I’ve still not seen the video, and I see no reason to. But it’s worth noting that when the media unite around how shitty something is, it might be shitty.
I’ve still not seen the video, and I see no reason to. But it’s worth noting that when the media unite around how shitty something is, it might be shitty.
I think it’s more nuanced than that but it’s difficult to have a nuanced conversation because everyone is so absolutist in their stance. Ukraine wants to be negotiating from a position of having the US military in it’s pocket and demands defeat of Russia. That was never going to happen even under Biden. It’s easy to punt all that bluster to the endgame… until the endgame arrives. And that’s where we are.
This is the raw reality of this war and frankly Zelinsky has been overplaying his hand. Ukraine can either negotiate or continue fighting and Zelinsky keeps choosing fighting. Anyone suggesting Ukraine is actually trying to negotiate at this point seems pretty far off from reality.
I don’t think Trump’s revisionist history helps at all but I do think this reality check does help. Nothing is getting through Zelinsky’s thick skull.
We can keep dumping old US weapons onto Ukraine hands (which is all we are willing to do) but that doesn’t end this war. It just shovels money at our defence contractors.
Anything beyond will involve direct US and Russia hostility (which would actually be WW3).
Stylistically I really do lothe the Trump, Vance, Rubio showdown that happened, but at the same time it also feels like one of the most honest things to happen. We cannot help Zelinsky until he accepts that Russia will not be defeated.
If you cannot be fucked to spell his name correctly, why should anyone listen to the rest of your bluster into the wind?
Zelenskyy knows damn well he can’t trust Russia to uphold their side of the bargain. Taking this deal would only grant them a short reprieve while Russia recovers their strength and comes back to finish the job. Ukraine is in a terrible position(and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Russia ended forcing them to reinstall Viktor Yanukovych), but, as long as Ukraine has the will to fight, they should do what they feel is best. If they choose to fight a losing war to make it as painful as possible for the Russians rather than sign a “peace” negotiated by two hostile powers in which Ukraine was not even consulted, that is their right.
Trump and Vance are a fucking disgrace. They were trying to discredit Zelenskyy in the eyes of Ukraine and the world. It’s important to remember that this is one of the least ambiguous conflicts in recent years. Russia literally declared a war of conquest using one of the flimsiest casus bellis ever. And here comes this asshole Trump, who is like “maybe we should try to do that might makes right stuff”. Now Canada, Mexico, and Greenland are getting threatened with invasion and forcible annexation. That’s why Ukraine must be supported if they choose to continue fighting; not only are they the unambiguous victim in the conflict, but the more painful things get for Russia, the less likely they will be able to wage further wars in the short term, and maybe it might make belligerent countries think twice about stealing land and subjugating people they have no right to.
I don’t really disagree with anything you’re saying except whether we are morally compelled to assist in what amounts to Ukraine’s suicide/self-genocide.
The reality is that the war has reached a stalemate (at best). Changing the facts will require additional forces and despite all the nice words nobody is seriously considering committing forces to aid Ukraine. That’s facts. Sorry. Escalation leads to WW3 and that’s why everyone has been on egg shells.
The US specifically as security guarantor is an explicit no-go for Russia. If we insist on making this existential for Russia, it becomes WW3. There is no reason Europeans can’t be guarantor. And frankly putting US economic interests in Ukraine with these minerals is a pretty genius idea. The US is ruthless about protecting it’s economic interests.
I like Zelenskyy, he’s plucky and charismatic and has good instincts. But he is not particularly realistic in his demands. For example his repeated assertions that Putin hates Russia just… it’s not workable. Ukraine’s hand is as strong as it’s going to get right now. Hopefully this has rattled him enough that the Europeans talks some sense into him. And frankly I prefer European leadership on this for a number of reasons. It’s far better for Europe if they get their act together and stop groveling to the US for leadership in their own backyard. This is the EU’s turf for Christ sake.
None of this is existential for russia. It’s all in putin’s scrambled mind. Even if russia gets pushed completely out of Ukraine including Crimea; even if Ukraine joins NATO and there are US airbases and nukes every mile along the Ukrainian border with russia, none of it is existential. NATO exists as a response to russian aggression and imperialism, not to invade or defeat russia. It’s only russia creating the false equivalence between “you won’t let us invade other countries” and “you want to invade us”. If russia could be trusted not to invade then NATO wouldn’t be needed at all.
Do not protect Nazis. I’m removing your comment, regardless of how well-reasoned you believe it to be. It’s not.