Europe at War

[Florestan]

Former Romanian President Traian Băsescu: Well, what did you expect? This is all Putin knows: guns and tanks. Indeed, the man seems stuck in the 1940s.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

For Florestan

https://twitter.com/AM_Friedman/status/1497351012234977291

Alexandra Friedman
@AM_Friedman
Apparently, thousands of Romanians have been waiting in their personal vehicles to pick up #refugees at one of the NE borders with #Ukraine.
I'm not often elated at news from back home, but this makes my heart swell. #StandWithUkriane #standwithrefugees

Good to hear that; thank you for sharing that news.

I heard yesterday(?) that there were a number of Polish people who were providing food and water to Ukrainians crossing the border and also opening up their homes to women and children.

PD

[Florestan]

Breaking News: All commercial and passenger Russian airplanes forbidden to enter the Romanian airspace.

[Florestan]

Good to hear that; thank you for sharing that news.

I heard yesterday(?) that there were a number of Polish people who were providing food and water to Ukrainians crossing the border and also opening up their homes to women and children.

PD

I'm convinced the Polish people and authorities act exactly the same way as the Romanian people and authorites.

[Florestan]

According to a Romanian TV channel, Putin is quite furious about Kharkiv not being taken yet, let alone Kyiv. If true, it looks like he grossly underestimated the Ukrainian army's strength and resilience. That's very good news.

Btw, what about sanctions against Belarus? Lukashenko's behaviour is as ignominious as Putin's.

[Que]

Putin's last ally in Europe, Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orbán,  falls in line:

Hungary Won't Block Any Sanctions Against Russia, PM Orban Says

[LKB]

According to a Romanian TV channel, Putin is quite furious about Kharkiv not being taken yet, let alone Kyiv. If true, it looks like he grossly underestimated the Ukrainian army's strength and resilience. That's very good news.

Btw, what about sanctions against Belarus? Lukashenko's behaviour is as ignominious as Putin's.

President Biden has already announced sanctions against Belarus.

[Florestan]

Putin's last ally in Europe, Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orbán,  falls in line:

Hungary Won't Block Any Sanctions Against Russia, PM Orban Says

Afaik, Germany is still reluctant to exclude Russia from SWIFT. 

[Florestan]

President Biden has already announced sanctions against Belarus.

Very good.

[Florestan]

In order to facilitate communications between refugees and their relatives in Ukraine, Vodafone Romania and Orange Romania announced that calls to Ukraine are now free of charge. Also, they began distributing free of charge pre-paid SIMs to the refugees.

[Karl Henning]

Short of assassination / coup d'etat / heart attack / stroke , zero.

Yes, Putin has engineered that there would be no peaceful transfer of power to anyone not Putin. Mo wonder he's the Model for Mar-A-Lago

[Karl Henning]

Zelensky is showing tremendous leadership. I doubt anyone else could perform better.

God give him strength and wisdom.

[Karl Henning]

Best scenario, in attempting to recreate the Soviet Union, Putin accidentally recreates the collapse of the Soviet Union. Putin thinks this action in Ukraine will be a redo of the second war in Chechnya, which cemented his rule in Russia. Maybe it will be his Afghanistan, the failure of which exposed the rot at the center of the Soviet Union. The 'central planning' of the Soviet Union stifled the economy, and the cronyism and corruption of the current Russian economy prevents it from any creative activity other than petroleum, weapons and cyber weapons.

Let's hope Ukraine is as tenacious as Afghanistan.

The quandary for Europe, how to you fight an enemy that you depend on. Can Europe function without Russian petroleum (in the near and medium term)? And can Russia function without customers for its petroleum?

Indeed. And over here, as the pandemic has exposed, Americans are growing incapable of even reasonable sacrifice. Will we have the stomach for what starving Putin out will mean for us?

[Karl Henning]

For the time being they are surprisingly resilient, including at popular level. With adequate military and financial help from the West they really have a chance, if not to repel the Russians, at least to block their advance and come to a protracted standstill.


How do you call Germany's move to give up nuclear power plants and become completely dependent on Russian gas? Stupidity? Treason?

At best, ill advised.

[Florestan]

God give him strength and wisdom.

Amen!

I confess I didn't expect such a fierce resistance from the Ukrainian forces, I rather thought the Afghan Army scenario will repeat itself. I'm glad I was wrong. May God grant that Ukraine be Putin's Afghanistan and undoing.

[drogulus]

     It's not just the TrumPutinists in the US that spread lies and distortions about Russia and Ukraine.

     Deleted Tweets Reveal a Progressive Group's Ukraine Meltdown



     

     

[Florestan]

The Romanian Labour Minister just announced: Ukrainian refugees can work in Romania if they so wish without any special work permit for 9 months, during which they are entitled to social security and healthcare. After the 9-month term they can apply for a prolonged work permit if they so wish.

[bhodges]

The Romanian Labour Minister just announced: Ukrainian refugees can work in Romania if they so wish without any special work permit for 9 months, during which they are entitled to social security and healthcare. After the 9-month term they can apply for a prolonged work permit if they so wish.

So civilized.

--Bruce

[Florestan]

Right now, demonstration in Bucharest in front of the Russian Embassy.

[Florestan]

     It's not just the TrumPutinists in the US that spread lies and distortions about Russia and Ukraine.

     Deleted Tweets Reveal a Progressive Group's Ukraine Meltdown

On the flip side, reportedly the Anonymous hacker group extracted some critical information about Russian military and hacked the Kremlin website. Way to go, guys!