Putin clearly stated before the invasion that he was only conducting a 'special operation' to de-nazify the independent regions. — Isaac
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov emerged from the nearly eight hours of talks and declared, "There are no plans or intentions to attack Ukraine." He went on to say, "There is no reason to fear some kind of escalatory scenario."
So it turns out American and Western hysteria about entirely made-up threats have done more damage to Ukraine than the dreamed about Russians to the tune of a double-digit billions
Right. The error might have been to put the aspiration to membership in the constitution, perhaps hastingly. It's not technically what a constitution is for, more of a foreign policy option which ought to be open to debate and reviseable through policy change I think. Note how in your article, it is manifest that Zelensky cannot really say what he thinks about NATO, because the Ukrainian aspiration to membership is not up to him: it's in the constitution. That'd be why all the interviewed Ukrainians in the article keep saying: "it's in the constitution" like a mantra. Because they can't say anything else, otherwise they would be anti-constitutional.... — Olivier5
Person referring to Holy Scripture in the justification of the war he started — ssu
The problem is they aren't actually in NATO ... and maybe should have negotiated actually getting into NATO before "flexing" about it. — boethius
Russian forces have only three further days of fuel, food and ammunition left to conduct the war after a breakdown in their supply chains, Ukrainian military commanders have alleged.
The claims of major shortages were described as “plausible” by western officials although they said they were unable to corroborate the analysis.
The report from the Ukrainian armed forces general command was said to be consistent with evidence that the Russian advance had stalled, and that they had reverted to using “indiscriminate and attritional” artillery attacks on civilians.
The whimsically selective memory of the Putin troll.Incidentally, America's Iraq War left 100,000 Iraqis dead. And no one complained .... — Apollodorus
Fifteen years ago, on Feb. 15, 2003, somewhere between 6 million to 11 million people turned out in at least 650 cities around the world to protest the United States’ push to invade Iraq. It was the largest anti-war protest and remains the largest one-day global protest the world has ever seen.
I don't know why it's in their constitution, maybe ssu knows? — frank
Don't know well the Ukrainian constitution...I don't know why it's in their constitution, maybe ssu knows? — frank
Before his election, I gather he was doing this: — Olivier5
The whimsically selective memory of the Putin troll. — ssu
Before his election, I gather he was doing this: — Olivier5
The whimsically selective memory of the Putin troll. — ssu
Fifteen years ago, on Feb. 15, 2003, somewhere between 6 million to 11 million people turned out in at least 650 cities around the world to protest the United States’ push to invade Iraq. It was the largest anti-war protest and remains the largest one-day global protest the world has ever seen.
The other week, Zelensky gave a pep talk and he winked. He winked.
This is what we've come down to. Presidents in war-torn countries winking to their people in support. — baker
It's this simplificationism that keep the fires going. — baker
By the way, do you think the fact that Zelensky is non-Slavic plays a role in the West's jihad on Russia and other Slavic nations? — Apollodorus
By the way, do you think the fact that Zelensky is non-Slavic plays a role in the West's jihad on Russia and other Slavic nations? — Apollodorus
Of course, I mean Ukraine invaded Russia, just as Georgia, Chechnya, and Afghanistan did. — Baden
Lord Hastings Lionel Ismay was NATO’s first Secretary General, a position he was initially reluctant to accept. By the end of his tenure however, Ismay had become the biggest advocate of the organisation he had famously said earlier on in his political career, was created to “keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.”
Anyway, carrying on playing the fool, I suppose. — Baden
However, I said "the West's jihad on Russia", not "Ukraine's". And as far as I'm aware NATO was created by America "to keep Russia out of Europe". — Apollodorus
By the way, do you think the fact that Zelensky is non-Slavic plays a role in the West's jihad on Russia and other Slavic nations? — Apollodorus
Tell us more about the West's racist "Jihad" against Poland, Czechoslavakia, Bulgaria and Croatia. — Baden
Atlanticism manifested itself most strongly during the Second World War and in its aftermath, the Cold War, through the establishment of various Euro-Atlantic institutions, most importantly NATO and the Marshall Plan.
the North Atlantic Treaty is a product of the US' desire to avoid overextension at the end of World War II, and consequently pursue multilateralism in Europe. It is part of the US' collective defense arrangement with Western European powers
Established in the aftermath of World War II, NATO implements the North Atlantic Treaty
Or just stop being a complete idiot. — Baden
↪boethius Yes, they could have been a bit quieter about it, and not put it in the constitution. But whether that would have changed anything re. the war is impossible to tell. — Olivier5
And what came of those protests? Nothing. — baker
I will say that the quips about Zelensky being an ex-comedian is somehow a bad thing is dumb and classist. I want more comedians, baristas, garbage people, dance teachers and brick layers in positions of power. — StreetlightX
By then, Zelenskyy had drawn heavy criticism for his uneven response to the Covid-19 pandemic; an inability to end the seven-year conflict fueled by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine; and his Servant of the People-like habit of placing trusted friends in government roles. In November 2021, a major poll found that just 28 percent of Ukrainians approved of their president's performance — Biography
Zelenskyy has also been criticized for not delivering on his biggest campaign promise — to end the long-simmering war between government forces and the Moscow-backed separatists in Ukraine’s east. The conflict that has left 14,000 dead became a flashpoint last week after Russia officially recognized the breakaway territories, Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. The move paved the way for the invasion days later. — CNBC
Clearly I do.Clearly, you don't actually know his stance on Putin. — baker
As regards Putin’s alleged intention to rebuild the borders of the Russian Empire, (a) I see no evidence to support that claim and (b) as already explained, Ukraine has always been part of Russia, both Ukraine and Russia having been part of the same territory called Russia or “Land of the Rus(sians)” (роусьскаѧ землѧ, rusĭskaę zemlę), a.k.a. “Kievan Rus”.
The fact is that Ukraine became separated from Russia only after being invaded and occupied by foreign powers (Mongols, Lithuanians, Poles). It follows that Putin has a point and his views need to be taken into consideration even if we disagree with his actions. — Apollodorus
When Putin said that Russia had no intention to invade, he was being truthful. — Apollodorus
Yes. IMO the best solution would be for Ukraine to be divided fairly between the two sister nations.
Russia should take everything east of the Dnieper, and maybe half of Kiev, and Zelensky (or Kolomoisky) can keep the rest. — Apollodorus
Russia has never had anything like a Western-style liberal democracy, which means that Putin cannot be described as “dictator” in a Russian context.
Plus, Russia does have a parliament, Putin’s approval ratings went up after the annexation of Crimea and he’s still got the backing of the majority of voters. There is some opposition, but there are many who are 100% behind him on Ukraine. — Apollodorus
When Putin said "Ukraine is not just a neighboring country for us. It is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space,” he was stating a fact. — Apollodorus
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