Update
Lions
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I was planning to wait until the “peace meeting” in Brussels was over to write a longer post for Friday, but I got too angry at Trump and started today…
We don’t know for sure how much Trump has been talking to Putin under the table before, but the situation is extremely precarious for the little KGB rat, to say the least.
There are all sorts of rumors, but now we hear directly from the US Secretary of Defense that Ukraine is indeed supposed to give up land, a bit thinly veiled.
And then that the EU is supposed to take care of future protection.
Well, what the HELL is Trump going to get “rare earth metals” for $600 billion USD for if the above was the protection he had in mind 🤬🤬🤬
Apparently, Ukraine’s NATO membership is unrealistic?
Straight from the idiot’s mouth –
What a great deal for Ukraine, give up a lot of land, give all natural resources to the USA, and then possibly get a few tired Frenchmen to guard the border 🤣🤣
It is my VERY strong opinion that now is the time for the EU/Europe/other West to break free from paralysis and do what is right – support Ukraine until they achieve their breakthrough.
Things are going very well for Ukraine now, and there is more to come, and as long as the West continues to support them, they will win.
If we are to interpret this generously so far, it is a DISASTROUS strategic communication from the Trump team.
And it is not escaping anyone that he treats Putin and Zelensky equally.
So now that we know what the USA wants – more of the same high treason (if it is not changed immediately), then the ball is in the EU’s court, which MUST now take action, stand up.
If we don’t do that, we will have the global conflict of our time on our hands in the EU, and the USA will stand and laugh and watch again until they join in because they get to sell all weapons to us.
Yes, I have said that we have to wait for Trump’s offer, and now we got it, and then we judge him based on that, something the Biden team failed at for almost three years and became the most rabid of apologists.
But now we know what Trump’s game plan is, and it is worthless – “give me $600 billion USD and I will give your land to Putin, deal?”
It looks to me like the Ukrainian heroes are attacking with existing brigades and no strategic reserve.
All the attack vectors we know in Kursk, Siversk, Oskil, Pokrovsk, and Toretsk are existing units and NOT even the mobile strike forces Azov or 3rd Assault.
This tells us two things – some of the maneuver brigades are in decent shape, and UA has a strategic reserve that will “enter the chat” at some point.
And we still have Azov, 3rd Assault, 101st, presidential, and a couple of other elite units that can be pooled together in an area to fight. Yes, they are a bit scattered right now, but they are large units.
Everything is always relative, and if Ukraine can attack an area defended by 3-4 RU brigades and use a reinforced mechanized battalion to cut through the defense like a stick through a Russian samovar – it signals that the RU side is not in good shape.
And it was Russian elite units defending, imagine what it looks like over at the Dnieper, for example.
Or at any other point along the northern front, or Belarus 😲
Yesterday, there was a rumor that UA was conducting offensive operations at Kamyanske, and I consulted my very good friend Erik14 who gave the thumbs up – one doesn’t dare to jump on such a loose rumor until his expertise has spun through in its inexhaustible cleverness.
You all know that the offensive started on 5/6 February, depending on which side I wake up on, and thereafter, front commanders have a window, probably, to deal with.
That UA has started moving in the southern front is a sensation because RU should be attacking there now, which they have never gotten started with.
It’s not a great tactical/strategic win for the south since there is the entire Suvorikin line with its three lines and two miles of deep mines.
But just the fact that UA is fighting offensively in the area is more than enough to liven up the day considerably.
Dnieper on 1.2.3…
Are the cut cables to Kaliningrad, which came at the same time as the Baltic states cut the line to Russia, UA doing or Russian self-harm?
Is the ship that sank near Usta Ulan after three explosions (maybe mines according to below) UA doing or Russian self-harm?
The other day, there was a rumor going around that RU will carry out actions in the Baltic Sea and blame Ukraine – is it planted by Ukraine or genuine?
So – who cares, Kaliningrad will be without power, the dock to Ustan Uga is blocked, and with the upcoming environmental disaster, the Ministry of the Environment must wake up and come out absolutely hard against Russia.
There is no need to get spun up at all, and it’s the result that counts – bad for Putin = good for us.
What we are seeing since the turn of the year is first an enormous strategic drone campaign for Ukraine with no limits, it is clear, and it continues almost daily in all its glory.
Yes, yesterday RU sent rockets towards Kiev, but the bigger picture is that Russia is bleeding now.
My conclusion on February 6 that the offensive had started on February 5/6, 2025, was based on the first fluttering rumors of battalion attacks at three different attack vectors – the level of ambition was high enough to sound the gong and write history on Bluesky.
It still holds true today, February 12, as my earlier guess was that front commanders have been given a window to deal with and more and more offensive operations are starting.
What we are seeing are reconnaissance battles and “positioning battles” where one improves position or takes dominant terrain for a springboard for future offensive operations.
So my message to the world is – there is more to come, much more, this has only just begun.
I have also claimed that 2025 will be the most important year in our miserable lives and I stand by that – follow this because history is being written now, not just by me but also by Ukraine.
The threat, of course, is that the West allows itself to be talked down by Russia, but the risk of that should be considerably less today, but we’ll see during the peace meeting.
Zelensky himself confirms that Ukraine plans to negotiate the return of land with Kursk. It has been speculated before that the purpose was to torpedo the Russians’ position, and now we have it straight from the horse’s mouth.
Mango Mussolini has also imposed steel tariffs against Ukraine 🤬
We have now gone through the following inflation in the vehicles the Russian motorized infantry rides out to battle on –
Armored infantry on IFV and tank with a bit of professional pride
Older splinter protection like BTR50 and T62, but the armored infantry swallowed their pride.
More modern soft vehicles, but the armored infantry kept their heads high.
Old trucks from the 50s, battalion attacks – was starting to become embarrassing.
Chinese golf carts – like a bad joke and turn signals were broken.
Motorcycles – some logic maybe with a lot of movement.
Scooter – people laughed but the armored infantry could keep a straight face.
Tractor – moved so slowly that the infantry could have gone faster, which they also felt before the FPV drones hit.
Horse – now they became cavalry and even though it was fun with horses, it felt wrong.
Camel – camel shooting probably not too common.
And finally, the crutch shooters arrived, which I have saved because NO ONE will believe this in five years, no one.
But now damn it, we’ve hit rock bottom – a CRUTCH SNIPER is attacking across the fields 😲
This is completely insane, the deadly red army is sending sick people who crawl across the fields or jump on crutches – I don’t think you can get more toothless than that?
Save this video too for when someone comes with the threatening red army in the future.
Crutch sniper 🤣🤣🤣
(I genuinely feel sorry for the people involved, it’s not fair treatment).
Maybe this paves the way for us to start prosecuting the ISIS war criminals in Sweden by the hundreds. I have long been upset that they could just come back here and everything was forgotten.
https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/sverige/lina-ishaq-atalad-for-brott-mot-manskligheten
Putin has basically served this on a silver platter already when state TV aired Trump’s wife’s scantily clad films in prime time. Why hasn’t the world media started a campaign like “Putin embarrasses Trump”, “Putin makes Trump look weak”?
If there’s anything that would make Trump lay carpet bombs over Moscow with all B52s, it’s probably that, right?
Instead, the media is busy screaming about a lot of domestic nonsense in the USA, if the USA gets weaker, Europe gets stronger so maybe not too bad for us, right?
The USA has had a policy of keeping the EU in check as much as possible because a too strong EU doesn’t benefit them, and Trump is changing that now.
Good Lord, how electricity prices have soared in the Baltics 😬
So things look very bright everywhere except for Putin where everything is in various shades of pitch black. Ukrainian counterattacks have been successful almost everywhere and even though Russian offensives continue, they achieve nothing and various front-line and corps commanders probably haven’t read the memo yet that they should focus on defense from now on.
The strategic drone warfare is hurting Russia and Ukraine has started to broaden its operations to target Russian interests outside the country. Those with a good memory will recall that they passed a law some time ago to take the war beyond the country’s borders and there are rumors that all of the US’s red cards and geographical limitations have been removed.
Light blue and positive – that’s the situation, but slightly worried about what Scholz will come up with after the peace meeting because he’s the one who could disrupt EU unity under the banners.
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Appreciate your constant optimism, Johan, but yesterday the air went out of me and many others (not the support). Many of us realize what is happening and it makes your stomach ache. If not for oneself, then for one’s children.
Yesterday will be written in the history books as the day the USA abandoned Europe and Ukraine. The only positive thing about this is that Europe can no longer pretend that this will resolve itself. Nothing will now be resolved with the help of the USA. Europe and Ukraine are now in a really bad position vis-à-vis Russia. Unless Europe’s largest economy Germany has a positive outcome in the election in a week and goes “all in” for Ukraine, the small glimmers of hope at the front can soon turn into something much more dismal. There is talk of a coalition of voluntary countries or JEF +1, and there is MONEY here, but not factories and military hardware. Europe is hopelessly lagging behind in its rearmament (except for Poland) and has closed its eyes and hoped for a USA that is now joining forces with Russia and changing the world order to enable its own territorial expansion. This means that the USA is also giving the green light to China’s ambitions to invade Taiwan.
Russia is planning for a long war against Europe. They have a long-term plan and now also have the USA in their pocket. If more support comes from North Korea and China, the situation will darken much faster.
Some dark clouds:
– Russia is now spending more money on its defense industry than all of Europe collectively. Everything Russia produces goes to the war with Ukraine.
– China does not need to fear any punishment from the USA if they help Russia. This will mean that China will not allow Russia to retreat. Russia weakens and divides the West, which is good for China.
– Trump does not want payment for continued support, which does not seem to be coming, he wants payment for the support given so far, for which he has put a completely baseless astronomical price tag.
– Trump can lift sanctions against Russia if Ukraine does not comply. Then the support in the EU will also fall apart, as Hungary can then veto without risk. Possibly with Slovakia.
– Considering how much Trump respects Ukraine, will Europe even be able to buy weapons from the USA and be allowed to give them to Ukraine? Doubtful…..
– Security guarantees without the USA are worth nothing. It does not provide sufficient weight.
So what do we have on the positive side?
– The EU has previously talked about jointly creating a war chest of 100 billion EUR (compare to 700 billion for COVID support). This money would then be used to purchase equipment for Ukraine. However, the EU did not agree, and even Sweden ensured that the proposal did not survive that time. Can they succeed in a new attempt? Hungary?
– Ukraine knocks out refineries and depots, but these are repaired and the depots are not completely knocked out. It takes time. One or two tankers at a time. It is still slow drones that account for the majority of the attacks.
– Possibly Russia’s back will be broken and the economy will collapse, but does it matter directly when Russia can print money for another couple of years at the expense of high inflation.
– Can Poland possibly come up with something spectacular if Ukraine seems to be forced to surrender?
– Germany sent 100 IRIS-T missiles to Ukraine the other day and everyone “cheered.” That’s probably a few weeks’ worth? Can the West produce air defense at the same rate as Russia produces missiles?
– How quickly can the West inject into Ukraine’s defense industry and how soon can it produce enough war material?
– The German election may possibly end in a united government coalition that increases support for Ukraine, but the industrial base is too small.
– France is significantly increasing defense spending, but there is an election in about a year and with propaganda support from Russia and the USA (Musk), Le Pen will have good prospects of winning the election and ending support for Ukraine.
Please give me some glimmers of hope that explain how Ukraine AND Europe will get through 2025 with the USA against them. Right now, I see myself (50+) as a volunteer guarding a transformer station somewhere in Sweden in 5 years. There will be no Russian soldiers, but Sweden will be paralyzed by drone attacks that we cannot defend ourselves against. Sweden can declare war on Russia, but then what? We may have about 100 long-range missiles, then it’s over and we cannot defend ourselves. Russia acts against the Baltic states and Finland with a NATO that without the USA cannot confront Russia.
A sad and dark post from me. Hoping for glimmers of hope during the day…..
What evidence is there that “China doesn’t need to fear any penalties from the USA if they help Russia”? Trump might still want to punish China even if he actually likes Russia?
Trump talked a lot about being tough on China during his previous term in power, but the rhetoric has changed and it is obvious that he, just like with Putin, has shifted focus and is going hard against his allies instead. China has not faced the punitive tariffs that one might have hoped for. For some reason, it is more important to go hard on allied democracies than to go hard on the two threats to the USA; China and Russia. Trump likes strong authoritarian leaders and acts as one himself by not listening to Congress at all and making all decisions through his own decrees.
Have exactly the same thoughts.
I’m afraid it’s too late for Europe to go against Trump. One would have needed to give a very clear message already before the election that if the USA steps back, one will take over their role. If one goes public with it now, Trump will be furious because it disrupts his peace plan.
We don’t know what he might do then.
Apart from refusing to export weapons, he can stop everything containing technology from the USA, there’s a risk he might also impose other tariffs, etc.
If he not only lifts the sanctions but also repays frozen assets to Russia, and maybe even starts importing from there, it could get really tough. Afraid that the politicians in Europe at that point won’t dare to invest what will be required. Furthermore, pro-Russian far-right movements have gained strength in several places, so Russian propaganda seems to be successful.
Unfortunately, I have no silver lining to offer beyond what you mention.
Russia seems to have reached its peak, and Ukraine seems to be able to turn it around now. But it’s crucial that they receive continued support.
Sometimes you have to take a hit to do what is right. And sometimes it actually works to do the right thing and then leave the rest in God’s hands, so to speak. Crawling to Trump is also a risk worth taking.
Are we giving up now 😲
It is not an option for many of us who want a bright future for current and future generations. Unfortunately, there are corrupt politicians who only look out for their own interests and power in the short term, as well as business leaders who have blinders on and only focus on ensuring that the next quarterly report shows growth and profit (even at any cost).
Have we heard anything from Scholtz yet?
Absolut inte!
It is a rather small share of the frozen assets that are in the USA, I want to say around 18% or so. Europe holds the majority.
Then I believe that even the Republicans will react very negatively if no. 47 starts actively helping the Moscow realm and at the same time opposes Europe’s efforts to help Ukraine. I really wonder what would happen then with the broader support for no. 47 (the stomachs probably turn a blind eye and fall into ecstasy).
I wasn’t really that optimistic about the USA 😀
EU is, after all, 500 million strong with an ENORMOUS defense industry where several countries have already openly opposed Russia and burned their bridges.
I believe the USA has rather acted as a restraining force throughout the war, and the EU has complied – now we have reason to pursue our own course.
But yes, it requires ACTION from us, and now.
Tomorrow’s post will delve deeper into this – I wanted to wait and see what other statements were made.
Now, strategic communication is extremely important.
The USA has midterm elections for Congress in two years. Could American politics possibly change if the Democrats gain increased support?
A glimmer of hope, perhaps, but far away, and the situation will then become locked instead of catastrophic.
👍
Great to see that you are starting to wake up when it comes to Trump!
Throughout the whole war, Trump has been working against Ukraine and wanting to stop all support. He has almost portrayed Zelensky as a swindler who has taken “hundreds” of billions of dollars every time he visited the USA. He has constantly exaggerated the US’s share of the support and claims that they give so much more than Europe. Other MAGA supporters (including politicians like MTG) have consistently spread lies about everything from Ukraine selling the weapons they receive, embezzling the money, to Zelensky buying luxury villas, etc. Trump likes Putin and thought he was a genius when he started the war; I don’t know how many times he has said that he is good friends with Putin. Has he ever said anything positive about Zelensky?
Just this alone has been warning signs that have made one suspect that it will not end well with him as president and that a strong win for the Democrats would have been a better alternative. Then the support would have continued and surely could have been increased as well. Even if Biden’s limitations had remained, I am convinced that it would have been better than what I fear is about to happen.
Trump loves Putin, and he will take the deal that benefits him the most. Russia has significantly more assets than Ukraine. Zelensky has been smart and besides the natural resources, he has tried to portray Trump as strong, someone who can stand up to Russia. If you listen to Trump, unfortunately, he doesn’t care at all about appearing strong; he just keeps insisting that the war must end.
There is a significant risk that this will not be the fair peace that Ukraine deserves. There is a high risk that Europe will not be able to (or want to) do anything about it. If they had taken a strong stance before the election and said that they would take over the US support if they choose to abandon Ukraine, it might have worked. If they do it now, they would be going against Trump and the “peace process” he initiated. Then they risk having the USA against them, and it’s questionable if they dare to do that.
But of course, we should not give up yet; Trump has only just begun, and we have no idea where it will end, and maybe Europe will pull itself together.
—
Otherwise, things are looking good for Ukraine right now; there might be a turning point ahead. Russia is probably on the verge of collapse.
—
By the way, is it 2025 that applies now? I seem to remember that it was the fall of 2024 that was supposed to be crucial, but I might be mistaken? 😉
I wouldn’t call it an awakening but have the same view as you and have followed the conflict for 10+ years, but it is still painful to be faced with a done deal. They say hope is the last thing to die. The hope for the USA has now died!
It will be interesting to see how Europe handles the issue during the day today. Whether they address the problem or not!
That thing with the awakening was more of a joke, aimed at Johan No.1. He and I have had our clashes about Biden and Trump.
Actually, it’s not really a joke, it’s about what we’ve been worried about. But even though it looks dark, we shouldn’t give up hope yet. Trump can change his mind and we have to hope that Europe steps up. There have been some statements from individuals at least about continued support.
We probably need to “sober up”. Saw a possible positive news about Trump continuing his support for Ukraine so that Putin doesn’t think he has already won. Unclear if there is any truth behind this though. “Talk is cheap” which Europe has done for many years. It seems like Trump wants Ukraine to lie down and accept the peace agreement that is being developed over the head of the war-torn country.
It will be interesting to follow today’s developments! Will Europe take into account that we are a continent of more than 500 million people that cannot be ignored and are now stepping forward to take responsibility for their own continent and its future?
Wow, this was completely new information to me 😲
Yes, it was 2024 but the West stopped it again – if you read what I’m writing, the caveat is always the West because when things are going too well, they stop everything, right?
That’s how it’s been the whole war.
So when things start to look bright, the West completely stops delivering ammunition or forces the UA to retreat or not attack.
😂
I believe and hope that Europe will do what they can, but it depends a lot on how Trump reacts on how it will go.
If I sharpen it:
Well, look at what happened with the tariffs against Mexico and Canada. It turned out… nothing, when Mexico and Canada addressed the real issues.
Trump believes (at least) that the real problem in Europe is that American taxpayers are paying for our defense. He says that we should invest 5% of GDP in defense and the result is… nothing. – Europe is Europe’s problem and if we can’t address it, we might as well be invaded (or however he put it last year). So who do you think he believes should take responsibility for defense of the EU?
Every time there is no correction in the ranks, Trump will do something extreme to force action. Or there will be extreme consequences because the recipient at the other end does not understand a direct request. – Does anyone think Trump really wants to build hotels in Gaza? Or does anyone think Trump believes that Egypt and Jordan have missed that Gaza (read Hamas) is their problem? Could it be that Trump, on a general level (excluding China), believes that neighboring states should take responsibility for themselves?
One should not read Swedish old media and think it provides any relevant information about the world, least of all the USA. We have all been so “misaligned” by our Swedish-language media.
You are making a benevolent analysis of no. 47 and of course it could be as you outline it, I would say that I really hope that it is closer to reality than the worst-case scenarios currently circulating. But right now, it’s clearly ship that applies and the USA is dangerously close to ending up in the crosshairs. Rhetorically, of course.
The Loss Report:
1250 KWIA
17 Tanks
23 APVs
59 Artillery systems
2 MLRS
2 Anti-Aircraft systems
153 UAVs
6 Cruise missiles
168 Vehicles & Fuel tanks
2 Special equipment
Glory to Ukraine!
https://bsky.app/profile/matsextrude.bsky.social/post/3lhzxjxmgl222
When you thought it couldn’t get any darker. China, Russia, and the USA may now determine the fate of Ukraine and Europe. The moment of truth for Trump. Will he take China’s outstretched hand? The EU is completely on the sidelines ☹️
https://omni.se/a/bmwzJA
Yes, if China joins the negotiations, it can probably only go one way, and it also shows that Trump prefers to discuss with dictators and does not see Europe as a party to be taken seriously. Soon, North Korea will probably be invited as well.
We will soon get the answer…
Right now I am oscillating between hope and despair. Suddenly, Ukraine and Europe are thrown under the famous bus, with Putin and Trump taking turns driving over them. “Peace talks” between Putin and Trump (and maybe China) about Ukraine without Ukraine (and Europe) at the table is a joke, if it weren’t so tragic.
Will the world suddenly be divided into three spheres of interest with the USA, Russia, and China as the only power centers?
One can only hope that Johan’s optimism persists and that he is more right than wrong in the future…
Yes, it really looks bleak. Luckily, Ukraine seems to have the initiative on the ground at least, and several leaders in Europe have stated that they intend to continue their support and in some cases even increase it.
If the USA (and China) were to do everything they can to support Russia, it would still be impossible of course, but the question is how far Trump can go before he turns the US population against him. Supporting Russia against Europe in collaboration with China must surely provoke reactions even within the USA.
DET är det viktiga just nu – läget på marken
That is what’s important right now – the situation on the ground
I haven’t even had the energy to check out Cornu but I guess it’s a wake 😀
Europe is not small and our defense industry is up and running – the last word has not been said yet at all.
And I’m betting one of Erik14’s five hundred bills that many prime ministers called Zelensky yesterday.
Even though we are Europeans, we are not completely clueless.
Yes, reactions are starting to come in from various quarters now.
One can have whatever opinion about this circus, but regardless of what the peace agreement entails, it is UA who decides whether they want to sacrifice land for peace or not. If they flat out say no, the USA should shut up. If they say that they can consider it with other guarantees (what do I know, maybe they trust the USA?), then it is their decision.
That we here think it is idiotic and giving carte blanche to invade their neighbors is actually less important, UA decides.
I completely agree with you, it is Ukraine’s decision, but at the same time one wants to provide them with as fair alternatives as possible and not make them feel pressured into something just to meet Trump’s own needs.
Of course!
Then I’m pretty sure that UA is smart, smarter than the frog in the Kremlin.
RU has nothing that the USA doesn’t have, possibly some metals, but UA has those too and they can negotiate in a different way than RU. RU must ensure to meet China’s needs, otherwise they are toast.
Yes we support ulraina – what have they said so far?
“Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity are unconditional.
Our priority must now be strengthening Ukraine and providing robust security guarantees.
In any negotiation, Europe must have a central role.”
Our Weimar+ statement ↓
https://bsky.app/profile/kajakallas.bsky.social/post/3lhz75bjbms2l“
Now it’s starting to happen ✊✊✊💥
The Nordic lion rises together with the sluggish toad-eaters, and the tea drinkers follow along.
However, Germany remains.
“US should not have made concessions to Russia over Ukraine, German minister says #Ukraine”
Sat and wrote in yesterday’s comment field, beginner mistake 😳
The myth about the USA has finally fallen, and it’s probably not entirely bad in the long run.
USA is
Just like the bank not your friend, only that they always write history 😐
Maybe lucky that Trump lost the 2020 election so we had time to prepare ourselves before the stab was finally dealt.
His legacy will not be as he intended, just like Putin’s 🤢
He has just sat down next to Putin on the Titanic now.
Yes, there is a risk of that.
However, we do not yet know what he has said to either Putin or Zelensky. We can see that it looks really bad, but we don’t really know how bad.
Since nothing has been revealed.. If the criticism becomes harsh, he may perhaps, just perhaps, let himself be influenced.
Or he may make a deal with Russia and China regarding Ukraine and then expect everyone to cheer and believe that he already has the Nobel Peace Prize in hand.
The last paragraph if I may guess 😀
Yes, my comment may have looked a bit strange in hindsight. 😄
Europe First ✊
MES – Make Europe Great ✊
Selling green caps with MES in blue text
Mango Mussolini has made his move.
Did you see that Europe has promised Ukraine everything they have in the storerooms at Rammstein?
Does anyone think Macron will miss this chance for redemption for 1940?
The European lion has risen, may the Russian bastards tremble.
Many gloomy faces on both mainstream media and social media as many interpret Pete Hegseth’s statement that a Ukrainian NATO membership will not be part of the peace negotiations as meaning that UA will never be allowed to become members.
It must be considered that NATO is an organization where all members must approve a new member, usually through some form of vote in their parliament or similar. Including a membership in a peace agreement is exceptionally difficult and time-consuming, as we learned when some countries demanded concessions to approve Sweden’s application.
Sweden’s Minister of Defense Pål Jonson says that Ukraine’s future is in NATO if they meet the requirements, he also says that there is an agreement from the USA stating that Ukraine’s future is in NATO.
We probably should not give up hope that UA will become a part of NATO, but they must be given some breathing space to build up their society to meet the requirements that NATO demands, the same goes for membership in the EU.
They will probably join JEF, which will become an organization for our eastern defense, I think.
What a contribution Ukraine will be if they can end the war in a good way! Strongest member!
Japp – the guy you want on your side in the schoolyard fight, simple as that.
Have you thought about the fact that Trump is now pursuing exactly the policies he wants, he has a majority in both chambers and the Supreme Court is R.
There’s nothing to blame when the ship eventually sinks 😀
He pours on as if he had an expiration date within a few months for everything he does. A certain difference compared to Swedish politicians who prefer not to solve their core issues but rather like to tinker with them so they can use them for a few more elections.
Trump does not consult Congress and makes all decisions himself with presidential decrees. I prefer our slower democratic processes. Not the path of dictatorship…
Obama issued 272 and Bill Clinton 364 presidential orders without anyone talking about dictatorship.
I’m not a fanboy of Trump, just want some sanity in the debate.
Obama also expelled the most people from the USA and was quite tough on certain media.
People have short memories.
Personally, I have waited to judge Trump until he shows in action where he stands.
I judged Biden based on his actions, and the apologetic Biden gang rabidly defended everything he did.
It wasn’t easy for them to remain objective.
Unfortunately, I don’t think that when it comes to UA, Trump will change course unless he is forced to.
This is his politics, and then he is just as bad for us as Biden was.
The Biden gang was like the horse socialists, if you remember.
I think it was, among others, Johan Westerholm who coined the expression when some thought that some in the Social Democrats were a bit too quick to accept all kinds of nonsense. You could have put a horse as party leader and some would have voted for them anyway.
Same as MAGA and Biden bros.
Time for Norway’s oil fund to contribute to the JEF. If the Russians decide to take all the land around the Barents Sea, Svalbard, and the North Calotte, they will control the eastern entrance to the Atlantic.
Yes, that would definitely be money well spent for Norway 👍
“The Wall Street Journal reports that China proposed hosting U.S.-Russia peace talks on Ukraine in Beijing, excluding Ukraine and Europe from the discussions. The plan also suggested deploying Chinese “peacekeeping soldiers” to Ukraine.”
Yes, saw it earlier today. If Russia, China, and the USA decide that it should be that way and China moves troops into Europe, it won’t be fun anywhere except in Beijing and Russia. They could contract North Korea to ensure that the agreement is followed. What a f***ing darkness. Europe needs to confront this threat firmly and directly. Bring in troops to Ukraine and take command!
Sounds like an excellent way forward – well done Trump.
Above all, it sounds like Trump – Putin – China are in agreement here and have spoken before.
Trump is currently significantly deteriorating the security situation for the EU, but that also means he is forcing us to act.
The window for Ukraine to act is now – I think they understand that too.
I suspect that Trump simply does not take Europe seriously, it’s time to show him that he is wrong.
I believe that too – that he has greatly underestimated the consequences here and it will hit him like a ton of bricks in the future.
Everything has a limit, and now it has been far exceeded.
But yes, regardless, China will sneak in Chinese soldiers disguised as North Koreans in the future because it is already unlocked
The question is what will happen in 4 years, or even more in 2 years before the midterm elections.
I don’t think the regular R voters will be impressed when their purchasing power has decreased due to his nonsense.
As Trump is acting now, the question is more about how many months he has left rather than the midterm elections 😀
There’s a good chance that he says something in the conversations with Putin or Xi that the security services have recorded, right?
When they have that statement that even R raises an eyebrow at, there will probably be a vote of no confidence, and then he’s out.
Where is Vance? How does he feel about Musk stealing his spotlight?
I’m not a fan of Vance, but he seems clearly less volatile than Trump and Musk.
flew past something ambiguous from him but he will probably duck until he gets to take over the Oval Office when Trump is taken away in handcuffs 😀
Eller i en svart säck med dragkedja……
haha, yeah maybe more likely as he’s doing now
Kallas is very clear, thank the gods for this person 😅
https://bsky.app/profile/johanno1.bsky.social/post/3li2e7eb5rs2q
Agreed! Thank the EU Commission for good choices in these times. The same should be said about Ursula von der Leyen, who is a real asset in these contexts!
Yes, when it really matters, we stand strong, it’s nice to see.
RU will kick off a HUGE campaign now about 1.2.3…
28 injured when a car drove into a crowd in Germany. An immigrant. Very convenient timing 1 week before the election and unfortunately can give AFD a significant boost unfortunately. AFD is a really nasty PRO-Russian party.
I wonder how much Russia/AFD paid the person who drove the car?
ABSOLUT, whether it was this one or not, but this is exactly what RU does and then a huge campaign on social media, and that’s how you win elections.
Next weekend will be a nail-biter in Europe as the support from Germany means so much. Europe’s largest economy is needed the most right now!
How foolish are the Germans? 20% would vote for AFD today…..
Unfortunately, RU’s influence operations are probably too effective, so it can definitely make a difference.
Everything doesn’t happen in a vacuum as they reinforce existing problems that incompetent governments in Europe have not addressed before.
Germany is not exactly well-managed right now, but Afd will not make things better…
Maybe pyspunka will become like Le Pen?
Wasn’t the previous idiot who drove into a market a supporter of AFD?
The hatred towards Christmas market visitors transcends party lines 😲
I hope we are wrong when we read Trump so literally like this. That’s not how he operates. He throws out things in a certain direction to create momentum, make things happen, and when the ball is rolling, there are different messages. By threatening to withdraw from NATO, he made tired Europe finally wake up.
In the same way, he is now forcing Europe to stand up by pretending to favor Putin. Ukraine IS our problem. And we must solve it, both in the short and long term.
The latest news from Omni (which is a crap service) is that Dmitry Peskov on state TV says
– There will be both a bilateral dialogue track with Russia and the USA and a track that, of course, is linked to Ukraine’s involvement.
He adds that no decisions have been made about a meeting between Trump and Putin, and that the planning could take months. Hmm…
The point is that he creates uncertainty. No one knows what he will do tomorrow. Europe must cut ties because it is not possible to have a 78-year-old unstable authoritarian leader as an ally.
I may have soured a bit on Mango Mussolini, I must admit, but I am mature enough to change my mind if this turns out to be a 5D chess where Putin loses 👍
I saw that my comment above ended up quite high. PDS is on the ball. – I take the liberty to post the same thing here again:
Well, look at what happened with the tariffs against Mexico and Canada. It turned out to be… nothing, when Mexico and Canada addressed the real issues.
Trump believes (at least) that the real problem in Europe is that American taxpayers are paying for our defense. He says that we should invest 5% of GDP in defense and the result is… nothing. – Europe is Europe’s problem and if we can’t address it, we might as well be invaded (or however he put it last year). So who do you think he believes should take responsibility for defense of the UA?
Every time there is no correction in the ranks, Trump will do something extreme to force action. Or there may be extreme consequences because the recipient at the other end does not understand a direct request. – Does anyone think Trump really wants to build hotels in Gaza? Or does anyone think Trump believes that Egypt and Jordan have missed that Gaza (read Hamas) is their problem? Could it be that Trump, on a general level (excluding China), believes that neighboring states should take responsibility for themselves?
One should not read Swedish old media and think it provides any relevant information about the world, least of all the USA. We have all been so “misadjusted” by our Swedish-language media.
Agreed!
A couple of days ago, Expressen had as its top headline that Trump had said that Ukraine could become Russian. When clicking on the article, it was as I suspected, that he had said that Ukraine in the future could become Russian, or maybe it won’t.
When Kyiv Post summarized an article from Bloomberg about a leaked peace plan, many shouted no, Trump wants to freeze the front and draw a new border there! But if one read one more sentence, it was also mentioned that Russia would leave Ukraine, meaning a ceasefire was offered so they could pack up and leave.
There is a great risk that I am too positive, but to challenge a bit more, someone said, “Trump always speaks well of those he is trying to deceive.”
That being said, self-reliance is key. If Europe behaves and plays its cards right, we can handle this!
There were Kremlinologists in the good old days to interpret what the Russians meant. Feels like trumpology could be a profession of the future.
Europe seems to be waking up now. Soon we will have the weapons forges up and running, and then the Russians are in trouble. Add Ukraine’s competence and capacity. Forget peace negotiations and show where the cupboard should stand. If we can get the Germans to be a bit warlike, it’s game over for the Russian scare.
Soon we will invade Asia – Fortress Europe on the march 👊👊💥
Newlyweds and happy
https://bsky.app/profile/johanno1.bsky.social/post/3li32ryhdmc2h
A new version of “from the river to the sea” 😲
https://bsky.app/profile/johanno1.bsky.social/post/3li2zwdzgi22h
“Cheers in Russia after Trump’s negotiation announcement”
“In an opinion piece, the state news agency Ria writes that the USA has finally ‘seriously harmed Zelensky’.”
“The newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda writes that Trump has ‘signed Zelensky’s death sentence’ and shattered the myth of Russia as a pariah in world politics.”
https://omni.se/jubel-i-ryssland-efter-trumps-forhandlingsbesked/a/Av5vrj
Yes, that was quite expected, nice that someone supports Trump’s peacemakers 👍
What do you think will happen if there is a ceasefire in Ukraine and Russia can move a million soldiers to another location?
And if UA feels betrayed by the USA and EU?
When you have thought it through, you will understand that the EU will have to take action now, otherwise we have a big problem.
Have a feeling that the Germans are starting to turn. They have good experience in dealing with the Russians.
I believe the Russians’ fear now is that the Germans are arming themselves and introducing conscription.
Scholz is completely silent 🧐
We’ll see how the election results turn out. A bit worrying with all the cars speeding around like bowling balls among families with children, could easily play into the hands of the pro-Russian forces.
Absolutely very worrying 😬
Scholz is not completely silent at all, he has learned to never miss out on a good crisis 🤣🤣🤣
https://bsky.app/profile/johanno1.bsky.social/post/3li3hk3s6ck2o
I thought I saw something about the Germans planning to send 6000 drones, among the most advanced on the market, which can autonomously search for their targets using AI.
I saw it too, now that UA is using 200,000 per month, everything in thousands is not very impressive anymore, but yes, apparently it is the market’s most advanced, and now they want to test it in Ukraine, so very good 👍
Macron announced that he would send the Foreign Legion to UA a few days before the election in France. It would be strange if Scholz remained completely silent.
It is important to be seen and heard when it is time for elections.
Schoöz unfortunately has CPD/SPD with him on not inciting war.
Now the psychopath T’s agenda is starting to become clear. Saying that Taiwan has stolen their chip production. Free pass for both Russians and Chinese to help themselves. Multipolar world order, plundering the rest of the world. Then they will fight over the loot, dog eat dog. I hope that American generals see what is happening and stop this madness. It looks like it’s worse than the worst-case scenario. Deploying European forces as peacekeepers is a lousy idea. Risk of slaughter and free access to Europe. We must hope that Ukraine can fight on their own with our help until we have had time to arm ourselves. War economy pronto, everything else is madness now that the cards are on the table. I really hope I am wrong, but I wouldn’t take any chances.
Yes, Taiwan is Kima’s big prize of course – I have to read up on what he has said now…
South Korea is probably worried too.
Finland is preparing for war.
I hope I’ve been hallucinating
Search for Taiwan on X. Clip about tariffs and that Taiwan has stolen the chip industry. The clip looks genuine, and I interpret it as above. He wants to steal everything he can and let others do the work.
No.1 and MXT.
Just checked out cornu now and the comments section is completely bananas. The blogger “shut the door” right from the start and then it took off. – I’m completely baffled. – It’s like Christmas for the trolls and everyone gets swept along. Any bizarre claims (about Trump) trigger a lynching mood.
Some posts here are also quite unbalanced, but compared to the mentioned forum, it’s calm.
Is there any way to avoid a dance floor for the trolls here, who now manage to drag everyone else into cornu? Please try, at least.
No.1. So, I ask for balance. – Look at the latest example, the result in Europe today, thus IMMEDIATELY, of Trump’s actions. Finally, a bit of backbone, I think. Was it possibly intentional? – Trump is not devoid of IQ, just like Putin. But Trump is not Putin, doesn’t have Putin values, he’s an “American on steroids.” Talk to your American friends, the image they portray is not the same as the one spread by the media in Europe.
An American with extra everything, but not a Ribbentrop, no. Not a psychopath either, just ruthless and insensitive to what others think. Doesn’t hesitate to use economic and military power to achieve goals. Doesn’t shy away from making it very difficult for those who don’t act as desired. But Trump didn’t use military power, in concrete actions, especially often last term, less than the predecessor O, for example.
In actual results, Trump was not a disaster last presidential term and the sum of Biden is probably less good. – No.1, you wrote that you want to see what the actions result in, sort of, before you judge. – Stick to that. – It’s the Putin gang that benefits if we (the West) consider Trump crazy and reinforce all the strange statements, at least initially. It divides, even if geopolitics seems to be making the right consequence analyses.
I hope you are right. It will be revealed shortly.
Discussion is welcome 👍😀
I have been quite harsh on bidrn and am a bit in the gas now with Trump, I think the picture where they get married might be fake, I fell for it and might have to back off 😬
We will know in weeks which way Trump is going, I like Ukraine, I’m with that 👍
By the way, it should be open-minded here and you can have both positive and negative opinions about Trump without being kicked out, unlike other places 👍
Both mxt and I want to have the discussion, not kill it.
I’m trying to see what he does in action, not what the media cooks up.
But I won’t change my mind about Schoöz and the Green Party 😀
It may be that Trump wants to declare and have peace, but it will only be Chamberlain of it
Trump swings at briocs
https://bsky.app/profile/johanno1.bsky.social/post/3li3uq3vt722t
I believe, as I’ve said, that Trump’s statements are explosive charges meant to generate attention and momentum. And it’s working really well. And it’s really needed. And here’s why.
Look at how Swedish artists proudly declare that they would never take up arms to defend Sweden. And the newspapers’ articles about the girl who started crying when she was called up. Other countries’ administrations naturally have a good handle on our infantile culture – there is still some awakening left to do.
The answer will come. In the meantime, one can speculate on Putin’s and Russia’s future after the match is over. Russia’s struggle for coasts, ports, and expanded territory has moved from the political agenda to somewhere in the citizen’s DNA spiral. It doesn’t disappear, but rather increases by 100% if they suffer defeat, like Germany.
In my opinion, there is only one sustainable conclusion – Russia must be broken at its core, just like Germany and Japan during WW2, and in the same way they were given the opportunity for a fresh start and a happier life.
Trump is coming out hard on all fronts against Europe, trade tariffs, increased funding for NATO, and he seems to harbor a certain animosity towards Europe’s largest economy, Germany, which is struggling with its energy issues and a car production that is undergoing restructuring and facing tough competition. On top of these issues, he is flirting with our archenemy Russia and argues that support for Ukraine is a European concern. Many are almost reaching a falsetto when they talk about a total break with the USA, which has allied itself with Russia. Russia has an economy that is a fraction of Europe’s, and nuclear weapons aimed at Washington. How likely is it that Trump’s goal is to have Europe as a common enemy together with Russia?
It’s time to take a deep breath and consider what Trump will settle for.
Yes, how likely is that?
That Trump uses harsh words against a Germany that would be needed in the fight against Russia but instead has become dependent on their energy, shut down its own nuclear power, has a faltering industry and economy, and refused to put a stop to the massive immigration, that’s exactly the benefit Mango Mussolini can contribute. He’s not afraid to be called a jerk, which gives tremendous momentum.