Invasion of Ukraine • Page 153

nice long article with some perspectives from diplomats. Im not through it all yet but appreciate it.

I see the macro geopolitical conflict between Russia and NATO just as anyone else does

I dont believe there is any good case that the parliamentary actions of Rada in Feb 2014 were as a result of NATO influence. Or that the political economic sentiments inside Ukraine at the time and subsequent social unrest after Yanukovych unilaterally axed a parliament approved free trade deal with the EU weren’t/wasn’t a real domestic issue for the electorate. Of course immediately after Crimea was invaded.

I know these two places have a shared tumultuous history that predates NATO. And there have been wars and invasions decades prior. Messy stuff.

 

I don’t think it matters because the premise of the question is wishful thinking

 

the answer is unequivocally yes

 

If they're invited, yes? But in practice that isn't how it works or Cyprus would be in. The decision to invite a country will have consequences whether it should or not and polities ignored that at the peril of innocent Ukrainians

 

Super. Let me know how it works out in reality.

 

oh I think NATO has treated Ukraine and Ukrainians and continues to treat them absolutely horribly

hundreds of thousands of dead Ukrainians, if not more, soldiers and civilians, dead, with not even a second thought

it is honestly unconscionable

 

Whatever extend I disagree with this is summed in this other article by Branko, somewhat less inflammatory than the headline implies:

https://jacobin.com/2022/02/maidan-protests-neo-nazis-russia-nato-crimea

I don't think it explicitly disagrees with anything I've quoted you saying here because of how specific you were. Except maybe that it points out that the NED and USAID having been pouring money into Ukraine since 92 but I lump that in with just kind of the general way that international relations influence domestic politics, which I'm sure you're not disputing wholesale when you say parliamentary actions in 2014 weren't due to NATO influence.

What I mean is, NATO has and had influence in Ukraine obviously, and despite the ways that obviously effects the country's domestic politics, I assume when you say it wasn't due to NATO influence you're thinking more along the lines of Obama didn't call up parliament and tell them to start doing Maidan. Which yeah, for sure. But all that American money wasn't poured into Ukrainian civil society for no reason

 

Great video going into the research being done on how to destroy the Kerch Bridge

 

"Sean Penn heads to Ukraine to learn more about comedic-actor turned president, Volodymyr Zelensky. But when Penn finds himself in an undisclosed bunker of the Presidential Palace on the evening of the Russian invasion, he instead has a front row seat to Zelensky's greatest challenge as a world leader. “Superpower” is a heart-wrenching glimpse into a country fighting for its freedom, featuring a series of intimate interviews done by Penn with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and others from seven trips over nearly a two-year period. Through moments of levity, inspiration and on the ground storytelling, it becomes clear that Ukraine’s Superpower lies in the strength of its leader, its people, and ultimately, its heart."

 

yesterday while I was at work my wife told me that her and my daughter were spray painting the black wrought iron table & chairs that we have in the front. she said they were chipping and needed new paint and they wanted to do colors. I came home and saw what they did and said to her "fuck yeah, Ukraine!"



she claims they had no idea and just picked colors that they liked, but I think we all know better

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/europ...e-nuclear-missile-launcher-drills-2024-07-05/

 

Some good info here; crazy to see what were giant tank storage fields, now completely empty

 

Poll: More and more Russians think a nuclear strike on Ukraine is justified

 

Fucking hell, directly targeting a children's hospital

 

absolutely fucking disgusting

US needs to lift the insane restrictions and let them hit wherever they need to

 

What do we think the influence after the US election will be from either a trump or Biden win ?

 

Too many unknowns right now; hard to say what will happen. A lot will depend on how the House and Senate ends up in November, as most aid bills have to go through them first. JD Vance is anti-Ukraine aid (but wants to continue supporting Israel), so if Trump wins that would be pretty worrying for Ukraine (provided he keeps that stance and isn’t influenced by US weapons manufacturer lobbying). If Biden wins and Senate is kept, aid bills should go through every now and then. If Dems pick up House as well, that would make aid bills much easier to pass/approve. But yeah, mostly speculation at this point.

 

I think Trump and JD have been pretty vocal on reviewing aid to Ukraine. Does make you wonder if Trump will try to allow an avenue for Putin to save face but at what expense to Ukraine. Especially as his rhetoric has been no wars under him.

 

Crazy to see how far drone production has come in Ukraine, from sheer volume to the type of tech they employ