I never thought I'd see the US aligning with Russia

Surely the truth will come out eventually as to why Trump is appeasing Putin in this way - it's 'Make Russia Great Again' basically. Shall we all get the MRGA hats? Any Trump / Musk rhetoric about 'the threat to free speech' within US / Europe just flew out the window.

Trump is parroting Putin's delusional rhetoric on the global stage. Pandering to a murderous dictator who would eat him for breakfast.

There is bound to be a paper trail which would reveal how Russian oligarchies are key to Trump's wealth. Pro-Trump interference by Russia in US elections? Or Putin has video evidence of Trump with prostitutes or something? It will come out in the fullness of history. Just not soon enough.

And now Starmer has a planned visit to Washington next week. How very awkward. The optics of an official visit to a Putin-sycophant. Not the best look.

I think the Trump administration is so unpredictable now, that there is no point trying to engage in normal diplomatic relations. European leaders need to just take a stand at this point and call it out for what it is - it's only going to get worse.

Yes a convicted felon is not allowed to vote hence scores of black men jailed for having a bag of weed lose their vote for life, whilst a convicted felon can be President. Bonkers.

In any case I feel we need to stop referring to the USA as an ally. Trump has told us several times now to go fuck outselves. We need to listen. If my friend kept telling me to go fuck myself and threatened to harm me, I wouldn’t continue calling them my friend.

A sizable number of Russians don’t support Putin but we still refer to Russia as a hostile nation. We should put America the same class.

America have never been benevolent it’s always been America first. They joined WW2 very late after lots of begging and then gave us lots of financial and military ‘aid’ that kept us in debt to them until the late 90s.

Now they want us to up our defense spending i.e give American arms manufacturers money. I agree we should increase defense but we should only buy British or European followed by anywhere but American.

Relying on anywhere for energy is dangerous. Also not actually a choice - even alternatives require resources obtained from elsewhere in the world, even if only to build solar panels, wind turbines, nuclear facilities, etc. What is required is stability and certainty, neither of which the US offers the world any more. Untrustworthy allies are not worth it.

In any case I genuinely that for all their bravado, it’s actually America and Russia who are weak which is way they are being so aggressive. We need to have cool heads an out strategise them

I don't think they would be weak, and we'd be at huge risk if we were to try and test that

Well the money is there; frozen in sanctions. Russia wants it back.

This is a European question. We can let go of that money or not. Or we can use it ourselves

And relying on Russia for energy is now for fools, isn't it? So we can all forget about low heating bills. That is over,

Europe lacks time and money. Sanctions on Russia have also harmed the EU, as anyone who pays for their gas central heating knows.

Aww, bless.
Of course they do 🙄

Meanwhile, in the real world of Republican voter suppression, it is far, far from the truth that all US citizens get a vote.

I think it all depends very much on this peace in Ukraine because;

Russia is desperate for money. Their economy is in huge trouble

If UK and EU seized those sanctioned assets it froze from Russia, they would have funding to rearm and they do not have nothing. This is a key question because the EU countries and the U.K. will have to decide what they do on sanctions and Russian money.

Putin wants to be back in the G8 and with all the benefits. But the chances are that the European economies may feel he is not worth the risk. They control a lot of Russian assets now. Trump is not in charge of that.

Interesting then that the EU imposed some more sanctions yesterday, This is closed shop which Trump or Putin cannot effect.

Europe lacks time, not money.

Yeah

Unfortunately, it’s not just 4 years. The harm he is doing will be enduring - for the US, not just its erstwhile allies.

And when Biden beat him fair and square he wouldn’t accept it and led an assault on the Capitol.

They are weak for their size. America has weak leadership. Russia has a psycho in charge and a massively depleted army and weaponry. But they still just have much more in terms of resources than any European country.

I think it was a combination of things - it gave rise to the myth of 'plucky little Britain winning the war single-handedly' which is Reform bread-and-butter though. Anyway, the point is that we wouldn't have won without the help of the 'big boys.' We do need that protection - from them, as much as anything else. And now it's gone.

Europe is weak. For now. We are old countries which have been tested many times before and survived. Lessons will be learned as to not ever be dependent on any superpower. It will take time, investment and collaboration but our weakness will not be a permanent state of affairs.

In any case I genuinely that for all their bravado, it’s actually America and Russia who are weak which is way they are being so aggressive. We need to have cool heads an out strategise them.

He’s only in 4 years though that’s the light at the end of the tunnel

For me the saddest thing in all this is how weak Europe is. I don't think Zelensky will sign anything that would de facto mean a capitulation or a sale of his country, though he will be tremendously pressured externally from all sides. The war will go on. Not sure what Europe does when this happens, but as far as I can see, probably nothing. Other countries will soon realise that only those who have nuclear weapons dictate the terms and more will try to acquire it, as the US is no longer ready to help anyone in the hour of need. Dark times are coming indeed.

Americans have knowingly voted in a corrupt “strongman” leader, despite all the lessons from countries like Venezuela (and Nazi Germany) on what that is likely to lead to.

I would say it was Alan Turing who broke the code and gave the allies the advantage

It doesn’t matter. According to their voting system he won fair and square.

it was the USA that swung that for us.

Wasn't it more the Soviet Union? Hitler miscalculated by invading the USSR, and his troops got bogged down. The US contributed more in the way of money and morale.

I'd forgotten about that! 🤣

Wait until Russia and America liberate Greenland. 🙄

The rest of the world is going to have to respond to Trump's bullshit. Other countries are not going to go against their own interests.

The USA isn't as powerful as Trump thinks. Sanctions can destroy their economy while he weakens his country's position in the world.

And, of course, pictures of Trump pissing on prostitutes in Russian hotels wouldn’t please Trump. He’d probably rather sell Ukraine and the rest of Europe down the river.

If condemned to be subject to the whims of foreign powers, China looks far more stable and well run than the US. If Trump wants the rest of the world to decide whether to come to heel for the US or for China in a new world order, he seems to be doing a good job of making the US appear chaotic, corrupt and an ally of nowhere, and China more reliable, predictable and measured. He’s playing a dangerous game.