To be disgusted at the talks between Russia and the US

[SunnyDayInFeb]

So Russia and the US are meeting in Saudia Arabia to carve up Ukraine.

And Ukraine, whose people have been fighting and dying since their country was invaded, haven't even been invited to the table.

It's like we are back in the 19th century with the European colonial powers drawing lines on a map to divide Africa between them.

The irony is that the hardware for most of the tech we use relies on Dutch technology.

Yes, chocolate is probably the biggest one for me there, I often impulse buy. If it's not owned by an American company then it's probably Nestle which has its own issues. Tony's Chocolonely is Dutch, but availability is limited. McVities appears to be a safe bet so my biscuit consumption can continue. Am I right in thinking that the ultimate owner of J2Os is a Danish company? My baked beans and tinned soups are now from Suma (a UK workers' cooperative)

The over reliance on a few American tech companies for software is crazy. So many of us are using applications like Microsoft Word.

Any company could write an app like that and most people don't even need its more advanced features.

Quite apart from the fact Copilot will now be hovering there, making itself next to impossible to switch off, whilst finishing all your sentances for you, turning your brain to mush and uploading any original thoughts you might have to train more AI models!!

I guess the over-reliance is to do with the benefits of standardization, when it comes to document-sharing.

I'd certainly appreciate a non-US alternative now, though.

But the government is keen to make us even more reliant on US tech companies.

https://open.substack.com/pub/helenbeetham/p/automatic-for-the-people?r=28qo5

(Sorry shamelessly getting diverted from the orginal point of this thread, though it is related given the antics of Musk etc)

Could just agree a non proprietary markup (there probably is one already)

Managed to hear some really good insight this morning on the radio

Talk of security between US and others being paramount 84 years of it, but unfortunately no answer to question on whether this is now compromised

Ukrainian ok on collaborating on mineral deal but wants security in return

Former MI6 on interrupting slowly losing a war not a bad thing but US should be aware of how much more powerful they are than Russia

Former MI6 on interrupting slowly losing a war not a bad thing but US should be aware of how much more powerful they are than Russia

See I am always very wary of the UK trying to wrangle America into the wars they want to wage. Seems to happen A LOT.

@RingoJuice that may be the case but I'm not sure how the point on comparative strength leads to your response?

The point was more on strategy than to tee up getting you involved, he's not the gov asking for stuff just an ex security analyst

Although I believe a request for a back stop / security to the US is incoming from the PM. No idea what the outcome will be.

We in the UK have had quite enough of the US dragging us into their misadventures.

This.

What wars are you referring to?

O, there's Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia Iraq, Afghanistan, er, hang on though, I may be a bit muddled like pp.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/24/united-nations-ukraine-russia-trump/

The United States voted with Russia, North Korea, Belarus and 14 other Moscow-friendly countries Monday on a resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine and calling for its occupied territory to be returned that passed overwhelmingly in the U.N. General Assembly on Monday.

Do you have an example. Even just one will do

This is unbelievable. Scary times not just for Ukraine but for us too.

The US has basically gone rogue

I am very nervous about Trump's approach to this war.
He seems all buddy buddy with Putin! Today the Guardian has some economic collaboration and trade between US and Russia deal in the making.
It seems to be bullying to get $$$$$ for Trump. Ukraine is not willing to give away too much of its minerals, but Putin seems to agree (in principle, obviously, because Putin is not the giving type and Trump should know this) to something of monetary value to Trump.
I do want to see the end of this war and that will mean negotiations. Borders re-drawn, no NATO membership yet. Not sure why Ukraine cannot join the EU. Not that they will have the finances to do this, but the EU membership has nothing to do with defence, so that should not be on the table. Ukraine needs to keep its sovereignity, bar maybe, on the NATO.
There is over one million casualties according to some sources, is that right? It a petrifying figure! And really difficult to assess if it is real, with the old European trick of deflating or inflating numbers, according to what is convenient for each side.
Putin's Russia has been boycotting, hacking and meddling in Europe's politics for ages. They should not be allowed. And this should make it to the table. Because Europe and Ukraine, of course, should be there.
Now, including all this propaganda about the "nasty" ukranians.
He is holding Ukrainian children fgs! He has just taken them away and possibly given them for adoption!

Ideally, Putin should be made to resign. In my dreams, he makes it to jail, but I doubt it will happen.
I think we have failed Ukraine and ourselves, to be honest. The economic sanctions have not put enough pressure on Russia. Maybe we should have gone to war over this one?
But, we need to face it. Europe needs to pull off Russia while Putin is there. No business. Maybe put it on the table: back to normal business only if Putin is gone, re-elections in Russia, guaratees of no more attacks. If Putin stays, no visas, no business allowed, no nothing. Hard lines will get Trump's attention for sure.

So, I am quite confused.
I am glad negotiations are happening.
I do not want to leave Ukraine to the vultures.
I do not want a world controlled by Trump + Putin.
I want an end to the war, a rebuilding of Ukraine and assurances on Europe's peace and stability.
But I am not sure how we are going to get there.

It is getting too hot for us. Much of our products come from China, which is on the other side of Russia and the Middle East. Any of them may blow up at any time. And then is trying to decipher Trump.

Does US need to leave the UN? Because they seem to have forgotten its principles......

100 percent agree with this statement. In Zelenskys position, Trump would have run a million miles to save his own orange skin using his vast personal wealth. But it seems that is what the American dream is really based on. Every man for himself. Screw thy neighbour. Which is amusing for a supposedly overwhelmingly Christian county.

Zelensky is literally a dead man walking. But still he pushes on for his country, for his people. He is not a beggar, he is a true politician standing up for his electorate who are literally being slaughtered in their own country. If course he would ask for help from other countries, hardly going to defeat Russia alone?! How dare Trump call him a dictator.

I suppose that there's the Suez Crisis. Not sure how @RingoJuice can be fed up of something which last happened before they were able to walk or talk though.

How quickly a democracy can fall. Even in 1933 things didn't move so fast.

I do not agree that Zelensky is at personal threat from Putin. At least Putin wants to be the one that shoots himself on the head. After having shot himself on both feet and knees.
I would say that is Putin who does not have a future. Well, for Europe. Trump can have him. I am sure the Americans are "thrilled".
Even after voting for him, I do not think this is what they had in mind.

I would say that is Putin who does not have a future

That may be true, but whoever comes after him may well be worse.

I doubt we can find anyone worst.
He has just catapulted Russia back to the cold war times. And us along.
He has an opposition inside Russia who he chokes by torture, imprissonment and murder. I do not think he has that many supporters, does he?

There's just been a press conference Trump and Macron, if anyone listened