Another Hitler-Stalin pact upon Europe?

[Basman]

Putin is part of a current wave of political authoritarianism, which Trump is also an expression of. Russia has been way more conducive to authoritarianism through Putin due to it's particular cultural and historical trends, which is why it stands out.

Putin doesn't want to integrate with the West. Russia culturally isn't even sure if it's "European". His goal currently is to maintain power and protect his life from a violent upheaval, like what happened with Qaddafi. Integrating with the West would long-term mean checks on power, which is a big reason why Putin seeks political control over Ukraine, a country very closely linked to Russia historically and culturally which is democratizing and integrating with the west. A threat to Putin's position and eventual life. Currently Russia would only integrate with the West if Putin somehow could undermine it from within, but he doesn't seem interested in doing that.

[Sandroew]

Well, im not saying Russia should integrate into Europe, i would have to think about it… im not sure if thats realistic at all.

My point is they could have done so with all their effort they have put into scheming and trying to dominate the region. There could be a strong eastern European alliance. There is culture that would bind Eastern Europe together, but Russia is ruining it all by itself because Putin refuses to let go of the past when they were able to achieve it by dominance. That time is clearly gone by, the world has changed.

[Daniel Balan]

29 minutes ago, Basman said:

Putin is part of a current wave of political authoritarianism, which Trump is also an expression of. Russia has been way more conducive to authoritarianism through Putin due to it's particular cultural and historical trends, which is why it stands out.

Putin doesn't want to integrate with the West. Russia culturally isn't even sure if it's "European". His goal currently is to maintain power and protect his life from a violent upheaval, like what happened with Qaddafi. Integrating with the West would long-term mean checks on power, which is a big reason why Putin seeks political control over Ukraine, a country very closely linked to Russia historically and culturally which is democratizing and integrating with the west. A threat to Putin's position and eventual life. Currently Russia would only integrate with the West if Putin somehow could undermine it from within, but he doesn't seem interested in doing that.

This narative about Putin fearing a possible change of regime is laughable. Almost 80% of Russian citizens are backing Putin. Even if it were to be that Putin is ousted, what would replace Putin would be something more radical, more bloodthirsty. Not something more liberal. There is no threat for the Putin regime to collapse, all the oligarchs in Russia profit massively from Putin, Putin is a guarantee that corruption will stay the same, this is something that everyone on Russia wants, they want more corruption, not less. 

[Daniel Balan]

47 minutes ago, Sandroew said:

The Soviet Union wont happen again. Virtually none of the ex members want to partake in a divided Europe especially not led by Russia. Its not 1950 anymore, it doesnt work like that anymore. Clearly Europe has enough agency to defend itself and its not “ripe for taking” like you imagine it is.

Putin is such a fucking moron. What he should have done after 1989 is taking a step back, fucking process what happend in the meantime, and move on from the world view that was created in a century with two fucking world wars. Then he could have built a strong Eastern block with Russia as a flagship, but based on collaboration instead of dominance. Noone says that Russia has to be an enemy of Europe, it could be a part of it by now. But no, Putin plays the big bad wolf for 30 fucking years, goes as far as annexing Crimea in 2014 and now wants to play the victim when NATO stands up against him. Its your own fucking fault, you dickhead! Look at China, they sort of understood the assignment and they are doing a lot better than Russia.

I just hope when Putin dies his attitude goes with him. The world is ready to change for the better.

I'm staunchly pro European and pro liberal democracy and anti-dictatorship, Don't mistake me for @zazen.

I just connected the dots in my head and what I wrote in this thread is the end result of me connecting some dots. It is not about returning of communism or the USSR, this is laughable. But in Putin's mind, because the USSR lost 20 million of lives during their war with the nazis, they feel entitled to have half of Europe as a consolation gift for the 20 million of lives lost. Putin stresses this all the time. Russia wants eastern Europe as a buffer that will be between itself and the western led world which would be led by the US. Russia doesn't want to militarily occupy Europe, Russia wants a Victor Orban in each eastern European country. Russia wants the EU out of Eastern Europe. And Trump will happily fulfill Russia this wish because the US no longer has the resources to carry on its back a region that in Putin's mind, is already culturally, ideologically, religiously, corruption level -wise aligned with Russia.

That's my own conclusion. Say what you want about it. 

[Daniel Balan]

If Russia wasn't broke in the 90's, all of the former Warsaw pact countries except East Germany and maybe Czechia, all those countries would have alligned themselves with Russia because Eastern Europe is corrupt to the bone as is Russia. The only reason those countries moved towards the EU was for the money. Had Russia not been broke, all of eastern Europe would have migrated back to Russia, because Russia is the license for unchecked corruption while the EU is the kryptonite of corruption. And all of eastern Europe loves corruption. For Russia and Eastern Europe corruption is not a bug, but a highly desired and loved feature. Corruption is litteraly God for these countries. And if corruption is God, then Russia is the priest.

Edited 7 hours ago by Daniel Balan

[Ajay0]

The US has a 38 trillion dollar debt, the largest in the world, which is increasing in leaps and bounds, and can create catastrophic damage and American decline if not managed properly.

Trump, a shrewd businessman, realizes this better than his predecessors , and consequently is creating pacts to reduce the haemorrhaging of American economy and also redirect it from a potential nuclear war with Russia, which can end the American dream forever.

This is why he wants Europe alone to fight Russia and keep the US out of it opportunistically so that only Europe will end up as the loser.

However European nations are also not free from debt and economic crises, and the loss of cheap energy from Russia replaced by highly expensive energy from the US has increased inflation and poverty in Europe.

Though less than past years, this is why Europe still pays many billions to Russia each month for its energy, or else the economic backlash can be severe on the european economy as well.

This is why the  EU, that is at war with Russia with western media narratives proclaiming it as its most dangerous adversary, and at the same feeding it billions of euros each month for its fuel and adequately funding its war campaign.

Since Russia’s war in Ukraine began, the EU has paid over €220 billion for Russian energy - about the same amount that Russia has spent on its war.

It is similar to criticizing a ruffian for kicking one's behind and then paying him well for some valuables he has in his pocket. And then continuing the same process again and again endlessly. 

It is clear that EU still wants cheap Russian fuel to power its economy rather than going to poverty, and at the same time they want Nato to come to russian borders.  Both cannot happen at the same time.

If they want Nato at Russian borders, they should be willing to leave all of Russian fuel and risk greater poverty and a weaker economy in the process.

If this is not an option for EU, then they should get to negotiations with the Russians.

Obviously if trade is good enough for EU to give the russians billions each month even in wartime, why not sit and talk about the weather as well and later on about each other's security considerations and create a best case scenario for both parties. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Ajay0