Russia - threadbanned users in OP

That’s putting it mildly! I’ll be glad when I have my new passport and ID card so I don’t have to deal with that shirt show of a country for a while. What’s worse, Scholz isn’t just a disgrace and a liability on the international stage, he and his lot, particularly, it has to be said, the SPD ministers, are a complete train wreck on the domestic front as well.

At the risk of leading this thread aside with my rant, Scholz’s government announced the famous “9 Euro Ticket”, a travel pass that lets you travel throughout Germany on local trains and other forms of public transport for a period of several months, all for just 9€! A great initiative and highly successful, yet the minister for transport just announced that this initiative will be stopped at the end of summer despite its success! Germany’s broadband internet expansion campaign has been glacial and unambitious compared to Ireland’s national broadband plan and after criticising the Merkel government for years, the plan that Scholz and his lot agreed on contains bandwidths that would make any minister for communications here in Ireland hang their head in shame! Meanwhile, the government spent 3 billion Euros on a gas discount campaign whose effect had evaporated even before the law had been signed as fuel companies had raised their prices to account for that discount, basically washing those 3 billion straight into their coffers. Healthcare workers are leaving in droves due to horrendous working conditions and atrocious pay in the medical sector, however instead of doing something to raise pay levels, the government is thinking about reinstating mandatory civil service to force young people into the healthcare & care services sectors!

No matter how you slice it, the performance of the Scholz government in the short time since it took office is simply disastrous, to the point where I wonder whether Scholz is TRYING to get himself voted out, or worse. I mean, he’s already effectively destroyed the Social Democratic Party in Germany!

I think, given the **** show that Scholz has presided over, it's hard to imagine he hasn't been compromised by Russia. He's making a laughing stock of Germany, tearing European solidarity apart and reneging on all his NATO obligations. Putin himself hasn't done as much damage to those 3 entities in 20yrs than Scholz has done in 4 months.

Russia can't turn the gas off. They go bankrupt overnight if they do. War over, economy tanked, mass unemployment, social unrest. To think they just shut off the tap on their only source of revenue is pure fantasy. So if Scholz thinks that will happen he's an absolute idiot.

Germany is dancing a tight rope - they need to keep Russian deliveries to fill their seasonal gas storage facilities

A gas compressor unit needed to fix this problem is being overhauled in Canada,but because of sanctions Siemens are unable to deliver it.An exemption from sanctions may be needed.

https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/nord-stream-1-bundesregierung-bemueht-sich-um-auslieferung-von-festhaengender-turbine-a-1cf26e6c-3a70-447e-b39d-43e014f9f590

anyone know who the 3 at the top right are?

Hopefully his little blanket will be pulled up over his face one of these days

Russian authorities accuse Ukraine in shelling of Krupets border post in Rylsk district of Kursk region

Pretty sure the woman, at least, is Maria Zakharova, the Russian's spokeswoman.

2 dogs and a goat or 3 goats?

If true, I think that the idea of Macron, Schultz and the Italian PM going to ‘meet’ Zalensky next week in Kiev is farsical. Why , because they are going to persuade Zalensky to give up the Ukr lands occupied by Russia and payment will be ‘help’ In ‘fastracking’ Ukr membership of the EU. Might also ‘promise ‘ euros towards rebuilding cost of what’s left of Ukr. Otherwise , what other reason are they going for? All three I am sure have been tick tacking constantly to hatch out their approach . And based on the livery, very, very low level of assistance provided by all 3 to date it is easy to to come to the conclusion as to what that is.

if above is the case they they are ‘rewarding ‘Putin for his efforts and when the opportunity again arises he, or his successor , will be off again to Moldova or Latvia or wherever

If I was in Zalensky shoes I would have the US and ,eg, Poland as an equal at the meeting . I would also set the agenda at the outset. That would include that the giving up of part of Ukr is not up for discussion

I read that.

The noises coming out of Washington is worrying for the Ukrainians.

Worries sending more and more arms leaves America vulnerable.

Talk like that makes you think how long this can be sustained.

What's farcical about MAD?

Your advice amounts to 'go all in, he's bluffing'.

Don't go near a poker table.

Pretty much -

It's massive game of chicken ... Thing is ,in the short term Germany needs gas reserves for THIS winter ( and next too ) ,they'll probably be better covered by other suppliers and lng by then ..

In the short short term Russia doesn't need cash - they can't really buy anything internationally any way ... in a year or two that they'll desperately need customers .. but the war MIGHT be done by then - and the Europeans MIGHT just go back to buying all the Russian gas - hell Russia could provide cheap gas in LNG tankers , if it keeps the Germans happy ..

There is also a likely hood that as the European oil ban kicks in further , Russia will have to shut down wells .. many of which won't be able to be reopened ..

There's no rules in this war bar Putin rules where the West can't attack Russia.

If the west attacks Russia. Putins promise to his people of superiority and safety no matter what war crimes they commit or people kill, falls apart.

If Putin is to be crushed and the thought of an invasion of a foreign country never to be repeated then Russia needs to be crushed. Something various leaders don't seem to want to think about.

It's a Quasi arrangement atm of appearing to be woke and liberal while the other player operates to a different set of rules.