What’s Putin up to in the Ukraine?

[PoshPyjamas]

I mean, I know you probabaly don’t all actually know 😀

But ages ago there was a thread about Kim Jong who looked like he was gearing up for Armageddon at the time, and some very knowledgeable posters came along and explained why it was all a storm in a tea cup and I felt a lot better.

Should we be worried about this?

If we allow Russia to take over Ukraine, Europe will be harder to defend.

Europe itself, Germany in particular seems reluctant to do anything, because of their energy dependency. Why should the UK shoulder the whole responsibility of defending someone who does not seem willing to defend themselves?

Will they do the same for the UK? Will they heck.

Russia is demanding that NATO exercises on its borders cease and Ukraine makes a commitment NOT to join NATO, they are increasing pressure to get those agreements. Russian warships passed through the English Channel yesterday.

If they don’t get an agreement they will probably take over Ukraine
The US talks about serious sanctions, no more.

We do only get around 5% of our gas from Russia but if the supply is restricted in Europe there will be shortages here.

IF supply to Europe is restricted we will be affected as well because of the marker pressure on out supplies as well.

Prices will rise sharply.

Putin knows that. We might be threatening with sanctions, but he's the one with his hand on the gas supply button.

Why does NATO need to do it's military exercises on Ukraine's border?

Aderyn NATO Allies can hold exercises in their own countries. Some of those border Russia. Putin would like to force the Baltic States and Poland out of NATO. Sweden is very concerned, so much so, that moves are afoot to examine joining the Alliance, and even Finland is thinking about it.

This is Merkel's legacy; Putin being on the cusp of splitting the EU and NATO.

Merkel's legacy?

Or steps which were deliberately be taken only after she had stepped down? In the expectation the Germany would not act with assurance for a while ?

It's a shame that several years ago some government idiot decided to signifcantly reduce our own gas storage. We now have a much lower reserve than other European countries.

Also, it's a wake up call. Time to invest in our own gas resources. Far better than relying on potentially unstable overseas imports. More environmentally friendly too than importing.

oguk.org.uk/uk-gas-production-will-fall-75-by-2030-without-new-investment-warns-industry-body/

@thegcatsmother

Aderyn NATO Allies can hold exercises in their own countries. Some of those border Russia. Putin would like to force the Baltic States and Poland out of NATO. Sweden is very concerned, so much so, that moves are afoot to examine joining the Alliance, and even Finland is thinking about it.

This is Merkel's legacy; Putin being on the cusp of splitting the EU and NATO.

Holding “exercises” close to Russian borders is a deliberate provocation by NATO, Romania with its Black Sea coastline is particularly sensitive. In addition The US, UK, and Baltic countries are sending arms to Ukraine, it’s very dangerous, poke the Russian bear and he will bight.

However I really don’t see NATO troops actually getting directly involved, however many weapons are sent, in a straight fight there is only one winner.

I would say Putin is the one provoking not NATO. What should the rest of the world do? Stand by while he invaded Ukraine and maybe Eastern European countries as well?

[quote FlexibleWorkingDenied]@PoshPyjamas
Unrelated to the current situation and I hope you don’t mind, but here’s an article about why it’s “Ukraine” and not “the Ukraine”, which evidently Isn’t Ukrainian people find offensive. I didn’t know about this myself until recently until someone clarified so just passing on the knowledge

time.com/12597/the-ukraine-or-ukraine/[/quote]
Interesting. I’d honestly not noticed people say “The Ukraine. It just sounds silly.

apologies for digressing but every time I see Putin on television or whatever I remember my grannies saying "He has a face just like a bladder of lard" which may not be politically correct but always makes me laugh out loud and takes a bit of the angst out of the situation.a bit like imaging him strutting around nude apart from socks and sandals