Thread: How dangerous is Vladimir Putin?

I have read somewhere (better not mention where, seeing that today already once deleted) that the presidents who tried for better relation with Russia had experienced not quite a lucky ending. But perhaps it was a coincidence (or conspiracy theory?).
There were named Kennedy, Nixon, Carter (was persuaded into the hopeless Iran hijacking), Reagan (assassination luckily survived, Iran Contra Affair also survived)...

Originally Posted by thailazer

The world seems to be split between going for an autocracy versus a democracy. Control is a main element of an autocracy and no wonder that VPNs and political opponents get killed. Putin is the mouthpiece for the oligarchy and the Russian Mafia, which is likely better classified as one group.

Not even close. The mafia operate with his permission, and it's the same with oligarchs.

You only have to look at Berezovsky, Khodorkovsky and so on.

If you're lucky, you go to jail. If you you're not, you're joining the Choir Invisible.

Oligarchs are there to shut up and make their payments of gratitude to Vlad's Abbey National Young Dictators account.

And now to something completely different:

I agree with Harry

Putin ain't no puppet

Originally Posted by Looper

How dangerous is Vladimir Putin?

Territorial acquisition is a dangerous game to start playing. The world has moved on from the age of annexation and invasion.

Clinton has compared this to Germany in 1930s. There are some parallels. Being sore about having lost territories in the break-up of the soviet union. Annexing neighbouring territory on the grounds of protecting your ethnic clan. Promising that you are finished when there are many other Russian ethnic groups in other neighbouring territories.

The psychology of Putin is a worry. He has a bit of a narcissistic personality cult about him which is a warning sign for a leader who has the potential to cause a lot of misery through ego driven confrontation.

I hope the world can show a united front when it comes to sanctions to see if we are able to control bad behaviour without military force.

And then Biden lifts the sanctions in less than 150 days in office that took 6 years from your OP to get in place.?????????? and his son takes money from the former ?????????? in Russia???????

Originally Posted by helge

And now to something completely different:

I agree with Harry

Putin ain't no puppet

Never said he was a puppet, as he is indeed an active member of those in control.

Originally Posted by thailazer

Putin is the mouthpiece

OK
I guess that this made me think that

I'd better google 'mouthpiece'

Originally Posted by havnfun

And then Biden lifts the sanctions in less than 150 days in office that took 6 years from your OP to get in place.?????????? and his son takes money from the former ?????????? in Russia???????

Do ??????????? you think???????????? you could spout ?????????????????????? any worse shit ?????????????????

I doubt it.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Not even close. The mafia operate with his permission, and it's the same with oligarchs.

You only have to look at Berezovsky, Khodorkovsky and so on.

If you're lucky, you go to jail. If you you're not, you're joining the Choir Invisible.

Oligarchs are there to shut up and make their payments of gratitude to Vlad's Abbey National Young Dictators account.

It's a good job nothing similar is accepted in the unexceptional G7 countries.

Originally Posted by OhOh

It's a good job nothing similar is accepted in the unexceptional G7 countries.

So which G7 leader is a murderous dictator then hoohoo?

Oh dear, yet another OhNo whataboutism failed

Originally Posted by panama hat

Oh dear, yet another OhNo whataboutism failed

List of G7 Leaders who rig elections and murder political opponents:

1. Erm...
2. Hang on
3. No, hang on, it will come to me
4. Erm..
5. Just wait will you
6. Erm...
7. Oh fuck

How dangerous are The Geriatric Seven?

Originally Posted by sabang

How dangerous are The Geriatric Seven?

I'd have a cup of tea with them, put it that way.

Originally Posted by sabang

How dangerous are The Geriatric Seven?

Exactly the point . . . as for 'geriatric':

Trudeau . . .

Macron . . .

von der Leyen . . .

Boris - a dickhead, but not geriatric.

Originally Posted by sabang

Some might think I was referring to their declining share of world GDP, and global economic growth

Nope, geriatric clearly refers to old people . . . but why are you so desperately trying to play down the importance of these places like it's a matter of pride?


And Putin? Relevance?

Russia is a new economic powerhouse?


You're confused

Simple PH- the G7 does not matter as much as it used to. Increasingly, it sings to a declining choir. We in the West should be mindful of this fact.

(and ferk knows what that has to do with Putin)

Originally Posted by sabang

Simple PH- the G7 does not matter as much as it used to.

And yet it still does matter greatly in many ways . . . as it matter more to me than the Nicaraguan GDP increase of 5.2%

Originally Posted by sabang

(and ferk knows what that has to do with Putin)

Nothing ever stays on topic here anyway . . . speaking of which Lapland's elk population is declining

Not as dangerous to America as Biden!

Originally Posted by sabang

Some might think

But that excludes yourself, obviously.

France and Germany want EU summit with Vladimir Putin

After Joe Biden’s meeting with the Russian president, leaders think the bloc can reset relations and help contain its eastern rival
24 June 2021

France and Germany have suggested inviting Vladimir Putin to a summit with the EU as part of a broader reset of the bloc’s relations with Russia.

The proposal from Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel comes after Joe Biden’s Geneva summit with the Russian president, and supporters of the idea argue that European leaders can deliver the same direct messages about Russian behaviour while keeping the door open to compromise and cooperation.

Critics of closer ties to the Kremlin are concerned that it would reward Putin at a time when he is once more building up pressure on Ukraine, and Russia has been accused of stepping up cyber-attacks on the US and its allies. It came on a day when Russian forces claimed to have fired warning shots at a British warship in the Black Sea close to Russian-occupied Crimea, a claim that the UK denied.

The EU has not held a summit with Putin since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and has imposed several layers of sanctions on Russia.

“We need to have a discussion about how to get away from this negative spiral … but we need to advance united,” Reuters news agency quoted one senior EU diplomat as saying, while noting that there could be opposition to a summit from Baltic member states.

It was not immediately clear whether the proposal would involve all 27 European leaders or only the EU’s chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, and its chairman, Charles Michel.

France and Germany want EU summit with Vladimir Putin | Russia | The Guardian


However, next day, how dare they...


EU leaders take hard line on Russia, rebuking Merkel and Macron
Poland and the Baltics lead effort to thwart German-French initiative.

EU leaders early Friday adopted a hardline stance toward Russia — but only after Poland and the Baltic countries took their own hardline stance toward Germany and France and torpedoed a proposal by the bloc’s biggest powers to seek a summit with President Vladimir Putin.

The 27 heads of state and government adopted their tough conclusions on Russia at around 2 a.m. following a protracted and, at times, heated debate. The final result was remarkably humbling, if not utterly humiliating, for German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, who normally exert the greatest sway in discussions around the European Council table.

Rather than endorsing the language proposed by Germany and France that would have floated the idea of “meetings at leaders level,” akin to the one held by U.S. President Joe Biden with Putin in Geneva last week, the Council approved a statement focused on setting expectations and demands for the Kremlin, which would be a prerequisite for new diplomatic engagement. The Council also threatened new economic sanctions should Moscow persist in “malign, illegal and disruptive activity.”

EU leaders take hard line on Russia, rebuking Merkel and Macron – POLITICO

Originally Posted by Klondyke

EU leaders early Friday adopted a hardline stance toward Russia — but only after Poland and the Baltic countries took their own hardline stance toward Germany and France and torpedoed a proposal by the bloc’s biggest powers to seek a summit with President Vladimir Putin.

Klondyke, how come these former friends and satellite states of the Soviet Union are so negative to a summit between EU leaders and Putin?
Do they have some hard feeling against him or Russia?

Yeh, some have hard feeling, some not. It depends on the people who are on that deciding post.

Or do you think that the leaders decide what the population wants?

Actually, in case of Poland, there is no secret what is their attitude to Russia. That's why they many years before WW2 came in the treaty with Hitler, hoping that he will help them to bite something from Russia. At the end of the day how they ended up?

And the Baltic republics? They always tended to Nazis, even nowadays openly...

But for that or other direction, I do not think you are naive enough not to know there are other influences than only EU own, aren't they?

I don't know about Parkinson's, I think Putin is getting dementia.

Russian elites could soon find themselves without their favourite French bubbles if Moet Hennessy makes good on a threat to halt champagne supplies following a new law signed by President Vladimir Putin.

Moet Hennessy's Russia office warned local partners it was suspending supplies after Russian lawmakers adopted legislation stipulating that the word "champagne" can only be applied to wine produced in Russia, while the world-famous tipple from France's Champagne region should be called "sparkling wine".

Russian law takes fizz out of French champagne supplies - France 24

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

I don't know about Parkinson's, I think Putin is getting dementia.

Speaking of dementia...