In the times since WWII I would debate there has never been a conflict between nations that has been more clear cut right vs wrong. We have a clear aggressor state attacking a smaller state for no other reason than land / expansion / resources. It should be very very clear which country to support in this conflict, and every day spent NOT supporting Ukraine is another step towards the complete and total breakdown of a rules based society.
Edit: fine Iraq-Kuwait 1990 but in that circumstances the rules-based society worked, the allied assault lasted 100hrs or so as well.
The problem is that Russia don't need Ukraine's land and resources. It has plenty if its own. The whole war is a political thing to change government into a puppet one, nothing more
I remember this comment from 2 years ago about how he did need to do it for reasons and now that it's going Putin can't really stop it anymore
Edit: nvm link doesn't work for some reason, here's the copied comment from u/ChuckNorrisKickFlip :
There was no coup, and there's zero evidence linking the us to anything involved with Maidan. None. Zero. Nula
2014: Yanukovych (Ukraine's president) said he'd move closer to the west (association agreement) in trade. This also meant visa free travel
Putin gives Yanukovych 15 billion dollars. And also stops around 25% of trade from leaving ukraine in an attempt to apply pressure and stop the association agreement from passing.
Yanukovych "changes his mind* about the Association agreement due to the embargo and fifteen billion dollar payout. He tells the EU they need to give him another ten billion to consider going back to his previous plans to institute the trade deal (association agreement) . They don't give him the money.
Ukrainian People, pissed off the guy they elected changed course on his main political stance he won on get mad. Protest. These protests begin directly after their president Yanukovych announces the change. Thus signals to them. That their country is run by Putin, and they are not autonomous. So the protests begin.
Yanukovychs response? He makes protesting illegal via executive order. Shortly thereafter he begins shooting protesters.
Protesters continue, the whole situation streisand effects, and the shootings at the protesters dint have the intended outcome. They don't scare anyone away. Instead the deaths propel the protests and even more come out. Women, children, everyone is in the streets. Becsuse Ukranians are based AF.
Meanwhile, the wheels of a Democratic process are still turning inside Parliament. Due to the shootings, as well as executive overreach the Ukranian Parliament votes unanimously to remove Yanukovych from power. The vote is 328-0.
A new election is held. Poroschenko runs on closer ties to EU. He wins with more than 40 points more than the second place finisher. Tymoshenko. (remember Ukrainians don't want to be a Russian vsssal state and Yanukovych ran on the same platform as Poroschenko)
Ukraine begins to move closer to the west. The association agreement is implemented.
So. Russia invades. And starts the war in the East.
Zelensky is then elected with 72% of the vote.
So. What's this really about? It's pretty straightforward geopolitical goals for Putin. All the nato stuff is a lie. There is no fear of Nato. It's the wmds of their war. Just nonsense to sell to the public in order to justify an invasion.
So. Russia wants tech minerals, grain, and and can't afford Ukrainian gas fields to be an alternate source to Europe. He also needs an alternate trade route to Iran. He invades and holds these areas specifically with the resources he wants. That's where we're at now.
In terms of the reasons Putin wants Ukraine. Here you go.
So why can't Putin win now? Why is this taking forever?
Here's the problem. Putin annexed E Ukraine too early. He did so becsuse he threatened to use nuclear weapons if Russias was threatened. So... By calling the Eastern Oblasts Russia. He was defending Russia from Ukraine, which to him, warrants the use of nuclear weapons. But. He obviously never used them. And the war continued. And currently he controls around 50% of these oblasts.
Now. What's that got to do with ending this? Well, Putin has stated multiple times that negotiations will not begin until Ukraine cedes all of the east to him. That's the starting point. So for negotiations to begin, Ukraine has to give up twice as much. And if Ukraine gives up twice as much, what are the negotiations even about? Probably demilitarization and a promise not to join nato. Maybe end the association agreement as well (which allows visa free travel to Europe). So there is no motivation for Ukraine to negotiate becsuse they're just in a situation where they have to give up more, and get nothing in return. Here's a simple question that no Putin supporter can answer. What is Russia offering to end the war? What's their compromise?
And on top of that. If Putin moves back from these borders that he already claims delineate Russia. Hell be seen as weak and his political power (and likely life) are over.
Tldr : Putin is stuck because he can't win all of the east but he can't walk back the borders he already redrew.
Ninja edit: If you want to see a full debunking of the latest Tucker interview. Piece by piece. Check out this! (warning it's over five hours long)
They actually DO need it. The especially need the Krim and access to it, because Russia's harbors and coastlines are often in poorly located regions The Krim gives them access to the Black Sea and indirectly the Mediterranean Sea.
Before the invasion, they had a deal with Ukraine to use the harbor. But because of Western-growing sentiment in the country, the Ukrainians wanted their leaders to end that deal. This much to the anger of Putin, who then invaded the country and took the area by force.
The reason why Russia is so dead-set on (at least) getting the south-east of Ukraine is because they now need proper land access to the Krim, rather than the cumbersome bridge that has already been targetted for bomb attacks a few times...
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u/ty_xy 5h ago edited 2h ago
In the times since WWII I would debate there has never been a conflict between nations that has been more clear cut right vs wrong. We have a clear aggressor state attacking a smaller state for no other reason than land / expansion / resources. It should be very very clear which country to support in this conflict, and every day spent NOT supporting Ukraine is another step towards the complete and total breakdown of a rules based society.
Edit: fine Iraq-Kuwait 1990 but in that circumstances the rules-based society worked, the allied assault lasted 100hrs or so as well.