$40 Billion

[Ronson]

And now that Zelinsky has $40 billion in his pocket, he suddenly announces an interest in bringing the war to a close through diplomacy.

This report from the BBC also paints a sobering contrast to the "botched invasion" and "brave Ukrainian citizens destroying entire columns of tanks at will" narrative we've been seeing from the US media for the past several months:

Speaking on national TV, [Zelinsky] suggested his country could be victorious against Russia on the battlefield.

However, he added that the war could only come to a conclusive halt "at the negotiating table".

Meanwhile, heavy fighting is taking place in and around Severodonetsk, as Russian forces step up efforts to seize the whole of the Luhansk region.

The end of fighting in the southern port city of Mariupol has freed up Russian troops for redeployment elsewhere and allowed them to intensify their onslaught in the east.

Local governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russians were "destroying" Severodonetsk as they gradually surrounded it.

Writing on the messaging app Telegram, he said Ukrainian troops had repelled 11 attacks on the frontline - with eight tanks among the Russian vehicles destroyed. There was no independent confirmation of the claims.

BBC correspondent James Waterhouse said Russia had increased its artillery and air strikes as well as missile attacks - gaining ground mile by mile in Luhansk while the Ukrainians are forced to retreat.

In his TV address, Mr Zelensky said the conflict "will be bloody, there will be fighting, but it will only definitively end through diplomacy".

Zelensky: Only diplomacy can end Ukraine war - BBC News

That's a thinly-veiled message of conviction that he will have control now at the negotiating table. He won't surrender an inch of territory, which is going to bind the west to helping him forvever.

[Sparko]

And now that Zelinsky has $40 billion in his pocket, he suddenly announces an interest in bringing the war to a close through diplomacy.

This report from the BBC also paints a sobering contrast to the "botched invasion" and "brave Ukrainian citizens destroying entire columns of tanks at will" narrative we've been seeing from the US media for the past several months:

Speaking on national TV, [Zelinsky] suggested his country could be victorious against Russia on the battlefield.

However, he added that the war could only come to a conclusive halt "at the negotiating table".

Meanwhile, heavy fighting is taking place in and around Severodonetsk, as Russian forces step up efforts to seize the whole of the Luhansk region.

The end of fighting in the southern port city of Mariupol has freed up Russian troops for redeployment elsewhere and allowed them to intensify their onslaught in the east.

Local governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russians were "destroying" Severodonetsk as they gradually surrounded it.

Writing on the messaging app Telegram, he said Ukrainian troops had repelled 11 attacks on the frontline - with eight tanks among the Russian vehicles destroyed. There was no independent confirmation of the claims.

BBC correspondent James Waterhouse said Russia had increased its artillery and air strikes as well as missile attacks - gaining ground mile by mile in Luhansk while the Ukrainians are forced to retreat.

In his TV address, Mr Zelensky said the conflict "will be bloody, there will be fighting, but it will only definitively end through diplomacy".

Zelensky: Only diplomacy can end Ukraine war - BBC News

Just stop it MM. Zelinskyy has been trying to negotiate with the Russians since this started. Haven't you been paying attention? Your conspiracy theories are getting pretty annoying.

[Mountain Man]

Just stop it MM. Zelinskyy has been trying to negotiate with the Russians since this started. Haven't you been paying attention? Your conspiracy theories are getting pretty annoying.

I keep forgetting that facts are now known as conspiracy theories on this forum.

Every previous attempt at negotiations, Zelinsky put so many conditions in place that Russia simply walked away. At one point he scuttled peace talks by openly insulting Putin. Even now he's essentially demanding that Russia surrender and withdraw all troops and then he will be willing to negotiate.

I said some time ago that Zelinsky had two options: 1) Surrender to Russia; or 2) Watch his country be flattened by the Russian military. He has apparently accepted option #2.

[Sparko]

I keep forgetting that facts are now known as conspiracy theories on this forum.

Every previous attempt at negotiations, Zelinsky put so many conditions in place that Russia simply walked away. At one point he scuttled peace talks by openly insulting Putin. Even now he's essentially demanding that Russia surrender and withdraw all troops and then he will be willing to negotiate.

I said some time ago that Zelinsky had two options: 1) Surrender to Russia; or 2) Watch his country be flattened by the Russian military. He has apparently accepted option #2.

I guess you expect him to just give up his country to prevent war? Is that what the US would do if we were invaded by a superior force? Or would we ask for help from our allies and fight it out while trying to get them to leave though diplomacy?

Zelinskyy is patriotic and wants to defend his country against invasion and you think he is "greedy" and in it for the money. That's a conspiracy theory, MM.

[seanD]

Like I said before, me thinks that 40+ billion is going to bite Biden in the behind as the economy worsens and negative sentiment deepens, but that's good for Reps in November. Even though there were a lot of Reps that also supported this, I think folks will remember Rand Paul's public stand against it as well as Reps like Marjorie Taylor Greene's public stand against it...

Economy bigger priority than punishing Russia: AP-NORC poll

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are becoming less supportive of punishing Russia for launching its invasion of Ukraine if it comes at the expense of the U.S. economy, a sign of rising anxiety over inflation and other challenges, according to a new poll.

While broad support for U.S. sanctions has not faltered, the balance of opinion on prioritizing sanctions over the economy has shifted, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Now 45% of U.S. adults say the nation’s bigger priority should be sanctioning Russia as effectively as possible, while slightly more — 51% — say it should be limiting damage to the U.S. economy.

In April, those figures were exactly reversed. In March, shortly after Russia attacked Ukraine, a clear majority — 55% — said the bigger priority should be sanctioning Russia as effectively as possible.
The shifts in opinion reflect how rising prices are biting into American households — surging costs for gas, groceries, and other commodities have strained budgets for millions of people — and perhaps limiting their willingness to support Ukraine financially. That may be a troubling sign for President Joe Biden, who on Saturday approved an additional $40 billion in funding to help Ukraine including both weapons and financial assistance. The poll shows low faith in him to handle the situation, and an overall approval rating that hit the lowest point of his presidency.

[Gondwanaland]

I keep forgetting that facts are now known as conspiracy theories on this forum.

Every previous attempt at negotiations, Zelinsky put so many conditions in place that Russia simply walked away. At one point he scuttled peace talks by openly insulting Putin. Even now he's essentially demanding that Russia surrender and withdraw all troops and then he will be willing to negotiate.

I said some time ago that Zelinsky had two options: 1) Surrender to Russia; or 2) Watch his country be flattened by the Russian military. He has apparently accepted option #2.

Sounds like you'd get along quite swell with the degenerates of Vichy France, little Quisling (incidentally a word that comes from someone you'd also likely be bosom buddies with)

[Mountain Man]

I guess you expect him to just give up his country to prevent war? Is that what the US would do if we were invaded by a superior force? Or would we ask for help from our allies and fight it out while trying to get them to leave though diplomacy?

Zelinskyy is patriotic and wants to defend his country against invasion and you think he is "greedy" and in it for the money. That's a conspiracy theory, MM.

Obviously it's situational, but flipping the bird to Putin while he's demolishing your cities is not an advistable course of action, unless Zelinsky's intent is to fight to the last citizen (maybe that's what the Ukranian people want?). And then Zelinksy turns around and demands that we pay the salaries and fund the pensions of Ukranian politicians so they can enjoy a cushy retirement when this is all over? Zelinsky does not give the appearance of someone who really cares about what happens to his people. None of this is a conspiracy theory, it's merely looking at the facts.

[seanD]

Any guesses on who's going to foot much of the bill?

The EU Needs More Than $1 Trillion For Plan To Ditch Russian Oil And Gas

The European Union’s REPowerEU seeks to reduce the European Union’s dependency on Russian fossil fuels and accelerate the transition away from carbon-intensive energy sources. The European Commission’s cost estimate, however, may fall short as Rystad Energy analysis suggests the plan will require at least €1 trillion in investment to meet the core objective of increasing renewable generation from 40% to 45% of total energy supply by 2030. Additional investment will be required to meet targets, including grid and battery storage developments to ensure a stable supply of energy as the whole European power system will need to be restructured. While the plan defines different angles to tackle the current crisis, the most detailed section outlines the roadmap for solar PV. The strategy aims to bring 320 gigawatts (GW) of solar PV online by 2025 and almost 600 GW by 2030, aiming to displace 9 billion cubic meters (Bcm) of gas demand. Europe currently has around 189 GW of installed solar PV capacity, meaning 131 GW need to be installed by the middle of the decade, or an equivalent of 44 GW per year. This would mean almost doubling the installation rate, which was 24 GW in 2021 and is expected to be 29 GW this year. To reach the targeted 600 GW by 2030, around 56 GW of new solar PV capacity would need to be installed during the following five years.

Assuming an average cost for solar PV of €1.1 million per megawatt (MW) of installed capacity, installing 411 GW between now and 2030 would represent an investment of €452 billion. Reaching 45% renewable energy supply by 2030 additionally requires significant investments in wind capacity – for which the plan does not have a lot of detail. Rystad Energy’s estimates suggest another 450-490 GW of wind capacity would need to be installed by 2030 to reach the target of 45% renewable energy supply, requiring an additional €820 billion in investments.

Such a transition will require huge investments but thus far the European Commission has been unclear about the total amounts allocated to achieve its goals. Recent announcements and communications mention that €225 billion is already available in loans and that an additional investment of €300 billion could be needed by 2030. Regardless of the total amount being assigned to new renewable energy developments, the figures seem to fall considerably below the required additional investment needed in power transmission, storage, gas infrastructure, and hydrogen production. Furthermore, such a large demand for new capacity will put additional pressure on the supply chain for solar panel and wind turbine manufacturing and could lead to a further increase in costs for these technologies.

And could it not be anymore obvious by now what the true agenda is of keeping the war going as long as possible? "Never let a crisis go to waste."

The EU is already working to speed up the permitting process to ensure that new solar and wind projects can be brought online in time.

[Sparko]

Obviously it's situational, but flipping the bird to Putin while he's demolishing your cities is not an advistable course of action, unless Zelinsky's intent is to fight to the last citizen (maybe that's what the Ukranian people want?). And then Zelinksy turns around and demands that we pay the salaries and fund the pensions of Ukranian politicians so they can enjoy a cushy retirement when this is all over? Zelinsky does not give the appearance of someone who really cares about what happens to his people. None of this is a conspiracy theory, it's merely looking at the facts.

Obviously it is working though isn't it? Putin still has not won and it is getting pretty costly for him too. The entire world except China has turned against Russia. And Zelenskyy has been asking for and hoping for other countries to help him out. But of course when they do, you claim he is just being greedy and using this as an opportunity to get rich.

So which talking head has been filling your head with this nonsense? Tucker Carlson?

[Mountain Man]

Obviously it is working though isn't it? Putin still has not won and it is getting pretty costly for him too.

Was there any expectation outside of our liberal media that Putin should have wrapped this thing up by now? They keep making unfounded projections and then will whoop and holler whenever Russia doesn't meet them. It's a shell game, and you should know better than to fall for it.

The fact is, things are going very badly for Ukraine, and it is becoming impossible for even US media to ignore; the narrative is slowly shifting to the realization that Ukraine is lost unless there is a major shift in international policy -- as in a full scale NATO invasion of Russia.

Western Media Confirming Russia Solidifying Gains in Eastern Ukraine Donbas Region - The Last Refuge (theconservativetreehouse.com)

Of course they didn't start reporting this until after the transfer of wealth to Zelinsky and his cronies.

[Sparko]

Was there any expectation outside of our liberal media that Putin should have wrapped this thing up by now? They keep making unfounded projections and then will whoop and holler whenever Russia doesn't meet them. It's a shell game, and you should know better than to fall for it.

The fact is, things are going very badly for Ukraine, and it is becoming impossible for even US media to ignore; the narrative is slowly shifting to the realization that Ukraine is lost unless there is a major shift in international policy -- as in a full scale NATO invasion of Russia.

Western Media Confirming Russia Solidifying Gains in Eastern Ukraine Donbas Region - The Last Refuge (theconservativetreehouse.com)

Of course they didn't start reporting this until after the transfer of wealth to Zelinsky and his cronies.

Dude, if he did what you think he should do, give up, it would have been over with in hours.

Sure are glad you aren't in charge of any countries. You would surrender faster than a Frenchman.

[Mountain Man]

Dude, if he did what you think he should do, give up, it would have been over with in hours.

Sure are glad you aren't in charge of any countries. You would surrender faster than a Frenchman.

This whole situation is a lot more complex than you seem to realize. I think the invasion could have been avoided entirely if Zelinsky had told the US to butt out and honored his agreement with Russia instead of letting people like Kamala "Foot in Mouth" Harris show up to pick a fight. However, once the invasion happened, Zelinsky had two options: 1) Negotiate peace as quickly as possible (which does not necessarily mean surrender, as you keep insisting); or 2) Watch his country be flattened. He chose option 2, with predictable results. Despite what you've been told by the liberal media, the invasion was never "botched", Russia is not back on its heels, and Ukraine never had a chance of winning. This is the reality of where things are, as opposed to the comforting fantasy that was painted by western propoganda.

[Sparko]

This whole situation is a lot more complex than you seem to realize. I think the invasion could have been avoided entirely if Zelinsky had told the US to butt out and honored his agreement with Russia instead of letting people like Kamala "Foot in Mouth" Harris show up to pick a fight. However, once the invasion happened, Zelinsky had two options: 1) Negotiate peace as quickly as possible (which does not necessarily mean surrender, as you keep insisting); or 2) Watch his country be flattened. He chose option 2, with predictable results. Despite what you've been told by the liberal media, the invasion was never "botched", Russia is not back on its heels, and Ukraine never had a chance of winning. This is the reality of where things are, as opposed to the comforting fantasy that was painted by western propoganda.

The only fantasy here is your version MM. Or it it Tucker's?

[seanD]

Juergen Stock of Interpol must be a Putin puppet...

Interpol Warns of Flood of Illicit Arms After Ukraine War

Many of the weapons being sent to Ukraine will eventually wind up in criminal hands in Europe and beyond, Interpol’s chief warned Wednesday, urging countries to start scrutinizing arms-tracking databases.

“The high availability of weapons during the current conflict will result in the proliferation in illicit arms in the post-conflict phase,” Interpol Secretary General Juergen Stock said.

That will only empower organized crime groups that have become increasingly global operations, capable of exploiting the chaos created from Russia’s bombardments over the past three months.

“This will come, I have no doubts… Criminals are already now, here as we speak, focussing on that,” Stark told the Anglo-American Press Association in Paris, where he traveled from Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon, southeast France.

Kyiv’s Western allies have shipped tonnes of military hardware to Ukraine as it tries to fend off Russian forces that have already seized swathes of territory in the east and south.

US President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that Washington would now send “more advanced rocket systems and munitions,” after providing or pledging thousands of assault rifles as well as anti-tank rockets.

“Even weapons that are used by the military, heavy weapons, will be available on the criminal market,” Stock warned.

“We are already encouraging member countries, we have a database on sharing information on weapons, to use these databases because no region or country can deal with it in isolation,” he said.

“The criminals I’m talking about are operating globally, so these weapons will be exchanged across continents.”

Stock added that the Ukraine conflict has also prompted a spike in “large-scale fertilizer thefts as well as increased counterfeit agro-chemicals, as these commodities have become increasingly valuable.”

“The increase in fuel prices has also resulted in a rise in fuel thefts in Europe and other regions,” he said.

Rest assured, we'll also hear about corrupt Ukrainian officials fleeing the country with stacks of cash in the war aftermath.

[Mountain Man]

Wow, I hadn't thought of it. Early in the conflict, it was reported that the Ukranian government was handing out guns to any citizen who wanted one (what was less widely reported was that gangs who got their hands on them almost immediately started using them against their rivals). This was supposed to illustrate the great resolve of the common man to fight off the Russian invaders, but I can imagine a lot of folks will be perfectly happy to sell or trade them for necessities like food and clothing, if they haven't already.