Shiftless2
Well-known member
True - every time you think he's sunk as low as he can go he surprises us and goes ever lower.
News Related To The Ukraine / Russian War
- Thread starter sear
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If you'll pardon the Bushism, Trump is easily misoverestimated.
US President Donald Trump has stated that he is considering imposing large-scale banking sanctions and tariffs against Russia until a ceasefire is achieved.
"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!"
Source: Trump on Truth Social https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/03/7/7501780/
note:
Russia has had sanctions imposed upon it since the Obama administration, when Putin conquered Crimea.
Putin is superlatively ignorant about economics, in substantial part because he doesn't care.
Trump may twist Putin's arm to get Putin to physically sit in a chair at a bargaining table.
Trump can not and will not succeed in coercing Putin to negotiate in good faith, to reach an internationally acceptable peace agreement with Ukraine / Zelenskyy.
Thus the headline is less an announcement of incremental progress toward peace,
and rather more confirmation Trump posturing superficially.
Trump considers tough sanctions against Russia until ceasefire is reached
Alona Mazurenko — Friday, 7 March 2025, 16:42US President Donald Trump has stated that he is considering imposing large-scale banking sanctions and tariffs against Russia until a ceasefire is achieved.
"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!"
Source: Trump on Truth Social https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/03/7/7501780/
note:
Russia has had sanctions imposed upon it since the Obama administration, when Putin conquered Crimea.
Putin is superlatively ignorant about economics, in substantial part because he doesn't care.
Trump may twist Putin's arm to get Putin to physically sit in a chair at a bargaining table.
Trump can not and will not succeed in coercing Putin to negotiate in good faith, to reach an internationally acceptable peace agreement with Ukraine / Zelenskyy.
Thus the headline is less an announcement of incremental progress toward peace,
and rather more confirmation Trump posturing superficially.
Shiftless2
Well-known member
Donnie's lord and master (Putin) wouldn't like that - sounds like grandstanding for the benefit of those Americans who understand he really is whipped .....
Shiftless2
Well-known member
Europe faces stark choices over Russian asset seizure
By Mark John / March 10, 2025 7:06 AM GMT-5March 10 (Reuters) - Growing challenges to the euro's status as a reserve currency in a fast-changing global economy are, for now, staying the hand of European capitals as they weigh up the repercussions of a potential seizure of frozen Russian assets.
Nevertheless, Europe faces an increasingly urgent need to help bankroll Ukraine's survival as President Donald Trump looks to pull the plug on U.S. support and instead bargain with Russia's Vladimir Putin.
That throws a spotlight on the roughly $300 billion of Russian central bank assets frozen by the West after Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine three years ago, the bulk of which is held in Europe - mainly as government bonds, the profits from which are used to guarantee loans to Ukraine.
While seizing those assets outright may be very tempting, such actions have a long and legally fraught history, and could scare off other central banks looking to park assets in Europe.
An early example of such action cited by European economists in research last year was the Soviet confiscation of gold shipped to Moscow by the National Bank of Romania back in 1918. The wars of the 20th century yielded dozens more examples.
John recognizes other depositors in European bank may be rendered wary:
"... could scare off other central banks looking to park assets in Europe"
But that applies to Russia, which invaded and is attempting to conquer, assimilate Ukraine. Is that scenario applicable to "other central banks"?
What
!
Trump has demonstrated with unmistakable clarity that he has switched sides, taking the People of the United States along with him.
Trump hasn't shown much commitment to fundamental institutions of the United States of America.
Kuperman / THE HILL (K TH) endorses Trump on Ukraine ?! - twaddle -
What K TH ignore is a People's sovereignty is worth whatever they're willing to pay for it.
Their message is unmistakable. They'd rather die than be Russian.
And for K TH to reduce this nobility of patriotism down to simple K TH subjective right & wrong is simultaneously highhanded & low-minded.
Not only has K TH insinuated itself into validating the military expansionist Russia / Putin.
It sows the seed of inevitable broader Russian military encroachment to the West.
Disgraceful.
!
This is lunacy.
Trump has demonstrated with unmistakable clarity that he has switched sides, taking the People of the United States along with him.
Trump hasn't shown much commitment to fundamental institutions of the United States of America.
Kuperman / THE HILL (K TH) endorses Trump on Ukraine ?! - twaddle -
What K TH ignore is a People's sovereignty is worth whatever they're willing to pay for it.
Their message is unmistakable. They'd rather die than be Russian.
And for K TH to reduce this nobility of patriotism down to simple K TH subjective right & wrong is simultaneously highhanded & low-minded.
Not only has K TH insinuated itself into validating the military expansionist Russia / Putin.
It sows the seed of inevitable broader Russian military encroachment to the West.
Disgraceful.
Being soft on Russia has never worked, and history proves it
Christo Atanasov Kostov, IE University / Tue, March 18, 2025 at 4:29 AM EDT
Since returning to the White House in 2025, US President Donald Trump has dramatically reshaped US policy toward Russia, adopting a markedly softer stance on Vladimir Putin and the ongoing war in Ukraine. This approach has included cutting military aid to Ukraine, and pressuring Kyiv to accept unfavourable terms to end the fighting.
Being soft on Russia has never worked, and history proves it
Trump’s appeasement of Putin is alienating its allies and encouraging its enemies – including China.
Is it too late for Ukraine to "win"?
Why should the West not inform Russia / Putin / Kremlin, even if you occupy former Ukraine including Crimea,
it will do you no good.
We the undersigned unanimously agree, we will not conduct commerce with any Russian industry conducted on territory that was sovereign Ukraine before Russia invaded Crimea during the Obama administration.
Undersigned = E.U. / NATO
Certainly Russia could still gain tax revenue there, and plunder its natural resources.
But it wouldn't be the $cash $cow that are Stolichnaya's potato farms, the source of tens of thousands of Rubles per year for the Kremlin's war coffers.
Why should the West not inform Russia / Putin / Kremlin, even if you occupy former Ukraine including Crimea,
it will do you no good.
We the undersigned unanimously agree, we will not conduct commerce with any Russian industry conducted on territory that was sovereign Ukraine before Russia invaded Crimea during the Obama administration.
Undersigned = E.U. / NATO
Certainly Russia could still gain tax revenue there, and plunder its natural resources.
But it wouldn't be the $cash $cow that are Stolichnaya's potato farms, the source of tens of thousands of Rubles per year for the Kremlin's war coffers.
Shiftless2
Well-known member
Do you actually think the Russian Asset in the White House would even contemplate that?
Putin has apparently surrounded himself with "yes" men.
Also evident, Trump has too.
Let us hope that doesn't mean Trump has excluded all oval office counsel.
Any competent advisor that has Trump's ear should be able to explain / inform Trump that U.S. shunning the E.U. / NATO will not only help unify, solidify the shunned group,
but also reduce or eliminate Trump's place at the table. Trump's not the brightest candle on the birthday cake. But if he keeps his wicks about him he'll understand
Trump can't make big boy decisions if he's not in the room when the decisions are being made.
Trump may not know much. But he knows where the limelight is.
Trump thrives on his own unpredictability. And Trump would not wish to be an ostracized loser.
So while Trump is clearly in Putin's court at the moment, Trump may well switch, if it looks like Putin is about to go down with the Trabant.
Shiftless2
Well-known member
As long as he can take credit (or at least thinks he can) I don't think he cares who makes the actual decisions.
I JUST CAN'T TAKE THE PRESSURE !!!
I need some comic relief !
... meanwhile former President William Jefferson Clinton is making progress on his autobiography.
The working title is: The Johnson Years
The chapter Clinton's currently working on takes place in the white house situation room,
although during the Clinton administration it was known as "the sticky situation room".
Didn't help much. Trump still horrid.
Heathrow Airport orders probe into shutdown as travellers endure days of disruption
By Andy Bruce and Suban Abdulla / March 22, 20254:04 PM GMTLONDON, March 22 (Reuters)
- London's Heathrow Airport resumed full operations on Saturday and ordered a probe into how it dealt with a power outage that shut Europe's busiest air hub for almost a day as airlines warned of further delays and cancellations.
OK
Looks like system failure, no "Plan B".
BUT !
Was the substation fire spontaneous? Sabotage? Other?
As Russia taunts U.K. over Heathrow fire, Kremlin-backed sabotage attacks are in the spotlight
British authorities have said the fire is not being treated as suspicious, but increasing Russian sabotage attacks in Europe fueled speculation over Kremlin involvement.It may seem an ill-considered leap.
But even if there's no direct Russian involvement in Heathrow's substation fire, the broader view provides alarm.
It's understandable that the West chose not to storm in to Ukraine's defense, and force Russia / Kremlin / Putin into a humiliating defeat.
The problem is the West including U.S. has now has made the even more recognizable of dawdling. The result:
- it appears Russia will be allowed not only to retain all of Crimea, but further to retain some if not much of other formerly Ukrainian territory it currently occupies.
Providing so lucrative a reward is monumentally self-destructive. For it invites more of the same. And further,
even if there's no Russian connection to Heathrow's fire, Putin recognizes the green light.
We can blame President Biden for incompetence.
Anyone wish to draw up the list of blame for Trump? Don't forget to include switching sides, allying with Putin.
Shiftless2
Well-known member
... and it don't stop there. Thomas Jefferson left a substantial impression.
But in his Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson paid France for a substantial swath of America. Had T.J. not ever heard of Injuns? They were not French.
- touché -
BUT !
"Subtlety is an over-sold virtue." psychologist Joy Browne
We don't need the example. And "they" are impervious. Enjoy the weekend. It may be one of the last.
"To Western intelligence agencies, the situation is becoming clear: within Russia’s top brass, the knives are out for their leader."
Opinion
The Kremlin is nervous. On Saturday night, a limousine belonging to Vladimir Putin’s official fleet dramatically exploded north of the headquarters of the Russian security services. Last week, footage showed servicemen being frisked by special protection officers. Those same officers were later seen opening up sewer hatches in a hunt for bombs near where the Russian leader was speaking. To Western intelligence agencies, the situation is becoming clear: within Russia’s top brass, the knives are out for their leader.
Western analysts are often accused of wishful thinking. Rightly so. In March 2022, an op-ed in the New York Times described Russia as a “Potemkin superpower”, naively suggesting that just the faintest push would cause the whole regime to suddenly collapse.
Such a projection has not come to pass. But there is one thing the rising paranoia does certainly reveal: Putin does think he’s vulnerable.
You can understand why. Let’s first consider the feeling within Russian society at large. Since the war started three years ago, 250,000 soldiers have died - the pain does now appear to be cutting through. Grieving mothers are now starting to write to president Putin demanding explanations, with one telling Sky News: “it’s impossible to live like this”.
The heavy losses have led to a wider conscription crisis which has caused Putin to offer salaries - far above the average - for young men to go to the front line. Do not underestimate the anger of these families: when Moscow was at war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, it was the mothers of soldiers that formed the frontline of the anti-war movement.
Then there’s the key demand made by Putin in negotiations with the US: that Volodymyr Zelensky be removed before a ceasefire be agreed. The madness of that condition exposes the Russian premier’s desperation. Mr Zelensky’s possible successor, current ambassador to the UK Valerii Zaluzhny, is more hardline than him.
But what will worry Putin the most is the impatience of the man he once considered his most loyal friend in the West: Donald Trump. On Sunday, the American president deviated from his traditional praise for the Russian leader by saying he was “p----- off” with him after weeks of attempting to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine. That marks a sharp change of tone from 2015, when Trump described him as a “strong leader”.
We are now entering the time of year known as “fighting season” – the months where the weather warms up and the ground hardens to allow tank warfare.
The improved weather could favour Ukraine. Clearer skies will make drones more useful in targeting Russian forces, and their untrained troops – with no experience of combined arms, tanks, artillery and airpower – will also struggle against Ukraine’s better trained defence.
There could be no time when the Russian premier’s vulnerability could be as pivotal in altering the course of this war as now. The question is whether the West will seize the moment.
news.yahoo.com
Opinion
Whisper it, but the tide might just be turning against Putin
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon / Mon, March 31, 2025 at 11:55 AM EDTThe Kremlin is nervous. On Saturday night, a limousine belonging to Vladimir Putin’s official fleet dramatically exploded north of the headquarters of the Russian security services. Last week, footage showed servicemen being frisked by special protection officers. Those same officers were later seen opening up sewer hatches in a hunt for bombs near where the Russian leader was speaking. To Western intelligence agencies, the situation is becoming clear: within Russia’s top brass, the knives are out for their leader.
Western analysts are often accused of wishful thinking. Rightly so. In March 2022, an op-ed in the New York Times described Russia as a “Potemkin superpower”, naively suggesting that just the faintest push would cause the whole regime to suddenly collapse.
Such a projection has not come to pass. But there is one thing the rising paranoia does certainly reveal: Putin does think he’s vulnerable.
You can understand why. Let’s first consider the feeling within Russian society at large. Since the war started three years ago, 250,000 soldiers have died - the pain does now appear to be cutting through. Grieving mothers are now starting to write to president Putin demanding explanations, with one telling Sky News: “it’s impossible to live like this”.
The heavy losses have led to a wider conscription crisis which has caused Putin to offer salaries - far above the average - for young men to go to the front line. Do not underestimate the anger of these families: when Moscow was at war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, it was the mothers of soldiers that formed the frontline of the anti-war movement.
Then there’s the key demand made by Putin in negotiations with the US: that Volodymyr Zelensky be removed before a ceasefire be agreed. The madness of that condition exposes the Russian premier’s desperation. Mr Zelensky’s possible successor, current ambassador to the UK Valerii Zaluzhny, is more hardline than him.
But what will worry Putin the most is the impatience of the man he once considered his most loyal friend in the West: Donald Trump. On Sunday, the American president deviated from his traditional praise for the Russian leader by saying he was “p----- off” with him after weeks of attempting to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine. That marks a sharp change of tone from 2015, when Trump described him as a “strong leader”.
We are now entering the time of year known as “fighting season” – the months where the weather warms up and the ground hardens to allow tank warfare.
The improved weather could favour Ukraine. Clearer skies will make drones more useful in targeting Russian forces, and their untrained troops – with no experience of combined arms, tanks, artillery and airpower – will also struggle against Ukraine’s better trained defence.
There could be no time when the Russian premier’s vulnerability could be as pivotal in altering the course of this war as now. The question is whether the West will seize the moment.
Whisper it, but the tide might just be turning against Putin
The Kremlin is nervous. On Saturday night, a limousine belonging to Vladimir Putin’s official fleet dramatically exploded north of the headquarters of the Russian security services. Last week, footage showed servicemen being frisked by special protection officers. Those same officers were later...
[U.S. Secretary of State] Rubio says U.S. will abandon Ukraine peace efforts within days if no signs of progress
"We're not going to continue with this endeavor for weeks and months on end," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday. Read More »https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-ready-abandon-efforts-broker-070406140.html
Shiftless2
Well-known member
‘A raging meat grinder’ How a riot in Krasnodar highlights the Russian army’s desertion problem
‘A raging meat grinder’ How a riot in Krasnodar highlights the Russian army’s desertion problem — Meduza
In Krasnodar, Russia, around one hundred soldiers detained on suspicion of desertion staged a riot in a bold escape attempt last week. Seven managed to break free — four were quickly recaptured, and three remain at large. RFE/RL’s Kavkaz.Realii looked into what sparked this mass attempt to flee...
"In Krasnodar, Russia, ... a bold escape attempt last week. Seven managed to break free — four were quickly recaptured, and three remain at large." #118
‘A raging meat grinder’ How a riot in Krasnodar highlights the Russian army’s desertion problem — Meduza
In Krasnodar, Russia, around one hundred soldiers detained on suspicion of desertion staged a riot in a bold escape attempt last week. Seven managed to break free — four were quickly recaptured, and three remain at large. RFE/RL’s Kavkaz.Realii looked into what sparked this mass attempt to flee...meduza.io
desert
Leave the battlefield, or fertilize it.