• eldavi@lemmy.ml
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    4 days ago

    it sounds like they don’t believe that they have a choice:

    “European officials believe Trump is likely to agree to withdraw U.S. troops from the Baltics and perhaps further west, leaving the EU vulnerable to a Russian army that NATO governments warn is preparing for a larger conflict beyond Ukraine,” the newspaper reported.

    • badwetter@kbin.melroy.org
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      4 days ago

      @eldavi@lemmy.ml

      The EU leaders in Brussels are crazy! It’ll be a self-fulfilling prophecy if they keep being belligerent towards Russia. The EU is a middle power at best. Russia doesn’t need any more territory, nor does it want to occupy land in the eastern Baltic’s. It’s fearmongering for the EU to manufacture consent.

      @NightOwl@lemmy.ca

      • SacralPlexus@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Russia doesn’t need any more territory

        Dear sir/madam, you may not be aware but Russia is currently engaged in an unprovoked war where it has invaded a neighboring country.

        • badwetter@kbin.melroy.org
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          4 days ago

          @SacralPlexus@lemmy.world

          What planet do you live on — Objectively they were provoked, by NATO on their doorstep. Let’s see how that would work if China or Russia parked their bases in both Mexico and Canada, minutes away from Washington …

          @NightOwl@lemmy.ca @eldavi@lemmy.ml

          • torstein@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Objectively, Russia threw a fit when the orange revolution happened. Even more so when Maidan happened and their stooge had to flee the country.

            Having a former Soviet state turn into a functional democracy, with lower levels of corruption and a higher standard of living, might inspire forces within Russia to do the same, no?

            • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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              2 days ago

              Remember, ousting a democratically elected leader in a coup is “functional democracy”, so long as it aligns with USA foreign interest, of course

            • eldavi@lemmy.ml
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              3 days ago

              this is how american propaganda works; it doesn’t outright block the information that you need to make an informed decision like a chinese internet firewall. instead that information is hidden away from you, buried in news articles that you’ll never read (or even be are that you need to read); or reports that get little to no air time on tv or social media; or couched in dense legalese that requires a law degree to understand and it’s not because you’re lazy or ignorant, but because you’re distracted by your other shit that needs to get done and/or bills you need to pay.

              in this case: the knowledge that that’s been kept from you is that the orange revolution and the maidan protests are the result of american soft power exerting itself over ukraine’s political system and that “functional democracy” was dangled over them like a carrot on a stick to join nato in a reality were not even americans get to enjoy such a democracy.

              • torstein@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                That’s laughable.

                Both happened due to Ukrainians being fed up with political corruption.

                Ukraine went through horrible economical and political upheaval during the 90s. At the same time the western ukrainians were free to watch Polish TV, they interacted with their European brethren and were able to see how countries without chronical corruption worked.

                The difference between them and their Russian counterparts is that they rose up and threw their corrupted leaders out on their asses a few times. I hope the Russians grow a spine within my lifetime.

                Don’t forget that Maidan was about Yanukovic’s bait and switch when it came to Ukraine’s economic ties with the EU and a potential route to EU-candidate status.

                You may be convinced that the uprising were the result of American soft power, but I’m convinced that it was through experiencing the upheaval of the post Soviet 90s and their experience seeing neighboring former east-bloc brethren improving their lives during the same period.

                • eldavi@lemmy.ml
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                  2 days ago

                  the only thing that could be laughable is how uncritically most people accept the information that is given to them; but it’s not laughable since it leads to so much death and suffering.

                  corruption is as rife in poland and the united states as much as it is in ukraine or russia; what makes any difference is that your regime green-lights the propaganda that informs you about the corruption that they want you to see while simultaneously red-lighting any other information. if you’re russian or any kind of easterner, then that red-lighting is done via blatant bans like a chinese firewall; but if you’re polish, american or any kind of westerner, then red-lighting is done by defunding (and/or making irrelevant) journalists/experts whose work could make you aware of the corruption that your regime doesn’t want you to see.

                  i’m sure you’re already aware of this at some level somewhere, so not applying this knowledge and uncritically accepting the depictions on polish TV is just plain bonkers. likewise, uncritically accepting the nucleus of each protest is also just as equally bonkers; the bare-bones minimum for critical thinking is analyzing who benefits by the actions taking place and searching for information (beyond the information that your regime wants you to see) will give you the answers.

                  • torstein@lemmy.world
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                    1 day ago

                    Poland, the US and Ukraine are absolutely corrupt societies, but while the US is devolving into a Russia-esque regime, Poland and Ukraine are trying to improve their lot.

                    Let me respond in language you might understand:

                    I’m sure you’re already aware of this at some level somewhere, so not applying this knowledge and uncritically accepting the depictions on Russian TV is just plain bonkers. Likewise, uncritically accepting the Russian talking points about each protest is also just as equally bonkers; the bare-bones minimum for critical thinking is analyzing who would have benefitted from the status-quo and searching for information (beyond the information that your regime wants you to see) will give you the answers.

          • folaht@lemmy.ml
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            4 days ago

            This is more like Texas seceding on good terms, then after a couple of years a communist coup happens and the new Texas president joins the Latin American Nuclear Defense Organisation aimed against the US and supressess the non-Hispanic population of Texas prompting a small civil war within Texas by people not wanting to be part of a pro-Latin American government, and then the US helping and ultimately invading the parts of Texas that was never part of Mexico ever and then Mexico calling that a full-scale invasion of Texas that must be defended at all cost.