Trump's tariff wars...long post.

[Russ]

1 minute ago, tauzero said:

 

The crucial thing that Ukraine might lose is access to Starlink. Just have to wait and see what Elonia decides to do, and if he cuts off access, how much of a boycott of anything belonging to him will happen.

Sweden's Satcube has full coverage in Ukraine, is just as fast as Starlink, and they'd be able to switch over and hardly miss a beat. 

[martthebass]

2 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/withdraw-the-state-visit-invitation-for-donald-trump

After just watching the terror couple round on Zelenskyy I’ve just signed it bigly….

[EBS_freak]

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/no-2nd-state-visit-for-donald-trump

 

instead of signing the one just set up, maybe sign the one which has legs?

[SICbass]

21 minutes ago, Beedster said:

I genuinely suspect Trump already realises he f***ed up, the problem with surrounding yourself with yes people is that you lose the ability to deal with no people. 

I would like to believe that, but with his dizzying capacity for hubris, can we be sure?

 

I remember the interview with Anthony Faucci, where he told the tale of how he was called to the Oval Office after disagreeing with T***p at a Covid news briefing.

He showed up fully expecting a b*llocking and all Scrotus wanted to talk about was, “Look at these viewing figures, they’re just amazing!” - He wasn’t even interested in speaking about their disagreement.

 

[Lozz196]

I just watched the clip, I dare say I’m not the only one in the world that longed for Zelensky to get up and punch the twunt (Vance/Ponce/Whateverhisname).

[Agent 00Soul]

Zelensky probably has become battle-hardened after all this time to not mind arguing with those two; they must seem like kids to him by this point.  Everyone in the room also knew that if he did lose his temper and raise a hand to Trump or Vance, then the secret service would have gone full Bonnie & Clyde on him.  Putin would have loved it, most everyone else not so much.

[Buddster]

Not sure if this before or after, but either way it's not how you'd expect a leader to act

 

 

 

[Agent 00Soul]

2 hours ago, Beedster said:

Wow, Zelensky asked by a journalist why he's not wearing a suit to meet The Donald. US media as ever with their finger on the pulse.... 

"The piece of talking garbage asking Zelensky if he 'owns a suit' is congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's boyfriend.  This guy willingly has sex with MTG and he has the nerve to make fun of Zelensky? And his suit looks like an IKEA couch cover. I am surprised Vance isn't humping his leg right now.   Did you also see secretary of state Marco Rubio during all this?  He looks like he wishes he was never born."  - from an American friend's Facebook post

[Burns-bass]

I despise Starmer, but he handled Trump well. Zelensky completely misread the situation and has embarrassed himself here. 
 

The reality is, there’s no Ukraine without the USA. We know it and Trump knows it. Europe may be able to manage to cobble together the cash to cover the USA’s contribution, but we don’t have the capacity to create the arms that Ukraine needs.

 

Trump was always going to try and create a peace deal through force. Zelensky had months to prepare his response and all I heard was him arguing with Trump.

 

This was an opportunity to side with Trump and try and drive a wedge between him and Putin, but he’s pushed them closer together - which could be dangerous for Europe.

 

 

[Russ]

4 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I despise Starmer, but he handled Trump well. Zelensky completely misread the situation and has embarrassed himself here. 
 

The reality is, there’s no Ukraine without the USA. We know it and Trump knows it. Europe may be able to manage to cobble together the cash to cover the USA’s contribution, but we don’t have the capacity to create the arms that Ukraine needs.

 

Trump was always going to try and create a peace deal through force. Zelensky had months to prepare his response and all I heard was him arguing with Trump.

 

This was an opportunity to side with Trump and try and drive a wedge between him and Putin, but he’s pushed them closer together - which could be dangerous for Europe.

I don't think anything Zelenskyy would have said would have changed what happened today. It was prepared. There was even a TASS (Russian newsagency) reporter in the house. This was performative, pre-planned bullying for an audience of one - Putin. 

 

[Burns-bass]

2 minutes ago, Russ said:

I don't think anything Zelenskyy would have said would have changed what happened today. It was prepared. There was even a TASS (Russian newsagency) reporter in the house. This was performative, pre-planned bullying for an audience of one - Putin. 

 

I don’t but the conspiracy that Trump and Putin are conspiring to sell out Ukraine. 

What’s more likely is that Trumps attempt to force Ukraine to sign a minerals deal has stalled and this is the response. 
 

They’ve humiliated Zelensky and emboldened Putin and I think if he (Zelensky) had left his pride at the door and worked with Trump as Starmer did, the outcome could have been better.

[Count Bassy]

1 hour ago, martthebass said:

After just watching the terror couple round on Zelenskyy I’ve just signed it bigly….

I've signed it even biglier

[Count Bassy]

2 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I don’t but the conspiracy that Trump and Putin are conspiring to sell out Ukraine. 

What’s more likely is that Trumps attempt to force Ukraine to sign a minerals deal has stalled and this is the response. 
 

They’ve humiliated Zelensky and emboldened Putin and I think if he (Zelensky) had left his pride at the door and worked with Trump as Starmer did, the outcome could have been better.

You really think that Zelenksy is the one humiliated here?

[Burns-bass]

Just now, Count Bassy said:

You really think that Zelenksy is the one humiliated here?

Yes. 
 

If you park your personal animosity to Trump (which I share, by the way) you have to understand he’s in charge.

 

Trump is a mafia boss. You pay your tribute to him and follow his rules, or you’re ostracised.

 

Zelensky’s pride could cause the deaths of many thousands and see significant losses of territory. 
 

It also emboldens Russia.

 

I 100% agree Trump is a horrid person, a bully, a misogynist and quite probably senile. But he’s in charge.

[super al]

4 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I don’t but the conspiracy that Trump and Putin are conspiring to sell out Ukraine. 

What’s more likely is that Trumps attempt to force Ukraine to sign a minerals deal has stalled and this is the response. 
 

They’ve humiliated Zelensky and emboldened Putin and I think if he (Zelensky) had left his pride at the door and worked with Trump as Starmer did, the outcome could have been better.

I think if Zelensky signed away Ukraine's oil, gas and minerals to Trumpski, he's already making a deal with Putin to extract all this £££ and share it out between them.

[Buddster]

 

3 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

They’ve humiliated Zelensky and emboldened Putin and I think if he (Zelensky) had left his pride at the door and worked with Trump as Starmer did, the outcome could have been better.

Maybe, but being told you are a dictator (after your country has been invaded by a dictator) , being told to sell your resources to cover weapons given by someone else, derogatory comments about what you are wearing, and seeing what was an ally side with your enemy, I think he did very well not to stick one on him. 

[Count Bassy]

2 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

Yes. 
 

If you park your personal animosity to Trump (which I share, by the way) you have to understand he’s in charge.

 

Trump is a mafia boss. You pay your tribute to him and follow his rules, or you’re ostracised.

 

Zelensky’s pride could cause the deaths of many thousands and see significant losses of territory. 
 

It also emboldens Russia.

 

I 100% agree Trump is a horrid person, a bully, a misogynist and quite probably senile. But he’s in charge.

 

 

I agree with some of what you say, but believe that Trump is the one who is humiliated by this. Someone actually had the nerve to say no to him and Trump went into meltdown. Not a good look for a supposedly powerful leader. Trump had set this up to be televised, thinking he'd have a walk over, but didn't.

 

Re emboldening Russia, I am not so sure. Putin had the USA basically conceding everything he wanted and giving away nothing. By ruling out military help the USA have now made themselves less relevant to the situation, and Europe far more relevant. And Europe will (I hope) remain on Ukraine's side.

 

[tegs07]

30 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

Yes. 
 

If you park your personal animosity to Trump (which I share, by the way) you have to understand he’s in charge.

 

Trump is a mafia boss. You pay your tribute to him and follow his rules, or you’re ostracised.

 

Zelensky’s pride could cause the deaths of many thousands and see significant losses of territory. 
 

It also emboldens Russia.

 

I 100% agree Trump is a horrid person, a bully, a misogynist and quite probably senile. But he’s in charge.

There is definitely a price to pay for standing up to Trump and it may cost Ukraine. However watching the interview it seems to me there’s one superpower left in the world with the economic and military might and can command the world stage. And it’s not the USA. Xi must be watching this knowing China’s time has arrived.

Edited Friday at 22:18 by tegs07

[edstraker123]

6 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

f you park your personal animosity to Trump (which I share, by the way) you have to understand he’s in charge.

 

Trump is a mafia boss. You pay your tribute to him and follow his rules, or you’re ostracised.

 

Zelensky’s pride could cause the deaths of many thousands and see significant losses of territory. 
 

It also emboldens Russia.

 

I 100% agree Trump is a horrid person, a bully, a misogynist and quite probably senile. But he’s in charge.

I completely agree with this.  It was truly horrible to watch. What do the Ukranian people want - I guess that's what matters.

[Burns-bass]

Just now, Count Bassy said:

 

 

I agree with some of what you say, but believe that Trump is the one who is humiliated by this. Someone actually had the nerve to say no to him and Trump went into meltdown. Not a good look for a supposedly powerful leader. Trump had set this up to be televised, thinking he'd have a walk over, but didn't.

 

Re emboldening Russia, I am not so sure. Putin had the USA basically conceding everything he wanted and giving away nothing. By ruling out military help the USA have now made themselves less relevant to the situation, and Europe far more relevant. And Europe will (I hope) remain on Ukraine's side.

 

Trump may be humiliated in the eyes of liberal Europeans, but to his domestic audience this will play very well. (If we look at sheer numbers, most of the world sides with Russia. China, India, much of Africa and South America do, for example, and this will play well there too.)

The problem now is that European nations can’t and won’t get directly involved. We have no leverage without the USA.

 

[Buddster]

14 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

Trump is a mafia boss. You pay your tribute to him and follow his rules, or you’re ostracised.

 

And yes, you're right on this. It's exactly what he is, and this episode just shows it. Kiss his ring, or else. 

[Burns-bass]

To be fair, I’m watching it now on the BBC and this looks less like a breakdown in communication than a calibrated and pre-planned attack from Vance. 
 

Hearing it on the radio was slightly different.

[super al]

3 minutes ago, Buddster said:

And yes, you're right on this. It's exactly what he is, and this episode just shows it. Kiss his ring, or else. 

After a busy week of ring kissing he pulled up his pants rather sharply today 😄

[prowla]

Zelensky should've walked out when Trump & Vance started their routine.

[Count Bassy]

11 minutes ago, edstraker123 said:

I completely agree with this.  It was truly horrible to watch. What do the Ukranian people want - I guess that's what matters.

I agree. I don't know what the Ukrainian people want. I guess that they want the war to stop, but possibly not at the cost of capitulating to Russia, knowing that Putin would come back for more in a few years.

Edited Friday at 22:12 by Count Bassy