When they started to build up troops, the Donbas region looked vulnerable. Now that a full scale invasion is on the cards, Donbas seems almost palatable.
The problem is this is exactly what Putin plays for. Big show of force, gets concessions, expands Russian territory.
So if that’s what happens, and he takes Crimea, then the 2 Donbas regions, does anyone seriously think it will stop there?
It might settle down, but it’s only a matter of time before they come for another region in a drip drip drip…
I don’t know what the answer is, but I fear many Ukrainians will be dead, ordinary citizens too, while a bully goes unchecked.
Most countries get by just fine w/o them but I agree, getting the bomb seems to be the line in the ash that somehow magically allows countries to become immune to normal discourse. On the other hand, I’m pretty sure the US could get into N. Korea, displace the regime and secure the nuclear weapons fairly easily but for the hulking neighbour to the north and west…
I have a lot of sympathy with no nukes. They are awful, in the full horrific sense of that word.
But I can’t help but feel Ukraine is going to take a beating here, and as they put up a fight, Russia will just escalate.
Obviously the non proliferation norm is sensible in the sense that it keeps nukes out of the hands of idiots, but the stable alliances that sort of helped to keep the peace are perhaps no longer able to do so?
I hate that the West has nothing, really, to stop Putin, unless we go all the way to where no one wants to go.
EU wants to wait before an invasion before implementing sanctions…wait…? Russia has already now send troops into the separatist regions and Putin telling them to conduct ‘peacekeeping’ missions. That is not an…invasion…then what is. Even if sanctions is not going to do piss to Putin but still…
Honestly, Putin already knew there is absolutely nothing that nobody can do to him and Russia. Crimea came and gone, why would this be any different. I sympathize with the people of Ukraine, I just hope whatever happens, the common people will not suffer as much and whoever gets control of the region, that people will just get to live in peace.
I assume that after they deal with all the death and destruction that a Russian invasion would bring, they’ll become another Belarus. Completely controlled by Moscow, having no say on their future and on who governs them.
Anyone who listened to Putin’s speech last night , or got a glimpse of him addressing his security council , can be left in no doubt that the West has now to accept that they are dealing with a megalomaniac madman hell-bent on returning Russia to its past imperial glory. Those ambitions should have been quashed eight years ago with his Crimean adventure but , foolishly , we looked away.
There can be no such insouciance this time around , the stakes are too high. The EU and the US need to throw the kitchen sink at him sanction wise and begin covert ops to destabilse his government and stir unrest amongst his power base , i.e. the oligarchs.
Putin is a clear and present danger to the security of Europe and the world and it’s imperative that he is dealt with accordingly.
Russia is a construct. The people of Russia are the ones likely to be hurt. My fear is that sanctions will play into Putin’s hands a little bit. Put the sanctions on, squeeze the oligarchs, then the trickle down effect onto the people - this will polarise them further and risk Putin doing even more crazy stuff.
I reckon the strategy the West is adopting is to play the long game - in time he will die, everyone does. They will look to contain as best they can. There was a 8 year gap between the annexation of Crimea and this little escapade… At that rate maybe he’ll only get Latvia and Estonia before he moves on - and - as long as he repents, he will still go to heaven! (Too much? Possibly (not?))
