I do wonder what the Ukrainian / Palestine flag waving wokey lefties think about zelensky supporting Israel...

You don't know?

I have now sufficient funds to last me the rest of my life. Provided I don't buy anything.

He wanted to and asked to visit shortly after the 7th but they told him, 'now's not the time'......Israel don't seem to like him very much.

Subsequently Ukraine abstained in the UN vote rather than back Israel....and I'm hearing the Zelensky's Israel visit is now off the agenda.

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

Media are so fickle.

They fell over themselves for Zelensky but now he's barely mentioned. They propped him up despite being fully aware of his past dealings in corruption (admittedly par for the course in Slavic countries). All for the reason that he was their focal point to fight the Russians.

The Americans know that Ukraine are losing the war simply because they can't win a war of attrition with Russia. The average age of the Ukrainian soldier is 43 now and a lot of men they wanted for mobilisation have left the country....all this while Russia have been building up.

However, they can't get Zelensky to negotiate with Putin...so they are looking around for an alternative and in my view they will isolate Zelensky and discredit him if he fights the State department over this.

It's never been about Ukraine and that country is now wrecked and a chain around western taxpayer's neck while their population is full of weapons no doubt selling to all and sundry.

The inherent problem for both Biden and the EU leaders is all what has been said and gone before....unfortunately they didn't take the Orban approach but instead have committed themselves to this war.

But it was always tough talk that was reliant upon America.

Whether people trust Putin or not matters little now as Putin doesn't trust them either. I don't see this war ending for at least another year.

But I think Ukraine will only really have the troops for six months of that.

Edited by Stirlingsays (09 Nov 2023 2.15am)

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

We obviously want the war to end ASAP, however that opportunity was missed.

Now, what we can see is the US state department wanting a negotiated settlement while Ukraine can still hold onto territory without massive new funding.

The US wants that budget for Israel now, it's terrified of a regional war in the middle east and knows that getting enough money to Ukraine through the Republicans will be very difficult.

Their problem is that obviously Russia aren't stupid and can see that as well. They know that the Americans want to convince them that a negotiation is better now......This is why we are hearing that suddenly Ukraine are being offered EU membership....perhaps stopping that is being offered up as a carrot to Russia.

But it looks unlikely that the Americans can convince Zelensky to negotiate....He knows that if he does he's as good as dead with the hardliners.

No, it looks like this war will probably carry on and end like all the worst wars do....by attrition exhausting one side.

It looks bad for Biden....but then again everything is looking bad for Biden.

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

How Ukraine and the EU leaders deal with these new realities will be fascinating considering just how hard they went.....all the 'as long as it takes' stuff. The funding situation is currently up in the air and looking negative for them....but as of yet there isn't full clarity.

While Russia have taken more land than Ukraine since January I'd say Ukraine are reasonably holding their own....though it looks likely they will lose another city by around January if not before.

Ukraine are burning through ammo and men in the belief that they won't be left dry. There is a refusal to accept reality in their leadership.....to be honest that refusal has been evident by many in Europe (except Orban). Governmental and security forces feeding the media putting out selective analysis has to take some of that blame.....similar to what happened with covid.

Ukraine are scheduled to be using F-16s next year....will this actually happen? I get the impression that a lot is going on behind the scenes right now.

Edited by Stirlingsays (10 Nov 2023 2.45am)

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