https://www.ft.com/content/dd0a68fb-f52d...8435cd42d9




"...Russia said it was refocusing its month-long military offensive in Ukraine on the country’s eastern Donbas region, in comments that suggested Moscow could scale back attacks in other parts of the country.

Speaking at a defence ministry briefing in Moscow on Friday, Sergei Rudskoy, a high-ranking official in the Russian army, said what the Kremlin has labelled a “special operation” in Ukraine was entering a new phase designed to fully “liberate” Donbas.

He described the targeting of other cities, including the capital Kyiv, as part of a strategy to distract the Ukrainian army...."


So basically, they are admitting they failed in the north. They are going to try to grab as much territory in the east as they can before doing serious negotiations.

Actually a bit of a positive. Russia publicly acknowledges downgraded their goals in the war.

(03-25-2022 05:09 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.ft.com/content/dd0a68fb-f52d...8435cd42d9




"...Russia said it was refocusing its month-long military offensive in Ukraine on the country’s eastern Donbas region, in comments that suggested Moscow could scale back attacks in other parts of the country.

Speaking at a defence ministry briefing in Moscow on Friday, Sergei Rudskoy, a high-ranking official in the Russian army, said what the Kremlin has labelled a “special operation” in Ukraine was entering a new phase designed to fully “liberate” Donbas.

He described the targeting of other cities, including the capital Kyiv, as part of a strategy to distract the Ukrainian army...."


So basically, they are admitting they failed in the north. They are going to try to grab as much territory in the east as they can before doing serious negotiations.

Actually a bit of a positive. Russia publicly acknowledges downgraded their goals in the war.

Seems like a negotiated settlement should be viable now. The Russians have essentially admitted regime change has failed--as has demilitarization and the idea of occupying all of Ukraine. The Ukrainians have all but admitted getting into NATO is a pipe dream and they have little chance of regaining Crimea and the Donbas region---especially if the Russians are going to concentrate their forces there. Why not call a cease fire and move to the negotiating table. No reason more people have to die in a Putin's senseless vanity war. Seems like there is a deal to be made at this point.

Ukraine should just cede the parts of Ukraine where the majority of inhabitants are Russian. This would appease Russia enough where they would save face and withdraw. El Puto doesn't want to lose face now and maybe this will make it seem that he gained something from this senseless war.

(03-25-2022 08:47 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  Ukraine should just cede the parts of Ukraine where the majority of inhabitants are Russian. This would appease Russia enough where they would save face and withdraw. El Puto doesn't want to lose face now and maybe this will make it seem that he gained something from this senseless war.

That's Crimea and the part of Luhansk Russia held before the war. The rest of Luhansk was predominately Ukrainian (whole province 60% Ukrainian). Donetsk is pretty much all majority Ukrainian, about 60% overall also. Russia wants more than that. Now those two provinces were predominately Russian speaking, but NOT ethnically Russian.

If Putin is truly downgrading his expectations to better match reality, this is great news! I do we're getting closer to the point when a negotiated settlement may be achievable, here are things I'd like to see -

Ukraine is ultimately going to have to, and should, give up on Crimea and recognize it as Russian. A free & fair referendum should have been held there, but it is too late 8 years in and quite likely Russia would have won that vote anyway. The rest of the world should join Ukraine in accepting Crimea as Russian territory.

The Donbass I don't think Ukraine should give up, nor should they be forced to accept the poison pill autonomy that the Minsk agreement would have injected into the nation. I do think Ukraine should change its Constitution from seeking NATO membership to neutrality, forbidding it to join any military alliance or host any foreign military bases. Ukraine should remain free to negotiate membership in the EU, and security guarantees with teeth (no Budapest memorandum "seek Security Council action" BS) will need to be provided by Western powers.

The Russian language should be recognized as an official language of Ukraine, and equal rights of Russian speakers should be enshrined in the Constitution. Russia should be assessed war reparations, but those amounts could be reduced by Ukraine agreeing to subsidize the emigration of any citizens who prefer to move to Russia.

I’m not surprised. The have heavy casualties.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gG1prld0bAA

(03-25-2022 08:47 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  Ukraine should just cede the parts of Ukraine where the majority of inhabitants are Russian. This would appease Russia enough where they would save face and withdraw. El Puto doesn't want to lose face now and maybe this will make it seem that he gained something from this senseless war.

This is where I am as well. Give Pootie a way out, he’ll likely take it and go home to his pending coup.

The real reason the EU and prog filth are losing their shite over Ukraine

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink told shareholders in a letter on Thursday that Russia's "decoupling from the global economy" following its assault on Ukraine has caused governments and companies to examine their reliance on other nations.

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put an end to the globalization we have experienced over the last three decades," Fink wrote.


https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/24/business/...index.html

(03-26-2022 03:41 AM)Todor Wrote:  I’m not surprised. The have heavy casualties.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gG1prld0bAA

Dummies

(03-26-2022 06:47 AM)shere khan Wrote:  The real reason the EU and prog filth are losing their shite over Ukraine

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink told shareholders in a letter on Thursday that Russia's "decoupling from the global economy" following its assault on Ukraine has caused governments and companies to examine their reliance on other nations.

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put an end to the globalization we have experienced over the last three decades," Fink wrote.


https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/24/business/...index.html

No. Covid and China's unrealiability did that. Companies have been looking to get as much as possible out of China. Diversification and localization of supply, not lowest cost, has become the goal. During Covid, China shut down at times. Shipping has been a nightmare. Russia is just not a big supplier of anything but oil, gas, grains and certain minerals. Natural resources mainly.

(03-26-2022 06:47 AM)shere khan Wrote:  The real reason the EU and prog filth are losing their shite over Ukraine

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink told shareholders in a letter on Thursday that Russia's "decoupling from the global economy" following its assault on Ukraine has caused governments and companies to examine their reliance on other nations.

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put an end to the globalization we have experienced over the last three decades," Fink wrote.


https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/24/business/...index.html

Definitely correct. Once blocks form of countries who everyone can and cannot do business with, the globalists dream is done. And the wests hamstrung reaction to Ukraine is the sole reason. They had no option except a bizarre set of sanctions, threats of sanctions, and sanctions on people who won’t enforce American sanctions.

Pop that balloon and let the air out of it. Globalism is fizzling thanks to one of its biggest promoters.

(03-25-2022 07:10 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(03-25-2022 05:09 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.ft.com/content/dd0a68fb-f52d...8435cd42d9




"...Russia said it was refocusing its month-long military offensive in Ukraine on the country’s eastern Donbas region, in comments that suggested Moscow could scale back attacks in other parts of the country.

Speaking at a defence ministry briefing in Moscow on Friday, Sergei Rudskoy, a high-ranking official in the Russian army, said what the Kremlin has labelled a “special operation” in Ukraine was entering a new phase designed to fully “liberate” Donbas.

He described the targeting of other cities, including the capital Kyiv, as part of a strategy to distract the Ukrainian army...."


So basically, they are admitting they failed in the north. They are going to try to grab as much territory in the east as they can before doing serious negotiations.

Actually a bit of a positive. Russia publicly acknowledges downgraded their goals in the war.

Seems like a negotiated settlement should be viable now. The Russians have essentially admitted regime change has failed--as has demilitarization and the idea of occupying all of Ukraine. The Ukrainians have all but admitted getting into NATO is a pipe dream and they have little chance of regaining Crimea and the Donbas region---especially if the Russians are going to concentrate their forces there. Why not call a cease fire and move to the negotiating table. No reason more people have to die in a Putin's senseless vanity war. Seems like there is a deal to be made at this point.

Turkey's leader had already said talks seemed promising before this comment. It could be a feint, but it is sounds like typical corporate CYA bs. They failed, so they claim they really wanted a different goal. The comments are probably for domestic consumption.

(03-25-2022 09:51 PM)Gamenole Wrote:  If Putin is truly downgrading his expectations to better match reality, this is great news! I do we're getting closer to the point when a negotiated settlement may be achievable, here are things I'd like to see -

Ukraine is ultimately going to have to, and should, give up on Crimea and recognize it as Russian. A free & fair referendum should have been held there, but it is too late 8 years in and quite likely Russia would have won that vote anyway. The rest of the world should join Ukraine in accepting Crimea as Russian territory.

The Donbass I don't think Ukraine should give up, nor should they be forced to accept the poison pill autonomy that the Minsk agreement would have injected into the nation. I do think Ukraine should change its Constitution from seeking NATO membership to neutrality, forbidding it to join any military alliance or host any foreign military bases. Ukraine should remain free to negotiate membership in the EU, and security guarantees with teeth (no Budapest memorandum "seek Security Council action" BS) will need to be provided by Western powers.

The Russian language should be recognized as an official language of Ukraine, and equal rights of Russian speakers should be enshrined in the Constitution. Russia should be assessed war reparations, but those amounts could be reduced by Ukraine agreeing to subsidize the emigration of any citizens who prefer to move to Russia.

The whole point of sanctions is to deter aggression. As the west, no sanctions come off until Russia has gotten out of the Donbass and disarmed and removed their mercenary armies. At the least had the mercenary armies moved back to their January 1 lines. Crimea can be a compromise. It was an autonomous oblast of the Ukraine and was only in the Ukraine by virtue of Kruschev's political manuvering in the 50s.

(03-26-2022 10:36 AM)bullet Wrote:  The whole point of sanctions is to deter aggression.

Of course Biden has totally flipped on that







God help us

Jake Sullivan: "Sanctions are meant to deter"

Kamala: "Sanctions are meant to deter"

Blinkton: "Sanctions are meant to deter"

Psaki: "Sanctions are meant to deter"



Joe Biden: "Sanctions were never meant to deter!!!"


What a time to be alive.

(03-26-2022 10:56 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  




Jake Sullivan: "Sanctions are meant to deter"

Kamala: "Sanctions are meant to deter"

Blinkton: "Sanctions are meant to deter"

Psaki: "Sanctions are meant to deter"



Joe Biden: "Sanctions were never meant to deter!!!"


What a time to be alive.

Kind of like the Russians saying they never planned regime change. CYA bs.

And sanctions won't force Putin to stop. They merely raise the price. And by hurting his economy, cripple his ability to do aggression beyond Ukraine. The idea is that at a certain point the cost is not worth continuing the aggression. But that requires a rational decision. There's a presumption that there are rational people in Russian leadership, if not Putin, then people that will straighten him out, one way or another.

Sounds like Russia will be walking away with a chunk of Ukraine and everyone in Ukraine will think they won. It’s a good outcome for both. Until Ukraine falls apart anyway, keeps getting smaller, never joins nato, never joins the eu, and never gets millions of people back from other countries because this open border thing was almost a once in a generation welcome.

And Ukrainians deserve to be the biggest losers in this because they didn’t stand up for a democratic government they had. And once you start the coup game, sometimes it keeps happening. Ask the countries most similar to Ukraine in Africa. One coup after another.

Whatever the result, I bet they won’t start another war with Russia, because having a war in your country is never really “winning.”

(03-26-2022 11:48 AM)Todor Wrote:  Sounds like Russia will be walking away with a chunk of Ukraine and everyone in Ukraine will think they won. It’s a good outcome for both. Until Ukraine falls apart anyway, keeps getting smaller, never joins nato, never joins the eu, and never gets millions of people back from other countries because this open border thing was almost a once in a generation welcome.

And Ukrainians deserve to be the biggest losers in this because they didn’t stand up for a democratic government they had. And once you start the coup game, sometimes it keeps happening. Ask the countries most similar to Ukraine in Africa. One coup after another.

Whatever the result, I bet they won’t start another war with Russia, because having a war in your country is never really “winning.”

Sounds kind of like men and women is totally a state of mind.
Invading another country and stealing their land is somehow Ukraine starting the war!

Some of your propaganda just makes you look stupid. Like blaming the Ukrainians for the Russians and/or their mercenary army shooting down the Malaysian airliner.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2...n-00020059

This guy explains the thinking on sanctions. That said, he is TOTALLY unrealistic on what Russia will accept in negotiations.

And maybe the guy in Politico isn't as extreme in his position as I believe. This article makes it seem like its Biden*'s position.
https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2022/03/...s-n1583519

“"...The only end game now,” a senior administration official was heard to say at a private event earlier this month, “is the end of Putin regime. Until then, all the time Putin stays, [Russia] will be a pariah state that will never be welcomed back into the community of nations....


We have the basis for a peace deal, but Biden’s harsh rhetoric leaves no room for compromise on either side.

It’s one thing to keep Ukraine supplied with antitank and antiaircraft missiles, and I think we should give them all they can use. That’s the stick.

The carrot should be peace talks aimed at neutralizing Ukraine (as Kyiv has already agreed to in principle), protections or even border realignments for Russian-majority areas, and relaxing (but not removing) sanctions so long as an effective ceasefire holds.

But that’s not what Biden is doing. Instead, he’s talking publically about war crimes and privately about regime change.

Vladimir Putin has been informed reliably by the Western alliance that his exit — which in his case possibly includes a firing squad — is the price for peace.

Instead of building Putin a golden bridge to peace, Biden has backed him into a corner and dared him to lash out.

That’s the idiot’s way to start World War III, but from Joe Biden, what else did you expect?"