egg

They could well become our new best friends. A future of "Temu Local" in every high street, and bubble tea with your fish and chips beckons.

Steve Bannon on Sky is a bit wow. Says we'll need to ditch our NHS and State Pensions to build up our military, and may need the IMF to bail is out.

A risk worth taking imo. Putin wanted a war and until there's peace, Ukraine needs a war chest. Let Russia provide that war chest with their money.

Genuine question. How would a collective western agreement to use monies frozen under sanctions, then being held for Ukraine to pay for military hardware, impact markets?

Listening to his voice on YouTube, I think it may well have been him. I'd not heard of Red Notice, but will take a look. Cheers.

I didn't catch the name of the fella in Times, but he was American, and professed to be an expert on the issue. May have been the same person.

Couldn't agree more, but when you look at it alongside the minerals 'deal' it makes you wonder if the US really feels that they should be paid back (disgraceful that they do) then there's cash sat there, and the mineral deal for monies spent to date is unnecessary. The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

There was a bit about that on Times Radio earlier. Essentially, would be easy for us to take the cash if we want to, but for reasons unexplained, there's no political will to do so. One explanation is that Russia will get it back.

I agree, but, he's not as stupid as he seems, and will know the danger of emboldening Putin. He's done that, but why? Don't get me wrong, I agree with him that the European mantra of "we need the US" makes us look weaker ain't helping the situation.

And a reminder why De Niro is one of my favourite actors:

A long one but worth a read, and a nice antidote to nic's ramblings: Former President of Poland Lech Walesa wrote the following letter to Trump. Your Excellency, Mr. President, We watched the report of your conversation with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, with fear and distaste. We find it insulting that you expect Ukraine to show respect and gratitude for the material assistance provided by the United States in its fight against russia. Gratitude is owed to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed their blood in defense of the values of the free world. They have been dying on the front lines for more than 11 years in the name of these values and the independence of their homeland, which was attacked by Putin’s russia. We do not understand how the leader of a country that symbolizes the free world cannot recognize this. Our alarm was also heightened by the atmosphere in the Oval Office during this conversation, which reminded us of the interrogations we endured at the hands of the Security Services and the debates in Communist courts. Prosecutors and judges, acting on behalf of the all-powerful communist political police, would explain to us that they held all the power while we held none. They demanded that we cease our activities, arguing that thousands of innocent people suffered because of us. They stripped us of our freedoms and civil rights because we refused to cooperate with the government or express gratitude for our oppression. We are shocked that President Volodymyr Zelensky was treated in the same manner. The history of the 20th century shows that whenever the United States sought to distance itself from democratic values and its European allies, it ultimately became a threat to itself. President Woodrow Wilson understood this when he decided in 1917 that the United States must join World War I. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt understood this when, after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he resolved that the war to defend America must be fought not only in the Pacific but also in Europe, in alliance with the nations under attack by the Third Reich. We remember that without President Ronald Reagan and America’s financial commitment, the collapse of the Soviet empire would not have been possible. President Reagan recognized that millions of enslaved people suffered in Soviet russia and the countries it had subjugated, including thousands of political prisoners who paid for their defense of democratic values with their freedom. His greatness lay, among other things, in his unwavering decision to call the USSR an “Empire of Evil” and to fight it decisively. We won, and today, the statue of President Ronald Reagan stands in Warsaw, facing the U.S. Embassy. Mr. President, material aid—military and financial—can never be equated with the blood shed in the name of Ukraine’s independence and the freedom of Europe and the entire free world. Human life is priceless; its value cannot be measured in money. Gratitude is due to those who sacrifice their blood and their freedom. This is self-evident to us, the people of Solidarity, former political prisoners of the communist regime under Soviet russia. We call on the United States to uphold the guarantees made alongside Great Britain in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which established a direct obligation to defend Ukraine’s territorial integrity in exchange for its relinquishment of nuclear weapons. These guarantees are unconditional—there is no mention of treating such assistance as an economic transaction. Signed, Lech Wałęsa, former political prisoner, President of Poland

Are saying it isn't? You're a brainwashed MSM following sheep I tell you.

Alternatively, people could listen to a grown up. She called it, and to say it's disappointing that the Americans didn't listen is an understatement https://www.facebook.com/share/r/15HBM4F7uS/ And your suggestion that US and Nato used espionage to gain control of Ukraine, to build them up, and start WW3 is as ridiculous a statement as I've read on this forum. That's some feat.

Absolutely. The US have shown that partners can be unreliable, and Hungary are about as loyal as Judas.

Surely we've learned recently that reliance on other nations is not the way to go? We need to be self reliant, as do other nations, but have a commitment to join forces where necessary. A European army is the last thing I would want.

We have conceded that we have see depleted our stocks. We cannot simultaneously have plenty of stocks and depleted stocks.

Yep. This article touches on the intelligence issue. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/26/europe-nato-russia-trump-putin-forces-equipment-weapons/

You haven't answered. You've flounced from one suggestion to another. We agree that if we spend money on aid it must be found. As you're the one supporting that spending, it's on you to say where from, even in broad terms! That's how it works SoG. It won't be taxes, so it's from other areas of spending. That's austerity. Do you want less spent on the NHS? Less on courts? How about reduced welfare? Local authorities perhaps? Those areas cannot afford cuts, you know that.

You mention me saying that Russia is strong. It's you saying that we are, ditto Europe, but you can't support that opinion. You've mentioned the North Korean support (arms and personnel) as a negative. Getting arms and personnel support is a positive. Where can we look to for similar resources? Europe is limited to Europe, and without universal support within.

That's a poor cop out. Your argument has been to make cuts elsewhere. You've then shifted to tax rises. Then to tax thresholds. You're all over the place.

Which areas of public spending do you say should face cuts to keep foreign aid going? Please answer.

Slashing government spending is austerity. It leads to reduced public services, job losses, then lower tax revenue, probably a recession. Why should we tolerate that rather than cutting foreign aid? You've been asked before where you say cuts should be made and swerved the question. Let's assume taxes ain't going up and we don't tweak thresholds. Which areas of public spending do you say should face cuts to keep foreign aid going? Please answer.

I thought the same, but I can't see who's voted either.

I don't know what victory looks like, it wasn't me who said that Europe would easily beat Russia in a war. The constant "we need US support to hold back Russia" mantra from western leaders doesn't suggest that they have that confidence though. Your re-arm point is my concern. I suspect Donny will gladly supply us on Donny's terms though.

SoG, we're spending on defence, and have to shave elsewhere. Nobody would support austerity or tax rises. Unless you can point to other ways of covering the extra, you need to accept that India etc will not get our money.