Ukraine
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wrote on 17 Feb 2025, 09:55 last edited by Daniel
I remember a National Geographic cover from a long time ago. I think it said-- Ukraine, Bread Basket of the World.
The shirtless man on the cover harvesting wheat had nothing to do with my interest in it./ leaving
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wrote on 18 Feb 2025, 20:55 last edited by
Interview with Radosław Sikorski, Foreign Minister of Poland. Occurred during the Munich Conference.
Link to video -
wrote on 19 Feb 2025, 00:53 last edited by wtg
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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wrote on 19 Feb 2025, 01:02 last edited by
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 -
wrote on 19 Feb 2025, 22:57 last edited by wtg
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 videowrote on 19 Feb 2025, 23:18 last edited byInterview 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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wrote on 19 Feb 2025, 23:34 last edited by Daniel
Elon can't send anyone to Mars and let's be honest his first attempt should be himself.
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wrote on 19 Feb 2025, 23:38 last edited by
The ones who aren't already corpses might be.
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wrote on 19 Feb 2025, 23:39 last edited by
Ukraine can't win. No, don't reply. Wait six months and find out for yourself.
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wrote on 20 Feb 2025, 06:25 last edited by
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. -
wrote on 23 Feb 2025, 17:58 last edited by
Pity we don't have someone as courageous as this as our president.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a press conference in Kyiv on Sunday he would be willing to resign from his post in exchange for peace in Ukraine or NATO membership.
“If it is peace for Ukraine, and if you really want me to leave my post, I’m ready,” Zelenskyy said in Ukrainian. “Alternatively, I can trade this for NATO membership, if such conditions exist, immediately, so we don’t have lengthy discussions. I’m focusing on Ukraine’s security today, not in 20 years. And I don’t intend to stay in power for decades.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/zelenskyy-presidency-peace-nato-rcna193364
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wrote on 23 Feb 2025, 17:59 last edited by
Ukraine already lost. I'm sorry, Andy.
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wrote on 23 Feb 2025, 18:22 last edited by
Part is temporarily lost.
It seems though Europe and NATO will become stronger & unified as a result of Putin and Trump(CF) -
wrote on 23 Feb 2025, 23:36 last edited by
Zelensky is standing firm.
President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed back at the U.S.’ demand for a $500 billion fund to be financed with Ukrainian natural resource revenue, saying that the U.S.’s aid grants are not debts, during the Ukraine: Year 2025 forum in Kyiv on Feb. 23.
Negotiations on a deal to entrench U.S. interests in Ukraine's reserves are ongoing, with the latest draft presented by the White House demanding $500 billion of Ukraine’s natural resources, including critical minerals, to recuperate American aid to Ukraine.
Zelensky said that he will not recognize such a large sum since it vastly outweighs the $100 billion the U.S. has sent to Ukraine under former President Joe Biden.
The president added that the aid given to Ukraine cannot be counted as debts since they are grants and stressed that security guarantees need to be included in the deal. So far no such guarantees have been put in place, he said.
“I am not signing something that will be paid by 10 generations of Ukrainians," Zelensky said, adding that he wants a dialogue with Trump.
The initial White House proposal sought a 50% interest in Ukraine’s natural resources, including critical minerals, oil and gas, as well as critical infrastructure and ports. Zelensky said Ukraine is not ready to “split 50/50 without knowing what’s ahead.”
The Ukrainian leader also pointed out that the U.S. proposed to return future aid with an interest of 1:2. “For every U.S. dollar, Ukraine must return two. In simple terms, this is 100% of the loan,” he said.
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wrote on 24 Feb 2025, 00:12 last edited by Daniel
Biden didn't send more than 100 billion? I'd like to see an accounting.
The money Biden had for Ukraine and Israel and Trump has for Israel in comparison to Biden and now Trump not spending money in the US for the benefit of Americans is arguably disgusting.
I've said this before and nobody here wanted to believe me then and nobody will probably want to believe me now but it's a proxy war.
It has wrought plenty of death and destruction and should come to an end in my opinion.
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wrote on 24 Feb 2025, 00:17 last edited by Daniel
I agree though the mineral demands are outrageous.
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wrote on 24 Feb 2025, 16:58 last edited by
Fareed Zakaria's take:
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/23/world/video/gps0223-trump-surrendering-to-russia
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wrote on 24 Feb 2025, 21:05 last edited by
I heard our ex-ambassador to the States say you've given Ukraine $119billion.
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wrote on 24 Feb 2025, 21:53 last edited by wtg
$114 billion and change through the end of last year.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1303432/total-bilateral-aid-to-ukraine/
And this graph, as a percentage of each country's GDP:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1303450/bilateral-aid-to-ukraine-in-a-percent-of-donor-gdp/