Putin lowers the nuclear threshold, as longrange missiles start to hit further inland

Not another emergency NATO meeting?

The emergency NATO meting on Tuesday will be key to see what is decided ahead.

winterwhite

I don't think that Ukraine can ever win this war. It follows that some kind of compromise must be reached. Probably that Russia gains an area of Ukraine in return for strong guarantees that there will be no more incursions into Eastern Europe. Both sides are financially exhausted now. Something should be achievable and it's in all our interests that it happens sooner rather than later.

Absolutely right Winterwhite.

Iam64

Putin started the game playing. There is no evidence he’s interested in stopping playing. No one should appease an out of control despot

I agree, but what the solution is, I don’t know.

I hope and hope again that Oreo is right, because it’s true that Putin has had to import Koreans to fight his war (I can’t imagine that they are very motivated) and he’s using criminals, offering them early release if they fight in his war.

I just want this war to end, don’t we all? My son keeps saying the west should have gone in harder in the beginning. That we all just stood by and let Putin take Crimea and murder people in our cities, London and Salisbury.

What an unholy mess!

1938

Allsorts the West failed this time round. Get over it. Pick your battles. How many millions need to die over ownership of land? Putin is in a class of his own. We needed to listen and we didn’t.

winterwhite Totally agree!

So if countries don't do what Russia wants the West is over a barrel

I don't think that Ukraine can ever win this war. It follows that some kind of compromise must be reached. Probably that Russia gains an area of Ukraine in return for strong guarantees that there will be no more incursions into Eastern Europe. Both sides are financially exhausted now. Something should be achievable and it's in all our interests that it happens sooner rather than later.

Maremia

How did 'appeasement ' work out last time?
Everything crossed that Oreo is correct.

It was a totally different 'ball game' back then.

After this event, many warned very strongly about nuclear proliferation- and that it would lead at some point to exactly where we are now. Madmen, powermad men- all with nuclear weapons. NO comparison whatsoever.

I don’t know that it helps to ask what happened last time Maremia. We need to take a cold dispassionate approach to what is happening now. There are no rules on this.

How did 'appeasement ' work out last time?
Everything crossed that Oreo is correct.

Oreo

ronib

Iam64 so how and when is Putin stopped? The game playing is very much in Putin’s favour. The West is being crippled very effectively by very high food and energy prices caused by this war.

I won’t do too many back and forths with you but I do wonder why you keep talking down the capabilities of the West.
The West isn’t crippled at all if it comes to a conflict with Russia and the US wouldn’t sit on its hands either.

No-one has talked down the capabilities of the West- but asked how it works in a nuclear age, once one power obsessed madman, or two or three - decide to use that option? You seem to totally want to ignore this.

Proliferation was always going to lead to such a diabolically dangerous situation, for ALL involved, or not for that matter.

Oreo it’s not back and forth for the sake of it though. I am genuinely disturbed by the development of this war over the last 3 years.
The West has been on the back foot for the last 3 years and I have no confidence in any resolution soon.

Am sure that Putin does care about himself and his family and his place at the top of the tree in Russia.

ronib

Iam64 so how and when is Putin stopped? The game playing is very much in Putin’s favour. The West is being crippled very effectively by very high food and energy prices caused by this war.

I won’t do too many back and forths with you but I do wonder why you keep talking down the capabilities of the West.
The West isn’t crippled at all if it comes to a conflict with Russia and the US wouldn’t sit on its hands either.

How do you stop a desperate madman who has a nuclear button in his hand?

A very very different 'game' for sure. Especially a madman who does not care anymore for himself or his people. Bears that are losing power are the most dangerous.

There is opposition in Russia to the war, but as you can imagine its brutally squashed

www.amnesty.org/en/projects/anti-war-protest-in-russia/

Iam64 so how and when is Putin stopped? The game playing is very much in Putin’s favour. The West is being crippled very effectively by very high food and energy prices caused by this war.

kwest, and I for one totally understands this.

Oreo

ronib

In our house we keep asking “if you keep poking the bear, what is likely to happen?”

If another bigger bear comes along with better teeth and more claws then the bear backs off.

Sometimes- and sometimes they decide to fight to the death- and in this case, could take us all down with them.

Putin started the game playing. There is no evidence he’s interested in stopping playing. No one should appease an out of control despot

I am more terrified by the game playing under way thus enabling Putin to turn the mechanics of his war to his own advantage. We have very simple thinking.

The whole nuclear war discussion actually terrifies me. My initial thought was, with any luck , if they can keep holding it off, and we are both heading towards our eighties then it hopefully won't happen in our lifetimes. But then, my children, my grandchildren...............
I am powerless to do anything about it.
I know I am metaphorically burying my head in the sand but
the only way I can cope is by totally ignoring the whole thing.

Oreo I read somewhere that Russia and USA have equal amounts of long distance missiles. Putin wouldn’t be sabre rattling if the cupboard was bare.