The State of Affairs in Russia

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Spoke too soon on the western response being impressively united as Macron announces that "it is good that Europeans and the United States co-ordinate, but it is necessary that Europeans conduct their own dialogue" and that "these next few weeks should lead us to bring about a European proposal building a new order of security and stability. We must build it between Europeans, then share it with our NATO allies, then then propose it to the negotiation with Russia".

Russia has rejected this and said they don't want to bring too many countries in as it's counter-productive and they're talking with the US.

And I'm not sure it's likely to arrange a new order of security in a few weeks or super-helpful during a crisis - and frankly I suspect a larger proportion of EU states would prefer negotiations through the NATO channel (with the US) than through a European-only channel.

Edit: But this is what I mean about Macron would love it if we kicked some of this into the long-grass for summits on the European security architecture etc.

Love it. AUKUS comes due. Live and learn, Blinken.

More likely, it's election season in France and they still like to pretend they are big shots and having IMPORTANT BUSINESS conducted while ignoring them is upsetting.

Indeed, while the reality is more that the EU isn't even at the negotiating table.

[Zoupa]

Love it. AUKUS comes due. Live and learn, Blinken.

Re. history mattering - see France

I also saw a poll that now only 40% of the French see the UK or Australia as allies

I don't get it. Why do you guys think disunity is *good?*

You play the cards you're dealt.

[Sheilbh]

I don't get it. Why do you guys think disunity is *good?*

Oh it's not. But it's France being France - and that's *magnificent*

[Berkut]

Love it. AUKUS comes due.

Your hate is amusing.

The US
The UK
Australia

It's funny how selective some people are in how they choose to "remember history".

[Berkut]

I don't get it. Why do you guys think disunity is *good?*

Oh it's not. But it's France being France - and that's *magnificent*

You do realize that Zoupa thinks you agree with him well beyond the magnificence of it....right?

[viper37]

So who is pushing the "invasion" narrative?

The 100 000 troops at Ukraine's borders?

[DGuller]

They're merely passing through the area.

[Berkut]

You have to understand their fear if imminent NATO invasion.

After all, GdM just told us they were there because of NATO being in Ukraine.

The fact that NATO is not actually in Ukraine is not an important part of the nuance that matters.

[viper37]

The fact that NATO is not actually in Ukraine is not an important part of the nuance that matters.

The "funny" thing is there have been Russian troops in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea for a while now.  Long before NATO or any of its member States got involved in the area.

Gaiijin seems surprised that some of Russia neighbours wish to join NATO after seeing Russia invade some other neighbour.  The same way one would be surpised to see bars in the windows of a house in a neighborhood where there has been multiple burglaries.  People react in funny, totally unpredictable ways, sometimes.

[viper37]

They're merely passing through the area.

Yeah, they're on their way to Germany, I guess.

[Gaijin de Moscu]

So who is pushing the "invasion" narrative?

The 100 000 troops at Ukraine's borders?

Ergh... we literally just talked this a few posts ago with Valmy

[Gaijin de Moscu]

The fact that NATO is not actually in Ukraine is not an important part of the nuance that matters.

The "funny" thing is there have been Russian troops in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea for a while now.  Long before NATO or any of its member States got involved in the area.

Gaiijin seems surprised that some of Russia neighbours wish to join NATO after seeing Russia invade some other neighbour.  The same way one would be surpised to see bars in the windows of a house in a neighborhood where there has been multiple burglaries.  People react in funny, totally unpredictable ways, sometimes.

I'm all for self-determination, as long as it goes both ways.

When in 2014 the then-Ukraine government asked for a time out on negotiations regarding its trade with the EU, it was ousted with a violent coup.

You seem surprised that I don't buy the current narrative, which I see as demagogic.

[Gaijin de Moscu]

They're merely passing through the area.

Yeah, they're on their way to Germany, I guess.

No but some of them are on their way to Belarus for joint military exercises.

Routine, I'm sure.

[Zoupa]

I don't get it. Why do you guys think disunity is *good?*

Oh it's not. But it's France being France - and that's *magnificent*

You do realize that Zoupa thinks you agree with him well beyond the magnificence of it....right?

You've upgraded your modus operandi. Before you just put words in other people's mouth, but now you can read minds!

The frothiness amuses though lol

[Berkut]

I don't get it. Why do you guys think disunity is *good?*

Oh it's not. But it's France being France - and that's *magnificent*

You do realize that Zoupa thinks you agree with him well beyond the magnificence of it....right?

You've upgraded your modus operandi. Before you just put words in other people's mouth, but now you can read minds!

The frothiness amuses though lol

What is funny is that he just said he exact same thing I said about you - that you entire perspective is about spite, and nothing more - and you didn't even notice.

The difference is that he thinks the stereotype of the smug, spiteful Frenchman is magnificent and I think its petty and ridiculous.