Russia - threadbanned users in OP

You mean you don’t trust those Stalinesque voting numbers?

Approximately 50% stuffed apparently:

https://x.com/k_sonin/status/1769723043298136426?s=20

I could be wrong but weren't France dragging their heels on allowing purchases outside the EU to protect it's own defense industry.

The fact the countries in question have not been named kinda works with your assumption. Maybe the fact Ukraine are suffering from lack of shells may have made those countries more open to the idea of supplying their stock.

Get what you mean (in that countries incl. France and Greece opposed a plan where a large EU budget would be spent on getting shells from outside the bloc) but your phrasing is a bit off.

The EU cannot prevent the member states from purchasing shells for Ukraine from whoever they like, they do have their own money and their own militaries to go out and do it.

Seems the will/impetus wasn't strong enough for any of the members that wanted to go and arrange this themselves (outside the EU), unless EU contributor states were ponying up a big chunk of the cost.

I believe the Czech plan to purchase the shells is being part funded by Germany (and others) in any case, to tune of 100s of millions of Eur.

There are a few reasons why it did not happen earlier I can think of.

One of these is that it is a massive financial "bung" (money for old shells rotting away in storage) to countries that may not exactly be friends of the EU or member states, or even potential future aggressors with territorial designs (e.g. Turkey, if that is one of the sources).

Another is situation was not as urgent. There was a Republican/Trump cloud appearing over future USA aid for Ukraine at that point [spring last year if I am remembering?], but Biden admin. (and pro Ukraine people on right in US politics) were still promising it was all minor and would be just fine in the end, and support would not be interrupted. Well that hasn't panned out, as we know now (to Ukraine's cost).

I also wonder if there were over-optimistic projections given by weapons makers around Europe about manufacturing increases they could achieve if given the funds (and then they failed to deliver these on time)?

Seeing as it has now been shown that about 90% of the voters there support a genocidal murderer with a failing grasp on reality, maybe functioning hearts and/or minds may be difficult to find in russia.

Any aggressor needs their war brought back to their home, if at all possible. If this is nowadays controversial, That’s really sad but par for the course in our upside down world of today.

Very unlikely to be legitimate in my opinion but the publicity about such support for someone of putin's character does make me question the minds and hearts of those in russia who allow this pantomime of support for his war mongering, mass murder and gencide to continue. I'd hope if such blatant mockery of democracy was to take place here in Ireland that there would be a much stronger response from the public.

So .. this be interesting. OBAMA dropped into Sunak in No. 10 .. he arrived "unexpected" walking up the street to No. 10.

SKYs readout on this:

Our political correspondent Tamara Cohen says the meeting was a "courtesy visit" while Mr Obama is in London for meetings to do with his foundation. 

Mr Obama and Rishi Sunak have never met before as the former president left office in 2017.

As it was a private meeting, Tamara says we will not be given a full readout of everything they discussed. 

Likely topics, however, include the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. 

"Whether it touches on UK or US politics, we may not find out," Tamara says.

She adds that it "took us all by surprise to see him walking up the street" when Mr Obama arrived this afternoon.

So whats up here then???

It's fairly straightforward. They're sociopathic empathy lacking individuals. Born into a society that values above all , strength. Surrounded on all sides by men that are the same as them. And you don't get to step down from the throne peacefully. If Putin shows weakness he swings from a lamppost. Pretty good incentive.

Himself and his cronies are also used to being on top and owning half a states worth of wealth in mansions and assets between a few handfuls of people. And it's a cliche but it's true. Power corrupts.

They live on top of a population that is on the whole completely apathetic to their political status.

Putin and his cronies saw that Ukraine(an ex soviet country) was moving toward more liberal democracy and away from the mafia state. Towards the EU. And much like the Baltics it would be shown, on Putins own doorstep, that the EU and true democracy works in favor of the regular Joe and crushes the oligarch under the weight of due process and bureaucracy. Even the regular Russian can appreciate when pavement slabs on the other side of the border aren't wonky and the buildings aren't dilapidated.

It shows his whole way of life is entirely invalid. He couldn't allow that.

It also didn't help that the West did absolutely nothing the last few times he invaded. if you give a bold child candy when they misbehave don't act surprised when you get more of same.

an update on the 100,000 shells for ukraine, its a lot more

MAKS 23 🇺🇦👀 on X: "🇨🇿🇺🇦 Czech Republic has secured 800,000 artillery ammunition from a variety of suppliers around the globe, and has also found another 700,000 (❗) that can be secured with additional funding. The total purchase of 1.5 million shells will cost $3.3 billion", - WSJ https://t.co/K2UPz3PCmJ" / X

it was marcon who would not allow the purchase of shells outside of the eu, supported by greece and cyprus

I'm aware of that. It's easier to say the EU as it's the agreement they (the EU) came to. At least the latest funding approved by the EU, states that they can purchase arms outside the EU if the countries within the EU cannot supply what's needed.

I see they rolled out fat faced Putin to do the online voting. The real one couldn't even be arsed to vote in the sham.

The documentary just released on Netflix, Turning point, is excellent and gives a brilliant history of the nuclear arms race, the cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the war on Ukraine for anyone interesting.

Hitler was responsible for 60 odd million deaths in WW2 but it was his influence that gave us all of the above. How one person, can be the catalyst for such death and destruction beggars belief.