Views of Diane Francis: Ukraine's Plan BMay 26, 2025
Europeans wasted no time after Trump’s surrender to Putin, and on May 20, the day after the Putin call and bombing, they announced tough sanctions on Moscow. More dramatically, on May 22, Germany deployed thousands of German combat troops outside its border for the first time since WWII. This marked a “historic day,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who accompanied the soldiers to Vilnius, Lithuania. He is Franco-German and won the election in early May on a platform of building Europe’s defenses, helping Ukraine, and reducing dependence on American military assistance. Last week, he explained that Germany’s military expansion into Lithuania was based on the commitment that “the security of our Baltic allies is also our security.” The fact that Europe’s most prosperous country was taking such action was welcome news for those who realized that the continent must now unite into Fortress Europe to repel Russia’s aggression and to reduce Trump’s tariffs. Americans were also appalled with Trump’s Putin pivot. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen summarized the significance and disappointment. “Putin played Trump like a fiddle. It’s appeasement. If he’s not stopped in Ukraine, he can go into a NATO ally. Then it will be a world war.” To others, it was another example of Trump’s worrisome and erratic nature: Trump went from being tough to spewing optimism about the phone call, then outright capitulation followed by fawning over Putin. Like other instances, he began wavering after making a firm pronouncement and, just before the Putin call, began reducing expectations for some unknown reason. “If something doesn’t happen, I just have to back away,” he said. After caving in completely, he jubilantly declared that “the tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent” and added that Putin is a “nice gentleman.” It was another significant setback but not a checkmate. Trump’s policy-making process is now referred to, by wags, as the TACO Trade or the Trump-Always-Chickens-Out negotiating style. He starts with braggadocio (“I’ll end the war in 24 hours” or “I’ll put 145% tariffs on China”), and then he changes deadlines, details, and decisions without explanation. Ironically, Trump’s chronic unpredictability is now “predictable,” and TACO is the new normal. For instance, on May 25, Trump said he was surprised by Putin’s hideous bombing attacks on Ukraine after their telephone call. “We’re in the middle of talking, and he’s shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities…for no reason whatsoever,” he said, adding he may consider sanctions after all. “He has gone CRAZY…I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” Then, another about-face. When asked whether he was considering levying additional sanctions against Russia, which he has threatened several times, Trump responded: “Absolutely, he’s killing a lot of people.” Fortunately, Europe rose immediately to the challenge after Trump’s phone flop, with Germany’s Merz sending troops to Lithuania and adding enormous financial clout to the continent’s burgeoning “coalition of the willing,” headed by Britain, France, and Poland. Merz was elected in early May because he said his “absolute priority” was “strengthening Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the U.S.”
Putin’s savage bombing of Kyiv on May 24 once more brought home to Europeans, now possibly Trump, that the brutality and war are far from over. Putin’s message was simple: The West must “agree to our `offer’ or else” -- the “offer” is a demand that Russia permanently keep Crimea plus the four regions it has annexed: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. These four areas form a land bridge between Russia and Crimea and contain most of Ukraine's rare metals and minerals. Further, Putin does not want a ceasefire and intends to launch a summer offensive to conquer the portions of the four regions Russia doesn’t already occupy, as well as to try and gobble up some or all of Sumy and Kharkiv in the northeast. Fortunately for Europe, Trump’s tariff threat will be diminished because of Europe’s need to militarize quickly. Tariffs will become less relevant as the Euros will become enormous customers of America’s military-industrial complex to grow their armies and supply Ukraine’s military. This will result in hundreds of billions worth of imported goods and services from America in the form of weapons, ammo, equipment, personnel, surveillance, intelligence, and technology. And the funds are there. Germany just committed to spending 5% of its GDP on defense, a target that Trump demanded on January 23. Poland, plus the three Baltic nations, have committed to 5%, too, and most of NATO’s 32 members pledge to spend 3.5% on core defense and 1.5% on road, rail, and ports that support military operations. Germany’s commitment alone totals half a trillion dollars. Atop that, there is also talk in Berlin of developing a German atomic bomb. Merz, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Britain’s Sir Keir Starmer aim to create a military-industrial complex in partnership with Ukraine and to build an aerial defense system to protect the western half of Ukraine and Europe. To help pay for this, Merz is the first Euro leader fiercely in favor of seizing and handing over Russia’s $300 billion in frozen central bank assets to Ukraine for its defense and reconstruction. Europe’s 17th package of sanctions announced on May 23 will also pave the way for the creation of a continental “navy” dedicated to patrolling the seas and ports to prevent infrastructure sabotage and interdict Russia’s fleet of hundreds of oil tankers delivering sanctioned oil to China and India to pay for Putin’s war. It will also prevent the burdensome floods of migrants from Russia, the Middle East, and North Africa that have arrived in the European Union.
Putin is unmoved by all of this, unleashing bombs and recently ruling that the dissolution of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics was illegal because the Kremlin never approved it. The move is primarily symbolic but broadcasted Putin’s intention to recapture all of Ukraine, the Baltic states, and the Central Asian Republics and prevent the splintering of the Russian Federation into dozens of ethnic entities. The only encouraging news following Trump’s failure with Putin is his second thoughts following the vicious bombing, the ongoing condemnation of the war and support for Ukraine in Congress, the existence of Congress’s draconian sanctions threat, and the fact US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed the G7 financial minister memorandum this week condemning “Russia’s continued brutal war against Ukraine.” The document also commended “The immense resilience of the Ukrainian people and economy. The G7 remains committed to unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist and its freedom, sovereignty, and independence toward a just and durable peace.” Finally, the G7 promised to keep Russian assets frozen and explore new punitive measures. Following that declaration, many Europeans and Ukrainians breathed a sigh of relief. One Brussels official spoke for many worldwide when he said, “Thank God.” |
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[Politics] Russia invades Ukraine (24/02/2022)
- Thread starter vegster
- Start date
- Nov 11, 2009
- 13,318
Very glad for your mother in law, but mine has a very different experience. There are pension payment tiers.
She was getting Ukraine pension a while, but no longer has any access to that ukrainian account it goes into, in Mariupol.
When she went to register for her Russian pension, she was meant to be eligible for almost £400pm having worked for 44 years as manager of the biggest Kindergarten in Mariupol. But the Russian records office can find no proof that she worked there as claimed..... the reason being that both the previous city records office (everything manual paper based) and the Kindergarten itself were both destroyed by Russian bombing in 2022.
So without any records (that the Russiajs themselves destroyed) she was told she is only eligible for the absolute statutory minimum, which is just £112pm.
She was crestfallen and in tears. Her whole life's work records destroyed and shes now being punished as a poor pensioner because of it. Obvs we will can ensure she doesn't starve, but that's her reality in Mariupol.
No range restrictions now. Hopefully Taurus will be delivered quietly and we'll learn about results soon.
kyivindependent.com
West no longer imposing range restrictions on arms for Ukraine, Germany's Merz says
"This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example, by attacking military facilities in Russia," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. "Until recently, it couldn’t do that, and apart from very few exceptions, it hadn’t done so either."
kyivindependent.com
That's horrible, I'm really sorry to read it. It's not only the money is it, it's also the emotion of knowing that her life's work records were destroyed - heartbreaking.
- Jan 18, 2009
- 5,067
Are we meant to believe that Russia wanted to set fire to Starmer’s London houses and a car, when everyone knows full well all the while he is PM he’s resident at No 10? This is from same state that has previously used professional assassins to poison their enemies with toxins no one know existed till the attempts were reported?
The comments to that article suggest not many are buying the Russian “assassination attempt” story the FT and other MSM are peddling. Not many MSMs are allowing comments to the articles……even the Mail.
If we want to get to the bottom of the issue (no pun intended) the question we need to ask is why would 3 Ukrainian homosexuals, who have been resident in the U.K. for some years want to set fire to the PMs houses and car?
I’m sure the truth will come out in time (no pun intended) as it would appear many people already know.
- Aug 24, 2020
- 8,756
Here is the Darin Gerdes '7 red flags' update.
I believe this was posted before the publication of Russian banks pulling new loans.
Edit: Look past the clickbait imagery.
I believe this was posted before the publication of Russian banks pulling new loans.
Edit: Look past the clickbait imagery.
- Aug 24, 2020
- 8,756
Why on earth do they do it? Their arrogance is so toxic. The nonsense they spout is doing untold damage to the chances of future generations of Russians to enjoy any prosperity. That's if any Russian women still want to raise children in Russia.
Unbelievable as usual.
I'm trying to recall... some months ago didn't one or more countries block Russia's request for an emergency UN or Security Council meeting because it was clear they were taking the piss
I think they do it because they STILL get some sympathetic or passive responses to their 'demands'. If the world consistently treated them with the contempt they deserve, things might be different.
Trump will probably talk kindly about Russia's position on this
GoldstoneVintage
Well-known member
I heard it described today as, 'He speaks loudly and carries a small stick.'
fly high
Well-known member
Short clip of Newscast interview with Anne Applebaum, American journalist & historian saying what we all think.
...hope there were some inside 
The Clamp
Well-known member
Russia: Trump & His Team’s Ties
Despite Russia's harmful national interests against the U.S., and its human rights violations around the world, President Trump and his team are directly and indirectly tied to Russia.
swalwell.house.gov
Netherlands to Deliver Final Batch of F-16s to Ukraine on May 26 - Militarnyi
The Netherlands will deliver the final batch of 24 F-16 multirole fighter jets promised to Ukraine on Monday, May 26
militarnyi.com
My after dinner reading thanks... I can't do it on an empty stomachRussia: Trump & His Team’s Ties
Despite Russia's harmful national interests against the U.S., and its human rights violations around the world, President Trump and his team are directly and indirectly tied to Russia.
- Jan 25, 2025
- 1,019
The Cheese-brained Wotsit speaks:
I’d class that as a self-own and a succinct summary of the entire f***ing problem he’s created.
I’d class that as a self-own and a succinct summary of the entire f***ing problem he’s created.
What's incredibly frustrating to imagine is Putin's reaction to this. He'll be pissing himself laughing. What an embarrassment of a POTUS.
