Ukraine...the war

[sol14]

I am European and did you ever notice....there is a war in middle of Europe??
After USSR breaks, lots of countries was not dependant anymore from Russia. They was free and they decided to enter EU and Nato.
But Putin does not like! He says Ukraine is entrance to Russia, he want to conquer again, and own old UDSSR again. He mobs Ukrainian people since more than 20 years. He does not respect peoples law, which was signed by Russia too.
All Countries are free and everybody must respect the borders. Borders are untouchable.
Putin ignores....
This is peoples right, also signed by Russia
He conqueres illegal the Island of Crimea(( He want controll Assow Sea!!
He set up Separatists and pay for weappons and all!!
The Island of Crimea was stolen illegal from peoples right from Ukraine!! Also Donetsk and Luhansk.
Did you recognize was Putin does?? He brings war to Europe again!!

I have friends in Ukraine and Luhansk and Donetsk. It is a shame, what Putin does!!
He devides families. lovers and want to break a country!!

I am EU member and my future beloved wife can not come out, because of bureaucracy of EU rules. We have all papers, Covid vaccination all is perfect...and now?? People of Embassy gone??? My wife has the necessary language test, but exam from embassy is delayed!! No personal!! All gone!! All delayed and delayed!!

I am ashamed.....I wish my future wife and love with me!!
I am very ashamed a dictator and Usurpator can dominate the freedom of our personal lifes.
It is a shame, lovers can not be together!!

Lovers must be free!!!

[sol14]

Mods...if this is not convinien....delete!!

But I want my wife and this cruel politician behaviour must be finished!!

[Rogerbh]

I feel sorry for your circumstances, but I can't see the US doing anything but economic sanctions and spewing harsh words.

No one wants to fight Russia on Russia's border.

I used to think the US would protect Taiwan in the event of a Red Chinese attack - but that is no longer a sure thing either.

The US is not a reliable ally anymore.

[Estreeter]

Originally Posted by sol14

Mods...if this is not convinien....delete!!

But I want my wife and this cruel politician behaviour must be finished!!

Thread stays and Good Luck with Mrs sol14.

[deepsepia]

So, we'll see if Putin actually does invade -- and what that actually means. Ukraine is a pretty big country, and the Russian Army isn't all that big. Back in the days of the Soviet Union, the Red Army had 3 million regular soldiers and another 3 million reservists.

Today, the total size of Russia's armed forces is about 900,000; at present we see just about 150,000 deployed against Ukraine. Ukraine's got perhaps 250,000 in their military (largest in Europe, outside of Russia), and while they don't have anything like the equipment of Russia, they certainly can make life very hard for occupiers.

At this point, its anyone's guess whether the Russians will actually invade, or what will happen if they do.

You can look at the example of the war with Georgia in 2008 for one way this might go.

My guess of it is that Russia needs to think hard about the costs here. Biting off Donbass, Crimea-- that wasn't an existential fight for Ukraine, so they didn't fight. Now they have to, and that fight can be very tough.

I feel for the Ukrainians, its a very hard place. I have many Georgian friends, some of whom served in 2008, and its not at all a pleasant thing to be on the other side of Putin's guns.

[G-Type]

Originally Posted by Rogerbh

...
...
I used to think the US would protect Taiwan in the event of a Red Chinese attack - but that is no longer a sure thing either.

The US is not a reliable ally anymore.

Since the Ukraine is not (yet) part of an military alliance, we should not talk of the US as an ally.

Hence, talking about potential counterstrikes from the US side towards Russia is certainly not clever in general...but particularly in the actual, current phase.

I think that Putin is just testing the patience and coherence of the West. Not only is there a new president in the US which is difficult to judge for Putin (in contrast to former #45 which was Putin´s personal puppet), also the new government in Germany is certainly not easy for him to calculate. Right now, he is bidding up to strength.

IMHO, there were 2 crucial factors which may guide Putin at the very moment and probably leading to a massive, fatal error.

The former remarks of US-president Obama once that Russia is merely a regional power has certainly put a sting into Putin´s ego and did clearly not do Russia justice.

Secondly, the act of Crimea-annexion in 2014 which was against all international law in and the following lack of Western strength and coherence thereafter does leave indeed a picture of weakness.

I am pretty confident that Putin right now is fundamentally mislead to assume the same restraint from the Western side.

If he is indeed going to invade the Ukraine, then there will be an answer. A hard one...which will be difficult to recover from.

It´s about time that this persistent hurting of territorial integrity and persecuting neighbor-states is stopped.

The Ukraine should have a future in its own right. I really hope that this can be achieved.

Addendum: I hope that my remarks do not lead to the assumption that I am Contra-Russian. Certainly not. Russia and its people are wonderful. Rich in culture, rich in many other regards.
Unfortunately...the current and the former government(s) (elites) have all failed to bring the best out of this fantastic country. Russian people deserve better than a pointless war which merely is going to bring suffering and pain.

[hoss]

In case of a Russian invasion, other European countries should be prepared to shelter Ukrainian civilian refugees. We can not turn them away at our borders.

[haroldeye]

Originally Posted by hoss

In case of a Russian invasion, other European countries should be prepared to shelter Ukrainian civilian refugees. We can not turn them away at our borders.

Germany has to be careful though, it shortly will depend on Putins goodwill for it's energy supplies.

[sol14]

In case of Russian invasion all EU countries should open for them. They are Europeans, as we!!
We have same culture, same history and same understanding. They are very very similar.
Of course, Catholic...Russian Orthodox. Goes back to Roman Empire, when it was devided in Northern Roman Empire and Southern. In Vatikan starts the Pauls Church. The Russian Orthodox goes in this time back to Constantinopel with another Apostel. Todays Istanbul. But however it is. Even the believe is same.....All is same, religion, understanding history and moral!!!
Completely different to Islam!!!

Sorry, I do not want to discrimanate, but we have different worlds. The Ukrainians are brothers, sisters and cousins!!! They are Europeans as we are!!

This will be not refuges and must be open for them!!!

So you are completely right. All borders must open and we must help each other. This are not refugees!!! They are us!!!

To enter EU and have all shelter must be enough, Ukrainian Passport, or Russian Passport from people of Luhansk, Donetzk or Crimea!!!

Originally Posted by hoss

In case of a Russian invasion, other European countries should be prepared to shelter Ukrainian civilian refugees. We can not turn them away at our borders.

[hoss]

Originally Posted by haroldeye

Germany has to be careful though, it shortly will depend on Putins goodwill for it's energy supplies.

I was appalled to read how the dependancy has grown within the last decade alone. Right-wing politicians were demanding cheap energy for Germany´s economy, numerous former Social-Democrat politicians accepted jobs in the energy industry (by which they were indirectly paid by Russia), Eastern German politicians rediscovered their love for strong Russian leaders (I still remember the bitter sarcasm when they spoke of their Russian "friends" 30 years ago). None of them realized that the question of energy supply was a question of national independence. Germany should have invested heavily in solar and wind energy, but exactly those who bore the responsibility for national security were the ones who prevented it. Add the German habit to buy its way out of international problems and you have an invitation for blackmail.