Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Jaap de hoop scheffer.

Nato’s promise to one day admit Ukraine into the fold was an “ugly compromise”, but was not to blame for the threat of conflict with Russia, the military’s alliance’s former secretary-general has said. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who as head of Nato declared in 2008 that Ukraine “will become a member”, told the Financial Times that Vladimir Putin’s demands for the alliance to abandon that pledge was a false pretext for the Russian president’s “revanchist crusade”.

"Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who as head of Nato declared in 2008 that Ukraine “will become a member”

This too at the NATO summit in 2008

NATO announced its support for the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova

Yes, a Frenchwoman can produce Russian propaganda. Just as an Irishman Lord Haw Haw produced NAZI propaganda, just as you (Irish?) regurgitate and spew Russian propaganda.

Where did I say Russia had the right to invade Ukraine?

Where does "right" come into it though?

We know that powerful nations like to exert their influence/dominance over other (usually weaker) nations.

That's the reality of the world we are living in. And Russia are not in some exclusive club in this regard either. They're just the latest one to start flexing their muscles. And of course, the west knew that Russia might very well take this action. It's not like it came as a complete surprise, as they have been warning people about it for almost 3 decades now.

Many experts warned that this situation was brewing for quite a long time actually. Historians and analysts will probably debate if more could have been done to prevent it, for many years to come.

In the scenario I was referring to, Russia would have tried to exert its influence/dominence and failed, so what Russia would and wouldn't be prepared to accept wouldn't amount to a fart in a high wind.

I have my own insights having lived in Czech republic for several years, There were many Ukrainian immigrants there and as with your experience very open about talking about their issues. Northern Ireland on steroids is apt but I always got the feeling that it was due to malevolent external Russian interference.

Most Ukrainians (perhaps all) I met could also speak Russian, there as no (major) religious divide and intermarriage was commonplace (in fact there is a greater religous divide in Western Ukraine between Rutheran and Ortodox). Notwithstanding the fact that Northern Ireland does not have the language divide, the two communities in the North did not intermarry to the same extent, and culturally (mainly sport) the divide was greater. The singular difference appears to me is that the British government do not seek to divide in order to plunder the assets through associated criminal enterprise, and arm the loyalist community to that end nor have they sought to extend the conflict or interfere in Irish democratic process. So yes it was Northern Ireland on steriods but due more to the intentions of the Moscow government then local intentions.

In addition I have a cousin married to a Belarussian man and living here. He is from a collective farm family, one of those families who were legally enslaved by the Belarussian state under the law reintroducing the system of Serfdom. He has been saving for several years in order to bribe the collective farm manager to legally release his younger brother from the Serfdom.

Looks at the statements from the government and official propaganda over the last number of months, it was all about dehumanizing and demonizing the population of Ukraine a country that doesn't exist,the language doesn't exist, they shouldnt exist ,

they are all baby eating nazis .

Some on here have bought into it spectacularly,we can name them on this thread.

But if you mention Russians getting hurt they get all upset and start reporting posts

Looks like a tradeshow machine running a demo producing bags. People just post videos without any thinking.

Patrick Lancaster reporting from the referendum areas, this guy is insane, he's had a few close calls in some of his vids

More happening on the de-industrializing of Germany

Job losses, energy crisis, refugee influx. No wonder Germany is training their riot police for the winter

I am just paraphrasing what he said .... Putin changed after that summit ... Bush and his admin went rogue is basically what he said... with Condoleeza Rice saying to him before the meeting " you are not going to like this"

What's next? A tiktok from partisangirl?

Let him

It's good for a nice Saturday afternoon laugh and greatly increases my bowel movements at the same time

Meanwhile in Russia you cannot buy a car with a seatbelt. Yawn!!!!!