going to be launched in Ireland?

However, if its proven, them MANNA is finished as a business.

Russia invades Ukraine. Ukraine's fault. Russia rapes women. Ukraine's fault. Russia kills prisoners of war. Ukraine's fault. Russia castrates and beheads prisoners of war. Ukraine's fault. Russia kidnapps children and kills their parents. Ukraine's fault. Russia kills those pro Ukraine in filtration camps. Ukraine's fault.

Russia invades Ukraine. NATO's fault. Russia rapes women. NATO's fault. Russia kills prisoners of war. NATO's fault. Russia castrates and beheads prisoners of war. NATO's fault. Russia kidnapps children and kills their parents. NATO's fault. Russia kills those pro Ukraine in filtration camps. NATO's fault.

To point the above as BS. Is not provoking. It's the Russian position. Their position is to kill and intimidate and get what they want from foreign politicians from intimidation. Pointing to four drones operating from Killiney is not goading it's the continuing intimidation of Putin's government and possibly assassination attempt outside of Russia that is the modis operandi of the dictator Putin. Four drones with possibly warheads attached to bring a plane down is all likely Putin's doing.

If the European Union is to function it can't be dictated to and have it's politicians ruled by fear from Putin and pandering to please those crimes above for fear of intimidation to their own lives and family.

It's been a remarkably slow moving story, I thought it would be huge news, basically a narrowly escaped assassination attempt if true and an act of blatant terrorism on EU territory, surely only by Russian agents.

How will the EU respond? No doubt with finger wagging and "strong words".

Pathetic. It should be war against Russia

Rte news are not carrying the drone story and Irish times has relegated it from top story to minor story. Maybe there's still uncertainty around what really happened?

@Sand "They have not benefitted from the coup"

That old coup trope again…

So far the EU haven't even wagged a finger. Zelensky came close to being annihilated in the skies over Ireland and not a word from anyone in condemnation. Unidentified military type drones flying around for 2 hours and no-one tracked them to see where they came from or where they went. A flock of seagulls flying around dublin airport would cause more consternation. WHY?

I wonder is the drone story simply a rouse in some way designed to give us the kick up the arşě we badly need to get our act together in this regard….

massive Ukranian drone strike on Russia this evening