Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-26

[crazy canuck]

I don't think there is a variant universe where Trump is not transactional

[Legbiter]

The new crop of russian assault infantry.

https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1992235930300936365

[Josquius]

The new crop of russian assault infantry.

https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1992235930300936365

They've been captured here?
Lucky guys if so. If they're about to go in...poor sods.

[Zoupa]

The new crop of russian assault infantry.

https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1992235930300936365

They've been captured here?
Lucky guys if so. If they're about to go in...poor sods.

No, they're about to go in. It's russians filming russians.

[Zoupa]

Trump doesn't have the cards.

Isn't PURL yank hardware, though? Just that it's bought by Ukraine and paid by Euro cash.

I mean, Trump can chose not to sell us the hardware, which would be stupid, but here we are.

PURL is usually US hardware yes. Selling something is not giving something.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

PURL is usually US hardware yes. Selling something is not giving something.

cel's point is that the Trump administration could block that part if they wanted to get pissy about it.  Thus, it's a card they hold.

[Zoupa]

Sure, but it's a weak card. There is plenty of euro hardware. The reason PURL exists is because of the Biden era US assistance. Ukrainians are trained on mostly US systems. We could switch to euro stuff, and make the poor Ukrainian logistics officer's life even more hellish. But we could do it.

PURL is usually US hardware yes. Selling something is not giving something.

cel's point is that the Trump administration could block that part if they wanted to get pissy about it.  Thus, it's a card they hold.

[Jacob]

The Daily Express (so yeah) reports that European leaders are considering dumping trillions of dollars of US debt if the US "sells out" Ukraine...

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2140719/trump-ukraine-russia-peace-deal-europe

[Tamas]

There is no way those cowards will risk pissing off Daddy Trump

[crazy canuck]

There is no way those cowards will risk pissing off Daddy Trump

 

Have you not been paying attention to all the things Europe has been doing that pisses off the Americans under the current regime?

[Jacob]

There is no way those cowards will risk pissing off Daddy Trump

I don't think they're about to do it tomorrow or anything, but...

It seems to me that the current state of diplomacy is that you talk about cataclysmic things you can do, and then sometimes you follow through on them - fully or in part. And sometimes, of course, you don't.

I think this is a reminder from the EU that they in fact do hold some cards with real value, as well as a signal to the population of Europe that the disintegration of the relationship with the US is ongoing and that drastic action may be required.

[Razgovory]

There is no way those cowards will risk pissing off Daddy Trump

I think they would be fine pissing off Trump, but bringing down the US economy would likely bring down everyone else's economy.  It would be game of chicken, see who blinks first.  Trump often backs down with faced with real resistance.  Anyway, at this point I am fine with destroying the economy.

[Jacob]

I mean, I rue the day but all this fucking tension can't continue building like this. Something is going to blow eventually.

[Sheilbh]

The Daily Express (so yeah) reports that European leaders are considering dumping trillions of dollars of US debt if the US "sells out" Ukraine...

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2140719/trump-ukraine-russia-peace-deal-europe

I'd entirely ignore the Express. Interesting to see what the WSJ report it's summarising says though. I've not seen anyone else pick it up so my assumption is they've put a fair bit of spin on a throwaway line in the WSJ.

[Jacob]

Yeah fair enough.