Russian vassalization of Ukraine

[broken robot]

[exploited]

Thing is... Nobody can really afford it. The major powers want money and influence. Both of those things will be in short supply if the powers go toe to toe. The Chinese need to sustain their growth or they are going to be screwed, Russia would be a mess after any conflict with the US or China, and what the US really wants is to get the economy kick started again. The EU needs that as well.

Proxy wars, domestic insurrection, terrorism, etc. will be how this stuff gets settled or not settled.

[broken robot]

[Dobby]

I think you're overplaying Russia's power here. There are essentially 2 or 3 major power blocks in the world today, the US, China and the EU. And 2 of them are heavily allied. Every other hegemony in the world is very regional and Russia is struggling to keep hold of that.

The only difference with Russia is as it's neither pro western or pro Chinese it's incredibly isolated. It therefore needs to protect the few allies it has got, especially those at its border. Russia is incredibly hemmed in if the Ukraine joins the EU. It has China on one side and the EU on the other with little or no support.

It will try gain support where it can as is the case in Syria but Russia's worldwide 'pull' pales in comparison to that of the US, China or the EU (as a bloc).

All russia really has is a couple of the 'stans' left and Belarus. That's why it's getting what it can out of the Ukraine, not because it's suddenly some world superpower again.

[John Galt]

us fumbled on syria and now putin is pushing even further. putin is reigning in everyone at home too. he's curtailed the power of the republics within the federation consolidating it within himself instead, and he's doing it with impunity. is the sudetenland next? (i'm only drawing parallels with the expansionism and his increasing power, and the lack of anyone really stopping it)

[broken robot]

[exploited]

[Dobby]

The EU regularly implements it's will on the world stage in trade agreements. I agree as a military force it might not be the best but most members are NATO members anyway. But in terms of trade the EU is incredibly strong especially when compared to say someone like Russia. Russia's military is also ancient, it may be large but technologically they are so far behind and they can't afford to play catch up never mind risk a full scale war. Russia isn't the reason the US has lost power. And that being said, the US is still the strongest nation on earth, no ones going to risk your wrath.

Apart from being large I fail to see what makes Russia a world power. GDP is 8th in the world and its military is ancient. It's a regional power at best.

[Putin]

I punked your USA president again. No surprise you Amerikanski are helping the FASCISTS

[John Galt]