Boris Johnson to address nation as he describes Russian invasion as 'catastrophe for our continent

[Ponyclubkick]

Anyone finding the tone of this really quite terrifying...

I’m not one to get myself in a tizz over sensationalised news but this is starting to feel very different!

I think Jesus is sitting on the desk opposite no JGW I bet your mother is very proud.

I do have cabbages though! Well, half a cabbage. The rest got made into coleslaw today as it needed using up.

I'll shut up now because I am actually derailing the thread...

@BackwardsPrawn He only seems to be grasping for the already Russian-sympathising parts from what I’ve found online. I’m trying to be open minded and not automatically anti-Russia bearing in mind the western news bias you mention, possibly just being extraordinarily stupid though as already stated

@keepyourheadscrewedon

Looks like your head is definitely not screwed on.

Maybe you should change your name to something more fitting.

SoupDragon

DinnoWoman
VAN. VAN.

CAN CAN?

💃💃💃

I have some sympathy with Russia which will sound odd. I don't condone killing all those poor people in Ukraine, it's dreadful and I'm truly shocked to read the news this morning, but we know Putin is a control freak who has said all along if Ukraine tries to join Nato this is what will happen.

When the Iron Curtain fell many years ago there was a tacit agreement between the West and Russia that there would be a wall of of neutral countries.

Why does Ukraine need to join Nato?

Why?

Ukraine enjoys a higher standard of living than Russia, life was going well. Why poke the bear??

Sure, self-determination is important, blah blah blah, but in the end if it's going to cost you your economy, airports, ports, human lives, everything, why bother?

I think Ukraine is insane. Someone please enlighten me as to why Ukraine needs to join Nato. I would genuinely be interested in sensible articles which explains this step.

I don't think Kyiv can be considered Russian - if only - it would make it much easier for the Russian fuckers. Sadly for Russia Ukraine has 44 million people mostly wishing to be independent and free!

Short term thinking Putin, short term thinking.

China have said that they urge all parties not to escalate the situation. Not sure what they mean by this

@Andnowno

For protection from Russia...

@AndNowNo

I have some sympathy with Russia which will sound odd. I don't condone killing all those poor people in Ukraine, it's dreadful and I'm truly shocked to read the news this morning, but we know Putin is a control freak who has said all along if Ukraine tries to join Nato this is what will happen.

When the Iron Curtain fell many years ago there was a tacit agreement between the West and Russia that there would be a wall of of neutral countries.

Why does Ukraine need to join Nato?

Why?

Ukraine enjoys a higher standard of living than Russia, life was going well. Why poke the bear??

Sure, self-determination is important, blah blah blah, but in the end if it's going to cost you your economy, airports, ports, human lives, everything, why bother?

I think Ukraine is insane. Someone please enlighten me as to why Ukraine needs to join Nato. I would genuinely be interested in sensible articles which explains this step.

Isn't all the evidence one could need as to why Ukrainians might want their country to join NATO leading every news bulletin today?

Don't think Boris has any credibility whatsoever, nobody trusts a word coming out of his mouth. He has caused much damage to the reputation of the UK overseas. Simply put we have become a laughing stock. What can we do with a sum total of 60,000 UK troops? That's probably one Russian tank division, we need to be realistic, the West has poked the bear once too many times and this is the result I'm afraid.

Putin can not stand that Ukraine is so contented, economically more successful and prosperous - a shining example of life outside of the shit pit Russia. It sat there gleaming and showing the poor Russians shackled to their autocracy what they could have, if only they could find a way to stand up for themselves rather than being paid/bribed and blackmailed/assaulted into living under Hiter/Putin.

Ukraine had the audacity to be happy, successful and democratic. And they still will be. As Russia will soon find out. You can't break a country in the long run, it does not work like that. Putin has bitten off more than he can chew.

Ukraine wanted to join NATO because it would have given them better protection against Russia. Putin has been eyeing up Ukraine for decades. Admittedly it has been 20 years since I worked in Ukraine, (and mainly in Kyiv) but most of Ukraine is thoroughly Western looking. They view themselves as being a modern European democracy. Russia's treatment of Ukraine historically has been diabolical. Being a part of NATO for them is not poking the bear, but protecting them from the bear.

@Ju2020

Don't think Boris has any credibility whatsoever, nobody trusts a word coming out of his mouth. He has caused much damage to the reputation of the UK overseas. Simply put we have become a laughing stock. What can we do with a sum total of 60,000 UK troops? That's probably one Russian tank division, we need to be realistic, the West has poked the bear once too many times and this is the result I'm afraid.

Surely today's news is the result of the West appeasing Putin and accepting his money on many previous occasions?

@backwardsprawn

My understanding is that some areas of ukraine identify as russian and wish to be under russia rule.
Things are never black and white. In theory, it would be interesting to see the russian perspective and the perspective from pro russia areas of ukraine. In reality with real people in danger its harder to not react to what we see.

I feel for the people in harms way right now.
However, i dont think the UK can do much to help them as we are not in a strong position either to negotiate or to take up arms. We would be like an ant trying to stop 2 elephants fighting. We would be crushed

China have said that they urge all parties not to escalate the situation. Not sure what they mean by this

They are expecting retaliation from the west I assume.
Either way it is hardly a ringing endorsement of Putin.

The two parallel conversations happening on this thread are (is?) definitely one of my most surreal MN experiences.

China want to see how the situation pans out so then they will invade Taiwan.
This is what happens when you have weak Western leaders who sit back and do nothing.
If nato had let Ukraine join earlier maybe putin would have backed down.. Too late now.

Starmer is actually giving an exceptional speech as well on Sky news.

@AndNowNo

I have some sympathy with Russia which will sound odd. I don't condone killing all those poor people in Ukraine, it's dreadful and I'm truly shocked to read the news this morning, but we know Putin is a control freak who has said all along if Ukraine tries to join Nato this is what will happen.

When the Iron Curtain fell many years ago there was a tacit agreement between the West and Russia that there would be a wall of of neutral countries.

Why does Ukraine need to join Nato?

Why?

Ukraine enjoys a higher standard of living than Russia, life was going well. Why poke the bear??

Sure, self-determination is important, blah blah blah, but in the end if it's going to cost you your economy, airports, ports, human lives, everything, why bother?

I think Ukraine is insane. Someone please enlighten me as to why Ukraine needs to join Nato. I would genuinely be interested in sensible articles which explains this step.

To protect its democracy from bullies.

Think of NATO as one of those plastic guards that are placed around the base of newly planted trees to stop animals from chewing at the bark and killing it off so young.

Don't worry all, Liz Truss has it covered according to Sky News
NEW: FCO source > “It was a heated meeting. Liz Truss kicked him out early. Said he should be ashamed of himself, that Russia has lied repeatedly and lost its last shred of credibility with the international community”

Him being the Russian Ambassador in London.

I wish too that we had covered Ukraine with NATO. I suppose nobody ever envisaged that Putin would go insane and do something like this. I don't think anyone truly believed anyone could do it.

All we can do now is reinforce our country, NATO and do what we can for Ukraine. Cripple Russia will be the next step I guess according to Starmer now.

@DuncinToffee

Don't worry all, Liz Truss has it covered according to Sky News NEW: FCO source > “It was a heated meeting. Liz Truss kicked him out early. Said he should be ashamed of himself, that Russia has lied repeatedly and lost its last shred of credibility with the international community”

Him being the Russian Ambassador in London.

Why did I think she was talking about Boris?