Ukraine Invasion: Part 54

[MagicFox]

We're on 54. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦
Agreed thread guidance:
A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events
B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content
C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful

Good question. NATO committees generally operate by majority vote. I doubt the decision would have to be unanimous. And the process in time of war is likely classified.

Well Erdogan has just put the cat among the pigeons, Turkey backs Ukraine's full territorial integrity

Wait...what?

I think you're correct that Americans feel that they've been funding social spending indirectly via NATO, but the decision to cut defense spending to offset more social welfare spending seems to have been taken with the assumption that the US was stuck defending them regardless.

The overall quality of European armies is okay, but they have become so small and poorly equipped as to be almost irrelevant. Take Germany, for example.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Army#Rank_structure

It has about 63k active duty members. Only 25-30% are front-line warfighters. The rest do logistics, headquarters duty, medical corps, finance, etc. So, at most, the Germans could put 20k soldiers into a fight. That's bordering on an ornamental military.

So, the calculation seems to have been that by maintaining the illusion of military strength, money could be shifted to social welfare spending without risk to the nation.

More social welfare spending would be very popular in the US, but we've managed to maintain a rational balance politically.

From Sky News

Erdogan offers to host talks

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says his country could host talks on ending the war between Ukraine and Russia.

"Turkey will be an ideal host for the possible talks between Russia, Ukraine and America in the near future," he said following a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Erdogan called previous Russia-Ukraine talks held in Turkey in 2022 "an important reference point and the platform where the parties came closest to an agreement".

He also said he supports Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Yes

President Zelensky was visiting Turkey today

Well that was unexpected!

From what I have seen on Twitter, it could be rubbish of course, Erdogan knows that Putin wants all the Russian land back and that includes Asia Minor or Turkey.Also they have taken on Russia in Syria just recently

Must read: www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-russia-ukraine-moscow-china-north-korea-kremlin-opinion/

"What Putin really wants"

https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1891871825430200783 President Zelensky about Turkey

https://x.com/FacciniMyriam/status/1891819776210518026 I will never accept any decisions between Russia and the United States about Ukraine. Never

John Healey's speech outlining proposed defence reforms: pca.st/episode/64b3a7fc-975a-4cd8-9f7d-3c4cbb9aba81

The US will also bring a wish for its oil companies to access Russian oilfields to the table. Stated in the NYT this morning.

link?

Magic very interesting thank you.

I don't know how reliable this is, it has been reposted by accounts that usually are

https://bsky.app/profile/youranoncentral.bsky.social/post/3lihpuhxotc2j

The European Union is preparing to announce a historic €700 billion aid package for Ukraine. The project was top secret but "accidently let out" after the US visit to EU. This is unprecedented in scale and declaws Trump & Putin's plot to force Ukraine to surrender to plunder it for its resources.

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock: "For this, Ukraine needs strong and long-term security guarantees, a strong NATO alliance, and progress in its EU accession negotiations. As Europeans, as Germans, we stand firmly by Ukraine—providing military, humanitarian, and financial support."

Looks like Macron is organising another emergency meeting this time with a wider coalition. Interesting to see the 2 blocs forming.

Some twat currently on BBC News suggesting that Europe never does anything useful and is just “sitting in Paris whining” because they can’t understand Trump’s grand plan. 🙄

So hoping this is true, but I don't see how this is going to happen

Sorry for the spam I’m just so angry!

Holy fuck Trump basically just called Zelenskyy illegitimate and said they can’t really negotiate until they have elections.

I wonder how he thinks they will organise elections when at least half their population is either not in the country or actively involved in a war? Maybe he thinks they will do it the Russian way and announce the results before polling day....

What?! Where did you see this?

He’s speaking in Mar-a-lago live now, watching on BBC News. He’s also just said Ukraine can’t account for all the money it’s been given (essentially making out it’s been embezzled).

I will try and find this now, thank you