Leaving aside whether Nato should intervene with hard power, and where that escalation could lead, is it even possible for it to do so?

No Nato country is under attack. Nato could not act without USA support and I cannot believe that in today's divided USA there would be any mood for such a venture.

My conclusion is that Putin will get what he wants in Ukraine, whatever that is, and we will then settle down into a new cold war. One in which the Nato members with borders to Russia will see them reinforced, Russia ostracised by the west, with travel restricted and cut off from the financial systems of the world. We will face energy shortages, although I expect ways will be found around sanctions. We will accelerate our search for alternative energy sources. Expect fracking to be a major industry in the coming years.

Russia can survive for a few years, but sanctions will bite and Putin could come under pressure. He won't live for ever!

It's a game changer though, which will add big problems to the big problems we already face. This is going to do nothing to help us overcome the climate emergency.

We have some friends living in Taiwan, a British guy married to a local lady, who are now seriously thinking of coming back to the UK. The dominoes are tipping already.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

China starts the pandemic which weakens the Western world.
Two years later one of its close Allies - Russia - starts to invade parts of Europe - hmmm - let me think.........
Just listening to Nato it is we will defend ourselves but not Ukraine except in sanctions.
Listened to a Tory MP on Times Radio earlier - Adam Holloway I think - who said we should do absolutely everything now in the way of sanctions regardless of the consequences - he is ex Forces and spoke very calmly and well and I have to agree with him.
If it is on a blog it is a good listen.

Edited by The Dolphin (24 Feb 2022 1.35pm)

How unusual for him to be leading the client state.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Russia is a nuclear state with an arsenal that could send us sky high. We need less bellicose talk.

Ukraine is not a Nato country and there needs to be far more calm. Am I prepared to die for the Ukraine? No, however if Poland were invaded I guess history will rhyme again, but I seriously don't see that happening.

The sanctions you refer to will hit us just as hard if not harder....Russia are a major link in both the gas and food markets.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

"Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind." [Orwell]

If you think Putin's claims of genocide are true, you are either a moron or evil - or perhaps both.

Putin would never have gone ahead with his invasion if NATO had granted Ukraine emergency membership. Force is the only thing he respects. As Lenin said: "You probe with bayonets: if you find mush, you push. If you find steel, you withdraw."