Today's conversation with Russian president

Murrmurr

Murrmurr

SF VIP
Location
Sacramento, California
Per the New York Post,

US president threatened Russian President with “swift and severe costs” during a high-stakes, 62-minute phone call Saturday morning over Ukraine.

“The president was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia,” the White House said in a statement issued after the call.
 

It seems to me that we've been signaling these economic sanctions far enough in advance that it has allowed the Russian banks to begin making other arrangements and eliminate much of the sting.

In the past, trade sanctions have done as much harm to American farmers and businesses as it does to the Russians.

I really don't see a way out of this situation that will guarantee a safe and peaceful solution for the people of Ukraine.
 
What does Putin want?

.......To end the standoff (maybe), Putin wants Nato to promise never to accept Ukraine (or Georgia and Moldova) as members. He wants the alliance to pull back from “frontline” countries such as Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, former members of the defunct Warsaw Pact. He wants Kyiv to accept autonomous status for the Donbas region and relinquish its claim to Crimea (as part of the so-called Minsk accords). He wants to limit or halt deployments in eastern and southern Europe of new US medium-range missiles. More ambitious still, he wants to redesign Europe’s “security architecture”, to re-establish Russia’s influence and extend its geopolitical reach. To most of this, the US says “no”. Hence the current crisis......

Source: The Guardian
 

Aunt Bea said:
It seems to me that we've been signaling these economic sanctions far enough in advance that it has allowed the Russian banks to begin making other arrangements and eliminate much of the sting.

In the past, trade sanctions have done as much harm to American farmers and businesses as it does to the Russians.

I really don't see a way out of this situation that will guarantee a safe and peaceful solution for the people of Ukraine.
Click to expand...
One can hope that the DoD has a back-up plan. To be honest, though, it's become a Washed-Up Old Farts Club full of one-way/only-way thinkers, so I have to also hope there's some fresh blood in there somewhere.
 
mellowyellow said:
I think Putin has a dream – to rebuild a Russian Empire which was lost after the Soviet Union collapsed - namely the now independent Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine.
Click to expand...
I can't figure that guy out and maybe no one (of power) in the US has either. I think we could have aligned with Russia a few decades ago and missed the opportunity due to the US's ego.
 
I think the phone call was little more than a waste of time. Putin is going to get a part of the Ukraine if not all of it and he or China can then take what additional part of the world they want next. Something to keep in mind is the working together relationship Russia has with China and Iran and what has already been worked out between them.

Hope I am wrong.
 
oldpeculier said:
I think the phone call was little more than a waste of time. Putin is going to get a part of the Ukraine if not all of it and he or China can then take what additional part of the world they want next. Something to keep in mind is the working together relationship Russia has with China and Iran and what has already been worked out between them.

Hope I am wrong.
Click to expand...
I think you're right. Pakistan has been friendly, too, thanks to CCP money. And that's the thing - Russia believes it can get what it wants with CCP money, but I wonder if Putin's wondering if he can ever control the CCP.
 
I don’t understand their history, it’s complicated, but it has to be taken into consideration. This from an Aljazeera article

Putin believes that Russians and Ukrainians, as well as Belarusians, are one people – a nation divided. The languages, history and culture from their shared origins in the medieval Slavic kingdom of Kievan Rus’, are close – although the idea that they are still one nation can be, and is, debated.

 
RadishRose said:
No. No one, including the US should ever trust anyone in power in Russia. Ever!
Click to expand...
I think we missed an opportunity with Yeltzin. I think we could have worked with him.

All I see in Putin is that he's ego-maniacal, eloquent, and very dangerous. But I've seen evidence that he has empathy for the Russian people, and it seemed genuine. I hope it was because the Russian people will suffer greatly if he invades Ukraine. But even so, he might see their "temporary" suffering as a fair exchange for world dominance.
 
mellowyellow said:
I don’t understand their history, it’s complicated, but it has to be taken into consideration. This from an Aljazeera article

Putin believes that Russians and Ukrainians, as well as Belarusians, are one people – a nation divided. The languages, history and culture from their shared origins in the medieval Slavic kingdom of Kievan Rus’, are close – although the idea that they are still one nation can be, and is, debated.
Click to expand...
Maybe he does, but that makes no more sense than suggesting the US and Canada are "a nation divided". In fact we probably have more in common with Canada than Russia does with Ukraine. Its been a long time since we seriously considered invading Canada...

You are right about Russia having a complex history that we do not understand. They have a long history of being invaded by the likes of the Mongols, French, and Germans. To protect themselves they have a long tried to control the border countries, like the Ukraine. So this is not something new, in fact they have over 1,000 years of history doing this kind of thing. And at times it has benefited them. We need to keep all that in mind, if we can.
mellowyellow said:
What does Putin want?
Click to expand...
You point out what he is asking for, I suspect he might settle for international recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea and some of the other lands he has grabbed. Could be wrong, who knows.
 
 
Last edited:
Murrmurr said:
But I've seen evidence that he has empathy for the Russian people, and it seemed genuine
Click to expand...
Sorry Murr I don't mean to argue. It's very good of you to try to see something fine in someone so foul, but I have not seen evidence that he has empathy for the Russian people.

If you're speaking about him opening up the churches and going to church functions himself, that's all show. They are not to be trusted. Even Yeltsin who once shared a good laugh with Clinton.
 
RadishRose said:
(evidence that he has empathy for the Russian people.) If you're speaking about him opening up the churches and going to church functions himself, that's all show. They are not to be trusted.
Click to expand...
I've heard it in some of his speeches. He souded pretty passionate, too. But could be he's just a really good actor, tho.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top