European Commission to wean off Russian oil, gas imports after Trump criticism

loveofourlord said:

yes, and giving up when a bully is threatening you and your country and everything you hold dear isn't dignified. Why do you guys think the best outcome is to just roll over and let Putin win? again, I doubt you do that if the US was invaded and you were losing, if people had done that world war 2 have been different. Only cowards give in.

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I have been discussing Ukraine on these boards for more than a decade. My view is that Putin's plan for a greater Russia is a fantasy born of the historical experience of the Russian Empire and USSR and his own ambition, but out of touch with the reality of the modern world. Russia has a legitimate claim on the Donbas and the Crimea, and this claim reflects the real divisions in Ukrainian society that existed at the time of the 2010 election. A divided Ukraine with affirmed and Western-guaranteed borders has always been the solution for this debacle. But neither side is fighting for a divided Ukraine. Both have absolutist visions that are never going to become reality. Both sides have to compromise to achieve peace and neither sees a necessity to do so. A reality check by the US Administration on Zelensky is, of course, only half the battle. Showing Putin that America does not subscribe to his vision is also necessary. Trump's timidity with Putin worries me. Putin has something on him, and that is a threat to the national security interests of Europe, Ukraine, and the USA.

mindlight said:

It is always about how you defend your dignity in the face of bullying.

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We see that around the world, against America. China is another policy mistake now that we created an industrial machine, and they no longer kowtow to us. We sanction them because we can't compete and might be willing to go to war over Taiwan. Until Americans realize and sue for peace, we'll end up with a world that we live in now, our arrogance and Trump's arrogance.

Pommer said:

Standing up to bullies never works?

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I disagree, punch them in the mouth and have them pick up their teeth off the ground. The sad thing is we don't recognize the bully like in a sports game, the referee always calls a foul on the second guy retaliation, not realizing the first guy initiated it first.

mindlight said:

It is always about how you defend your dignity in the face of bullying.

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Which appearances show me he did just fine at.


Certainly not disrespectful.

Laodicean60 said:

I disagree, punch them in the mouth and have them pick up their teeth off the ground. The sad thing is we don't recognize the bully like in a sports game, the referee always calls a foul on the second guy retaliation, not realizing the first guy initiated it first.

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Zelenskyy is getting bullied by Trump and putin.

So I like this plan.