The Ukraine situation has me really stressed out

7649204 If Putin wanted Ukraine, he would have already taken it when NATO had its pants down.

His main goal is to stop the West from coming closer.

Sure, it's a shitShow. Putin has no business deciding who can and who cannot join NATO. But you have to understand his perspective as well.

7649204
You want a stress-fest? Check what's happening in Canada with the trucker protests.

7649208
Is tredeu still trying to imprison the truckers?

7649204
Eh don't worry about it; it's possible something will happen but odds are the US and the rest of Europe won't get involved.

7649220
yes

7649223 I think we should help Ukraine

7649208

Those are over and done with....plus that is NOTHING compared to what is going on in Ukraine.

7649204

Well we will see what happens. He is sending troops into Moscow-friendly separatist regions (Donetsk and Luhansk) as "peacekeeping forces." The people in those territories believe Ukraine is going to attack them. Unless you live over in Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine or Russia, I wouldn't let it stress you out too much. I highly doubt this will cause other countries to directly enter the conflict.

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-21-22/index.html

7649253 Now Putin says the USSR breaking up was a mistake

7649254

Well of course he thinks that, he was high up in the KGB. Hell Gorbachev is still really bitter about it too but he has long since retired to private life after the collapse in December of 1991. Thing is, had the Soviets not spent so much on their military the USSR may not have collapsed, well when it did anyway.

7649258 Putin is in charge of the country meaning the thirteen former republics might be threatened. Hell, he's already interfered in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia propping up puppet regimes.

Also, I'm not counting Belarus since Lukashenko is Putin's lapdog

7649260

I was about to bring up Belarus but yeah, Lukashenko is a lap dog, hell Belarusian troops engage in exercises with Russian troops. When it comes to all the former republics, I don't see Putin trying to go and take them and resurrect the USSR. I'm sure if he could get away with it he would but for now, it looks like his focus is on Ukraine. What will happen is severe economic sanctions against Russia. He'd probably have to try and invade some country like Germany or Finland to start a much larger conflict in which the US would send our military in.

7649262 True, plus there is opposition within Russia its self so that does make me feel a bit better

7649263

There is some opposition within Russia but a ton of people there support Putin. Regardless though, don't let it stress you out too much.

7649266 Easier said than done

7649262

What will happen is severe economic sanctions against Russia.

Actually, these sanctions will only hurt Europe. Russia will just do its business with China if Europe closes its doors.

7649224

I think we should help Ukraine

Ukraine had a chance to join EU and NATO when Russia had its pants down, but only 20% of people voted for joining. Maybe they regret missing their chance, but it's too late now. They wanted to be a solo player, and now they're a solo player. Harsh, but that's the reality of the situation.

7649269 We can't let Russia bully its neighbors

7649270 The situation is the same as during the Cuba crisis. Cuba was an independent country and wanted to join an alliance with Russia.

But then America was all like, "Not in my neighborhood! You shall respect my authority, Cuba!"

America surrounded innocent Cuba and placed an embargo on it. America even wanted to bomb the shit out of it, without any provocation.

Luckily, Russia was a pussy back then and said, "You have no business telling Cuba who they can and cannot ally with. But fine. Let's avoid humanity's mutual destruction and play it your way."

7649277 Cuba is a Marxist dictatorship with a notoriously bad human rights record

7649279 That's their problem, not America's.

You're exactly the same as Putin, bullying everyone who thinks differently than you.

7649282 So we should do nothing and let them suffer. Like the people who opposed stopping Hitler's aggression.

7649283 That's the exact argument Putin is using right now.

There are Russian people living in Ukraine. Their right to their native language was trampled upon in Ukraine.

Putin says that he wants to liberate people from oppression, just like you're promoting now.

I don't know if there will be a World War III, but I am convinced that if it comes to humanity's total destruction, it will be because of people who think as you do, promoting violence and interference.

7649286 So I'm wrong for wanting to defend Ukrainian sovereignty? Wow, how messed up.

7649290 Sometimes, tense situations just need a little push.

If what you're promoting in this thread leads to World War III and the extinction of the entire human species, then yes, I think you're wrong.

Keep poking the Bear. See what happens.

7649294 That sounds like pro-Putin propaganda

7649295 It sounds like anti-World War III propaganda.

7649296 How's Putin boot?

7649297 How's nuclear winter and radioactive fallout?

7649253
7649223
7649208
All right, Central European perspective here. Truth be told, I wouldn’t share your optimism. The situation is definitely stressful for most of Europe, and it has the potential to turn into a Europe-wide conflict. The thing is, Ukraine is currently serving as a buffer both for Russia and Belarus. If it falls, a lot of European countries will suddenly become neighbours of Russia… You can guess what that means. It’s true that no country as of yet stated that if Ukraine is attacked, they’ll join the counter-attack on Russia, and everyone is still hoping that an open conflict can be prevented by diplomacy. The thing is, that hope is dwindling. (Also, at least some countries provided military training instructors, equipment, et cetera to Ukraine.)

Still, nobody wants to see a repeat of the Munich Agreement from 1938 or something the likes of the invasion of Poland in 1939.

7649258

Thing is, had the Soviets not spent so much on their military the USSR may not have collapsed, well when it did anyway.

The spending wasn’t the ultimate reason. The economy was in dumps, but not because of the USSR investing in the army, but rather because of the industry and such starting to fall apart. Gorbachev’s reforms at the end of the 80’s were what allowed the USSR to become a bit more open. That’s why the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Velvet Revolution (as well as the following revolutions) in 1989 could happen.

7649269

Ukraine had a chance to join EU and NATO when Russia had its pants down, but only 20% of people voted for joining.

I’d like to see you cite a source for this kind of information. Also, note that joining the EU or NATO is not just up to what people of the country say. Also, joining the EU, which Ukraine wants to do, takes years of preparations.
(They planned to impove the living conditions a bit so that they could formally apply for EU membership in 2024, link /it’s in Ukrainian, but Google Translate can help/).

7649286

There are Russian people living in Ukraine. Their right to their native language was trampled upon in Ukraine.

This is a gross simplification. Russian people are a recognised minority, and they are of course allowed to speak and otherwise use their language, and it was allowed to appear alongside Ukrainian in various media as well as in minority-specific schools. (We have the same thing here in some regions where Polish folks are a recognised minority. Polish schools, churches, offices, etc. are a thing. Streets and municipal buildings have all signs both in Czech and Polish.) Russian in Ukraine was (partly) banned in some media in reaction to the annexation of Crimea in 2014 as well as in reaction to the current events (e.g. certain print media cannot be only in Russian, but their Ukrainian equivalent has to be published as well, link).

7649297
7649299
This bickering leads nowhere. Please take it to your profile page comments, PMs, or some political groups.

Bottom line, if the conflict fully starts, it's not going to be pretty. It's good to be wary and keep an eye out on what's happening, but it's not worth curling in a corner and shaking in fear.

7649204

You're telling me? I'm practically living next to this shitshow .

I honestly don't know what's worse, the smug grin of Putin or Western 'leaders' trying to intimidate him with... sanctions . In the history of the world, that weapon has NEVER worked... but THIS TIME, it will be different. Yeah, sure it will...

7649206

Man, respectfully, but you're spewing such BS in this thread, it's hard to read

1. The whole 'We just fear NATO coming too close!' is just an excuse, always been, and they've been using it for years. Putin doesn't actually give a fuck about NATO coming closer to Russia's borders. He's not a moron; he knows NATO would never dare to attack him.
2. Ukrain NEVER had any referendum to join NATO or EU! Where the heck did you hear that? There were political talks (between country leaders) to start entering the EU, but then-president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, rejected the EU's association agreement, preferring to side with Russia instead. This was one o the sparks that started the Euromaidan and later led to Orange Revolution. Both of these events made it clear that the majority of the people of Ukraine chose the West instead of the East.
3. Unless you have some proof that Ukraine has been secretly deploying ICBMs with nuclear warheads across its borders and targeting Russia, the 'Cuba crisis' analogy is void. Not to mention that there is a 'slight' difference between a free democratic country arming itself vs. an unpredictable dictatorship arming itself.
4. 'Their right to their native language was trampled' - EverfreePony already covered that one perfectly.

Poland has been observing Russia slowly expanding its clutches back to the former USSR republics trying to grab them back like some lost treasure. Parts of Georgia were first, then Crimea. Belarus is practically Russia's puppet state already, and now it's time for Ukraine. Who will Putin go after next if he is not stopped? Lituana, Estonia, or maybe my Poland? Well, that's an interesting question when you live next to Russia, I can tell you that .

But worry not, it's not going to escalate into WWIII. As always, cowards people thinking that de-escalation is the best strategy will win in the end. I predict its gonna go more or less like this:

• Western leaders gonna express their 'outrage!'
• they gonna put some 'extreme!' sanctions (which Putin will barely feel)
• Putin's gonna retaliate with the sanction of his own (which EU will feel much more because, in their infinite wisdom, the EU has willingly become dependent on Russian gas)
• a year to two later, someone in Germany will be like, 'Hey, Hans, has it been long enough? Can we call Putin to get that cheap gas already?'
• then someone from Germany will be sent to 'talk' to Putin, and a year or two from then, everyone will accept that Ukraine - or what's left of it - is now part of Russia
• and then everyone will forget about the invasion, and it will be business as usual

Unless of course, Ukrainians are gonna turn the invasion into Afghanistan 2.0. Unfortunately, it's not very likely.