"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again."

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Erdogan stated:

"First of all, we would not say 'yes' to those who impose sanctions on Turkey joining NATO, which is a security organization. Because then NATO would not remain a security organization anymore, it becomes a place where representatives of the terror concentrate," Erdogan said.

I am right now laughing my head off - what on earth could wish Putin more for, then such a statement?
President Zelenskyy saying "Maybe I was wrong about this whole thing, comrade." ?
 
When Russia first invaded Ukrainian territory, in 2014. I should have thought that was obvious, given my post upthread about exactly that. Perhaps you should read the discussion for detail rather than asking folks to repeat themselves for your benefit.
  • Dialogue and cooperation started when newly independent Ukraine joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (1991) and the Partnership for Peace programme (1994).
  • Relations were strengthened with the signing of the 1997 Charter on a Distinctive Partnership, which established the NATO-Ukraine Commission (NUC) to take cooperation forward.
  • Since 2009, the NUC has overseen Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration process, including reforms under the Annual National Programme (ANP).
  • Cooperation has deepened over time and is mutually beneficial, with Ukraine actively contributing to NATO-led operations and missions.
  • Priority is given to support for comprehensive reform in the security and defence sector, which is vital for Ukraine's democratic development and for strengthening its ability to defend itself.
So much for your "facts" - maybe you should really read up the "facts";)
And again:
there were two options for NATO and the Ukraine latest since 2019, a clever diplomatic one, or a rather stupid/arrogant one - unfortunately NATO and Ukraine opted for the latter one.
And now since February 2022 we have to deal with the result of their preferred option.
 
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Because in 1452 the Pope didn't have an army unlike 50 years later under Cesare Borgia. The Pope however did appeal towards Christianity for others to aid Constantinople.
However they were too occupied fighting each other. Genoa (mightiest naval power in the Med) and Venice were too much occupied finding out if trade might improve with the Ottomans upon them maybe eliminating their main trading rival Constantinople. Only Venice (when it was too late) send a fleet and troops.
True. Maybe Britain and Allies should have kept the place in 1919.



Too bad Britain was too weak after the First World War. Had Britain controlled Constantinople along with Suez and Gibraltar the Mediterranean would have looked very different a hundred years on.
 
Priority is given to support for comprehensive reform in the security and defence sector, which is vital for Ukraine's democratic development and for strengthening its ability to defend itself.
And this, right here, is exactly what Putin did not want.

So when the Ukrainians ousted Putin's puppet and his corrupt posse in 2014, Russia invaded and took the Crimea and Donbas.

One simply cannot have a nation that wants to be self sufficient, self determining and free to think for itself.
 
Whatever happened to Yulia Tymoshenko? There's a little on her recent activities during the invasion on Wikipedia.
I think she's currently a member of parliament.

Interestingly enough, after she lost the presidential election to Yanukovych in 2010, he had her arrested.
 
STOCKHOLM/KYIV, May 16 (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin appeared to climb down on Monday from Russia's objections to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, saying Moscow had no issues with them entering the U.S.-led military alliance they now aim to join in reaction to his invasion of Ukraine.

Though the Russian leader said Moscow would take action if NATO were to move more troops or hardware onto the territory of its new members - steps Finland and Sweden have both already ruled out - he said NATO's expansion itself was not a threat.

"As far as expansion goes, including new members Finland and Sweden, Russia has no problems with these states - none. And so in this sense there is no immediate threat to Russia from an expansion to include these countries," Putin said.

The comments appeared to mark a major reversal of Russian policy. For decades, Moscow has cast NATO's expansion to include new members as a direct threat to Russia's security, including citing it as a justification for the invasion of Ukraine itself.

Just hours before Putin spoke, Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said Finland and Sweden were making a mistake that would have far-reaching consequences: "They should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it."

Putin's own spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked last Thursday if Finland joining NATO was a threat to Russia, had said: "Definitely. NATO expansion does not make our continent more stable and secure."

But faced with the prospect that his own actions may cause the very expansion of NATO he had opposed, Putin appears to have decided not to object directly.

He did however say NATO enlargement was being used by the United States in an "aggressive" way to aggravate an already difficult global security situation, and that Russia would respond if the alliance moves weapons or troops forward.

"The expansion of military infrastructure into this territory would certainly provoke our response. What that (response) will be - we will see what threats are created for us," Putin said. "Problems are being created for no reason at all. We shall react accordingly."



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Again I would suspect China has leaned on Putin like they did over his threat to use Nukes. China wants to rule a complete world - not a nuclear wasted world so I suspect that they also want Russia as a viable client - not a damaged client that they have to assist in recovering.
 
There is surplus gas in Aus and Canada though the Chinese and Japanese take a large part of it. That unfortunately means that Italy would have to outbid them on the open market.
The infrastructure to export Cdn LNG really isn't in place right now. There was big plans several years ago but with the depressed market at the time it stalled.
 
Thanks for that. Aus is exporting to a lot of Asia at present so adding the EU will probably be more a shortage of ships than a shortage of facilities at this end. And facilities can be ramped up quicker than LNG tankers
 
And again:
there were two options for NATO and the Ukraine latest since 2019, a clever diplomatic one, or a rather stupid/arrogant one - unfortunately NATO and Ukraine opted for the latter one.
And now since February 2022 we have to deal with the result of their preferred option.

I'm sorry but "the result of their preferred option" should NOT have required the invasion of Ukraine. NOTHING in any prior engagements between Ukraine and the west justifies Russia's actions.

I'd dearly love to know what this "clever diplomatic" solution looked like because it sounds an awful lot like Ukraine bowing to Russia's wishes...and that's EXACTLY what Ukraine is fighting for today. Unless you don't believe that sovereign nations should be able to make their own decisions and chart their own destinies?
 
The infrastructure to export Cdn LNG really isn't in place right now. There was big plans several years ago but with the depressed market at the time it stalled.
The LNG Canada facility in Kitimat BC has been moving ahead full steam and I understand it will be on stream some time next year or early 2024


There have been several projects on the east coast that have been considered since at least the early 2000's. Some have come and gone but some have seen interest resurrected recently for obvious reasons. Fickle politics, aboriginal land claims, and regulatory hurdles have all conspired against such projects over the years leaving the LNG Canada project the only one moving ahead at this time.
 

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