From the Financial Times
"Trump plans to withdraw troops from the Baltics and parts of Western Europe - a key Putin demand - making former Soviet nations a prime target for Russian attacks"
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė: “Putin won’t change. We have 3–4 years to fully prepare for a major war in Europe.”
"The next few weeks will decide the course of the world for the foreseeable future."
#NATO #cdnpoli #canada #paywalled @chadbornbsky
https://www.ft.com/content/11f121f9-391c-4597-93f7-f12894e1b79d
Here's An NO PAYWALL version
:https://archive.ph/UTpRt#selection-2479.0-2479.194
"Many Europeans will balk at these ideas, dismissing them as impossible. But they need to understand that their freedom is now at stake. Vance was right about that. Just not in the way he thought"
Ukraine, Middle East, Greenland, Baltics, Canada, Panama, African Continent, Parts of South America
+
USA, Russia, North Korea,
+
Trump shakes and stirs
=
☹️
Sorry, but I disagree with the FT author when he wrote this, and all subsequent chain of thoughts:
What Vance did was to subvert the ideas of freedom, democracy and shared values that have underpinned the western alliance for 80 years.
What #Vance did was to rudely but accurately describing the behaviour of European capitals towards #Russia imperial ambitions over the last decade. Europe not only lost decisiveness, but entirely lost the moral compass - as a reminder, as Russian army invaded #Crimea and #Donbas in 2014, European politicians and media consistently spoke about “pro-Russian separatists”.
As #Netherlands mourned almost 300 people shot down by Russians in #MH17 in 2014, Berlin negotiated Nord Stream 2 to further pour money into Russian weapons while France sold them thermal imaging for latest weapons systems. And this continued for well over a decade, until Putin attacked. But even in January 2022 Berlin refused UK flights with defensive weapons (!) directed to Germany in a gesture that was just as petty as disgusting.
Then the same capitals consistently blocked supplies of any heavy weapons to Ukraine and cared more about stability of Russia than existence of #Ukraine. Only after a year or so the countries somehow changed their stance and started actually supporting Ukraine, but at a rate that merely allows it to survive and nothing more. There was lots of words, but very little actions.
What Vance said was rude, but I don’t think European leaders left him any options after these 10+ years, and it seem to have worked. If it had worked, it means it was justified.
@kravietz @SnowshadowII @Snowshadow @gemelliz I beg to differ in the following point
The #Biden administration was also drip-fed crucial weapons systems (too late and too little) after the outbreak of #UkraineRussiaWar with #sullivan repeatedly stating the fear of a Russian escalation or a breakup of the Russian empire. The #USA was reluctant to send long-range weapons to #Ukraine enabling it to mount an effective defense against Russian airstrikes, preferring to see civilians bombed
Biden absolutely did that, for which he was fiercely criticised by Kellogg:
https://americafirstpress.org/an-america-first-approach-to-national-security/
In general, none of these administrations had any idea to end the war - or how to prevent it in the first place. Trump did, or at least he pretends he has, which is already a qualitative change and gives some hope - that’s what many people from Ukraine military also said - better quick death under Trump than slow resistance under Biden. Of course, Trump may not have any plan but so does Putin and Trump at least has some resources.
@kravietz
> better quick death under Trump than slow resistance under Biden
Not a great idea! Trump's advisors are already openly discussing lifting sanctions — which would be the worst possible move. Pooteen has managed to convince everyone that Russia's resources are limitless and time is on his side, but they aren't. Russian army is a mercenary army, it costs a ton and the economy is already showing obvious cracks.
@SnowshadowII @Snowshadow @gemelliz @Secunergy
“Openly discussing” is not equivalent to lifting sanctions. I think - more precisely, I hope - this is merely a carrot and stick negotiating strategy. Because as of today, sanctions are still in place, Russia’s base rate is still 21%, oil refineries are still exploding and Ukrainian soldiers is still in Kursk oblast’… but Russian offensive on Pokrovsk has slowed down.
@kravietz
>I hope
Yes, same here — besides, European leaders seem to be strongly against it and if Trump really wants to do this, even the GOP is unlikely to back him up.
Yet the fact that this is being discussed, and starting today even the obvious Kremlin talking points are being used — this doesn't look good! A far shot from negotiating from the position of strength that Trump had promised: all we see is carrots, but no sticks.
@gemelliz @Secunergy
