Russia has invaded Ukraine

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/28/m...ice/index.html

A Russian state media reporter gained entry to the Oval Office for Trump-Zelensky sit-down

A member of Russia’s state-owned news agency gained access to the Oval Office on Friday to cover President Trump’s sit-down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – even as the AP and Reuters were barred from the high-level meeting. The White House said the journalist was not authorized to be in the press pool.

A correspondent for TASS, a Russian state media organization, was among a group of hand-picked pool reporters present in the Oval Office for the leaders’ meeting, which is part of the US’ efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The testy Trump-Zelensky sit-down may yield a signed deal that would exchange US access to Ukraine’s mineral resources for security guarantees.

Though the group of pool reporters in the Oval Office was hand picked, the White House has denied the TASS staffer was permitted entry.

“TASS was not on the approved list of media for today’s pool,” a White House official told CNN in a statement. “As soon as it came to the attention of press office staff that he was in the Oval, he was escorted out by the Press Secretary.”

“He is not on the approved list for the press conference,” the official said.

It seems a bit of a security lapse for an unauthorised person to get into the Oval Office.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Hugh

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/28/m...ice/index.html

It seems a bit of a security lapse for an unauthorised person to get into the Oval Office.

Looks a bit dodgy to me! Was Trump just ensuring that his master got to see him and Vance delivering their side of the bargain as quickly as possible?

[papa smurf]

JD Vance's visit to Vermont ski resort interrupted by pro-Ukraine demonstrators after Zelenskyy exchange




Vance, who brought his family to Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vermont, was greeted by a half-mile gauntlet of protesters holding pro-Ukraine signs Saturday. There appeared to be hundreds in the crowd.

The protesters carried signs calling Vance "Nazi ****," accusing him of being a "traitor" and telling him to "go ski in Russia."

Other signs said "Trump serves Putin," "Theocracy is not freedom" and "Stand with Ukraine."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jd-...nskyy-exchange

[Pierre]

Just interested to know what people think has changed in the last couple of years?

I think I’ve been consistent with my view point that Ukraine cannot win this war, cannot push back Russia to pre-2014 borders, or present border, and that this war only ends with Ukraine ceding lost territory but with guarantees (and there are many options) that there is no more chance future Russian incursion.

That is the only way out.

Pissing billions of pounds/dollars into a war that Ukraine cannot win, and soldiers continue to die in, is insanity.

Trump is right to want end it, and not fund it.

Originally Posted by Pierre

That is the only way out.

Pissing billions of pounds/dollars into a war that Ukraine cannot win, and soldiers continue to die in, is insanity.

Trump is right to want end it, and not fund it.

The problem is he wants to end it at any cost, just so he can say he has ended it, without any care for what happens in the future.

Ukraine has shown they're willing to end it, but they want an agreement to involve the US in backing their remaining territory. Otherwise Russia will rearm and come again in a few years. Ukraine needs rapid rearmament and economic recovery to secure their border again this with.

Trump seems to want Ukraine to concede to whatever they and Russia cook up. If Ukrainian sovereignty isn't protected, they'll keep fighting as any country would.

[1andrew1]

The issue is a guarantee from the US as Europe is not militarily strong enough to give this on its own.

If the US can step up and provide this guarantee, US companies will benefit from exploiting Ukrainian minerals and in weapon sales and good links with Europe. Otherwise, Russia will continue its invasion and Ukraine will continue defending its sovereignty.

Europe is militarily absolutely strong enough to provide sufficient mass to repel any Russian invasion. If that wasn’t apparent in 2022 it is blindingly obvious today, as Russia expends 1,000 soldiers a day while moving the front line less than a mile a month. Europe’s problem is that it has no significant unified command structure outside of Nato and its military capacity is split across nations with different political views that don’t necessarily align. The risk in a Europe-only security guarantee is that Putin is more likely to calculate that it is worth testing it on a target that enough European leaders will decide is ‘not worth world war 3’ - a Baltic state, perhaps, or even just a bit of one, sufficient to connect Kaliningrad to the mainland.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Chris

Europe is militarily absolutely strong enough to provide sufficient mass to repel any Russian invasion. If that wasn’t apparent in 2022 it is blindingly obvious today, as Russia expends 1,000 soldiers a day while moving the front line less than a mile a month. Europe’s problem is that it has no significant unified command structure outside of Nato and its military capacity is split across nations with different political views that don’t necessarily align. The risk in a Europe-only security guarantee is that Putin is more likely to calculate that it is worth testing it on a target that enough European leaders will decide is ‘not worth world war 3’ - a Baltic state, perhaps, or even just a bit of one, sufficient to connect Kaliningrad to the mainland.

Soldiers are an important element but is Europe not weak in air power?

[tweetiepooh]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

JD Vance's visit to Vermont ski resort interrupted by pro-Ukraine demonstrators after Zelenskyy exchange




Vance, who brought his family to Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vermont, was greeted by a half-mile gauntlet of protesters holding pro-Ukraine signs Saturday. There appeared to be hundreds in the crowd.

The protesters carried signs calling Vance "Nazi ****," accusing him of being a "traitor" and telling him to "go ski in Russia."

Other signs said "Trump serves Putin," "Theocracy is not freedom" and "Stand with Ukraine."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jd-...nskyy-exchange

While I can understand the importance of protest he is on holiday with young children who do not need to see that sort of anger. Something quiet but firm and just once would show that Daddy did something that people didn't like. Protesters don't have to behave like Daddy or Daddy's boss.

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

While I can understand the importance of protest he is on holiday with young children who do not need to see that sort of anger. Something quiet but firm and just once would show that Daddy did something that people didn't like. Protesters don't have to behave like Daddy or Daddy's boss.

JD Vance, February 14th, Munich

“If you are afraid of the voices, the opinions and the conscience that guide your very own people … If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you, nor for that matter is there anything you can do for the American people.”

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

While I can understand the importance of protest he is on holiday with young children who do not need to see that sort of anger. Something quiet but firm and just once would show that Daddy did something that people didn't like. Protesters don't have to behave like Daddy or Daddy's boss.

He's just a snowflake using his family as human shields. He could have gone separately from them.

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Soldiers are an important element but is Europe not weak in air power?

No. NATO minus the USA still easily outmatches Russia almost everywhere. It’s not even close.

Have a look at https://armedforces.eu/compare/count...TO_without_USA

… also bear in mind that these stats seem not to have not been updated in the last 2 years - Russia has lost more than 10,000 tanks, 20,000 combat vehicles, 300 aircraft and 24,000 artillery pieces since invading Ukraine in 2022.

Also bear in mind that Russia has a smaller GDP than Italy, France, Germany, and the U.K., and a smaller per capita GDP than most of the each individual European counties - it can’t afford for this war to keep running, and it’s used most of it’s military equipment reserves, and is having difficulty replenishing them due to sanctions.

Inflation is at 10%, the base rate is at 21%, with company bankruptcies up 26% on the previous year - lowering the Russian Government’s tax revenues.

[ianch99]

Is not the reality we now face is that Trump (or "Agent Orange" as he is being referred to on social media) is effectively negotiating on behalf of Putin. This is very clear to all. He is more interested in making money out of what is left of Ukraine up until the time his handler decide to claim the remaining parts at which point he will say "I'm out of here".

What the Trump/Putin apologists are not addressing is the question of trust. If Putin is given the land he has taken and then says: "Ok, I'll stop here and won't proceed further", who on this planet actually believes him, apart from Trump. Until Trump gives in and guarantees a USA military response, in conjunction with Europe, Putin will not be stopped.

Of course, this does not address the invasion and 20% of Ukraine he has taken. If a ceasefire deal is done along the current front line with a US backstop then Putin is rewarded for aggression. Not a good precedent.