Unrest in Ukraine

[TurtleManiac]

Seen an article about Zelenskyy saying the war in the Middle East is taking away focus from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Has the Ukraine been defunded? Or just not getting as much now since the other war started.

Zelenskyy now asking for credit and will pay back after the war

https://twitter.com/alx/status/1722000685255065741

[Andrew NDB]

Seen an article about Zelenskyy saying the war in the Middle East is taking away focus from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Has the Ukraine been defunded? Or just not getting as much now since the other war started.

It's complicated. The democrats want to give like 80 billion to Ukraine in a omnibus package (meaning, they pack it with a bunch of stuff completely unrelated to Ukraine) deal that includes funding for stuff like hiring 20,000 more IRS agents and such. The republicans are, first and foremost, approaching a deal for 14 billion JUST for Israel and after that's done, they will look at a bill JUST for Ukraine. But it may not even get that far as the democrats won't humor the Israel only bill.

[MikeandRaph87]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/imprisoned-russian-opposition-leader-navalny-132954646.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-anti-war-candidate-blocked-175949256.html

Putin is maneuvering his way to a new term and denying democracy in Russia.

[neatoman]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/imprisoned-russian-opposition-leader-navalny-132954646.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-anti-war-candidate-blocked-175949256.html

Putin is maneuvering his way to a new term and denying democracy in Russia.

... This man is turning 72 next year, his fifth term (and I think he might be forced to put another puppet president in the seat again, so maybe he can't officially get "re-elected" in 2024) will end when he's about 78.

[Sumac]

... This man is turning 72 next year, his fifth term (and I think he might be forced to put another puppet president in the seat again, so maybe he can't officially get "re-elected" in 2024) will end when he's about 78.
He is already an official "candidate" (i.e. unless something happens, he 100% will be re-elected).

Funny thing, his administration allegedly received instruction to pick up only old opponents, so Putin won't look "old". This plan has failed already, however.

[MikeandRaph87]

... This man is turning 72 next year, his fifth term (and I think he might be forced to put another puppet president in the seat again, so maybe he can't officially get "re-elected" in 2024) will end when he's about 78.

In 2020 he got an amendment that reset his terms and he can run in 2024 and 2030 for two more six year terms if he lives that long. That is two people who could run against Putin and legitimately get votes. Vladimir saw to it one is imprisoned and the other declared ineligible.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Alexei Navalny just passed away in prison, leaving his wife Yulia, and their daughter Daria and son Zakhar behind.

mgydMTmhs50

[Mayhem]

About as unsuspicious as Epstein's death...

[Warhorse]

Alexei Navalny just passed away in prison, leaving his wife Yulia, and their daughter Daria and son Zakhar behind.

mgydMTmhs50

Hmmm, and American youtuber, Gonzalo Liro, living in Ukraine, was arrested and detained and then his father reported that Gonzalo was killed in prison by Ukraine guards. Face it, both countries are scumbags and neither deserve our money!

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Hmmm, and American youtuber, Gonzalo Liro, living in Ukraine, was arrested and detained and then his father reported that Gonzalo was killed in prison by Ukraine guards. Face it, both countries are scumbags and neither deserve our money!

Ukraine may be corrupt, but at least, it doesn't violate the borders of other countries.

[IMJ]

Ukraine may be corrupt, but at least, it doesn't violate the borders of other countries.

Exactly. And see that is the end-all-be-all of the situation. It's simple. Ukraine was sovereign, it's what their people wanted, they had their own nation with borders. The borders were violated with force by an invader.

The end. Conversation over regarding "who's right, who's wrong". The end. Instant decision-making data presented.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Media has been awfully quiet lately with the Russians grinding down the Ukranians in the battlefield.

Super dissapointing but not surprising. "They" never cared about Ukraine, only about testing their fancy new tech and turning the country into a meat grinder.

[Andrew NDB]

Media has been awfully quiet lately with the Russians grinding down the Ukranians in the battlefield.

Super dissapointing but not surprising. "They" never cared about Ukraine, only about testing their fancy new tech and turning the country into a meat grinder.

Well, sort of. The general idea is hey, if we can arm Ukraine and have them put a considerable dent in Russia's military at no real risk or stakes of our own, why not do that? If the media really cared about things they'd be trying to ask the hard questions, like what's the off-ramp here? How do we amicably put an end to this?

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I would argue the "putting a dent" theory has fallen flat.

Russia's economy has only grown with time, and they outnumber Ukranians by as much as 7 to 1 depending on which front of the battlefield you are looking at.

Ukraine was never going to win this war on its own due to a lack of manpower. Ukraine's soldiers are brilliant men of honour, but the West has left them to die because their governments don't care.

I don't think its farfetched that when Russia wins (which I hope it doesn't), Western leaders will eventually shake hands with Putin and recognise his conquests in the long-term.

[Andrew NDB]

I would argue the "putting a dent" theory has fallen flat.

500,000 dead Russian soldiers since the start of the war is falling flat? Obviously there is no Ukraine "winning" this war, but from a west perspective (not my own, but the hawk types), that's 500,000 less Russian troops out there win, lose or draw and all we had to do was send some guns and drones.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I have doubts about the offical figures of Russian military casualties.

But even if it is 500,000, they're gonna be easily replaced. The Russians always conducted war by throwing waves and waves of soldiers until the enemy just dies of exhaustion.

[Andrew NDB]

I have doubts about the offical figures of Russian military casualties.

I mean, sure. That's fair. Maybe not quite same way Hamas' figures of their casualties turned out to be 50% wrong last week (oh, what a shocker!), but maybe more in the 15% area. Maybe. I'd think it's much easier to determine who is a dead Russian soldier in uniform vs. Hamas in Gaza who... could be dressed in anything. Like, let's say 15 Hamas wearing hoodies and khakis ambush you in an alley brandishing machine guns and you blow them away, when the census takers come -- or however this works -- do these get noted as civilians or Hamas? I literally have no idea. But we unequivocally know how Hamas would count them.

But even if it is 500,000, they're gonna be easily replaced. The Russians always conducted war by throwing waves and waves of soldiers until the enemy just dies of exhaustion.

That's actually true. But the next wave they draft won't be as experienced as the last, and so on, until you arrive at just civilians pulled from their couch grudgingly plopped into battle with guns placed in their hands... so now there is a pretty useless army, on the ground. And the general principle is that if we have to -- as the US -- deal with Russia as a true enemy, say, tomorrow, then this would be a good thing. I don't agree with the mentality behind this but I understand it. And obviously if ever there was a WAR, war with Russia, boots on the ground wouldn't matter terribly much in the bigger picture. For f***'s sake, they have hypersonic nukes. And I don't think anyone is sufficiently aware of what that really means.

[Mayhem]

Matters haven't died down that much here in regards to Ukraine, maybe less priority compared to the goings on between Hamas/Israel/Iran and now that an election has been called, but news articles still appear.

There are different estimates I've read about Russian casualties to date from various departments and Western analysers, but all of them are over 400k with approximately 3000+ tanks destroyed. In a way they are still treating it like WW2, keep throwing meatbags into the fray until you eventually win, regardless of the losses (pyrrhic victory?).

until you arrive at just civilians pulled from their couch grudgingly plopped into battle with guns placed in their hands
That's already been happening given the widening on the mandatory conscription ages, and literally janking thousands of prisoners out of jail promising them a pardon if they fight.

How do we amicably put an end to this?
Putin's death probably.

Watched an interesting three-part documentary on the BBC about 80s cold war spying and how MI6 had a top level Russian colonel feeding them information as a double agent while in London. When the KGB twigged and tried to arrest him when they asked for him to return to Russia, he escaped through Finland with our help. Apparently the UK government gave Russia a two week deadline to let his family join him here otherwise they'd publicise the defection. Russia didn't respond, so it went on the media. A lot of KGB heads rolled as a result.

Where am I going with this? A lot of colleagues and friends of one younger staff member named Vladimir Putin were axed in this purge, and many theorise this is part inspiration for his utter hardline in treating "betrayal" and "turning your back on your country" since.

[Andrew NDB]

Yeesh... I'm not sure about this move.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/20/politics/us-policy-ukraine-counterstrike-russia/index.html

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Yeesh... I'm not sure about this move.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/20/politics/us-policy-ukraine-counterstrike-russia/index.html

Too little, too late. But that's by design, to provoke Russia into attacking when Ukraine is already worn down and bursting at the seams.

Ukraine is held at gunpoint by Russia, which in turn is held at gunpoint at NATO.

[Andrew NDB]

iVb--Yh6BbE

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Ukraine's new incursion into Russia was so awesome. First time that that Russian territory is under occupation since 1944, Lets go!

Is it gonna end badly with the Russian response? Probably, but a victory is a victory.

[Andrew NDB]

2P-sDGxsfSg

Zelenskyy won't accept any peace deal made by Trump and Putin. I mean, he might want to consider that? The odds that we're going to continue to fund a Forever War are pretty low.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Time to go to bed Zelensky, the big boys Trump and Putin are coming to town!

[Mayhem]

Or basically Trump will roll over and let Putin tickle his belly. I doubt anyone outside the US or Russia will accept this “deal”.

[member_removed]

The odds that we're going to continue to fund a Forever War are pretty low.

Forever war funded in Russia, sorry TMNTA reference.

I think maybe two possible deals that could work.

1. Russia gives back what it took and return to staus quo

2. Russia keeps what it took but the reminder of Ukraine gets to join NATO asap.

If Russia gets to keep something, then I think Ukraine should get something back major in return.

Get Ukraine back and functioning a major player in world agriculture, hitting supply chain issues and start to tackle the global cost of living crisis. I just think Ukraine needs longer term reassurance, that NATO can provide.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Or basically Trump will roll over and let Putin tickle his belly. I doubt anyone outside the US or Russia will accept this “deal”.

I don't think it will matter to either Trump or Putin. I think they would be more than happy to strike a deal over how to end the war without needing to get Zelensky involved.

I'm not versed in all the numbers, but I think the United States will benefit much more from a good relationship with Russia than it will with Ukraine.

[Mayhem]

I don't think it will matter to either Trump or Putin. I think they would be more than happy to strike a deal over how to end the war without needing to get Zelensky involved.

I'm not versed in all the numbers, but I think the United States will benefit much more from a good relationship with Russia than it will with Ukraine.
The US already has a “good relation” with Russia because Trump is Putin’s lapdog, sorry about that. And strike a peace deal without involving the country thst the conflict is in? That’s never going to fly with anyone else. And it will matter…

[Andrew NDB]

Forever war funded in Russia, sorry TMNTA reference.

I think maybe two possible deals that could work.

1. Russia gives back what it took and return to staus quo

2. Russia keeps what it took but the reminder of Ukraine gets to join NATO asap.

If Russia gets to keep something, then I think Ukraine should get something back major in return.

Get Ukraine back and functioning a major player in world agriculture, hitting supply chain issues and start to tackle the global cost of living crisis. I just think Ukraine needs longer term reassurance, that NATO can provide.

NATO is never, ever going to be something Russia will agree with for Ukraine.

[Andrew NDB]

Yeesh... Trump calls out Zelenskyy as a dictator without elections; Zelenskyy fires back and says Trump is mired in "disinformation." Russia wants Ukraine to have an election before a peace deal is signed.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-calls-ukraines-zelenskyy-dictator-without-elections-rift-widens

[IndigoErth]

(Trump about Ukraine) “Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it — three years. You should have never been there. You should have never started it. You should have made a deal.”

Never been where? In their own nation?

Does this man even exist in our same universe? I can't believe he's actually trying to blame a country that was invaded and attacked by a bigger power on their own soil. Many of whom were just average citizens trying to protect their communities and towns. All while many civilians were killed. Were they supposed to just lay down and accept the death and destruction? If it was us, would we be expected to do that and not fight to protect our communities? Wtf. Russia, who Trump has jumped right into bed with again, did this, Ukraine owes them nothing.

So much for the claims that Putin wouldn't have done it had Trump been in power because Trump can just scare him away from doing it... Trump's instead been quick to cozy up with him rather than using any power to put pressure on him. :roll:

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Glad to see Trump calling out Zelensky for the clown he is.

Putin never ate our money like Zelensky did.

[IndigoErth]

Guess if they'd been allowed to be part of NATO, and triggered a response from allies from the beginning, they wouldn't have had to "eat our money" in order to try to fight that attack.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Guess if they'd been allowed to be part of NATO, and triggered a response from allies from the beginning.

That would've eaten even more American dollars, and spilt American blood.

[Andrew NDB]

That would've eaten even more American dollars, and spilt American blood.

Ukraine in NATO is a 100% guarantee of WWIII. Right there. Whether at the start or now.

[IndigoErth]

How does any reasonable person justify leaving an ally to the wolves like that.

[Galactus]

How does any reasonable person justify leaving an ally to the wolves like that.

No reasonable person is justifying it. Only the MAGA chuds.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

How does any reasonable person justify leaving an ally to the wolves like that.

Reminds me of the saying that in Geopolitics, there are no permanent allies and enemies. Only permanent interests.

[Stu_Padasso]

Reminds me of the saying that in Geopolitics, there are no permanent allies and enemies. Only permanent interests.

I believe it’s “shared interests,” but still very true. History is full of examples where groups and even nation-states become best friends to bitter enemies and visa versa.

It would be amusing if Red Skull and Black Panther took the 23 And Me test and found out that they were related.

[Barkworm]

Trump being scum is expected. His lies about Ukraine starting the war are aggrevating nonetheless.

[Andrew NDB]

I think he genuinely misspoke about "they started it!" but as to the rest, it could very well be he is positioning US to be "the bad guy" so that Zelenskyy can go back to Ukraine and say, "I did not want this outcome, I wanted to take back all the lands (which was never possible), but this outcome was FORCED on me!" And then, peace.

[IndigoErth]

Not saying this specifically at you, Andrew, just more of a general comment, but... the mental gymnastics people have to do to try to cover and "explain" what he does... *sigh*

https://media2.giphy.com/media/26FeYcLgqw8rWFFqo/giphy.gif?cid=6c09b952l7q32j8t1o5m8hldxbz6yrq9wirj qbpx4rwq7nxz&ep=v1_internal_gif_by_id&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g

The man just isn't even a complex thinker, and certainly not enough for that. Even just his extremely basic vocabulary and the way he expresses himself makes that pretty clear. Maybe someone else could formulate such plans and he can be the presenter of it, but at that point he's a total puppet.

That plan would also require empathy for others, something he never appears to expierence. It's a bit hard to just mispeak and accidentally blame the victim of an attack.

[Barkworm]

Trump just wants Ukraine‘s rare minerals. It‘s very simple. The ‘peace‘ scenario Andrew paints is laughable.

[Mayhem]

Yeah at this point it’s pretty plain that if Republicans were calling Biden a puppet and other people were controlling him, it’s very much the same here with Trump. Same game plan as Gaza, how can I profit from this?

[Andrew NDB]

So... I guess Zelenskyy has agreed to all of Trump's terms for continued assistance. Which doesn't seem great for the peace deal but it may put Ukraine in a better bargaining position at such a table.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/zelensky-surrenders-to-trump-and-will-sign-mineral-deal-within-hours/ar-AA1zy9UB?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=d4f657461b38412aae600c03ab5e0447&ei=13

[Barkworm]

Trump just wants Ukraine‘s rare minerals. It‘s very simple.
Oh, what a surprise.

[Andrew NDB]

Oh, what a surprise.

Well... what's the alternative? Biden's "We'll give you everything forever for as long as you want to go even if it takes 30 years, short of what you'd actually need to do... anything!" ? No matter how many lives are lost in pursuit of the... nothing, in the meanwhile?

* Zelenskyy gets to say "We didn't get what we wanted, this was forced on us! But hey, peace. And some kind of non-NATO security guarantee."

* Putin gets to say to some small extent, "We won! We got at least some of what we wanted!"

* The US gets to say, "Hey citizens, we got some degree of compensation for doing what Europe didn't do, or didn't do enough of comparatively."

I don't really see any other way this ends.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Trump just wants Ukraine‘s rare minerals. It‘s very simple.

Trump's straightforwardness leaves little room for doubt.

[Mayhem]

It’s a very long game though. Likely be at least a decade until the infrastructure is there to mine effectively, and then uh oh, China will likely have to process them.

Unsurprisingly Musk threatened to shut Starlink down if Ukraine didn’t agree…

Elsewhere former KGB agent claims Trump was recruited in the 80s…

https://bylinetimes.com/2025/02/21/donald-trump-was-recruited-by-the-kgb-under-codename-krasnov-claims-former-soviet-spy-chief/

[Mayhem]

If you want to read the agent’s posts they are here

https://www.facebook.com/share/1ERHoixr6D/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[IndigoErth]

Yeah, plenty of countries need to step up better to assist their neighbor more and help stabilize and secure their region of the world. Find a way to force Russia get over itself, hopefully change leadership as necessary by force, and screw off back to their own territory.

That said, I don't really care about compensation. It shouldn't have been a "what's in it for us." Pretty messed up if a large, powerful ally like us was to see a much smaller one attacked, leaving their civilians having no choice but to be a part of the fight, and just shrug it off. Ukraine can pay it forward someday.

Odd to think that had they already been NATO members then other nations in it would have been forced to respond more, but they aren't, so here we are. Had they been forced, then this might have been taken care of sooner. Russia might be tough, but they aren't invincible.




Elsewhere former KGB agent claims Trump was recruited in the 80s…

https://bylinetimes.com/2025/02/21/donald-trump-was-recruited-by-the-kgb-under-codename-krasnov-claims-former-soviet-spy-chief/


Craziness if true. Not exactly an intelligent source to target... lol but one probably easy to get to leak info, so I could see why they might target him.

[Andrew NDB]

If they had already been in NATO we would have had WWIII the moment after the ink was dry on the contract. And we'd be likely living in Fallout world now if we are alive at all.

Ukraine will get their security guarantees but it will stop short of anything like NATO membership.

If you want to read the agent’s posts they are here

I'm full up on conspiracy theories for now, thanks.

[IMJ]

If you want to read the agent’s posts they are here

https://www.facebook.com/share/1ERHoixr6D/?mibextid=wwXIfr

:lol::lol::lol::lol:
Oh man I'll be you absolutely love that one in your ongoing mania....

omfg :lol:

Mayhem sitting at home all day reading court transcripts and Trump hate-news upon finding that he stopped to pull one off....

[Mayhem]

Craziness if true. Not exactly an intelligent source to target... lol but one probably easy to get to leak info, so I could see why they might target him.
Report suggests USSR was looking to recruit American business investors in the 80s, and Trump at the time was looking to move into the region to develop, having meetings in the country.

[Andrew NDB]

Report suggests

This is just sad, man.

[Mayhem]

Sad, if true, that people have been duped for so long, yes.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

https://x.com/saintjavelin/status/1894070816847048913

UN resolution passed. Most notably, USA and Israel voted against condeming Russia as an aggressor state and demanding the withdrawal of its troops from Ukraine.

[Mayhem]

Yeah... well Israel isn't surprising because Ukraine has generally voted against Israel at the UN.

Now the US... if you can honestly spin this, I'm all ears to the subsequent ******** mental gymnastics.

[Andrew NDB]

We're in the middle of making nice with Russia and getting a peace deal going. Voting for UN stuff to further demonize Russia isn't productive, and won't be anything Russia is going to care about regardless.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

We're in the middle of making nice with Russia and getting a price deal going. Voting for UN stuff to further demonize Russia isn't productive, and won't be anything Russia is going to care about regardless.

You and I disagree on so much but I 100% agree with this.

What really interests me on this particular resolution is that Israel votes against condeming Russia.

As Mayhem pointed out, Ukraine has voted against Israel before, but that doesn't change the fact that Israel has repeatedly condemned Russia after the invasion, only to take a sudden 180 turn now.

You would think that Israel would naturally take sides against Russia, because Russia allies itself with Iran.

However, I think its because of Trump that Israel is doing something it would otherwise never do. He is forcing them into an uncomfortable position, where they can side with the new Autocratic Vision for America, or stick with the rest of the international community.

Clearly Israel has chosen to stick with a United States that is increasingly comfortable with Autocratic regimes. I don't blame them, maybe I'd do the same if I was an Israeli.

[Mayhem]

We're in the middle of making nice with Russia
Russia auto became nice with the US as soon as Trump was voted in (maybe with Putin’s help) for the obvious buddy reasons. Many of the other countries that voted against are funded by Russia, so they didn’t want to upset their paymasters. As predicted, China abstained. It would have been a better, if not ideal look, if the US had done the same.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

v_kTNIYsFnQ

Heated arguement between Trump and Zelensky.

Thoughts?

[rav4ge]

v_kTNIYsFnQ

Heated arguement between Trump and Zelensky.

Thoughts?

That was epic. Zel set Trump off when he hinted at the war's severity and global effects. I rarely see him that perturbed.

This was one for the history books.

[Andrew NDB]

Thoughts?

Well, get ready for a deluge of "OMG!!! How could President Trump disrespect Zelenskyy like that?! Zelenskyy is a hero and this is just Trump being Putin's b****," etc., etc., and so on.

I don't know that Trump was wrong for doing what he did, but it did smack as a bit of theater for Putin's benefit. As if to show, on the world stage, "See? We're not just mindlessly friendly with Zelenskyy." To better help things at the table with Russia to assuage fears that "we" are plotting against them in concert with Ukraine, or whatnot.

Or maybe not. Maybe a spade is just a spade in this case and Zelenskyy just really pissed him off (again), lol!

[ToTheNines]

Seems… staged.

Why have this kind of conversation on camera like this?

[IndigoErth]

Getting flustered that easily, saying very little of substance, and not leading the discussion toward any deals, and not even leading the discussion itself in general... yeah, the great "deal maker" Trump.


Started watching Zelensky for any fleeting "wtf" looks on his face when Trump was doing his broken record rambling, but guess he's too battle worn to be phased by any of it.

[Andrew NDB]

Seems… staged.

Why have this kind of conversation on camera like this?

There could be several reasons, all of which in terms of the bigger picture. But yeah, I could see a good case for seeing "Staging" there.

[Autbot_Benz]

Russian State Media TASS was there but not AP or Reuters. Comrade Trump ladies and gentleman .

[Mayhem]

No assurances of security if the minerals deal was signed, I think that’s basically one angle. Oh and not wearing a suit, but if you’ve seen him conduct any interview or meeting the last few years, he never wears one. Both sides claiming the high ground. The only winner here was Putin.

[Andrew NDB]

You know what? You guys are absolutely right. Why can't Mean Mr. Trump just meet with Nice Mr. Zelenskyy and Mean Mr. Putin and just be really, really nice and make the peace deal and end the war? Can anyone give me one reason why that can't happen?

[IndigoErth]

Can anyone give me one reason why that can't happen?
Trump kinda owes that answer to the voters himself. After all, he did partly campaign on being the one who is just somehow going to wave it away and make the war end in short order if he got back into office.

I doubt anyone who voted against him is surprised, since we knew he couldn't and that the respect and fear he claims to have from Putin and others isn't real. Some of his obvious frustration MIGHT be the fact that he really believed he had that kind of power, but the real circumstances are showing him that he actually does not...

Now he is trying to bully the nation who was the one attacked to try to talk them into laying down and being defeated just to "end" it so that Trump can say he won by making it happen. Understandably, it is not in Ukraine's best interest to give up, no more than it would be ours if it was us.


Edit: Heard on tv in passing that much of those "rare minerals" that Ukraine might have, that may not even be in large supply anyhow, are primarily in the areas taken over by or otherwise impacted by Russia's attack on them. So good luck securing that region to even go dig that up.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I thought it was awesome seeing Trump grill Zelensky into the ground. The man who kept getting billions from the United States was sent running with his tail between his legs.

I think it was 'staged' on Trump's end as in deliberately set up to catch headlines, but not on Zelensky's end. Why would Zelensky stage his own humiliation?

I can't wait to see the Trump Putin meeting.

[IndigoErth]

Grilling? I saw a deranged old man ranting about feelings, playing cards, and not thinking he's thanked enough. :lol:

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Grilling? I saw a deranged old man ranting about feelings, cards, and not thinking he's thanked enough. :lol:

The thing about thanks and cards is absolutely correct. Zelensky has zero cards against Trump and has no leverage over him.

When you're a the leader of a small country, you don't dictate to a much bigger and stronger power, because you will suffer the consequences if they've had enough of you.

[Andrew NDB]

Edit: Heard on tv in passing that much of those "rare minerals" that Ukraine might have, that may not even be in large supply anyhow, are primarily in the areas taken over by or otherwise impacted by Russia's attack on them. So good luck securing that region to even go dig that up.

That's true, and the places in Ukraine that are apparently the most mineral rich are parts now held by Russia. Which is part of why I don't think Trump REALLY wants to make that deal and it seems like a ploy to keep Russia at the table. Russia thinking that the US is fat and happy and content with the mineral deal with Ukraine -- which entitles the US to protect Ukraine indefinitely -- is not something they're going to want. It might even be part of why Trump blew up the "Deal" today. Like, "Wait, Zelekenskyy is actually going to SIGN the deal? He wasn't SUPPOSED to sign the deal!" But this won't really compute to anyone not willing to look any further than "Orange man bad" and "Russia Russia Russia."

But who knows. All we can do is speculate at this point.

[neatoman]

... So who thinks the bone marrow cancer rumors about Putin are true?

[Andrew NDB]

... So who thinks the bone marrow cancer rumors about Putin are true?

Probably some of the same people who are still waiting for Trump to get in trouble for the fake model pee stuff that Rachel Maddow was furiously talking about a few years ago. Who knows.

[Barkworm]

v_kTNIYsFnQ

Heated arguement between Trump and Zelensky.

Thoughts?
I‘m horrified. Trump‘s new term is shaping up to be even worse than what people were expecting.

[Mayhem]

... So who thinks the bone marrow cancer rumors about Putin are true?
When this current Ukraine conflict began, Putin was doing one of his usual Bond villain broadcasts as shown on the TV news, and the other half (who I will remind has worked in cancer research and treatment for over 20 years) saw him and immediately went “he looks very puffy in the face compared to when I last saw him, I wonder if he has cancer?”. And I replied there had been rumours of such. Some of the treatments can cause your face to swell up. So I do think there is some credible evidence behind that he could.

[IndigoErth]

Reminded me of what ran across my mind last night, after seeing some clips of that ridiculous display again, and dark humor took over and applied it to Trump's (and his VP) reaction to other situations... like, say, if Trump had a friend (hahah nah) with cancer (Putin I guess??), and he offered his support (as if he'd know how to) and then screams at the cancer patient for not thanking him enough.

Joking aside... Deeply disrespectful and inhumane to berate someone dealing with something devastating. Trying to lead a small nation through a war to protect their territory and sovereignty, knowing how much destruction has occurred and the amount of death of your own people, seeing the amount of fresh graves there are in that country, that can't be anything short of devastating while being expected to lead with a brave face and try to figure it out. The guy isn't even some evil "career politician," like our own U.S. here now tends to loath, he's a former comedian who I guess ended up having to sell that part of his soul when it turned out like this. I can't imagine being someone who lives life centered on humor and making people laugh and feel good, then it ends up like this. That shift is like Ronin Mikey level in a way, with the warm, humorous guy having no choice but to lose that about him in the face of tragedy, but country instead of just family.

I do wish Vance would have kept his mouth shut instead of sounding like he was talking to his rebellious 14-year-old kid instead of another nation's leader.



Apparently, a bipartisan group of senators met with Zelensky prior to the meeting with Trump and that was perfectly fine. Though it seems that Lindsey Graham instructed him to “be grateful, be thankful,” so he basically tried to prep Zelensky to kiss the ass of the "king."


https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5169839-trump-zelensky-meeting-devastating/

Coons and Klobuchar, who met with Zelensky along with Graham and later posed for a selfie at the White House, had a starkly different reaction to the meeting.

Klobuchar challenged Vice President Vance for asking Zelensky if he had ever “said ‘thank you’ once” for U.S. military and economic aid.

“Answer to Vance: Zelensky has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you,” she posted on the social platform X.

Coons said Zelensky deserved better treatment.

“Every time I’ve met with President Zelensky, he’s thanked the American people for our strong support. We owe him our thanks for leading a nation fighting on the front lines of democracy – not the public berating he received at the White House,” he posted on X.

[Barkworm]

Seems… staged.

Why have this kind of conversation on camera like this?

This was absolutely staged, when has a meeting like this ever been recorded for that long?

[Vegita-San]

Yeesh... Trump calls out Zelenskyy as a dictator without elections; Zelenskyy fires back and says Trump is mired in "disinformation." Russia wants Ukraine to have an election before a peace deal is signed.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-calls-ukraines-zelenskyy-dictator-without-elections-rift-widens

he's got the democratic party lines mired down, doesn't he?

[Vegita-San]

I‘m horrified. Trump‘s new term is shaping up to be even worse than what people were expecting.

this is what we voted for, and it's absolute winning. he's done more in one month than biden did in 8 years at the white house.


Zelinski IS a Dictator who installed himself. and kidnaps citizens to be armed soldiers...

he could have ended it today....and he chose war. he ****ed around...now....

[Barkworm]

this is what we voted for, and it's absolute winning. he's done more in one month than biden did in 8 years at the white house.


Zelinski IS a Dictator who installed himself. and kidnaps citizens to be armed soldiers...

he could have ended it today....and he chose war. he ****ed around...now....
You're the most-stereotypical Trump voter. As educated as a pre-schooler and proud of it.

[CyberCubed]

this is what we voted for, and it's absolute winning. he's done more in one month than biden did in 8 years at the white house.


Zelinski IS a Dictator who installed himself. and kidnaps citizens to be armed soldiers...

he could have ended it today....and he chose war. he ****ed around...now....

You can't be this dumb, Putin/Russia are literally trying to invade and take over the entire country. Zelinski will also likely be executed by Putin if they ever take over Ukraine.

Ending the war makes no sense since it's Russia who is doing the invading, they're not going to stop when they've been doing this for 2 years now. They want the land.

[Barkworm]

Vegita probably gets all his information from Tiktok.

[neatoman]

Three years since the invasion actually, eleven if you count the annexation of Crimea as the start of the war. And yeah, war isn't good but just ending it for the sake of ending it is a really bad idea, it would basically just give Putin the chance to recover and try again in a few years. It would be even worse if the terms involved no real security guarantees, singing off natural resources and more or less letting Russia keep what they've claimed so far would just make Putin's possible second attempt even worse.

I'm hardly a military expert but it's obvious that nobody would ever accept a peace deal that just makes another invasian stronger and practically inevitable, who the hell would?

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Ending the war makes no sense since it's Russia who is doing the invading, they're not going to stop when they've been doing this for 2 years now.

Ending the war makes complete sense because Russia's invasion is a result of the United States's involvment in Ukraine. If Trump was president in 2022, U.S. policy rowards Ukraine would've been such that Russia would've never invaded.

Expecting Russia to not invade if Ukraine joins NATO is the hypothethical equivalent of expecting the United States not to invade their Southern Neighbour if Russia put missiles facing towards America in Mexico.

The events of 24th February 2022 were ultimately orchestrated by the Biden Administration. And now Trump is right for putting an end to the mess started by his predecessor.

[Autbot_Benz]

You're the most-stereotypical Trump voter. As educated as a pre-schooler and proud of it.

Finally someone says it :lol:

[Vegita-San]

Typical left leaner. when you are wrong, go for the insults.

IF you love Ukraine so much, go fight for it.

[Andrew NDB]

Finally someone says it :lol:

Finally? Every other post from Barkworm is calling someone he doesn't agree with uneducated. Its like his favorite thing to do.

[ToTheNines]

https://x.com/Cointel_hoe/status/1896234831962603648

[Barkworm]

Oh Andrew. You love to call people stupid but as soon as I say "uneducated", you get all thin-skinned. Makes you look a bit insecure, no?

And yeah, spouting unfactual nonsense makes you look uneducated. Calling Zelenskyy a dictator based on Trump's inaccurate ******** is uneducated. You could say I "diasgree" with that. I'd also "disagree" with someone if they said France is in Canada. Might even call them uneducated. Who knows.

[Vegita-San]

all you have to do is do a little research that isn't CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, the bought and paid for state media.

he's just as bad as Russia.

BTW...Germany seems to be repeating mistakes of yester years. might want to see what's going on in your own back yard, like the rest of Europe should be doing.

[sdp]

This presidency is delivering more than I could ever hope for. The US is on a speedrun to irrelevance worldwide. I love Trump 2.0. :tlol::tlol::tlol:

[Barkworm]

all you have to do is do a little research that isn't CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, the bought and paid for state media.

he's just as bad as Russia.

BTW...Germany seems to be repeating mistakes of yester years. might want to see what's going on in your own back yard, like the rest of Europe should be doing.

Thank you so much for this, this post includes everything I could have hoped for. But it IS my fault for replying to you, will never happen again! Good luck with your research!

[CyberCubed]

Keep in mind Vegita-san is in his mid-40's too.

Ending the war makes complete sense because Russia's invasion is a result of the United States's involvment in Ukraine. If Trump was president in 2022, U.S. policy rowards Ukraine would've been such that Russia would've never invaded.

Either way, the damage is done. Putin is not going to stop. He wants to annex Ukraine and make it part of Russia again. So they make a peace treaty for what...6 months only for Russia to try again? As said the war has been going on 3 years now, if Putin/Russia was going to ceasefire he had 3 years to do it. Russia are the aggressors here.

[IndigoErth]

Do people really think Zelensky signing some peace deal is just magically going to fix it and Russia will stop?

That's like being bitten by an untrustworthy wild animal, trying to make friends with it, and then expecting it to not bite you again. Surely few are that foolish. I can't see Russia playing along and stopping this BS unless they have a change in their own leadership, and one that is the complete opposite of Putin's mindset of trying to take over the region.

and kidnaps citizens to be armed soldiers...

https://i.imgur.com/FQPh9OU.gif

[Mayhem]

Is Zelenskyy an angel without fault? No, and there are some dubious things that have happened. I could equally say the same about Churchill to be fair. He’s the leader the country needs at the moment however.

MAGA basically want peace in Ukraine in the same way a guy who beats his wife just wants a happy marriage.

Oh Andrew. You love to call people stupid but as soon as I say "uneducated", you get all thin-skinned. Makes you look a bit insecure, no?
https://i.imgur.com/KJ9j7Dq.jpeg

[Andrew NDB]

Looks like it worked:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/02/europe/ukraine-russia-zelensky-starmer-summit-intl/index.html

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Do people really think Zelensky signing some peace deal is just magically going to fix it and Russia will stop?

Trump supporters aren't trying to make Russia stop. You and them operate on completely differen't wavelengths.

"Putin must go" and "Defeat Russia" simply aren't in the Trump supporter dictionary because out of all problems in the life of an average Trump supporter, zero are from Russia.

[Mayhem]

"Putin must go" and "Defeat Russia" simply aren't in the Trump supporter dictionary because out of all problems in the life of an average Trump supporter, zero are from Russia.
And therein lies the problem, MAGAsshats are so insular they were unable to see how the Ukraine situation does actually affect them because they can’t connect a few dots together instead of two.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

And therein lies the problem, MAGAsshats are so insular they were unable to see how the Ukraine situation does actually affect them

Thankfully, MAGAs don't have to worry about Russian troops invading America anytime soon lol.

[Barkworm]

Thankfully, MAGAs don't have to worry about Russian troops invading America anytime soon lol.
Remember the decades in which Europe had to worry that we'd get anihilated if the US and Soviet Union started their nuclear war? 30 years later they became best buddies! Simply heart-warming.

The only "good" thing out of this is that now that the US have become unreliable as an ally, Europe finally has to step up and emancipate itself from the US. Starmer and Macron are on the right track, Germany has to follow suit as soon as a new government has formed.

[ToTheNines]

Serious question from someone outside of the sh*tlib/chud spectrum: Why do liberals think it’s bad when Trump’s unorthodox diplomacy seems to work on with these states we have tensions with? Russia, DPRK, China to some extent. I understand they don’t hold up to your litmus test of moral superiority, but as Trump himself once said, you think our country is so innocent?

I don’t disagree that they’re not good. And I know liberals think that if you vote hard enough, all your problems will go away. But if Trump is able to de-escalate situations that were once a nuclear threat, how is is that a bad thing?

[Andrew NDB]

Because it's a "threat to democracy!" etc., or whatever their favorite pundits say lately.

[ToTheNines]

Because it's a "threat to democracy!" etc., or whatever their favorite pundits say lately.

Yeah, liberals today just remind me of Bush W era conservatives for the most part. Pretty telling that ****ing Dick Cheney endorsed Harris.

[sdp]

Thankfully, MAGAs don't have to worry about Russian troops invading America anytime soon lol.

no but they'll have something else to worry about once the mighty USD stops becoming the world currency and the FED can no longer print paper and have the rest of the world subsidize the inflation :lol:
And once that happens there's no turning back.

[Barkworm]

Serious question from someone outside of the sh*tlib/chud spectrum: Why do liberals think it’s bad when Trump’s unorthodox diplomacy seems to work on with these states we have tensions with? Russia, DPRK, China to some extent. I understand they don’t hold up to your litmus test of moral superiority, but as Trump himself once said, you think our country is so innocent?

I don’t disagree that they’re not good. And I know liberals think that if you vote hard enough, all your problems will go away. But if Trump is able to de-escalate situations that were once a nuclear threat, how is is that a bad thing?
Serious question back: How is this de-escalating anything? If anything, without the US as a reliable partner anymore, the nuclear threat becomes even more real.

[IMJ]

Because it's a "threat to democracy!" etc., or whatever their favorite pundits say lately.

No no.... you have to say "Threat to our Democracy" so as to make the peasant-thinker feel enraged that something they are part of is threatened.

Serious question back: How is this de-escalating anything? If anything, without the US as a reliable partner anymore, the nuclear threat becomes even more real.

So what you are saying is that from your world view the only way to manage Russia is to be at odds with them. Forever.

[IndigoErth]

Mr "This is going to be great TV" has never cared about deescalating anything in his life and it's foolish to think he's magically some kind or pro at it now or gives a rat's ass.


Edit: 14th kid... damn that man's a whore. This though:

https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/elon-musk-appears-to-confirm-birth-of-14th-child-on-x-5cchqbrst

“Discussed with Elon and, in light of beautiful Arcadia’s birthday, we felt it was better to also just share directly about our wonderful and incredible son Seldon Lycurgus,” Zilis said. “Built like a juggernaut, with a solid heart of gold. Love him so much.”

Who the hell describes a child like that? God these people are weird. :lol:

[Mayhem]

Serious question from someone outside of the sh*tlib/chud spectrum: Why do liberals think it’s bad when Trump’s unorthodox diplomacy seems to work on with these states we have tensions with? Russia, DPRK, China to some extent. I understand they don’t hold up to your litmus test of moral superiority, but as Trump himself once said, you think our country is so innocent?
Trump is a wannabe try hard dictator in waiting. The countries he most admires and is seemingly “friends” with all have successful long standing dictatorships in all but name. He wants to be like them. But unfortunately he has to go through term limits and having seemingly fair elections, and thus this four years is going to be about trying to strangle the chances of people voting against him next time. If that resolution comes to pass.

There are, in fact, 4Fs not just 2 when facing a threatening situation: fight, flight, freeze, fawn. Trump does the last one in face of knowing he’s not the most superior in the room (hence the suck up to Putin who must have something on him like the pissing girls videos), and the first when he thinks he is (but is not).

[ToTheNines]

Serious question back: How is this de-escalating anything? If anything, without the US as a reliable partner anymore, the nuclear threat becomes even more real.

I was referencing the CNN article Andrew shared. Zelenskyy himself was publicly pleased with that summit.

I’m remaining hopeful until something actually happens.

Mr "This is going to be great TV" has never cared about deescalating anything in his life and it's foolish to think he's magically some kind or pro at it now or gives a rat's ass.


I don’t like Trump. Never have and I’ve never voted for him, even when I wanted to see the Biden/Harris administration sent packing.

That being said, and regardless of whatever anyone thinks of his character, he still ultimately wants to be remembered as a great president.

I don’t necessarily agree with or understand his methods, but I have to assume he’s broadly striving for a better economy and not starting wars. I know he runs his mouth, but he generally seems to disapprove of large scale foreign intervention.

Trump is a wannabe try hard dictator in waiting. The countries he most admires and is seemingly “friends” with all have successful long standing dictatorships in all but name. He wants to be like them. But unfortunately he has to go through term limits and having seemingly fair elections, and thus this four years is going to be about trying to strangle the chances of people voting against him next time. If that resolution comes to pass.

There are, in fact, 4Fs not just 2 when facing a threatening situation: fight, flight, freeze, fawn. Trump does the last one in face of knowing he’s not the most superior in the room (hence the suck up to Putin who must have something on him like the pissing girls videos), and the first when he thinks he is (but is not).

Buddy, you’re stuck in 2016. The Steele dossier was proven to be completely FAKE!

[Cowabung-Gal]

Did anyone else catch that Zelensky possibly called Vance a “b****” under his breath during that meeting? :ohwell:

And they call Trump the immature one.

[Barkworm]

No no.... you have to say "Threat to our Democracy" so as to make the peasant-thinker feel enraged that something they are part of is threatened.



So what you are saying is that from your world view the only way to manage Russia is to be at odds with them. Forever.
Not at all. Russia needs to be financially exhausted. With all their frozen assets, they cannot go on with this war for much longer.

You also might want to come up with something new, the peasant-thinker bit is getting slightly redundant. You‘re an eloquent dude, surprise us.

[Mayhem]

Although Germany still buying oil from Russia doesn’t help the freeze. Russian losses are somewhere between 8-10 times that of Ukraine, and with North Koreans sent into the meat grinder as well, there is a degree of when does the pendulum swing. Ukraine invading part of Russia and taking it is proof it’s a conflict of too many fronts to cover all of them.

Buddy, you’re stuck in 2016. The Steele dossier was proven to be completely FAKE!
I said something like. With Trump’s connections to Epstein (funny how the talk about releasing the files has gone dead right now) going back a long time, one theory that’s done the rounds is that Putin homeytrapped Trump with someone underage during one of his visits, and that’s the leverage he has.

Did anyone else catch that Zelensky possibly called Vance a “b****” under his breath during that meeting? :ohwell
He is, so, no lies said there if true.

[ToTheNines]

I said something like. With Trump’s connections to Epstein (funny how the talk about releasing the files has gone dead right now) going back a long time, one theory that’s done the rounds is that Putin homeytrapped Trump with someone underage during one of his visits, and that’s the leverage he has.


I mean, that’s what Israel did/does to our politicians and big corporate heads. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen evidence of Russia engaging in that type of stuff.

[Barkworm]

I mean, that’s what Israel did/does to our politicians and big corporate heads. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen evidence of Russia engaging in that type of stuff.
Seriously? The list of American and European politicians with ties to Russia is really expansive.

[ToTheNines]

Business ties, yes.

But sexual blackmail is mainly a CIA/Mossad thing. Not saying the Russian government is above such things, I’ve just never heard anything about it.

[ResidentEvil7]

Frankly I don't know why Putin wants Ukraine at this point, because he destroyed a lot of it, that if he takes it, he'll have to rebuild it with Russian money.

I saw an interview between Hannity and VP Vance that they agree that the war can't go on forever as Zelensky says Ukraine should do, because Trump is cutting off the money, and the European governments that propped Zelensky up know they can't fund that war forever either. I don't know why Zelensky even wants to continue the war, because when more of his people die in the hands of Russia, he won't have much of a country left to defend.

I highly agree with Trump that America needs to cut off American money to Ukraine, because what did we get for all that billions of dollars that went there? Nothing but added debt. Trump is right; stop funding the war and put an end to it and put America first for a change.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Frankly I don't know why Putin wants Ukraine at this point, because he destroyed a lot of it, that if he takes it, he'll have to rebuild it with Russian money.

The biggest reason is that he doesn't want a NATO Ukraine on Russia's border, it's an existential threat in their eyes.

[Mayhem]

Russia and the US are after the rare minerals lying underground.

Zelenskyy doesn’t want the war to continue. But he doesn’t want to just give up the land that Russia has taken, after they took Crimea ten years ago.

[Andrew NDB]

Zelenskyy doesn’t want the war to continue. But he doesn’t want to just give up the land that Russia has taken

So in other words, he wants the war to continue.

[Barkworm]

Why would he just give up on land that was unjustly taken away? They did that before and that didn't turn out well either.

[Andrew NDB]

Why would he just give up on land that was unjustly taken away?

You mean beyond because he isn't going to win and it's going to cost millions of more lives? That's not enough?

And whattdya know... Zelenskyy is ready to talk peace now:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/04/europe/zelensky-trump-argument-comment-ukraine-intl/index.html

[Barkworm]

You mean beyond because he isn't going to win and it's going to cost millions of more lives? That's not enough?

And whattdya know... Zelenskyy is ready to talk peace now:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/04/europe/zelensky-trump-argument-comment-ukraine-intl/index.html
Saving lives is a top priority but what is stopping Putin from attacking again? Or from attacking other countries like Moldova? You said Putin shouldn't be "demonized" but how else do you characterize someone like him? This is an honest question for you because I don't understand this at all.

[Andrew NDB]

Saving lives is a top priority but what is stopping Putin from attacking again?

If the minerals deal is signed, a lot, since it'll be US mining teams over there and if they get attacked by Russia while they're minding their own business mining away... that's not good for Putin. That's the whole idea. Then Zelenskyy will get his boots on the ground from the US, in such a hypothetical (which is not to say such a WWIII would involve much boots on the ground at all).

Or from attacking other countries like Moldova?

Now we're getting into conspiracy theories about what he "might" do.

You said Putin shouldn't be "demonized" but how else do you characterize someone like him? This is an honest question for you because I don't understand this at all.

* He shouldn't have invaded Ukraine, that was bad and he can be rightly demonized for doing so.

* Demonizing him on the public stage is pretty stupid for Trump to do in the middle of trying to get a peace deal. Which is why he isn't doing that.

Both things can be true.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

CkcsKuMKooo

No matter what side you are on, this is pretty dang funny.

[Mayhem]

You mean beyond because he isn't going to win and it's going to cost millions of more lives? That's not enough?
We are only up about 100k deaths in the conflict so far, hardly anywhere near even one million.

So why no talk about the exact same happening to all the Russian soldiers sent by Putin to die, or all the North Koreans? Why only focus on what Zelenskyy is doing for his people? Because he can’t win? Right now, it doesn’t look like Putin can win either, or it be so pyrrhic that the country takes decades to recover.

Zelenskyy has always been ready to talk peace. Problem is, what is being offered right now is America gets a piece, Russia gets a piece, and be happy with what you are left with. To him, that’s unacceptable.

[Andrew NDB]

We are only up about 100k deaths in the conflict so far, hardly anywhere near even one million.

Oh, well as long as it's only around 100k deaths that's fine then, I guess... :trolleye:

[Mayhem]

You know that’s not how I was phrasing it. “Only” in regards to being miles away from the million you purported had been lost.

[Barkworm]

If the minerals deal is signed, a lot, since it'll be US mining teams over there and if they get attacked by Russia while they're minding their own business mining away... that's not good for Putin. That's the whole idea. Then Zelenskyy will get his boots on the ground from the US, in such a hypothetical (which is not to say such a WWIII would involve much boots on the ground at all).
I understand that this is a valid strategy but it is a terrible "Peace deal". Getting your land stolen by one bully and getting blackmailed by another. For the Ukraine it's basically "Yeah, you got ****ed all over, but it could have been much worse!" while Russia and the US get what they wanted.



Now we're getting into conspiracy theories about what he "might" do.

This is not a conspiracy theory. It's no secret that Russia is interested in Moldova and Putin's rhetoric about "Neo-Nazis" there is very similar to his original bullsh*t about the Ukraine.


* He shouldn't have invaded Ukraine, that was bad and he can be rightly demonized for doing so.

* Demonizing him on the public stage is pretty stupid for Trump to do in the middle of trying to get a peace deal. Which is why he isn't doing that.

Both things can be true.
Okay, understood. Though mainly Trump is not demonizing Putin because of any peace deal they are working towards but because they are so chummy (doesn't matter to you your point of course).

Again, these are important times for Europe. We've been way too dependent on the US, it's finally time to grow up.

[ResidentEvil7]

Again, these are important times for Europe. We've been way too dependent on the US, it's finally time to grow up.

It's also time for you guys in Europe to pay up, not just grow up. Stop ripping off America. Hell, France still hasn't paid us back for saving their asses in WWII.

[Barkworm]

I'll tell France. Maybe in the meantime, pay your mom for taking care of your 40+ year old ass all these years, big guy.

[ResidentEvil7]

I'll tell France. Maybe in the meantime, pay your mom for taking care of your 40+ year old ass all these years, big guy.

Back off and mind your business! You don't know me enough to know my circumstances of why I have to live the way I do. Besides, it was my dad that took care of my ass for almost 40 years and he passed. My mom only helped me out the past 2 years. So keep the FU*K out of my personal life until you know enough about it, Germany!

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I'll tell France. Maybe in the meantime, pay your mom for taking care of your 40+ year old ass all these years, big guy.

I have no Beef with RE7 but this almost made me spit out my coffee :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Andrew NDB]

I did as well, but only because I was reading quickly from my phone and I thought he wrote "It's also time for you gays in Europe to pay up, not just grow up." Like, what? lol...

[Barkworm]

I enjoyed the part where "Germany" is my new nickname.

[ResidentEvil7]

I enjoyed the part where "Germany" is my new nickname.

Have yourself a juicy bratwurst and a cold beer and relax.

[Vegita-San]

It's impossible for the left to relax. They have to be permanently miserable to enjoy their life.

other news, the Zelinsky's masters, the Democrats, have convinced him to flip flop, and now he's saying no new peace deal.

and if anyone doubts that's how it happened, I have bridges to sell you at a discount.

[Andrew NDB]

other news, the Zelinsky's masters, the Democrats, have convinced him to flip flop, and now he's saying no new peace deal.

Where are you seeing that?

[Vegita-San]

Where are you seeing that?

it was a video on X. I'll see if I can find it again..

https://x.com/WallStreetMav/status/1897337521274761586

[CyberCubed]

Trumps braindead tariffs literally caused my investments to drop by $9,000. :lol:

He also said, "We're going to get Greenland, one way or another, we're going to get it." Is he seriously going to go to war over Greenland of all things?

[neatoman]

Trumps braindead tariffs literally caused my investments to drop by $9,000. :lol:

He also said, "We're going to get Greenland, one way or another, we're going to get it." Is he seriously going to go to war over Greenland of all things?

You seem pretty calm for a guy who just lost nine grand.

[CyberCubed]

You seem pretty calm for a guy who just lost nine grand.

I still have over $312,000. And this kind of stuff usually bounces back as the months/years goes on. It's Trumps stupid tariff war with Canada, China, Mexico and now the entire UK that caused the market to dip.

[sdp]

I want Greenland, if he gets us greenland I'll be ok with overlooking the fact that he has killed my portfolio :lol: I think I'll stick to fixed rate investments for the next 4 years.

[Mayhem]

It's going to be an interesting next few months as this pans out, especially if Trump runs away from NATO and joins Russia...

[Cowabung-Gal]

https://i0.wp.com/educationdojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gaddafi-osama-bin-ladden-saddam-hussein-zelenskyy-supply-with-weapons.jpg?w=529&ssl=1

[FredWolfLeonardo]

https://i0.wp.com/educationdojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gaddafi-osama-bin-ladden-saddam-hussein-zelenskyy-supply-with-weapons.jpg?w=529&ssl=1

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQsfS3i2CQNOQq6jgxfd7DDIvu8wbd83 WQgZovAfsjhwECdKGlFWbAL-OjP&s=10

[Cowabung-Gal]

He is, so, no lies said there if true.

It was still rather unprofessional. And please don’t retort with the “Well, yeah, but Trump does it too” excuse.

[Mayhem]

It was still rather unprofessional. And please don’t retort with the “Well, yeah, but Trump does it too” excuse.
So you’re agreeing when Trump does it, it’s extremely petulant and unprofessional then? Good…

[Cowabung-Gal]

So you’re agreeing when Trump does it, it’s extremely petulant and unprofessional then? Good…

I’m kind of convinced that many people hate Trump more than they actually care about peace between Ukraine and Russia. It doesn’t matter whether Zelensky is a total saint or the worst type of person in the world. It all comes down to one thing: discrediting Trump and his supporters.

https://i0.wp.com/educationdojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/putin-hillary-bill-clinton-bush-obama-ok.jpg?w=537&ssl=1

[FredWolfLeonardo]

So you’re agreeing when Trump does it, it’s extremely petulant and unprofessional then? Good…

When Trump does it, its cool because he is doing it from a position of strength and dominance.

When Zelensky does it, not so much.

The problem here is appeasement. Its a slippery slope, but despite the two regions being dominantly Russian of Ukraine Putin cannot be given an inch or he will attempt to reincorporate territory. It echoes Hitler trying to collect historic German lands. This goes back to when lines were redrawn in 1990 as to why or why not these regions were made into a democratic Ukraine instead of retained by Russia.

I know I'm a broken record for repeating this, but what does America have to gain by trying to stop Putin? Genuinely interested in your perspective since you came off as more conservative than liberal to me, and alot of conservatives including myself are isolationists so I want to know where you are coming from.

[Mayhem]

I’m kind of convinced that many people hate Trump more than they actually care about peace between Ukraine and Russia. It doesn’t matter whether Zelensky is a total saint or the worst type of person in the world. It all comes down to one thing: discrediting Trump and his supporters.
None of the others are suspected Putin stooges and assets.

But that's by the by here. If Trump was in such a position of "power" then surely he'd be able to persuade Putin to leave Ukraine? But no, they are both eyeing up carving the country up for their own benefit.

[sdp]

Don't check your portafolio IMJ, it always makes you a grouchy poster when the market is down. It's not a recession, Trump always said there would be "some pain" let's just grin and bear. :tcry:

[Andrew NDB]

I sure hope nobody tells my stocks that the market is down... everything has been skyrocketing since the election for me.

[sdp]

What are you holding? because not much is in the green and hasn't been since the FUD seems at the highest level it's been

[CyberCubed]

Mine have been up since November but since Trump started his tariff war they've gone down quite a bit. Technically I never lose any money but its disappointing to see some gains disappear. But I know it doesn't really matter as it'll go back up again years later anyway.

[Mayhem]

The FTSE (UK top 100) is down 3% in the last 5 days. Nasdaq down 4%, Dow is down nearly 6% since Trump took office. That's a big slump in the scheme of matters.

[Cowabung-Gal]

None of the others are suspected Putin stooges and assets.

One thing is for sure, many of the politicians at Washington, mostly Democrats, are Zelensky stooges and assets, which they proved after they stood and clapped for Ukraine during the State of the Union Address (even though they wouldn’t stand for the family of Laken Riley or the 13-year-old boy who survived brain cancer). How is that any better?

I’m tired of my taxpayer money being used to fund war. And we need unity in our country, no more division.

[CyberCubed]

Checked my brokerage today, I had $325,000 around last year...now its down to $307,000. So Trump just cost me $18,000 with his moronic tariff war. :roll:

The economy is down and everyone is talking about how all their stocks are plummeting. And we're just at the beginning, we haven't even hit a real recession yet. I swear if my account goes under $300,000 I will be pissed. I was hoping to make it to $400k by the end of this year but now that's obviously not going to happen. :lol:

God I feel like a poor person now. What am I going to do with only $300k saved?

[Mayhem]

I have my pension funds split across various global and local region assets, and of varying liquidity and risk, so I should really leap and see how they are doing in light of the last few days drop. Given your age CC, I'd still say $300k is very good going. Mine in total aren't that value yet and I've been going 25 years investing.

I will refer you to a previous post I made...

1. Impose tariffs, stock market tanks.
2. Billionaires buy lots of cheaper stocks.
3. Revoke tariffs, stock market recovers.
4. Profit!
So it's god obvious insider trading in a way (the reverse of pump and dump), but given the SEC has been given the boot, I doubt anyone will be held accountable.

[IMJ]

I have my pension funds split across various global and local region assets, and of varying liquidity and risk, so I should really leap and see how they are doing in light of the last few days drop. Given your age CC, I'd still say $300k is very good going. Mine in total aren't that value yet and I've been going 25 years investing.

I will refer you to a previous post I made...


So it's god obvious insider trading in a way (the reverse of pump and dump), but given the SEC has been given the boot, I doubt anyone will be held accountable.

:roll:
That's not intentional design. That's just the expected patterns of smart people with capable money in the markets. "Non-rich" can do exactly the same thing in their own magnitudes. But they don't and the poor stay poor.

[Mayhem]

They can’t because they don’t have any money to invest.

[Andrew NDB]

They can’t because they don’t have any money to invest.

He said "their own magnitudes." Anybody can buy one less action figure a month or a couple less IDW comics and buy a $10 or $20 share of something.

[Mayhem]

Most people are living paycheck to paycheck. We are the fortunate ones.

[CyberCubed]

A lot of people also don't really know how to invest or are ignorant. Some people don't even know about things as simple as bank interest, and they keept their money in chase or citibank that don't collect any APY or barely anything.

I was like that too for the longest time, never invested and my money barely collected any interest in the bank. If I had known in my 20's what I know now...I would have had double the amount of money I had even working the same exact jobs as I did.

[Andrew NDB]

Most people are living paycheck to paycheck.

Nobody outside of people in extenuating circumstances (solely taking care of a bunch of loved ones, legit disabled and living on their own on a truly fixed low income, etc.) are living that direly that aren't either irresponsible or one of these people that wonder why they barely have any money working a job at McDonalds or a sh** retail job for 15, 20 years (though even THOSE people have enough to buy a stock here or there if they really wanted to or bothered to learn how to) is living THAT paycheck to paycheck that they just can't buy a stock, ever.

[IMJ]

Everyone of Mayhem's arguments reveals his position as cliche and tired.

[sdp]

Trump bros, I thought he said he was against involving America in foreign wars, why are we bombing Yemen. please give me some mental gymnastics to justify this so I can continue being a MAGA supporter.

[Andrew NDB]

Its not a foreign war, its eliminating cracker jack pirates (who have been rightly re-designated as a terrorist group) that have been besieging shipping lanes since the middle of Biden's term.

[sdp]

Thank you.

MAGA MAGA MAGA

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Trump bros, I thought he said he was against involving America in foreign wars, why are we bombing Yemen. please give me some mental gymnastics to justify this so I can continue being a MAGA supporter.

I think the key difference is that Trump will get involved in foreign wars, as long as America benefits directly.

Trump will get involved in Gaza, as long as America gets to own the place. Trump will get involved in Ukraine, as long as America gets the precious minerals. Trump will get involved in Yemen, as long as it benefits American shipping.

And so on, so forth.

[IndigoErth]

In other words, war is always self-centered, at least on one side.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

In other words, war is always self-centered, at least on one side.

Exactly right.

Even some selfless sounding wars, such as the mantra "to our people's rescue" are selfish because the nation is looking out for its own interests by protecting its own people.

[Andrew NDB]

In other words, war is always self-centered, at least on one side.

Well, the idea is to WIN a war. At least, it used to be.

[Andrew NDB]

Sounds like... we're kind of on track here? No?

https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-holds-very-good-call-zelenskyy-following-deal-putin

[FredWolfLeonardo]

The way I see it, both wars are only possible due to American money to Israel and Ukraine respectively.

Only with Trump in office does it look like there is some end in sight to both. I can't see how these wars would've de-escalated under Kamala.

Trump did what Kamala would've never done. He negotiated with Putin and he negotiated with Hamas (the latter was then leaked by Israel to sabotage the deal, but that's besides the point).

[IndigoErth]

Sounds like... we're kind of on track here? No?

https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-holds-very-good-call-zelenskyy-following-deal-putin
Given the drone strikes on a hospital after Trump spoke with Putin... I'm going with "no." :ohwell:

[Mayhem]

Given the continued strikes on Gaza since, I’m going with double no.

[Barkworm]

Imagine some thugs break into your house, kill some of your family members and decide to move into the first floor. The police tells you to just give up on that part of the house, assuring you that the thugs won't try to occupy the rest of the house or the neighbouring houses, they seem trustworthy enough. When you complain about this publicly, the police lashes out at you on social media, saying you should be happy with what you've got or continue fighting and lose the whole house.

But everyone else suffers from delusion.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Your situation reminds me of many third world countries, where the authorities are blatantly corrupt and will openly allow or even facilitate thuggery.

It's not a pretty world, but it is the world we live in. Many countries will only approach the matter from an angle of self-interest.

The part that has me thinking out loud is, how will Ukraine convince the world that their cause is a benefit to the self-interest of others?

[CyberCubed]

Kind of blows my mind a modern war has been going on for 2+ years now, from two "modern" countries. It's like a stalemate, nothing can be done because Russia isn't going to drop nukes on Ukraine and Ukraine has been holding down the fort for 2 years with weapon supplies from all other European countries.

The whole thing literally makes no sense and just had countless soldiers die for no reason. It'll likely never end until Putin dies.

[Mayhem]

Russia being silly buggers with drones…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80g7g5rmlno

[Andrew NDB]

Kind of blows my mind a modern war has been going on for 2+ years now, from two "modern" countries. It's like a stalemate, nothing can be done because Russia isn't going to drop nukes on Ukraine and Ukraine has been holding down the fort for 2 years with weapon supplies from all other European countries.

The whole thing literally makes no sense and just had countless soldiers die for no reason. It'll likely never end until Putin dies.

"Special military operation."

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Today is the United Nations Day. Still in 2021 (four months prior to the beginning of the war), it used to be a thing, and the United Nations flag appearing at Google for the day. Today, very few people care...

[CyberCubed]

The irony is if all of western Europe came down on Russia (like England, France, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Norway, Germany, Italy and all the miscellanous countries I barely remember in western Europe), then this war would have been over with on day 1.

It's a real shame. Yes nobody wants half their country destroyed, but given this war has been going on since 2022 and shows no signs of stopping, all the countries should of just lay seize to Russia and put Putin's head on a pike. After that re-form the Russian govenment so there isn't a smoking crater there.

And before anyone asks, no Russia would never launch a nuke on western Europe, even in its most desperate hour. This isn't the movies.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

The irony is if all of western Europe came down on Russia (like England, France, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Norway, Germany, Italy and all the miscellanous countries I barely remember in western Europe), then this war would have been over with on day 1.

It's a real shame. Yes nobody wants half their country destroyed, but given this war has been going on since 2022 and shows no signs of stopping, all the countries should of just lay seize to Russia and put Putin's head on a pike. After that re-form the Russian govenment so there isn't a smoking crater there.

And before anyone asks, no Russia would never launch a nuke on western Europe, even in its most desperate hour. This isn't the movies.

Western Europe turning against Russia would be BASED.

Right now, sanctions and all exist, but I essentially consider Europe to be still allied to Russia in that they have strong business ties. But hey, if Europe can turn against Israel which they have historically supported post-ww2, maybe they can also turn against Russia which they have supported post-ww2

Destroy the post-ww2 Geopolitical order, it's time is up. Trump, with his pro-Russia leanings, is helping that happen and you can't thank him enough for being the ultimate villain who has taught Europe to rely less on the United States and increase their own military spending.

[Barkworm]

I read a good take on the ludicrous 28-point „peace plan“ which highlighted the importance of European leaders modifying the plan to make it somewhat acceptable for Ukraine and at the same time making it look like it‘s still mostly Trump‘s achievement. Which is not possible of course but that‘s the state of the world.

[Andrew NDB]

I read a good take on the ludicrous 28-point „peace plan“ which highlighted the importance of European leaders modifying the plan to make it somewhat acceptable for Ukraine and at the same time making it look like it‘s still mostly Trump‘s achievement. Which is not possible of course but that‘s the state of the world.

Is that the European version or the Trump one? Apparently there is two floating around that are basically the same but the European one was a non-starter. And the EU won't even talk to Putin... they're putting it all on Trump.

And Trump this or that, it doesn't sound like anybody in Europe is really offering up anything substantial themselves beyond well wishes and talking points (while they're still importing Russian oil) -- though correct me if I'm wrong as you did the good read on it and I did not. So if what you're saying is true it seems a little egotistical... but at the end of the day not factually incorrect? Assuming this leads to anything meaningful which is also doubtful. I really don't see any good reason at the moment for Russia to stop doing what they're doing beyond both sides obviously throwing so many lives at this, but it seems Ukraine may be at the breaking point pretty imminently.

And probably Trump throwing such a thing in there would be designed to anger European countries into actually being shamed into doing stuff as opposed to just the aforementioned well wishes and talking points. That's usually the way these things go. Like Trump joking that he'd like to turn Gaza into some kind of a Trump Vegas to spur actual middle Eastern countries to step in. And they did.

A lot of ruckus here but I'd hear the Russian voice here:

syyIrK4e_Oo

[Barkworm]

Well, I think we can all agree that Europe finally needs to get **** done here by themselves and stop relying on the US for good. I'm all for it because that's where we are hypocrite HQ big time. Ever since I can remember, people in Europe have been making fun of Americans for being stupid, fat, shallow etc. etc. But when it came to military aid, the US was always good enough? Having to deal with Trump might be what we had coming.