Political impacts of Ukraine war

[HavokFour]

Trump also told reporters that Russia has been "fine" with regards to Ukraine. "They ‌haven't ⁠been doing much," he said.

[Reuters]Trump says Zelenskiy should get somebody else to negotiate to end war​

"Fine"

Russian Drone Hits Park Full of Families in Kharkiv Region, Killing Infant and Two Women

A Russian drone struck a crowded park in Nova Vodolaha, killing two women and an infant and injuring at least 14 people, including seven children.

united24media.com

 

[Czech_pivo]

[Reuters]Trump says Zelenskiy should get somebody else to negotiate to end war​

"Fine"

Russian Drone Hits Park Full of Families in Kharkiv Region, Killing Infant and Two Women

A Russian drone struck a crowded park in Nova Vodolaha, killing two women and an infant and injuring at least 14 people, including seven children.

united24media.com

Hmmmm

What would Trump say if Zelenskiy said that he’d prefer Carney to negotiate on behalf of the Ukrainians? I mean, Trump did say that Canada’s leaders were nasty and very difficult to negotiate with.

 

[Brad Sallows]

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
Have you seen or heard from any good men lately? Every outspoken congress person or senator should be converging on Washington to pass legislation overriding Trump or they should just plain shut up.

There are plenty of people opposed to Trump on the conservative side of the aisle. On any given day I can find at least a few quoted at places like Reason(.com) and National Review Online. There is not a majority sufficient to take action in Congress. They are unlikely to work with Democrats because a few loudmouths among the Democrats have indicated they want to punish anyone who did anything substantial to support Trump (if a hook can be found for some kind of legal theory), and Democrats have a well-established history for disposing of their political opponents after they finish pursuing a shared enemy.

There is not really any point hoping Republicans will throw themselves out as long as the only alternative is Democrats as they currently are constituted. I suppose that if the Democrats were approximately where they were c. 2008 when Bernie Sanders might have marked the outside boundary for wing-nuts, a bipartisan concensus would emerge to thwart if not remove Trump. But they're not; they're in 2026 and a few extreme candidates are scaring the normies and their silent sane majority is staying silent. I see a few people trying to disavow and contradict the extremists, but they're lost voices in a hurricane.

 

[HavokFour]

Countries are now being blocked from transferring missiles they already possess, to Ukraine.

Another great advertisement for American defense companies.

[The Telegraph]White House blocks transfer of Patriots to Ukraine​

 

[ArmyRick]

That would be very nice.

Interesting moves along these lines occurring with the oil fields off NFLD where the Brits are buying up some of the fields for their use.

There is also this one -

https://energynow.ca/2026/03/commentary-14-billion-bay-du-nord-deal-unlocks-new-oil-and-gas-frontier-for-canada/

$14 Billion Bay du Nord Deal Unlocks New Oil and Gas Frontier for Canada​

The massive Bay du Nord project, located outside the country’s 200-mile limit, is Canada’s first deep-water oil and gas development​

And this claim from the summer -

About $500 billion in natural gas lies off Newfoundland's coast. Can Canada tap it?

Newfoundland wants to launch a new LNG industry on the east coast, but faces major commercial and technical hurdles. Find out more.

financialpost.com

About $500 billion in natural gas lies off Newfoundland's coast. Can Canada tap it?​

The province wants to launch a new LNG industry on the east coast, but faces major commercial and technical hurdles

Awesome! Keep 'em coming.

 

[HavokFour]

Starshield is still very much capped at 161km/h, a far cry from the original 400km/h needed for drone interceptors.

Kyiv denies reports that Trump, Musk have restored Starlink speeds in Ukraine

"Overall, nothing has changed anywhere," a Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 22. Starlink's speed cap of 161 kilometers per hour remains in effect, the official said.

kyivindependent.com

 

[HavokFour]

I must have completely missed the US joining the EU?

Someone wanna square this circle for me?

US Peace Proposal Links Ukraine’s EU Membership to Abandoning NATO Bid

The reported proposal includes a demilitarized zone in Donbas and economic incentives for Moscow. Ukraine has not announced its acceptance.

www.kyivpost.com

 

[PPCLI Guy]

I must have completely missed the US joining the EU?

Someone wanna square this circle for me?

US Peace Proposal Links Ukraine’s EU Membership to Abandoning NATO Bid

The reported proposal includes a demilitarized zone in Donbas and economic incentives for Moscow. Ukraine has not announced its acceptance.

www.kyivpost.com

So much winning.

 

[lenaitch]

I must have completely missed the US joining the EU?

Someone wanna square this circle for me?

US Peace Proposal Links Ukraine’s EU Membership to Abandoning NATO Bid

The reported proposal includes a demilitarized zone in Donbas and economic incentives for Moscow. Ukraine has not announced its acceptance.

www.kyivpost.com

Under the heading of what's not yours to give . . .

'Oh ya, and I'll throw in my sister'.

 

[Gordon Dundas/]

Turkish ship sunk with 2 crew killed, in Romanian waters...

Russian Drones Sink Civilian Corn Ship Inside Romania’s Exclusive Economic Zone

A Russian drone attack on a Ukraine corn shipment killed two and injured one, while 11 survived the Black Sea cargo ship sinking in neutral waters near Romania.

united24media.com

Under the heading of what's not yours to give . . .

'Oh ya, and I'll throw in my sister'.

More like" and I'll throw in your sister. "

 

[lenaitch]

The US offering up EU membership is likely right up there with his announcement a couple of weeks ago about a ceasefire that neither side knew about. When asked, he'll probably say that the EU will agree to it because I say they will agree to it.

 

[HavokFour]

Next "maybe" ceasefire starts on the 29th.

Melania Trump helped broker ceasefire in Russian-occupied city, White House says

The White House says first lady Melania Trump has brokered an upcoming ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the war-ravaged city of Oleshky to allow for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians.

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[MrWhyt]

Next "maybe" ceasefire starts on the 29th.

Melania Trump helped broker ceasefire in Russian-occupied city, White House says

The White House says first lady Melania Trump has brokered an upcoming ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the war-ravaged city of Oleshky to allow for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians.

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[HavokFour]

That comes out to around ~3500 Russians per km this year alone.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2112914306224295976

Meanwhile Trumps next 4D Chess move. The exact thing the Lindsay Graham Bill that he signed does, and immediately waived?

Tariffing a country for being invaded is also a choice.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2113714427635646536

 

[Kirkhill]

Starlink service restored.

Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield high speed restrictions have been lifted

Ukraine says restrictions on Starlink and Starshield have been lifted, restoring connectivity to fast-moving military systems after disruptions.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Various sites are claiming the fault lies with Ukraine as they "hacked" starlink terminals to fool them into allowing to go faster than the 161km and Starlink found out and restricted the terminals to that speed. Personally I think this story is a deflection attempt.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Various sites are claiming the fault lies with Ukraine as they "hacked" starlink terminals to fool them into allowing to go faster than the 161km and Starlink found out and restricted the terminals to that speed. Personally I think this story is a deflection attempt.

Musk maintained long before this brouhaha that Starlink is supposed to be off limits for offensive military purposes. If Ukraine was exploiting Starlink for such purposes - with or without hacks - they weren't doing so ignorantly.

It will be a real treat if someone leverages some point of law to go after Musk because Starlink has been used for offensive military purposes, won't it? Which way should he err? If I were him I'd take the same stand, being as diligent as possible, just to give the haters no traction.

 

[Furniture]

Musk maintained long before this brouhaha that Starlink is supposed to be off limits for offensive military purposes. If Ukraine was exploiting Starlink for such purposes - with or without hacks - they weren't doing so ignorantly.

Preventing the enemy from amassing the resources to overwhelm your positions is pretty defensive...

But lets keep pretending the US administration, and Musk/Starlink aren't playing for Russian favours.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Preventing the enemy from amassing the resources to overwhelm your positions is pretty defensive...

Attacks into an enemy country short of intercepting something inbound into yours are offensive action.

But lets keep pretending the US administration, and Musk/Starlink aren't playing for Russian favours.

What is it you think Musk needs from Russia, let alone the administration? Their space and robotics and comms tech? More money?

If Russia and Ukraine use, let alone hack, Starlink for purposes for which it is expressly not to be used, that's on them. The fact it's Musk's company shouldn't change the way people are framing it. There isn't really a Ukraine-can-do-whatever-the-hell-it-pleases card to be played.

The company is justified and prudent to take steps to mitigate exposure to some kind of lawfare, precisely because so many brains have been broken by Musk. I suppose there are people so deranged that in their minds they can simultaneously hold the following two thoughts: Ukraine is blameless for exploiting Starlink any way they can; and, Musk should be pursued in the courts if he fails to exercise sufficient diligence to prevent Starlink from being misused.

 

[Furniture]

Attacks into an enemy country short of intercepting something inbound into yours are offensive action.

That's one interpretation. A very narrow and useful one if you harbour specific ideologies...

What is it you think Musk needs from Russia, let alone the administration? Their space and robotics and comms tech? More money?

Yes.

Are you intentionally avoiding the reality that one does not become a trillionaire if one can be happy with "enough"?

I get it, we have had these arguments before. You live in a world of theoretical absolutes, and can't seem to fathom a world where theory and reality collide in messy ways.

It absolutely works in Starlink/Musk's favour to drag out the war, collect even more money from prolonging the war, and use the profits to do whatever fantasy Roadster flying car foolishness they want.