Who DO (Trump and Vance) think they are?

Oh you jest beau! Have you seen support for Reform UK lately?

Anyway that deflection from the topic at hand.
Apologies Maw.

Good post RosieandherMaw*

Yes well that might be the problem Claremont that people think the people they know are somehow representative.

What a coincidence.

On 16 November last year Vladimir Shkyarov, principal male dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet Company of St Petersburg and international ballet star, fell to his death from the 5th floor balcony of his flat. He was 39.

An accident, of course, and nothing to do with the fact that he had criticised Putin for invading the Ukraine.

Now America is refusing to bankroll the war in Ukraine, does this mean defeat is a foregone conclusion? What, if any, are the options?
Even if a better funded combination of European and Uk funding became available and the war continues, is this a good idea? Can Putin be defeated? At what cost to Ukraine? I imagine more information will come through this week but at the moment, it’s all very unclear.

It is unclear ronib, but what is crystal clear is that Trump had peace talks with Putin and didn’t include Zelensky, just imagine that for a moment. Is totally unheard of. I mean imagine if during the troubles with NI the president of the US had drawn up an agreement with Sinn Fein but not included the UK. Is just not done. Ever.

Where will Russia stop? The Baltic States are in his sights too. And of course China wants Taiwan.

Re the original question. Trump thinks he’s god. Musk knows Trump is an idiot who is flattered by being,Big Buddies with the Richest Man in The World. Musk is using him to gain money and power.

ronib

Now America is refusing to bankroll the war in Ukraine, does this mean defeat is a foregone conclusion? What, if any, are the options?
Even if a better funded combination of European and Uk funding became available and the war continues, is this a good idea? Can Putin be defeated? At what cost to Ukraine? I imagine more information will come through this week but at the moment, it’s all very unclear.

If Ukraine can hold off Russia these last three years then surely the combined forces of Europe can do even better.

What the alternative?

I wonder how Greenland fits into this?

Indigo8

What a coincidence.

On 16 November last year Vladimir Shkyarov, principal male dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet Company of St Petersburg and international ballet star, fell to his death from the 5th floor balcony of his flat. He was 39.

An accident, of course, and nothing to do with the fact that he had criticised Putin for invading the Ukraine.

That's the one I meant in my post earlier today.
What does Vance have to say about freedom of speech now?
(Rhetorical question)

Well China has praised Trump for entering into dialogue with Putin, so looks like we have a new axis of evil folks, the US, Russia, and China.
Trump did promise a new world order.

Is that grouping any different now from what it was before though? China was always very powerful but kept in the background. Russia not so much but the USA always put itself out as the leader of the Western World. I am glad lives will be saved but the cost is the worry and whether or not Putin has sights set on other countries besides Ukraine. I always wonder what Russian people living in that part of Ukraine were thinking. Did they support Zelensky or Putin ? I suppose we’ll ever know.

Claremont : I appreciate your remarks and sentiments . It does give me a fright that there are so many Grans seem to admire Trump and his dangerous policies . With his remark that of recent making himself and his decisions more right than democracy he is truly entering the arena of dictatorship !

Babs03

Well China has praised Trump for entering into dialogue with Putin, so looks like we have a new axis of evil folks, the US, Russia, and China.
Trump did promise a new world order.

Never in my life would I have thought this would happen. It makes me physically sick to my stomach.

Trump and Putin will carve up the Ukraine for their own benefit, of course. And when Trump has finished throwing Ukraine under a bus he'll start making moves to occupy Greenland, assisted by Putin.

I'm glad that Trump was voted into office but he does need reminding that he rules the USA not the whole world. America is a very powerful country but his actions are likely to inflame resentment and hostility.
For the time being, Mr Trump, just stick to sorting out America's mess!

news.sky.com/story/amp/netanyahu-signals-moving-ahead-with-trumps-gaza-plan-as-israel-receives-unblocked-us-shipment-of-heavy-bombs-13311209

And now this.
Ethnic cleansing it is then.

mum2three

I'm glad that Trump was voted into office but he does need reminding that he rules the USA not the whole world. America is a very powerful country but his actions are likely to inflame resentment and hostility.
For the time being, Mr Trump, just stick to sorting out America's mess!

By doing this I suppose he is sorting out USA.

Money. Trump is like previous Presidents who have wanted Europe to defend itself. Why should USA pay to defend Europe?

They think they are Gods. The sheer arrogance of the pair and Vance is the same in a boot licking kind of way.
I feel so sorry for Zelinski, he is a true hero and leader of men. They want to humiliate him as they know they have not even a bit of his courage, he will be remembered for that, his wife and family and friends love him. No one could say that of the other three. Like all dictators they will fall..

All this does make Europe look totally inadequate.

Is that because no European country is prepared to do anything alone?

Furret I share your anxiety about Mr Putin's next moves, should Ukraine be handed over to him.
Where might he like next: Poland perhaps, or Hungary, or Finland?
The world is his oyster.

fancythat

All this does make Europe look totally inadequate.

Is that because no European country is prepared to do anything alone?

Europe IS totally inadequate, for 70 yrs it has hung on to the US coat tails instead of standing on its own feet, a toddler shouting mummy, mummy don’t leave me.

Trump is doing Europe a favour forcing them to work together and be responsible for their own problems.

mum2three

I'm glad that Trump was voted into office but he does need reminding that he rules the USA not the whole world. America is a very powerful country but his actions are likely to inflame resentment and hostility.
For the time being, Mr Trump, just stick to sorting out America's mess!

Completely agree.
You would think he had enough to sort out in the US. He knows that this 4 year stint as President is his last and he wants to arrange the world to his liking. When I read that he wants to remove all Palestinians from Gaza to make it into a jetsetters paradise then it confirmed to me what an unhinged man he is. Who else would even dream that one up?
Power, money and delusion make a dangerous cocktail.

David49

fancythat

All this does make Europe look totally inadequate.

Is that because no European country is prepared to do anything alone?

Europe IS totally inadequate, for 70 yrs it has hung on to the US coat tails instead of standing on its own feet, a toddler shouting mummy, mummy don’t leave me.

Trump is doing Europe a favour forcing them to work together and be responsible for their own problems.

I now feel "down a notch" as a European.
My eyes have been opened.

I sometimes wonder if the USA had not entered the war in WW2 if the Nazis would now be in power.