Ukraine

Mr Ellwood said he was "really pleased" that the UK had recently agreed to supply Ukraine with defensive weapons and extra troops for training, albeit "late in the day" - and that France and Spain were following Britain's example.

I reckon Vladimir is 'testing' the response of the West. If he thinks that the response is wishy washy - then he will send in the troops. Mind you, the Ukrainian army is not going to be a pushover.

Vlad also wants NATO to throw out those members who border Russia - why's that then?

An invasion of Ukraine must not be allowed. It's a slippery slope - have we learned nothing from history?

 

Couldn't give a toss TBH, I've gone full anti-interventionist at this stage. Let the rest of the world sort its own messes out, I'm absolutely sick to death of us and the US playing World Police. England/Britain has enough problems of its own.

Nick

 

I was going to say something similar, but I do think we need to keep an eye on some things that may not be relevant to us at the moment but can escalate at a later date.

 

I think the Kissinger era "Domino Theory" has been pretty much discredited.
Having said that; should we allow Russia to invade the Ukraine without objecting strongly definitely not.
Ukraine is a an independent country and that should be respected regardless of whose sphere of influence it was in 50, 100 or 250 years ago.

 

Where would intervention end if neither side backs down..

 

And whos going to stop Russia ? No one.

You fight Russia you die. Do you want to die for Ukraine ?

Europe needs Russian gas or it freezes. Europe hasnt got the balls to do anything anyway, never has.
British armed forces are tiny and weak and the US is lead by a gibbering aged wreck.
So if President Putin wants to invade Ukraine nothings going to hinder him.

 

I agree completely with you wee tam
Tomhip

 

It needs a good plan. We could drive in from Germany, then through Poland and attack in two prongs. One can drive towards Moscow and the other can go south into Ukraine. Operation Barbarossa.

 

I'm thinking that the west is only really likely to supply Ukraine with weapons, can't really see us getting more involved than that.
The moving in of troops etc is just part of the sabre rattling that always goes on at times like this, the hope is that just the presence of western personnel in the country could make Russia think twice.

 

If Putin decides to take Ukraine then he'll have it. No amount of Western supplies will be enough to stop him.
It will be a messy business but he'll no doubt install a Rusky puppet government to prevent them from fully joining Nato.

 

That's what I've heard - these countries have supplied 'lethal aid' to Ukraine. I see that Lithuania and Latvia (now in NATO) are also providing aid.

Germany have said 'nein' to providing aid - although they will help with economic sanctions.

IMHO we can't have a situation where a big communist country invades and takes over a smaller democratic country. That's just plain wrong - a line has to be drawn in the sand.

Ukraine has already been trained up by the US and they have US kit - they are not going to be a push over - and with economic sanctions - I don't reckon Russia will risk it.

Is this a diversionary tactic I wonder?

 

I daresay the East is quite happy to see the prominent in fighting within the USA.
They're not far off a civil war which suits the East nicely.

 

Well, Joe has put his troops on alert. Vladimir's bluff is being called.