Is that why you care about the Ukrainians ? Because they are "white"? — Olivier5
I am not sure what law is broken when countries sign trade deals with the EU, or what harm is done to anyone. To the extent that the EU tries and contribute to stabilizing and repairing the world around it through trade and cooperation, it is doing good work.
Whose skin would be peeled off whose nose if Ukraine joined the EU, pray tell? Antiquity historians? — Olivier5
Anyway, my point was that the EU's self-declared aim of rebuilding the Roman Empire tends to be seen as commendable but Russia's alleged intention to "rebuild the Russian Empire" is indicted as some kind of crime. — Apollodorus
Anyway, my point was that the EU's self-declared aim of rebuilding the Roman Empire tends to be seen as commendable but Russia's alleged intention to "rebuild the Russian Empire" is indicted as some kind of crime. — Apollodorus
It just so happens that Ukrainians are the victims of geopolitical circumstance and great power competition (regardless of which great power you "blame most"), which could actually be resolved by diplomacy based on a realistic understanding of the geopolitical situation. — boethius
I never said Ukrainians shouldn't be asked, did I? But when it comes to something that affects Russia, or any other country, then I think it is proper to ask the people of that country as well.
I don't see why Ukraine should matter more than Russia who has a much larger population. — Apollodorus
Everyone there wants to come home. — Oksana
I don't understand what your opposition to that is. — ssu
The point is that you can use common sense. It's not all that blurry and utterly confusing that you cannot make sense of it. — ssu
where does the EU self declare its aim as rebuilding the Roman Empire? — boethius
We will rebuild the Roman Empire and this time through the power of ideas, not by force of arms.
Under Trajan the Roman Empire, at its greatest extent, encompassed the entire Mediterranean region, but also parts of present-day Germany, Britain, Romania, Turkey, Syria and Armenia. The European Union is preparing to build a similar empire.
It's not off topic because the US are heavily involved in Ukraine, so their reputation is very relevant. — Isaac
By the way, I hear that some of the 4 million refugees are returning to Ukraine. — jorndoe
When (“Mr. Europe”) Paul-Henri Spaak signed the Treaty of Rome that established the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957, the precursor to the EU, he said: — Apollodorus
Obviously, they aren't going to put that in official documents, but the idea is being discussed unofficially, and has been from inception.
"We will rebuild the Roman Empire and this time through the power of ideas, not by force of arms." — Apollodorus
I think you only care for the Ukrainians because they are white. — Olivier5
China does the same. When accused of taking the Russian side because it was sharing Russian disinformation (according to an EU agency), the Chinese responded as follows:
"In the past decades, who has been spreading disinformation to wage war in violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries? Who has been expanding its geographical scope and range of operations that have disrupted regional stability? Who has provoked conflicts that have caused large humanitarian disasters?" the spokesperson asked. — Benkei
We will rebuild the Roman Empire and this time through the power of ideas, not by force of arms. — boethius
Sure, why use force of arms when it's much easier to use economic, financial, and legislative means? — Apollodorus
These things can be quantified in how much reporting there is and what policies and actions are taken about different conflicts.
We abandon Afghani "allies" and then let them starve to death. — boethius
There are a lot of analysts and commentators who conclude that Putin is a dictator. Certainly the failings of the military is not evidence to the contrary. — Punshhh
Minister Cavusoglu and I also discussed Turkey´s ongoing operation in Northern Syria … Turkey has legitimate security concerns … Turkey is a great power in this great region and with great power comes great responsibility… - NATO Joint press conference, 11 Oct. 2019
I'm not sure what "Antiquity historians" has got to do with this, [...]
1. The Roman Empire was a predatory entity — Apollodorus
IMO the interests of true freedom and democracy would be served much better by a multipolar world order based on free and independent countries and continents instead of a worldwide American empire. This seems to be the view of non-Western powers like Russia, China, India, and many African and Latin American countries, i.e., the majority of the world population ....
1h — Apollodorus
For your info, the right term for someone from Afghanistan is "Afghan". "Afghanis" are their currency. — Olivier5
We can also quantify how many words YOU wrote on TPF about the war in Ukraine vs that in Ethiopia or the famine in Afghanistan. If CNN is racist because they cover Ukraine more than Ethiopia, what does that make of YOU, who also cover Ukraine far more than Ethiopia? — Olivier5
Ah, the race card!
I think I would accept more the distance card here. This is an event happening in the neighboring country to me and for both for me and Christopher the events have dramatically change the security environment in our countries. This crisis does affect my life directly even if the conflict is between Ukraine and Russia. Your and my country are sending arms to Ukraine, not to Ethiopia. (I remember that Finland did sell few training aircraft to Eritrea earlier)
The war in Ethiopia? — ssu
Today, of the great powers, EU is the most peaceful and democratic, and I rather see the expansion of such a system than the Chinese total totalitarian system. — boethius
I agree that the EU system is preferable to that of China, but I think "peaceful and democratic" is relative.
Certainly, in demographic, cultural, and other respects, the EU is far from all positive. — Apollodorus
Plus, the EU and its agenda are becoming more and more identical with NATO, a military organization (the world's largest, actually) that is known to have engaged in aggressive behavior. — Apollodorus
A strong EU provides an alternative to a unipolar world. — Olivier5
it so far seems to express no interest in that and seems completely content to be subservient to US foreign policy, with rare exceptions, even suffering great harms to itself in promotion of the harms US imposes on others — boethius
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