Phil71 wrote:Yago wrote:Feels like people aren't really paying attention to the Ukraine situation at all, and even when they are aren't grasping the consequences. This has a good chance of becoming the largest military conflict in Europe since Yugoslavia. Ukraine isn't some insignificant country... 40 million people live there. If Russia does invade, as seems likely atm, it will be a very bloody thing, and the refugee crisis that follows will dwarf the recent Syria one. This will have a huge impact across the continent, yet people will still act as if it came out of nowhere.
I'm well aware of it, and have made a few posts on here about it.
Russia cannot be allowed to invade Ukraine and get away with it. Ukraine must be armed by NATO and Russia must be cut off from all international trade if they invade.
Not as simple as you think - when Russia annexed Crimea it was then part of the Ukraine - but it wanted to be part of Russia and now to all intents and purposes it is.
There are many in far Eastern Ukraine who feel the same, hence the '
minor incursion' drivel from Biden. It is quite possible that a section of eastern Ukraine would happily join with Russia, should the West join a war to stop this happening? Would that be a bit like Europe attacking the UK because it won't allow Scotland to join the EU ... hmmmm
If Russia tries to take over the entire Ukraine then that's a different issue, but as with the Crimea is Russia just takes a section that is mostly ethnic Russians already, is that something to fight a war over? is that the breaking point?
As for cutting Russia off, you're dreaming, they will just trade with Asia primarily China, who have no interest in the Ukraine at all. Shutting the Russian trade with the EU will just cause massive fuel price rises in Europe and make bugger all difference to Russia ... the previous 20 years of US sanctions prove that.