Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Belize]

I still want to know how Trump can believe that Ukraine started this...

Putin told him so.

[Mazza]

So corruption is not an issue now ?

And we already had our fair share of illiberal country (Hungary, Poland for quite a decade, etc...). We also have countries that allows social dumping far too easily (Roumania for instance). So nope.

Ofc corruption is an issue, but not to start the process itself. Also, if you rip on a country at least get their name right.

[gondrin]

That's the trick. The Ukraine does not belong in EU and should not anyway.

Prove it shouldn't be. Is it part of Europe? Yes? Then it can be part of the EU if the EU wants it to be part of it.

[Gorsameth]

I still want to know how Trump can believe that Ukraine started this...

Because the Russian disinformation media he is neck deep in tells him so.

[Nymrohd]

Because the Russian disinformation media he is neck deep in tells him so.

It is not about disinformation. It is about values. If you ascribe to Might makes right, Ukraine started things by not bending over for Russia. Trump does not believe in sovereignty

[Poopymonster]

It is not about disinformation. It is about values. If you ascribe to Might makes right, Ukraine started things by not bending over for Russia. Trump does not believe in sovereignty

"They were asking for it" certainly aligns with the values of the current US administration's views.

[Specialka]

Prove it shouldn't be. Is it part of Europe? Yes? Then it can be part of the EU if the EU wants it to be part of it.

Belarus is in EU, should they join ? At a point, even Turkey applied, should they have join ?

That's called common sense, short supply these days I know.

[alach]

Belarus is in EU, should they join ? At a point, even Turkey applied, should they have join ?

That's called common sense, short supply these days I know.

It's not something that just happens. It's an extremely long and detailed process in which the applicant country must pass and prove many reforms toward a proper free and fair democracy. It's takes decades of vetting and is why Turkiye isn't a member and Serbia has been an applicant for 20 years. Belarus had a chance, but a dictator stole an election.
You don't just become a member.
Sheesh, if you are a European you should know this, its not just common sense it's the rules.

If you are really that ignorant about this, check out Eurostat or just Google. The information is easy to find. They are extremely transparent with everything.

[Specialka]

It's not something that just happens. It's an extremely long and detailed process in which the applicant country must pass and prove many reforms toward a proper free and fair democracy. It's takes decades of vetting and is why Turkiye isn't a member and Serbia has been an applicant for 20 years. Belarus had a chance, but a dictator stole an election.
You don't just become a member. Sheesh, use your own common sense.

Yes, then we have Hungary which passed all of that and look at what we are now. Try again.

[ringpriest]

I still want to know how Trump can believe that Ukraine started this...

“When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.” —Donald Trump

The citizens of Ukraine didn't give Putin what he wanted. So the war is their fault. That is how Trump and people like him think.

[alach]

Yes, then we have Hungary which passed all of that and look at what we are now. Try again.

You are truly Special. If you are serious and not just trolling, you can ask our resident Hungarian @Feraline on what happen to his country, and how its a risk anywhere, even France, and not the fault of EU policies. I shouldn't even have to write this. You should be ashamed you aren't already aware.

[Specialka]

You are truly Special. If you are serious and not just trolling, you can ask our resident Hungarian @Feraline on what happen to his country, and how its a risk anywhere, even France, and not the fault of EU policies. I shouldn't even have to write this. You should be ashamed you aren't already aware.

Why should I be ashamed ? Should we add another country which has a real risk to go that way to the mess EU is right now ? Using common sense is shameful now ?

[diller]

Yes, then we have Hungary which passed all of that and look at what we are now. Try again.

You can never predict that something changes like Hungary has.

But we should have systems in place for countries that work against the Union and the option to kick a country out again.

[Specialka]

You can never predict that something changes like Hungary has.

But we should have systems in place for countries that work against the Union and the option to kick a country out again.

Yes, good luck implementing that NOW since I guess it would require unanimity to get implemented in the first place. Guess who would vote against for sure ?

And yes, you can never predict. So all the more reason to not add more mess to the mess EU is.

[Vampiregenesis]

The national intelligence service of Germany (BND) and Bundeswehr say that Putin is preparing for a direct confrontation with NATO and he wants to test if the article 5 is legit. They say that he will be ready until 2030 to do this. https://www.kathimerini.gr/world/563...mo-me-to-nato/

Again the same narrative, Putin and Russia will invade again a NATO country in 5-6 years. They have said it so many times already, I'm convinced now that something big will happen by then.

[Elenos]

I'm pretty meh on the whole argument presented over Putin preparing to invade a NATO country in the next few years. The chatter exists, I've heard it myself, but seriously.

Unless Russia manages to score such a military and political blow to completely knock out Ukraine from the war and ensure they won't get involved in in a conflict between NATO and Russia I see zero chance of it happening.

And besides any war with a NATO country automatically involves Poland's army, because we're really talking about the baltics here. The same Poland which is building it's own vast military force at the moment. Poland's economy is 10 times larger than Ukraine was before the war started. It has a far bigger capacity of waging war on it's own.

In 5-10 years if Russia ends the war with Ukraine soon and keeps it's defense spending up? Absolutely I could see them trying it IF they manage to neutralize Ukraine, but they do need a decade to rebuild their lost armored forces, get more military industry up and running.

[Jastall]

I'm pretty meh on the whole argument presented over Putin preparing to invade a NATO country in the next few years. The chatter exists, I've heard it myself, but seriously.

Unless Russia manages to score such a military and political blow to completely knock out Ukraine from the war and ensure they won't get involved in in a conflict between NATO and Russia I see zero chance of it happening.

And besides any war with a NATO country automatically involves Poland's army, because we're really talking about the baltics here. The same Poland which is building it's own vast military force at the moment. Poland's economy is 10 times larger than Ukraine was before the war started. It has a far bigger capacity of waging war on it's own.

In 5-10 years if Russia ends the war with Ukraine soon and keeps it's defense spending up? Absolutely I could see them trying it IF they manage to neutralize Ukraine, but they do need a decade to rebuild their lost armored forces, get more military industry up and running.

I'm more than meh over it myself. It took Russia years of preparation and halfway switching to a war economy before being able to get the upper hand over Ukraine, a lightweight compared to both Russia itself and the more powerful NATO members in Europe; it was supplied with NATO gear, sure, but most of it was all but mothballed second-rate stuff. And even then Russia just have the upper hand, it would still take them likely years of war before realistically claiming the country itself in full, assuming no ceasefire/temporary peace is made. To me this doesn't look at all like a military that is remotely prepared for conflict with a even passably equivalent force.

This is course is besides the unacceptably massive nuclear risks of provoking direct NATO response. The alliance would have to be all but dissolved before that would happen. Which might happen if Trump keeps being Trump and insufficient response is mustered, but still isn't likely in my eyes.

[Endus]

Belarus is in EU, should they join ? At a point, even Turkey applied, should they have join ?

That's called common sense, short supply these days I know.

Why not?

You seem to be developing entirely arbitrary standards that don't actually apply to anything at all in real life. Canada might end up joining the EU; it's being considered on both sides of that as we speak.

Your "common sense" is fabricated counterfactual nonsense.

[Specialka]

Why not?

You seem to be developing entirely arbitrary standards that don't actually apply to anything at all in real life. Canada might end up joining the EU; it's being considered on both sides of that as we speak.

Your "common sense" is fabricated counterfactual nonsense.

Not really. Canada would be a far better candidate to EU than Ukraine. Again, common sense.

[Endus]

Not really. Canada would be a far better candidate to EU than Ukraine. Again, common sense.

And yet, no explanation of what is "common sense". Because you're making shit up and it has no basis whatsoever in reality. If it did, you could explain yourself without empty phrasing like that.

You know you can't, so that's all you've got. Which is why there won't be any explanation following this response, either.