Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Iphie]

Putin comparing Macron to Napoleon. I would love to see some Russian history books, as Napoleon lost because HE WAS FIGHTING in two fronts (Russia and Portugal), with the Continental Blockade and one of the worse winters in known history.

At best, Macron could be compared to Charlemagne and even that is a dumb comparision. Putin doesn't have any Russian historical persona to be compared with, as Russia NEVER managed to win a war (World War II was a fluke thanks to the United Nations invading from liberated Italy and liberated France).

The Finnish War of 1808-1809? I mean that resulted in the loss of Finland for Sweden to the Russian Empire, it's a win by any definition.

[Shadowferal]

*shrugs*
Macron has been subtly letting Putin know he smells blood...blood that Ukraine had been shedding for several years. Or in my words, Russia has been weakened. And France will exploit that.
The wildcard is China. And Xi has already expressed disgust with Trump’s treatment of Zelenskyy.

[Wilian]

The Finnish War of 1808-1809? I mean that resulted in the loss of Finland for Sweden to the Russian Empire, it's a win by any definition.

This is a complex matter of politics and war really. Sweden had been colonizing and suppressing Finnish people for long time at that point and when the war happened, Sweden counted on Finland to resist Russian advance. However, due to the forementioned Swedish suppression and colonization and the era-proper of nationalism Finns weren't all too keen to follow Swedish plan and with Russian promises of autonomy we essentially "gave up" which ensured relatively easy Russian victory before Sweden could intervene. In the end that was in benefit of Finland. We became a grand duchy, autonomous state within Russia (relatively unknown form of state of the time) that answered to Tsar directly rather than Russia's government of the time and it laid groundwork for all the institutes that then enabled Finnish independence some hundred years later.

Of course russians being russian, they tried to back up on their words many times, sometimes violently but Finnish people persisted through that, built independent institutions and while suffering through many attempts of russification we did end up winners of the situation. Swedes were not kind to Finnish folk and while politically we've aligned to them ever since our independence, they still to this date are in EU courts over mistreatment of Finnish minority in northern Sweden.

Now I'm not saying this to say Russian rule would be preferable, but I am saying that at the time within the era, Russia gave Finland the tools to become independent.

[Iphie]

This is a complex matter of politics and war really. Sweden had been colonizing and suppressing Finnish people for long time at that point and when the war happened, Sweden counted on Finland to resist Russian advance. However, due to the forementioned Swedish suppression and colonization and the era-proper of nationalism Finns weren't all too keen to follow Swedish plan and with Russian promises of autonomy we essentially "gave up" which ensured relatively easy Russian victory before Sweden could intervene. In the end that was in benefit of Finland. We became a grand duchy, autonomous state within Russia (relatively unknown form of state of the time) that answered to Tsar directly rather than Russia's government of the time and it laid groundwork for all the institutes that then enabled Finnish independence some hundred years later.

Of course russians being russian, they tried to back up on their words many times, sometimes violently but Finnish people persisted through that, built independent institutions and while suffering through many attempts of russification we did end up winners of the situation. Swedes were not kind to Finnish folk and while politically we've aligned to them ever since our independence, they still to this date are in EU courts over mistreatment of Finnish minority in northern Sweden.

Now I'm not saying this to say Russian rule would be preferable, but I am saying that at the time within the era, Russia gave Finland the tools to become independent.

Oh, trust me, I've had just an inkling of the complex (and mostly unknown) history of this place during my integration courses. I also know that while russia is never trusted here there is a certain ambivalence since certain Tsars were more popular than others. (Alexander good, Nicolai bad, as my wife says.)

FWIW, I always stomp on people who don't understand the complex nature of Finnish history in the last 200 odd years.

[Corvus]

Families of russian invaders who have died in Ukraine are being given meat grinders by the ruling party.

[DarkTZeratul]

Families of russian invaders who have died in Ukraine are being given meat grinders by the ruling party.

The Onion literally cannot live up to reality.

[alach]

EU leaders agree on defence surge

EU leaders hailed the European Commission's proposals this week to give them fiscal flexibility on defence spending, and to jointly borrow up to 150 billion euros ($160 billion) to lend to EU governments to spend on their militaries.
In a joint statement agreed by all 27 member states, the leaders called on their ministers to examine these proposals in detail urgently.
"Europe must take up this challenge, this arms race. And it must win it," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a special defence summit in Brussels.
"Europe as a whole is truly capable of winning any military, financial, economic confrontation with Russia - we are simply stronger," Tusk said.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who on Wednesday had told French voters that Russia was a threat to France and Europe, said all this was just a first step.
"Whatever happens in Ukraine, we need to build autonomous defence capacities in Europe," he said after the EU summit.

Personally I feel like this money could have been used for something much more helpful for everyday people, but here we are. Thanks to trump and putin we are back to spending money to build things that kill people destroy other things. Funny enough, ten years ago I thought we were closer to world peace than ever before, that we would progressing as a spieces, that we had finally learned as a collective that no one wins in war.
Guess not. Anyways, grats Europe for more military spending.

Orban didn't sign. So 26 did and one did not. He said the plan wasn't the same as trumps. Guess he forgot where he lives?

[Elenos]

Thanks to trump and putin we are back to spending money to build things that kill people destroy other things.

Reality check: We should have been doing this for the last 10-15 years: Between ISIS, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, North Korea, Russia, China.

Thanks to Trump and Putin? Welcome to the reality of geopolitics. We don't get to sleep through it. Even if Trump hadn't been elected or Putin hadn't invaded in 2022 we still should have done this.

And really 150 billion? What a joke. Maybe if it was yearly spending increases and even then we'd only be spending 50% of the United States! Let's look at the plans: EU relaxes rules to allow a potential increase of 800 billion euros over four years, most of it from increases in defense budgets + 150 billion in loans, not grants. So 200 billion euros per year at most, and even that's not certain! Because it depends on what national governments actually do IF they do decide to pass higher budgets.

Of course we can't get rid of the frugal nature of the EU. Austerity must have it's way.

[Lahis]

Orban didn't sign. So 26 did and one did not. He said the plan wasn't the same as trumps. Guess he forgot where he lives?

Orban is a dictator and an ally to Putin. Of course he opposes everything that protects Europe from Russian aggression.

[Wilian]

And really 150 billion? What a joke.

This is not the whole planned budget. I reckon this is the 150 billion loan fund they talked in addition to the 800 billion planned voted for separately because prior to this EU laws did not allow EU loan funding for military spending.

[Veggie50]

So in some unexpected positive news, Trumps now apparently considering extra sanctions for Russia, to motivate them to negotiate.

Think a meeting/phonecall didnt go well?

[gondrin]

So in some unexpected positive news, Trumps now apparently considering extra sanctions for Russia, to motivate them to negotiate.

Think a meeting/phonecall didnt go well?

Nope. Trump stated that Putin wouldn't attack Ukraine and hours later, attacked Ukraine basically making Trump look like an idiot in front of the world.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...d=BingNewsSerp

[Edge-]

Nope. Trump stated that Putin wouldn't attack Ukraine and hours later, attacked Ukraine basically making Trump look like an idiot in front of the world.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...d=BingNewsSerp

oh no if only anyone around him could tell him putin couldn't be trusted

or if he wasn't a fuckin russian asset

[Wilian]

So in some unexpected positive news, Trumps now apparently considering extra sanctions for Russia, to motivate them to negotiate.

Think a meeting/phonecall didnt go well?

Heh

[Logwyn]

We have to stand up to Russia/Putin in Ukraine because if we don't then Armenian, Azerbaijan and Georgia are next.

- - - Updated - - -

So in some unexpected positive news, Trumps now apparently considering extra sanctions for Russia, to motivate them to negotiate.

Think a meeting/phonecall didnt go well?

Trump got played like a fiddle by Putin?

[TACOshake]

Nope. Trump stated that Putin wouldn't attack Ukraine and hours later, attacked Ukraine basically making Trump look like an idiot in front of the world.

Poor Trump is spoiled. Usually the editors and show runners fix everything between commercial breaks when the camera isnt looking. Apprentice and Fox editors make his unhinged rants look better. News editors will sanewash him for the win.

Putin didnt get the memo. Does have Musk phone number yet?!?

[gondrin]

Poor Trump is spoiled. Usually the editors and show runners fix everything between commercial breaks when the camera isnt looking. Apprentice and Fox editors make his unhinged rants look better. News editors will sanewash him for the win.

Putin didnt get the memo. Does have Musk phone number yet?!?

I believe Musk is starting to find out the hard way about Trump. That Trump only cares about Trump and nobody else. As of now, he is getting pushed into the advisory role that he originally was supposed to be in if things being reported are correct.

I keep saying there is a reason why Trump literally has no friends. Only people that use him and that he uses.

[Corvus]

We have to stand up to Russia/Putin in Ukraine because if we don't then Armenian, Azerbaijan and Georgia are next.

- - - Updated - - -



Trump got played like a fiddle by Putin?

Georgia certainly. Armenia fairly likely. But not Azerbaijan as that would require going to war with Turkey as well, and also involve Israel.

[Joszef Kiprich]

Moldova is more likely than Azerbaijan.

[alach]

Not looking good today lads,
Ukraine considers Kursk withdrawal amid fears of encirclement of 10,000 troops, Telegraph reports

Ukraine's forces are considering a withdrawal from Kursk, with 10,000 Ukrainian troops at risk of encirclement after Russia broke through key defense lines and disrupted supply chains, The Telegraph reported on March 8.

The Telegraph's report comes as several recent media reports warn that Ukraine's occupation of Russian territory in Kursk is increasingly at risk of encirclement after Russian breakthroughs.

Ukrainian troops speaking on the condition of anonymity told the Kyiv Independent on March 7 that Russia had destroyed their supply chains for ammunition and food and they faced encirclement. One said the breakthrough happened in the last few days.

A source in President Volodymyr Zelensky's office told Time that operations in the Kursk region have been most affected by the recent halt in intelligence sharing from the United States.

Remember who we can thank for this. I doubt the nuance of something like morale means anything to trump, but it has a real-world affect on those on the ground. When the republicans were blocking aid last year, Ukraine was severely on the backfoot and the soldiers had deserations and record low morale. As soon as it passed, things turned around. trumps constant flipping and flopping and "will he or wont he?" can't be good for those down in the trenches. Also, the intelligence stuff.

Elsewhere,
Ukraine war live: 14 killed in Donetsk as Russia steps up attacks after Trump defends Putin

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday called for more sanctions against Russia as overnight strikes killed at least 14 people and injured dozens more, days ahead of talks between US and Ukrainian negotiators aimed at securing a truce, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

A Russian assault hit the centre of Dobropillia in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region late on Friday, killing 11 people and injuring 30, according to the emergency services.

Separately, three people were killed and seven others injured in a drone attack early on Saturday in the city of Bogodukhiv, the military head of the eastern Kharkiv region, Oleg Synegubov, said. Russia fired two missiles and 145 drones at Bogodukhiv, Ukraine’s air force said.

The overnight air raids came after US president Donald Trump threatened new sanctions and tariffs on Russia but said it may be “easier” to work with Moscow than Kyiv on efforts to end the three-year-long war.