The gas pipe projects were as much about building a mutual dependency to prevent war (again), as mutual financial benefit. Clearly it didn’t work.
2 big cases of Russia getting betrayed on that. The 2014 US Nazi installed puppet regime raised gas transit fees through Ukraine to extortionist levels. In late 2024 they chose to cut off all Russian imports, mostly out of meanness to Moldova and Slovakia. As a result of hateful 2014 policies, nordstream 2 was announced that year. No actual capacity increases were needed to serve Europe, only Ukraine “tax” evasion. Financed mostly by Germany. Not only did Germany agree to a peaceful solution against Ukrainian nazi evil, only for purposes of giving the nazis more time to arm, Germany let it’s “friends” both tell it not to use it, and destroy NS2.
like you seem to want us to, with the “pull your own weight in NATO” talk and such.
NATO is wrong direction for EU, and especially if they want the US to stay in it so badly that they destroy themselves in sycophancy. Best path for EU is to stop the Russia derangement syndrome, and return to peaceful relations they had in 2010s. EU does need to get Russia to tone down its military production, and that only happens with Ukraine neutrality, and abandoning their hatred. Everything, every EU leader has said since US election is dead wrong other than “threatening to defend Greenland”. Their enthusiasm for a draft to go diminish Russia further should alarm citizens, as just current levels of US sycophancy has significantly diminished EU during this war.
I’m intentionally avoiding these discussions for my blood pressure and mental health, and this is WAY wrong a forum anyway, so I’ll just address your points in as good a faith as I can, and then you can have the last word.
2014 […] raised gas transit fees through Ukraine to extortionist levels
Gas transit through Ukraine has been wrought with disagreements since forever, so much that it even has its own Wikipedia page (the contents of which one can be of many opinions), with accusations of unpaid debts on both sides, Russia cutting off gas several times, and so on. In 2014 we’re talking of the two most corrupt countries in Europe, one of which has just annexed part of the other and claimed part of their fossil fuel company. (And no, corruption is no cause for invasion.) Perfect time for negotiations! Russia raised their gas price to Ukraine to extortion levels (up to $480 per 1,000 cubic metres), so they paid it forward in transit fees, looks to me.
In late 2024 they chose to cut off all Russian imports, mostly out of meanness to Moldova and Slovakia.
Sure. Not wanting to be involved in business with a country they’re at war with certainly had nothing to do with it.
Nazi […] nazi […] Ukrainian nazi evil
God I miss the old Internet, when pulling nazi comparisons was considered gauche. Which one is it for you, a nationalistic and antisemitic historical figure, neonazis in the armed forces, or demanding that native speakers of russian also offer services in ukrainian? I’m not aware of Ukraine having ghettos or marks for jews or Russians, much less camps.
NATO is wrong direction for EU, and especially if they want the US to stay in it so badly that they destroy themselves in sycophancy.
NATO is a framework in which to develop collaborative defence and have a nuclear umbrella without every country having nukes. It’s got value with or without the US, but of course it’d be nice to have them and their military force. Preferably without them threatening a fellow alliance member over Greenland, but if Greece and Turkey can be frenemies then sure, why not 🙄. All alliances require compromises, and that’d be true even without the US. E.g. Finland, Greece and France have very different opinions on what the primary threat is.
Best path for EU is to stop the Russia derangement syndrome, and return to peaceful relations they had in 2010s.
Hard to return to the previous normal after seeing someone assaulting your neighbor, no matter how great their cookies are, don’t you think?
[Pacification of Russia] only happens with Ukraine neutrality
We know how much the uncertain tightrope walk of necessary neutrality for survival sucks. Unless the Ukrainians themselves choose it, helping them resist that fate is worth it, almost as much as helping them resist direct annexation.
[Every EU leader’s enthusiasm] for a draft to go diminish Russia further
Citation needed. Citations. From actual leaders, not “experts”, not noisy members of parliament. Macron has mentioned the possibility of maybe sending troops in the vague future (and been blasted for it), and some countries are considering (re?)instating mandatory military service, which is not a draft; the servicemen are being taught, not recruited for working in/for the military.
current levels of US sycophancy has significantly diminished EU during this war
Having to respond to this war started by Russia has revealed our weakness, and our inner squabbles don’t help, US has very little to do with it.
Gas transit through Ukraine has been wrought with disagreements since forever
You make your case well. If Ukrainians were human, there would be no need for expense of building nordstream 2.
God I miss the old Internet, when pulling nazi comparisons was considered gauche. Which one is it for you, a nationalistic and antisemitic historical figure, neonazis in the armed forces, or demanding that native speakers of russian also offer services in ukrainian? I’m not aware of Ukraine having ghettos or marks for jews or Russians, much less camps.
Naziism isn’t “anti jewish first”, it is anti-communist first. The socialism part of nazi is an ultra capitalist definition of trickle down prosperity. Banderites in Ukraine rever their their occupation government which promoted SS divisions, extermination camps, and ethnic massacres as it helped the Germans fight the Soviets. Hatred of Russia defines the anti-soviet explicit nazi history of Ukraine. Niceties such as peaceful independence of Ukraine (under condition of neutrality) get no points for Russia.
demanding that native speakers of russian also offer services in ukrainian?
Apartheid laws in Ukraine are much stricter than this. No Russian language rights at all, and banned cultural access. But nazi battalions shelling eastern Ukraine for 8 years needed intervention stronger than NATO justification in Kosovo, which seemed to be a both sides being assholes problem. The peaceful request for autonomy of Donbas, and Crimean secession were justifiable and necessary responses to official Ukrainian hatred of people of those regions, and State approved Odessa massacre.
Hard to return to the previous normal after seeing someone assaulting your neighbor, no matter how great their cookies are, don’t you think?
The process of stopping lies of demonization towards Russia, and heroism of US is long, especially with how ingrained the citizens programming is, but Trump can make it shorter. Usually after politicians are defeated, exposure of their CIA agency, and how they helped whitewash an evil Ukrainian puppet regime is all a process. Obviously regular direct talks with Russia, makes is easier/quicker to provide impression that it is a lesser enemy than US.
[Every EU leader’s enthusiasm] for a draft to go diminish Russia further
Having to respond to this war started by Russia has revealed our weakness, and our inner squabbles don’t help, US has very little to do with it.
US objectives for this war were simply: 1. No Nordstream. Only EU energy subjugation to US. 2. weapons profit grifting. EU purchases and US gifts to Ukraine. 3. Diminish Russia to the last Ukrainian, but hopefully make it last forever/longer than current expectations. That Europeans don’t understand this, and European leaders think they can say out loud to make it “to the last European to appease Trump through draft or (mandatory service you prefer)” and impose EU “peacekeepers” on Russia is simply a continuation of the madness of Russia derangement syndrome that Politicians understand/think their population are utterly captured by.
2 big cases of Russia getting betrayed on that. The 2014 US Nazi installed puppet regime raised gas transit fees through Ukraine to extortionist levels. In late 2024 they chose to cut off all Russian imports, mostly out of meanness to Moldova and Slovakia. As a result of hateful 2014 policies, nordstream 2 was announced that year. No actual capacity increases were needed to serve Europe, only Ukraine “tax” evasion. Financed mostly by Germany. Not only did Germany agree to a peaceful solution against Ukrainian nazi evil, only for purposes of giving the nazis more time to arm, Germany let it’s “friends” both tell it not to use it, and destroy NS2.
NATO is wrong direction for EU, and especially if they want the US to stay in it so badly that they destroy themselves in sycophancy. Best path for EU is to stop the Russia derangement syndrome, and return to peaceful relations they had in 2010s. EU does need to get Russia to tone down its military production, and that only happens with Ukraine neutrality, and abandoning their hatred. Everything, every EU leader has said since US election is dead wrong other than “threatening to defend Greenland”. Their enthusiasm for a draft to go diminish Russia further should alarm citizens, as just current levels of US sycophancy has significantly diminished EU during this war.
I’m intentionally avoiding these discussions for my blood pressure and mental health, and this is WAY wrong a forum anyway, so I’ll just address your points in as good a faith as I can, and then you can have the last word.
Gas transit through Ukraine has been wrought with disagreements since forever, so much that it even has its own Wikipedia page (the contents of which one can be of many opinions), with accusations of unpaid debts on both sides, Russia cutting off gas several times, and so on. In 2014 we’re talking of the two most corrupt countries in Europe, one of which has just annexed part of the other and claimed part of their fossil fuel company. (And no, corruption is no cause for invasion.) Perfect time for negotiations! Russia raised their gas price to Ukraine to extortion levels (up to $480 per 1,000 cubic metres), so they paid it forward in transit fees, looks to me.
Sure. Not wanting to be involved in business with a country they’re at war with certainly had nothing to do with it.
God I miss the old Internet, when pulling nazi comparisons was considered gauche. Which one is it for you, a nationalistic and antisemitic historical figure, neonazis in the armed forces, or demanding that native speakers of russian also offer services in ukrainian? I’m not aware of Ukraine having ghettos or marks for jews or Russians, much less camps.
NATO is a framework in which to develop collaborative defence and have a nuclear umbrella without every country having nukes. It’s got value with or without the US, but of course it’d be nice to have them and their military force. Preferably without them threatening a fellow alliance member over Greenland, but if Greece and Turkey can be frenemies then sure, why not 🙄. All alliances require compromises, and that’d be true even without the US. E.g. Finland, Greece and France have very different opinions on what the primary threat is.
Hard to return to the previous normal after seeing someone assaulting your neighbor, no matter how great their cookies are, don’t you think?
We know how much the uncertain tightrope walk of necessary neutrality for survival sucks. Unless the Ukrainians themselves choose it, helping them resist that fate is worth it, almost as much as helping them resist direct annexation.
Citation needed. Citations. From actual leaders, not “experts”, not noisy members of parliament. Macron has mentioned the possibility of maybe sending troops in the vague future (and been blasted for it), and some countries are considering (re?)instating mandatory military service, which is not a draft; the servicemen are being taught, not recruited for working in/for the military.
Having to respond to this war started by Russia has revealed our weakness, and our inner squabbles don’t help, US has very little to do with it.
You make your case well. If Ukrainians were human, there would be no need for expense of building nordstream 2.
Naziism isn’t “anti jewish first”, it is anti-communist first. The socialism part of nazi is an ultra capitalist definition of trickle down prosperity. Banderites in Ukraine rever their their occupation government which promoted SS divisions, extermination camps, and ethnic massacres as it helped the Germans fight the Soviets. Hatred of Russia defines the anti-soviet explicit nazi history of Ukraine. Niceties such as peaceful independence of Ukraine (under condition of neutrality) get no points for Russia.
Apartheid laws in Ukraine are much stricter than this. No Russian language rights at all, and banned cultural access. But nazi battalions shelling eastern Ukraine for 8 years needed intervention stronger than NATO justification in Kosovo, which seemed to be a both sides being assholes problem. The peaceful request for autonomy of Donbas, and Crimean secession were justifiable and necessary responses to official Ukrainian hatred of people of those regions, and State approved Odessa massacre.
The process of stopping lies of demonization towards Russia, and heroism of US is long, especially with how ingrained the citizens programming is, but Trump can make it shorter. Usually after politicians are defeated, exposure of their CIA agency, and how they helped whitewash an evil Ukrainian puppet regime is all a process. Obviously regular direct talks with Russia, makes is easier/quicker to provide impression that it is a lesser enemy than US.
Macron: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/wake-spend-more-defense-macron-162130892.html also “demands volunteers to serve” https://www.euronews.com/2025/01/22/emmanuel-macron-calls-for-young-volunteers-to-reinforce-french-army
US objectives for this war were simply: 1. No Nordstream. Only EU energy subjugation to US. 2. weapons profit grifting. EU purchases and US gifts to Ukraine. 3. Diminish Russia to the last Ukrainian, but hopefully make it last forever/longer than current expectations. That Europeans don’t understand this, and European leaders think they can say out loud to make it “to the last European to appease Trump through draft or (mandatory service you prefer)” and impose EU “peacekeepers” on Russia is simply a continuation of the madness of Russia derangement syndrome that Politicians understand/think their population are utterly captured by.