I don't think Putin should be getting away with just invading another country because he fancies it. Where would that end? What do Poles and the Baltic states think? It's not about being a NATO puppet.
Current Affairs Ukraine
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davek
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Standardised munitions would go a long way to providing capacity and more so. Some form of European digital force would be handy as well, cross border interconnectivity to monitor and guard against cyber terrorism (there's a chance this already exists in some form or other).
"Politics is the art of the possible". Otto von Bismarck.
"War is the continuation of politics by other means". Carl Von Clausewitz.
Drico
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Funny to see Bismarck being mentioned. Strange to say, but that's the kind of leadership Europe is going to need. Of course, those calling for strategic autonomy will have to accept that means German leadership. If the Germans as third-largest economy in the world (with the best credit rating) are going to underwrite how all of this is paid for, that will have the inevitable consequence of a heretofore reluctant Germany assuming its natural role as leader for good and ill.
We are living in interesting times...
We are living in interesting times...
On this note, it becomes rather obvious why Germany is musks next target, also gives you insight into who his allies really are.
Drico
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Yup, transparently so.
Nobody - including the Germans, by and large - wants Germany to punch its real weight in international affairs. A properly militarised Germany is terrifying for pretty much everybody...including the Germans. They'll have to be dragged kicking and screaming to a position of real leadership. Thing is, all of the rest of us will also have to swallow some awkward truths if we want to do the dragging and have them push their weight.
Perhaps the EU can be the sheep's clothing needed to cover the naked truth. But if we want strategic autonomy, we need Germany to pay for it. And they will not be guilt-tripped into paying it. They will, rightly, demand authority if we demand they take responsibility.
The sum of the parts is greater than the whole, Germany is welcome to be strong, and can call all the shots it likes, and will have to be reminded where not to go to far. Consensus amongst allies. Reminds me of the uk going past the point of no return with iraq and Dr David Kelly - Didn't France specifically stand against? And iirc did the same over Syria? Unilateral action leads to squabbles and alienation. Europe with the UK a full paid up member can be strong and lead the way via stability and cooperation. We don't need to go back in time a hundred years, we need to heed the lessons of the fall outs we've had. Because the next fallout there's no coming back from.
It seems there has been greater investment in EU military industry and will no doubt be ramped up further now. I doubt the US want this long term because they would be looking at reduced custom.
Trump's stance on pretty much everything so far will weaken the US both internally and externally.
He'll be richer though
Spadge Vernacular
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Russian defense spending overtakes Europe, study finds
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent its defense spending skyrocketing, and is raising fears it will attack NATO next.
www.politico.eu
The last two major wars leading to decades of increased animosity toward the West were started by Republican Presidents for the record, but that's beside the point.
How is being invaded a policy of Ukranian leadership?
Praising Trump(surrounded by oligarchs) for backing what Putin's wants because Ukrainian leadership is supposedly in the pocket of oligarchs? WT absolute F?
You regularly throw shade at Zelensky when he has done everything he can, including sucking up to a scumbag like Trump(who he knows is in Putin's corner) because it still might help his cause, even a little bit, in the defence of his country. If he's so in the pocket of Oligarchs he sure as hell doesn't look to be enjoying himself there.
Putin has invaded a sovereign country. He should not get to keep any of it.
I don't know where you live, but if Putin invaded your home would you want to just become part of Russia?
You are supportive of Palestine having their land taken but not Ukraine. Weird
tsubaki
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Russian defense spending overtakes Europe, study finds
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent its defense spending skyrocketing, and is raising fears it will attack NATO next.
TBF that just indicates how much the European military economy could dwarf the Russian one. If the EU gets its act together then the disparity of force and potential is going to be similar to that of the US and Japan in WW2.
davek
Player Valuation: £150m
The seeds of this war were planted way before the invasion by Russia.
They were planted by western actors who saw Ukraine as easily pulled away from the sway and control of Moscow and so encouraged coups against pro-Russian politicians and political parties. The Ukrainian people were caught in the middle of all that and have suffered a terrible price for their pro-western political leaders who were and are being used as proxies in a war between Russia-China and NATO.
NATO are in disarray now. Their forward march halted. Ukraine having to sign up to this defeat peace deal means the west has suffered a massive defeat.
Foreign 'actor' Alexander Litvinenko. Murdered via radiation poisoning - Polonium-210, November 2006.
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