Not at all - I think Macron is the only one who can have a conversation with him at the moment, so he's trying, but madVlad just keeps confirming to the world that he's completely unhinged. No bad reflection on Macron at all - at least he's giving it a go. Obviously we now know it's pointless though so madVlad will now push it as far as he can to get what he wants - Ukraine for himself.
Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
And now the Russian Attorney General's office (I think this is the correct translation; the government institution that prosecutes people) has stated that participation in the "so-called peaceful "anti-war protests"" will be treated as a participation in an activity of an extremist organisation, which is punishable by up to 6 years in prison.
Nice.
Nice.
Putin doesn't gain anything from such talks, at this stage no one is being persuaded by such an event either way. The US aren't willing to publicly hold suck talks because they know it'll look bad if they come out without a win, by plenty of accounts Macron is being sent after consulting with Biden. He takes the loss and if anything comes out of it it'll Biden who tries to take the win.
exactly
And your solution to this?
The US can easily communicate directly with Putin with discretion. There is a direct channel of communication between both sides that doesn't require public dissemination.
So do you think Biden is talking to Putin and there's no readout, or do you think Putin is speaking to someone in the US government who isn't of the same status as him? Because I think neither.
Deep, protracted sanctions that annihilate Putin from within, then and only then, followed by negotiations to relieve the sanctions in exchange for a complete withdrawal from Ukraine.
You are correct. There would be no response to a tactical nuke used in Ukraine.
it’s really not. This is why nuance and context exist. Heres your choice. Bring sanctions again Russia and its people and force them to make the change that’s needed to end all of this. Or turn Russia into a parking lot for the worlds nukes. War is the slippery slope here, or sanctions. Sanction hurt the people, and that’s their purpose. To put pressure to make change without large scale conflict.
We are a global community. If Russia wants to play the prick, then they don’t get to play with the other kids. They can sit on the naughty step and think about what they did and figure out how to they can play with the other kids again.
Putin is the problem. Remove him, and the problem goes away. Doing nothing is what allowed the problem to get this bad in the first place.
I'm pretty sure that elements of the US administration are talking to Russian counterparts behind the scenes right now. That channel of communication is always there. Ultimately, Putin knows sanctions won't be removed from his throat without US support, the absence of which, will likely end his reign in Russia.
Sanctions . yes.
But Biden needs to be talking to him no matter how difficult it is.
Reality check.
Putin is going to take Ukraine no matter what.
But direct war with all that entails is not a solution. Millions dying is not a solution.
The only thing we can help Ukraine with is assisting them with whatever they need to do to fight him themselves.
Debatable. He’s even widely thought as being part of the IRA leadership team during the 1970s
What your "reality check" doesn't address is that anything Putin does in Ukraine is irrelevant if he can't hold on to power in his own country due to the compounding impact of sanctions.
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Have protest winded down after the arrests? It was bound to happen to pass a law to stamp on them.
We need a man who can get close to Putin, someone he would never suspect...
He can't. Too busy training & fighting in the frontline with the Spetsnaz
Yes, I agree that there are probably a few exchanges going on with people that hold similar status on each side. But that leaves Macron as the only person directly speaking to Putin, and in my mind that is better than no one at all speaking to Putin. Whether Macron is made to seem needy or over-eager doesn't matter, it's not like he's broken ranks with the other countries and is off parroting about a deal that he can't actually deliver. As I said, as long as it's still well-coordinated with the other countries then I'd rather he engage in these conversations. I even sympathize with him because he's probably having to listen to a lot of bs from Putin, while trying to stay collected.
Just to make it clear, I'm sick of people blaming the NATO as well but I think the saying "why should they be bothered with NATO on their door step? It's a defensive alliance" is a bit short sighted. Russia is NATO's antagonist so it is to a certain extent understandable that they don't want them too close. It's a bit like saying "if you have nothing to hide, what's the problem with having surveillance?".
But obviously this never justifies what Russia is doing in Ukraine. And it should also be clear to everybody that this wasn't the reason for them attacking a neighboring state after witnessing how often Putin changed the narrative (protection of Luhansk and Donetsk -> Kyev is not attacked -> had to do it because NATO -> nazis in Ukraine's government -> nuclear threat of Ukraine -> etc-
My concern is that those sanctions on oligarchs will have legal loopholes that will allow them to move their funds to the East and also sue the EU authorities into the stone age, which would overturn some of them.
Exactly, "This is not a game or a movie". Which is why sending in a team to assassinate him is a non-starter - because (a) they would stand close to zero chance of success; and (b) the attempt would itself maybe start WWIII.
As for "bombing the feck out of Kremlin" - that would mean WWIII and the end of all sentient life on this planet.
There's a big difference between the Russian use of a tactical nuke in Ukraine (if that were to happen) and a full-scale nuclear exchange between Russia and NATO. Which is why, I'd guess (and hope) that NATO would not respond militarily to the former.
Whether he holds on to power or not is not within our control. We can only hope.
Talking of assassinations is ridiculous.
In all likelihood the pain to ordinary people will cause change within the power structure.
The key is how united the West is with regards to sactions.
For me, France has an important test about power in “world political“and it can be measure Macron intelligence in world political too. if France passes this test, France will gain a lot of powers in world political. It’s a bit weird that Putin is closer to Macron than Schulz or Johnson.
Surely an act of war to a NATO member, no?
Christ.
If history is a guide, this is the likeliest outcome for Putin.
This is what worries me. I've asked it before and I'll ask it again: Which is better? Living in a communist global state controlled by Russia, where a few of the major cities of the old world were obliterated; or nuclear armageddon?
I vote for the former.
If Russia had to nuke whichever country, the only thing that would guarantee extinction is if the West retaliates. This mutually assured destruction conundrum only becomes a reality if the other bloc retaliates.
I don't have much confidence in the Oligarch sanctions as they are only a dozen or so people. The implosion of the Russian economy and subsequent domestic paralysis will be of far greater concern to Putin imo.
At a lower level maybe but again most accounts are saying there's not much going on there as both sides have pulled back. It's completely the wrong level for this anyway, it might divert WW3 and misunderstandings but actual diplomacy is only going to occur in talks with Putin. His generals don't know what he'll do tomorrow.
Biden can sit on the sidelines making strong futile statements, there's no doubt that's best politically for him.
no idea what point you are trying to make. By that logic we should just nuke russia and eliminate the threat. Because after all it is only if they retaliate that something bad really happens right?/
You don't have any fear of what Putin might do if he's backed into a corner that much? Don't you think leaving him a way out might be a solution to reduce the risk of the big bad n-word and wait until Russia consumes him from within in the next years?
Now you seem much more knowledgeable than me and I have the impression that the Western leaders are basically agreeing with you based on their decision making. I also don't think that an attack on a NATO state really is a possibility. But if Putin has to back off and leave Ukraine with unfinished business because his money runs out, essentially meaning he loses his face domestically as well, effectively facing a coup, I could very well imagine that he escalates it to the max. And that gives me the chills. Why do you think this is an unlikely outcome?
He has overeached.
Any attempts to talk to him must have on the forefront the millions of lives at stake.
Any 'humiliation' of the leader talking to him is worth it. Surely.
As for history. All we have to do is look at the Cuban Missile crisis.
Both men paid a price for love of humanity.
Their sacrifice was justified.
If confirmed it was used this way, it COULD be used like that, but I doubt it. It will take more than a civilian ship being hijacked I think.
This is really really concerning!
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