Ukraine
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Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea was a watershed moment in modern European history. The Kremlin’s subsequent full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 brought the world to the brink of World War III. With negotiations over a possible peace deal now reportedly set to begin in earnest, we are approaching a critical juncture that will shape the future of international relations for decades to come.
The author:
Ihor Smeshko is a Ukrainian politician and former head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence and Security Service.
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And another view:
The Only Viable Peace for Ukraine
Neutrality in exchange for occupied territory—with an ironclad Western defense guarantee if Russia attacks again—is the way forward.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/02/14/ukraine-russia-trump-putin-peace-neutrality-territory-zelensky/
The author:
Vasyl Filipchuk is a senior advisor at the International Centre for Policy Studies and served as a Ukrainian diplomat from 1997 to 2012.
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I don't think I've written this, someone was on about the Trump-Putin thing, NATO having to get it's act together because only the US, UK, and Greece(!) had made correct 'subscription' amounts.
However whatever the outcome the war, it has been disastrous for Russia:
Lost 200,000 young men plus wounded?
Brain drain exit of a million?
Foreign investments and assets frozen for the wealthy?
Further economic sanctions?
NATO actually strengthened by new countries joining out of fear of invasion?
Putin a pariah to much of the world?
Gazprom, once Russia's most profitable company lost 7billion in 2023. 2024?It has gained a miniscule amount of land, 0.04% of the whole of Russia added?
Possible mineral gains long term? -
True. Though on the flip side, the Ukrainians are probably focused on the own death and destruction in their country.
Monty Python comes to mind.
Link to videoIt's all so senseless, and because of the actions of one man.
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Keir Starmer has said he is prepared to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine if there is a deal to end the war with Russia – acknowledging it could put UK forces “in harm’s way” if Vladimir Putin launches another attack.
It is understood to be the first time the prime minister has explicitly stated he is considering deploying British peacekeepers to Ukraine. The comments came just before emergency talks with European leaders in Paris on Monday.
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Trump asking Ukraine for minerals is typical. He's given less military aid than Europe and if you count humanitarian and financial then half as much.
Meanwhile there's the real worry that he negotiates something which has the same result as his Afghanistan deal. Biden inherited it and it collapsed.
Ukraine has been given just enough weapons not to lose.
Putin must be rubbing his hands together in glee at this sudden possibility to keep face, and Crimea, Donbas etc.We should be supplying and arming Ukraine with the aim of winning, regaining territory and taking easy Russian land; basically doing everything we can except providing our professional front line fighters.
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I'm about ready to lose it. What planet is he from? Can Elon send him to Mars?
President Donald Trump mocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a poor negotiator and “grossly incompetent” Tuesday, as tensions continued to rise over the administration’s direct talks with Russia about ending the war it launched nearly three years ago.
Asserting that the initial round of talks had gone “very well,” Trump bristled at Zelenskyy’s frustration over being excluded and at the Ukrainian president’s decision not to fly to Riyadh for additional talks with the U.S. delegation this week.
“Today I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited,’” Trump said when asked about criticism from Ukraine, seeming to direct his response to Zelenskyy. “Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it — three years. You should have never been there. You should have never started it. You should have made a deal.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/18/trump-blames-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-020517
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Historical allusions are always fraught. It's 2025, not 1938. On the other hand, negotiating the dismemberment of another country without that country at the table is a rather bad practice.
Something about a piece of paper that bears his name and mine ...
Link to video -
Ukrainians are not amused. And they're rallying behind Zelinskyy.
And Europe responds.
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Interview with Radosław Sikorski, Foreign Minister of Poland. Occurred during the Munich Conference.
Link to videoAnne Applebaum interview on Fresh Air. Conversations in her household must be pretty interesting. She's married to Sikorski...
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Ukraine could win if Europe committed to fixing the Russian problem.
Instead it seems the will and consensus is not yet present; not yet seen as vital.It's all too easy to slag off Trump(CF) for his ridiculous comments that Zelensky started the war and that Zelensky is a dictator.
But what is Europe going to do regarding the war? There's no point us whinging about the demented stream of consciousness emanating from the brain of Trump(CF).
We need European leaders to agree on a coherent, viable plan.
