5 ms·
Russia knows exactly how to play this game though, especially with the cooperation of China. They know Germans, in particular, would rather give up all of Easte
by purple_ferret 5y ago
Russia knows exactly how to play this game though, especially with the cooperation of China. They know Germans, in particular, would rather give up all of Eastern Europe than risk harming their own economy.
- redwood 5y agoThe idea of an EU without a mutual defense treaty is so absurd
- danuker 5y agoThe idea of an EU defense treaty is also redundant after NATO.
- blibble 5y agothere already is one but Putin would probably be pretty safe to assume that the germans wouldn't risk a war for a small part of Estonia/Lithuania (and then another small part, and so-on) (and that's why no-one outside of france and germany wants the EU army to replace NATO)
- unfocussed_mike 5y ago> but Putin would probably be pretty safe to assume that the germans wouldn't risk a war for a small part of Estonia/Lithuania (and then another small part, and so-on) Right. He's been carefully boiling that particular frog for a very long time.
- icare_1er 5y agoThe idea of an EU is absurd.
- stjohnswarts 5y agoFor the European continent to keep up with countries like the USA and China it makes absolute sense and I don't see how anyone could see it any other way other than Russia or a similar country that would love to see a weak European continent that would be easy pickings.
- jansen555 5y ago[flagged]
- icare_1er 5y agoThe axiom "we are stronger together" is only true if participants all want the same. That is not the case at all. They all have different priorities; different geopolitical views. Are you telling me that Israel should merge with the 20 states around it, or that Singapore should do the same, just because "it is small" ?
- karmakurtisaani 5y agoThe idea that even two countries would ever "want the same" is absurd. They just need to have close enough interests. Most EU countries do, believe it or not.
- icare_1er 5y agoEven the most pro-europe people here in europe would disagree and consistently complained about never finding consensus (needed by the 27 member states as per EU treaties). Eastern countries want 0 migrants. France, Germany, want plenty. Poor countries want common debt. Northern countries do not. France tends to be less Nato-aligned than Poland or others, who will sign-off anything Washington says. Germany and Netherlands want austerity. The "PIGS" do not. Germany wants commercial partnership to develop the European GPS. France does not: that explain why there is still no European GPS. Germany wants a strong euro that suits its economy as a massive exporter. This has destroyed the competitiveness of Spain, Italy, France. France, Italy, Spain, want an EU policy which favors their agriculture. Northern countries could not care less. France is a nuclear power, with a massive nuclear electric parc, which it wants to favor. Germany wants windturbines everywhere. I could go on like that for pages. In fact, studies have found than the eurozone is one of the least homogeneous economical zone.
- trasz 5y agoThis time even China isn't on Russia's side, though: https://www.wsj.com/articles/behind-chinas-warning-against-a-russian-invasion-is-a-desire-to-protect-ties-with-the-u-s-11645376565 https://www.wsj.com/articles/behind-chinas-warning-against-a...
- stjohnswarts 5y agoI think China (with the exception of Taiwan) likes to win economically and apply that sort of pressure. They don't want an invasion happy country sitting just north of them.
- zx85wes 5y agoOf course they're on Russia's side. China knows they're next in line.
- danuker 5y agoAre you sure? Someone German would have to do the cheap labor in that case.
- sidibe 5y agoRussia is stuck playing the mid 20th century game
- ghostwriter 5y agoIf you believe that something has changed in the methods of global politics since the mid of 20th century, then you haven't been curious enough to look at the state of the world beyond convenient western news coverage. It's still the rule of powerful and able, and it's not the power to produce and create, unfortunately.
- csee 5y agoThe states who play these games have terrible economies to show for it.
- ghostwriter 5y agodoesn't seem to hurt Saudis much as long as their ruling classes can arrange meetings in the cabinets of the US and the UK governments.
- Teever 5y agoYou seem to be missing something key to this discussion. The game changed in the mid 20th century with the rise of mutually assured destruction.