Ukraine

[scottw]

is putin simply "wrecking Ukraine"?

pretty interesting from 2015

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

Correction: Putin invaded Ukraine because he believed Trump had weakened NATO, split the allies, and divided America.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

No, NATO is divided because Central/Western Europe but particularly Germany got used to spending less on their own defense and expecting the USA to pick up their defense. Putin has for well over a decade done everything possible to erode NATO.

Trump surely divided you.

Originally Posted by scottw

seems like we overestimated our influence with China, underestimated the relationship China has with Russia....Russian got all of our intelligence and a stronger alliance with and reassurances from China...not sure how that is good

maybe we can give putin our intelligence regarding china and taiwan and ask him to encourage them not to invade

No, we'll still need to work with them and vice versa - for now. Wait till we bring up Climate Change.

Originally Posted by scottw

is putin simply "wrecking Ukraine"?

pretty interesting from 2015

Going to cost Putin Russia at this rate.

[nightfighter]

Well Germany has finally come with their checkbook. $100 billion Euro commitment to a military fund. Just this morning in an emergency Sunday morning session.

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday that Germany is committing 100 billion euros to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2 percent of GDP.



Not exactly what I would have thought they could do, but clearly a major shift in their defense and security policy

[scottw]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

Well Germany has finally come with their checkbook. $100 billion Euro commitment to a military fund. Just this morning in an emergency Sunday morning session.

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday that Germany is committing 100 billion euros to a special fund for its armed forces, raising its defense spending above 2 percent of GDP.



Not exactly what I would have thought they could do, but clearly a major shift in their defense and security policy

emphasis on "finally"...

It has become clear that “we need to invest significantly more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy,” Scholz said.

Germany has been widely criticized for what many describe as meager investment in its military and its slow and lackluster response to Russia’s military buildup around, and subsequent invasion of, Ukraine.