[Politics] Russia invades Ukraine (24/02/2022)

[Baldseagull]

From the Grauniad:

Several presidents of EU member states have published an open letter calling for Ukraine’s swift candidacy into the EU.

The letter reads as follows:

We, the Presidents of the EU member states: the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Poland, the Slovak Republic, and the Republic of Slovenia strongly believe that Ukraine deserves receiving an immediate EU accession perspective.

Therefore, we call on the EU Member States to consolidate highest political support to Ukraine and enable the EU institutions to conduct steps to immediately grant Ukraine a EU candidate country status and open the process of negotiations.

In this critical moment, we reiterate our full solidarity with Ukraine and its People.

The open letter follows an appeal earlier today from Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy for Ukraine to be granted EU membership immediately under a special procedure, with Ukraine formally applying for membership.

Well there is a vacancy.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Never understand this sort of attitude. Do you only read/listen to those with the same opinion as yourself? All that does is reinforce any prejudices you may have.

I’m no believer in censorship even if a lot of what is being said is a lie or propaganda. Often listening to channels such as RT puts you in a better position to refute those who repeat nonsense they’ve heard from extreme or propagandist sources.

News shouldn't be opinion though. I kinda like watching Fox News, but I don't do it to get informed, I do it to laugh at the absurdity. I guess I'm getting informed of just how ridiculous those points of view are, but I also know that the news is filtered and massaged into a specific world view, there's no balance or context to their content. In the same way when i switched on RT the other day I know that I'm getting a stage managed version of the news. Proper news has to rely on facts, sure present competing points of view but also point out when either side has not told the full truth.

The worry of course is that we know many others watch these channels and believe it to be the truth, its their echo chamber, so a strong regulator is needed to stop it. Our TV and radio channels are each so valuable in this respect, its hard to find anything without editorial lean anywhere on US TV news or the British print media.

 

[peterward]

I think the invasion has been so bungled ( compared to expectation ) that we can now rule out it expanding to the Baltics, Georgia and Moldova. Possibly Western Ukraine escapes, Odessa in the balance, and Mariupol sadly conquered.

Just my current assessment, we shall see.

Mariupol is most definitely not conquered yet mate. Berdyansk another port down the coast a bit is, but its small. Mariupol is surrounded, being shelled but still as far as my mrs is concerend in Ukrainian hands.

Where did you get that from?

 

[Curious Orange]

I thought its real mate, thats a retweet, its the Ukraine defence minister who tweeted it first GT, its real.

Now looking at it, its not blue ticked maybe its fake!

This was the tactic Alfred the Great occasionally used on Vikings.

 

[GT49er]

You think a blue ticked Twitter account belonging to the Ukrainian government is being faked, based on some maths that you did?

Or you think that when it happens they're going to pull out the ghost of Jeremy Beedle and tell the poor bloke "only kidding mate, it's a life sentence for you in Odessa's finest penitentiary"?

I do not believe the government of Ukraine can pay 5M rubles or anything else to each of 200,000 Russian soldiers, no.

 

[Baker lite]

https://twitter.com/pritipatel/status/1498354246902767623?s=21

 

[The Clamp]

I do not believe the government of Ukraine can pay 5M rubles or anything else to each of 200,000 Russian soldiers, no.

I have to say, it neither sounds in keeping with the Ukrainian ethos over the last few days nor does it appear to be a realistic offer.
What the origin of this is? I have no ideas but I agree, it doesn’t seem real to me.

 

[Eeyore]

I do not believe the government of Ukraine can pay 5M rubles or anything else to each of 200,000 Russian soldiers, no.

Give it a few more days and it should be affordable....

 

[Creaky]

we got invaded and got no help.

i'm sure a large american fleet in the area would have saved all of the bloodshed

Did we ask? As I said I don’t know as much about the Falklands as I should.

 

[The Clamp]

https://mobile.twitter.com/pritipatel/status/1498354246902767623?s=21

I see Patel has found her moral compass (it was with EVERYONE ELSE) and is making a stab at doing the right thing. Although hasn’t detailed what biometric or security checks will be. So it could all be bullshit.

 

[Hugo Rune]

https://twitter.com/pritipatel/status/1498354246902767623?s=21

More Patel-Propaganda.

“I am committed to ensuring the UK is as generous as possible to the people of Ukraine.”

We’re still awaiting the news that there will be no visa requirements or restrictions on Ukrainian refugees. It’s disgusting that we’re so far behind the EU on this.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Never understand this sort of attitude. Do you only read/listen to those with the same opinion as yourself? All that does is reinforce any prejudices you may have.

I’m no believer in censorship even if a lot of what is being said is a lie or propaganda. Often listening to channels such as RT puts you in a better position to refute those who repeat nonsense they’ve heard from extreme or propagandist sources.

I was in Bucharest last week. The hotel TV's English language channels were Al Jazeera, CNN and BBC World. I also watched some Romanian reports in our office with my colleagues, who translated bits and pieces. None of them were faking the air raid sirens or body armour. The Romanian news, understandably, also focussed on refugees arriving there, dangers to their borders and the probability of Moldova being next.

Across those channels the presenters were of many different nationalities with many different backers. Each had their own approach. And not one of them came anywhere near the absolute bollocks spouted by Russia Today.

 

[rogersix]

Did we ask? As I said I don’t know as much about the Falklands as I should.

i honestly don't know, but should we need to?

 

[GT49er]

Did we ask? As I said I don’t know as much about the Falklands as I should.

As far as I rmember, no - the Falklands is (I think) a British protectorate, so wouldn't be covered by the 'attack one you attack all' agreement. I'm pretty sure we asked the USA for support, but they remained neutral.

 

[GT49er]

Give it a few more days and it should be affordable....

Yep, I'll drink to that!

 

[The Clamp]

More Patel-Propaganda.

“I am committed to ensuring the UK is as generous as possible to the people of Ukraine.”

We’re still awaiting the news that there will be no visa requirements or restrictions on Ukrainian refugees. It’s disgusting that we’re so far behind the EU on this.

Yep. On inspection there are so many conditions and caveats to her “offer” that is makes it laughable. Clearly designed to keep the anti-foreigner voting base on side.

 

[Scappa]

OFCOM supposedly opening 15 investigations into reports broadcast by RT since the start of the conflict https://www.politico.eu/article/ofcom-opens-15-investigations-into-russia-today/

 

[lawros left foot]

do we know how moldova has aligned itself, if anything?

Moldova had permanent neutrality enshrined in its constitution.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I do not believe the government of Ukraine can pay 5M rubles or anything else to each of 200,000 Russian soldiers, no.

Where did you get 200,000 from? You think it's intended to make every Ruskie give in?

 

[Baker lite]

More Patel-Propaganda.

“I am committed to ensuring the UK is as generous as possible to the people of Ukraine.”

We’re still awaiting the news that there will be no visa requirements or restrictions on Ukrainian refugees. It’s disgusting that we’re so far behind the EU on this.

It appears you have a unhealthy dislike for anything the British Government does with regards the current crisis in Ukraine, I would imagine most Ukrainians that are fleeing would prefer to stay as close to home as possible, they are not your average economic migrant, they want to to return to their homeland as soon as practical to do so. It is my opinion we are doing enough at the moment, this may change.