Germans, how is Trump different from Merkel?
I don't see any difference.
Merkel also forced Ukraine to sign a capitulation with the Russians in 2014-2015. And Merkel succeeded.
Trump failed yesterday.

Guess who was also among the first ones to vote for that embargo. Our friend Ukrainians here, who were lighting candles together with Russians for their Serbian brothers to crush people in ex YU which had nothing to defend their self with   

Yes, Ukraine formally supported the international arms embargo on Croatia imposed by the UN in 1991 during the breakup of Yugoslavia. However, in practice, there were arms deliveries to the Croatian side.

Ukraine, like some other Eastern European countries, secretly supplied weapons and military equipment to Croatia despite the embargo. In 1992-1995, Ukrainian companies supplied ammunition, small arms, armored vehicles, and even military aircraft (for example, the MiG-21). These supplies helped Croatia create and strengthen its army during the war for independence.

Thus, officially, Ukraine supported the embargo, but in fact, it supplied weapons, as did some other countries, including Germany, Hungary, and Iran.

Ukraine also recognized Croatia's independence. Moreover, Ukrainian soldiers went to Croatia and fought on the Croatian side.

They write that the photo is of Vance. Is he a supporter of Russians and the USSR?

They write that the photo is of Vance. Is he a supporter of Russians and the USSR?

I can't say anything about the authenticity of the photo.

But your question answers itself anyway. That also applies to Donald Trump, which even you should have understood by now.

Quote from: stoker2014 on March 01, 2025, 13:53

Quote from: Wilm on February 28, 2025, 18:45

It makes me extremely sad! A small country is being attacked by a big country - a nuclear power. The small country has complied with the memorandum and no longer has nuclear weapons. In return, it had the promise of territorial security and integrity. And now it has to listen to another large country that not only signed this memorandum, but also helped to initiate it: "You're in a bad position". Therefore: Give me money for what I have given you. And let Russia take your country afterwards. Because we won't help you.

3. Then Trump came, during his first presidential term, Ukraine was in a state of "peace" agreements with the Russians. But Trump gave Ukraine weapons, good weapons, although he could have not given them.
4. When Biden became president and the Democrats won, the Russians continued their attack on Ukraine.

3. Then I don't understand why the escalation could happen at all. If Ukraine got such good weapons from Trump during his first term, as you write: How could the Russian invasion happen?
4. How could the Russians continue their attack when Ukraine had been supplied with such good weapons by Trump?

Wilm, don't ask primitive and childish questions.
I wrote about historical facts, not about the number and nomenclature of weapons. I compared Obama and Trump.

Quote from: Wilm on March 01, 2025, 15:20

Quote from: stoker2014 on March 01, 2025, 13:53

Quote from: Wilm on February 28, 2025, 18:45

It makes me extremely sad! A small country is being attacked by a big country - a nuclear power. The small country has complied with the memorandum and no longer has nuclear weapons. In return, it had the promise of territorial security and integrity. And now it has to listen to another large country that not only signed this memorandum, but also helped to initiate it: "You're in a bad position". Therefore: Give me money for what I have given you. And let Russia take your country afterwards. Because we won't help you.

3. Then Trump came, during his first presidential term, Ukraine was in a state of "peace" agreements with the Russians. But Trump gave Ukraine weapons, good weapons, although he could have not given them.
4. When Biden became president and the Democrats won, the Russians continued their attack on Ukraine.

3. Then I don't understand why the escalation could happen at all. If Ukraine got such good weapons from Trump during his first term, as you write: How could the Russian invasion happen?
4. How could the Russians continue their attack when Ukraine had been supplied with such good weapons by Trump?

Wilm, don't ask primitive and childish questions.
I wrote about historical facts, not about the number and nomenclature of weapons. I compared Obama and Trump.

I just wanted to point out that in your blindness you praise the Republicans for arms deliveries that have achieved absolutely nothing, while you constantly criticize the Democrats, even though they have at least helped Ukraine to survive three years of war.
The Republicans' weapons, on the other hand, have achieved absolutely nothing after the annexation of Crimea by the Russians - not even a hint of deterrence.
But even after yesterday's scandal, you are and remain more blind than any mole.

Are you really aware of what's going on? That Trump's policy will lead to nothing other than a further destabilization of Europe, which he and Putin absolutely want? Are you aware that countless Africans who are no longer supported by the USA will make their way to Europe, which will lead to further destabilization and domestic political problems in European countries? Exactly what Putin wants? Do you even begin to understand what's going on here? Do you realize that all of this is also extremely detrimental to support for Ukraine? Do you think even a little, or do you just read yesterday's snow that your "experts" and "analysts" write?

Get into your own head!

People held signs with harsh words against Vance, such as "Nazi scum" and "go skiing in russia."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/jd-vance-and-family-flee-to-undisclosed-location-due-to-angry-mob-after-zelensky-fallout/ar-AA1A3ZDa?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=0278731ea6884d199f2082fa473cc596&ei=29

 

Today in London a flood of military aid is expected and a new European dissuasion doctrine.

We don't have overseas allies anymore.

Quote from: Wilm on March 01, 2025, 17:27

Are you aware that countless Africans who are no longer supported by the USA will make their way to Europe, which will lead to further destabilization and domestic political problems in European countries?

Also, China will absolutely leap in there to fill the breach.
They already have a significant presence in many African countries.
You wouldn't think Trump would love that either.

+100
Yes, Trump's policy does not seem to be aimed at strengthening the US role in Africa. Neither did the Democrats. The US is losing its strategic position in the world. Perhaps the US wants to become an isolated country, separated from the rest of the world by an ocean. But the ocean will not help.

Putin ally pushes deal to restart Nord Stream 2 with US backing
https://www.ft.com/content/dc9c51ab-03cb-47ba-ad0a-09c4deed9b50

An article about a German KGB agent launching a pipeline to deliver gas from russia to Germany. Insider information. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Germans support this idea, as does the EU.
But we'll see, this is a good litmus test that will show the greed, narrow-mindedness, cynicism and venality of European officials.

From Peter N. Bouckaert:

"As I am in Ukraine at the moment, I would just like to correct a few lies from the Zelensky/Trump meeting based on my work here in Ukraine�Trump and Vance you are welcome to come visit although I doubt you have the courage to do so.

1) Zelensky showed up in military fatigues as he has done at every international meeting since day one of the 2022 Russian invasion�the second Russian invasion of Ukraine since 2014�to show his solidarity with the Ukrainian soldiers risking their lives to defend Ukraine, and to emphasize he is the leader of a country at war.
I didn�t see any similar objections to the non-elected immigrant racist white supremacist Elon Musk showing up repeatedly in the White House in a T-shirt and baseball cap which he didn�t even remove�it is a standard sign of respect to leadership to remove your hat�so don�t lecture Zelensky on how to dress.

2) Zelensky is not a dictator and he is not an unpopular leader who is unable to mobilize his people. I have spent many nights and days in the last few weeks with soldiers heading to the frontlines and talking to them, and none of them have tried to refuse to serve and they were heading into the battle with determination and courage�I salute them and respect them deeply.

3) Ukraine and Zelensky doesn�t have to thank the U.S. or Trump�the U.S. and Trump need to thank Ukraine and Zelensky. This is for two reasons.
First of all, Ukraine gave up the third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world voluntarily at the end of the USSR under the Budapest accords guaranteed by the U.S., France, UK, and Russia, giving up several trillion of dollars of nuclear weapons in return for security guarantees for its territorial integrity which Russia has violated and the U.S., UK and France vowed to protect. If Ukraine had kept its nuclear weapons, it would have been one of the most nuclear armed countries in the world and Russia would have never invaded. We, the West, committed to defend Ukraine in exchange for its denuclearization so there is no need for Ukraine to thank the U.S. for keeping its promises. See https://www.armscontrol.org/.../ukraine-nuclear-weapons...

Secondly, Ukraine is defending not just its own territorial integrity but the future of Europe. I have been interviewing people from the Russian-occupied territories the last few weeks and they really do live in a Stalinist prison camp that is unbelievably oppressive. This is what Putin wants to bring to much of Europe and we need to stop him in Ukraine to save our own democratic future, at any price (respecting human rights).

In was in Chechnya 25 years ago documenting the same Russian abuses, together at the same hotel with the murdered Anna Polikovskaya, the murdered Natalia Estemirova, and Memorial�s Oleg Orlov who was imprisoned in February 2024 for �discrediting the Russian military� and later released in a prisoner exchange.
The difference in 1999-2000 is that we could operate in Russia, under the watchful eye of the FSB (the current KGB). The FSB were staying at the same hotel as us, the ACCA in Ingushetia, and one night I found a few cigarette butts on the floor of my room just to let me know they were watching us. Buy we could go to Moscow, Human Rights Watch had a staff and office in Moscow, and do our work despite the dangers.

Since the Russian invasion of 2022 (and long before that), that limited space for activism and civil society has closed down in Russia. There are no more independent journalists or human rights groups operating in Russia and the HRW office has long closed down, and Anna and Natalia and Nemtsov and so many others were simply murdered by Putin. Yet this is what Trump embraces instead of the freedom-loving Ukrainian people, and he has refrained of any criticism of the murderous dictator Putin, instead trying to humiliate the freedom-fighting Zelensky. But Zelensky isn�t humiliated, he stands proud and strong because you cannot be humiliated by people you don�t respect.

Shame on you, you twice impeached and felon convicted orange wanna be. You and your republican supplicants do not deserve our respect�I won�t even spell republicans with a capital R because they don�t deserve that honorific. Shame on you betrayers of our American Values."

Peter Bouckaert, Senior Director at Fortify Rights