People in Britain who think they are governed by fools should take a closer look at the Russian and US presidents. Vladimir Putin is systematically ruining his country. His war of choice in Ukraine is an economic, financial, geopolitical and human calamity for Russia that worsens by the day. For his own murky reasons, Donald Trump, another national menace, offered him a lifeline last week. Yet Putin spurned it. These two fools deserve each other.

On the table in Moscow was a “peace” deal that, broadly speaking, rewarded Russia’s aggression by handing over large chunks of Ukrainian land, compromised Kyiv’s independence and weakened its defences against any future attack. The Trump deal, if forced through, would have split the US and Europe; ruptured Nato, perhaps fatally; reprieved Russia’s pariah economy; and probably toppled Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government.

These are key Russian war aims. But Putin, suffering from neo-imperial fantasies and legacy issues, said “no”. He reckons he can get it all, and more, by fighting on. He has persuaded the idiot Trump that Russia’s victory is inevitable – and that scheming Europeans are the real warmongers. Yet his premise is fundamentally flawed. Hard facts confound him. Almost four years on, he’s still trapped in Donbas mud and ice. And at home, things fall apart.

  • Cypher@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    They don’t need to push Russia out so long as Russia is losing far more men and equipment. This is a war of attrition and despite being far larger Russia is losing.

    Fighting age men and equipment are finite resources.

    They might gain ground now but Russia will be unable to hold it, assuming that the EU and US continue to back Ukraine.

    • Mihies@programming.dev
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      5 days ago

      OK, you are speaking like the Ukraine has infinite resources and tactically loosing ground just to deplete Russia. I’m sure that they have the plan to loose strategically important cities just for that.

      US continue to back Ukraine? Please, do a reality check. While EU is only backing Ukraine halfheartedly and not even the entire EU.

      • Cypher@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        The US is still sending weapons. Check that reality.

        Of course Ukraine doesn’t have infinite resources but they are spending theirs much more wisely.

        Russia is already a pathetic shadow of its former self and its only downhill from here. Broke bitches thinking they’ll own Europe hah.

        • Mihies@programming.dev
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          5 days ago

          The US is still sending weapons. Check that reality.

          US is selling weapons to European/NATO countries and even that is limited. On the other hand US is appeasing and siding with Putin wherever they can which speaks more than those profit from selling weapons.

          Of course Ukraine doesn’t have infinite resources but they are spending theirs much more wisely.

          Sure they do and at the same time they don’t have enough of those. What is the endgame here? Hoping that Russia collapses somehow before they conquer whatever they are set to?

      • Rob Bos@lemmy.ca
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        5 days ago

        In English you say ‘losing’, not ‘loosing’. Hope that helps.