Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Jacob]

I'm seeing some discussion about Biden sending a bunch of equipment to Greece - which is apparently easier to do without GOP support as they're a NATO country - and Greece then giving a bunch of it to Ukraine.

Here's hoping it works out.

[Zoupa]

It's better than nothing, but the stuff Greece would be forwarding is all Soviet stuff from the 80s.

[Jacob]

It's better than nothing, but the stuff Greece would be forwarding is all Soviet stuff from the 80s.

Oh I got the impression that they'd forward some of the American stuff directly. As you say, it's still better than nothing, but better stuff would be better.

[PJL]

But why send it to Greece and not Poland instead? Or would that be too obvious?

[Jacob]

Apparently Hungary has fallen in line and is supporting the EU Ukraine financing package, without getting the yearly veto they otherwise demanding.

[crazy canuck]

Apparently Hungary has fallen in line and is supporting the EU Ukraine financing package, without getting the yearly veto they otherwise demanding.

And they apparently took a bit of a beating too.  Good to see the rest of the EU grow more of a spine.

[Sheilbh]

Apparently Hungary has fallen in line and is supporting the EU Ukraine financing package, without getting the yearly veto they otherwise demanding.

Plus ca change. Same with Sweden's NATO membership - willing to push (ideally hiding behind someone else like Turkey) up to the point where there might be consequences and then folds.

[HVC]

Apparently Hungary has fallen in line and is supporting the EU Ukraine financing package, without getting the yearly veto they otherwise demanding.

Plus ca change. Same with Sweden's NATO membership - willing to push (ideally hiding behind someone else like Turkey) up to the point where there might be consequences and then folds.

Wasn't there rumblings about removing Hungarians ability to vote/veto? Maybe he got scared.  thought I read that somewhere, or perhaps it was just a fevered dream.

[Sheilbh]

Wasn't there rumblings about removing Hungarians ability to vote/veto? Maybe he got scared.  thought I read that somewhere, or perhaps it was just a fevered dream.

Not really much more grumblings than normal. There was a push for it in the European Parliament, which got quite a lot of attention but the European Parliament has basically no role in that procedure - and their views were broadly already known.

Interestingly last week the FT reported that there were talks around basically imposing economic pain on Hungary to force the issue. Basically there was a strategy document doing the rounds that identified the vulnerabilities in Hungary's economy and how to hurt it (including possibly trying to start a run on its currency and collapse investor confidence). Obviously that's not really a procedure mandated in the treaties, but it's not a million miles away from what happened to Greece. Worth noting that others, such as the French government, absolutely denied that those talks were taking place or that such a document existed - but journalists from other outlets said that they'd not seen the document but this was absolutely being talked about by ambassadors and EU officials.

That might have prompted a shift in Orban's approach more than any formal legal fiddling.

And interesting to see support for Ukraine joining creating risk to the Euro as the absolute non-negotiables in the EU.

[Josquius]

But why send it to Greece and not Poland instead? Or would that be too obvious?

Poland already gave away all their Warsaw Pact stocks?

[Jacob]

Tucker Carlson hanging out in Moscow: https://www.newsweek.com/tucker-carlson-moscow-russia-vladimir-putin-1866669

[crazy canuck]

Home is where the heart is

[Zanza]

Just read that Wagner will be renamed. To Afrikakorps. Seriously. 

[Tamas]

Just read that Wagner will be renamed. To Afrikakorps. Seriously. 

De-nazification is clearly going as planned.

[Barrister]

Tucker Carlson hanging out in Moscow: https://www.newsweek.com/tucker-carlson-moscow-russia-vladimir-putin-1866669

I mean it's nice he's removed all doubt about him being a Putin shill.