"I don't regard Putin as a bad guy," he said. "He's super smart"

Babs03

Looks like Starmer and other Europeans are being routinely dismissed. Accused of trying to be like Churchill.
Looks like Putin is the only leader getting any kudos.
Wonder how much longer it will take for us to truly recognise who the enemy now is?

We have many enemies.
We didn’t imagine that the US would turn on us tho did we?
Trump has, this time around, surrounded himself not only with yes men but with frankly a few nutters as well.Also ignoramuses and incompetents.

Witzend

RosieandherMaw

“Super smart” and “bad guy”

Not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Yes, I dare say quite a few brutal, megalomaniac dictators could say the same.

Goebbels certainly fell into both categories.

Babs03

Looks like Starmer and other Europeans are being routinely dismissed. Accused of trying to be like Churchill.
Looks like Putin is the only leader getting any kudos.
Wonder how much longer it will take for us to truly recognise who the enemy now is?

I have never regarded Churchill as some kind of saint without flaws. Nevertheless, there are far worse role models - and there isn't much doubt that he was the man for the job at the time. I'd be quite flattered if I were to be "accused" of being like Churchill.

My enemy’s enemy and all that? We must have infuriated Putin when BJ made us stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine. Not that it helped that much - 3 years further down the line.
Would you agree to a very disagreeable mother in law settling a family dispute? I don’t think so.

Wyllow3

The UK and "willing countries" are offering a peace" back up" solution. Ukraine have wanted Europe to be involved and after all its us not the US who are Ukraines neighbours and have supported it during the war - as the US used to.

I honestly don't see how this is antagonising. It's a helpful option. It's says we are standing by.

Obvs Putin sees European involvement as antagonising and if the POTUS regards it in the same way then we know for sure that they are on the same page.
What is it Dubya once said ‘you are either with us or agin us’, and looks like the US, in cahoots with Russia, is now agin us.

The UK and "willing countries" are offering a peace" back up" solution. Ukraine have wanted Europe to be involved and after all its us not the US who are Ukraines neighbours and have supported it during the war - as the US used to.

I honestly don't see how this is antagonising. It's a helpful option. It's says we are standing by.

Russia might have grounds for attacking the Uk and probably would like to retaliate but so far, has shown remarkable discipline in holding back. I don’t know for how much longer? Obviously all its energy is needed in Ukraine.

Looks like Starmer and other Europeans are being routinely dismissed. Accused of trying to be like Churchill.
Looks like Putin is the only leader getting any kudos.
Wonder how much longer it will take for us to truly recognise who the enemy now is?

I can’t help but think that the Uk should stay well clear of Russia and Ukraine. Our politicians are more likely to antagonise than heal the situation there. Putin is never going to trust the West and why should he? Do we have Russia’s best interests at heart? It’s monstrous that so many people have died and a quick resolution without Uk involvement is the best we can hope for.

Wyllow3

What he is saying is new however - are these are the real beliefs that Trump is acting within all along?

I think it’s just being said out loud now by Trumps appointees tbh and I’d hope that world leaders had a good idea that was the case.
Trump has made no secret of his admiration for Putin.

Witzend

RosieandherMaw

“Super smart” and “bad guy”

Not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Yes, I dare say quite a few brutal, megalomaniac dictators could say the same.

Exactly!

Quite simple.

A sycophant.

RosieandherMaw

“Super smart” and “bad guy”

Not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Yes, I dare say quite a few brutal, megalomaniac dictators could say the same.

What he is saying is new however - are these are the real beliefs that Trump is acting within all along?

It sounds like Orwell’s 1984 all over again. Changing allegiances. Pretty nasty, must be so hard for the Ukrainians hearing this stuff, if indeed they do hear it. Thinking of Tibet and China in the past.

“Super smart” and “bad guy”

Not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Oh Putin is super smart no doubt, and has got the measure of Trump and his cronies.
To think that we have such gullible politicians in charge of a super power upon which the stability of large parts of this world depend is as outrageous as it is dangerous.
Putin is laughing all the way to the Kremlin.