Russian vassalization of Ukraine

[Dobby]

[Putin]

[Putin]

[Philly]

But could a heterosexual Christian porn themed restaurant with a focus on bringing peace to the Middle East refuse to serve nude customers if they noticed them becoming aroused while looking at members of the same sex?

[Spider]

[Spider]

[Dobby]

Places like Crimea are in Russia's region. A world power means you can have serious influence on the entire world. Russia has little influence outside of its region. Only the US and China are world powers as independent nations. While the EU is as a bloc.

[Spider]

How is China a world power but Russia isn't? (Bearing in mind of course what world power actually means.)

[John Galt]

i would say that china is more of a regional power than russia actually, because it doesn't have the capability to project force beyond it's region, outside of icbms. this is talking about power meaning force. the us is far far ahead of russia but russia i would say is number two, militarily speaking, in global power ability. the eu lacks the ability to truly project power whereever. it still relies on the us. eu is mainly about soft power. it does do some things trying to resurrect the old glory days, like france in africa, but still, that's more regional

economically it's us, eu, and china as the major powers. russias economy is based on oil, vodka, and mytroska dolls

[Dobby]

China's an economic powerhouse that through various trade agreements and its on going work in Africa make it a world power. It's a power that Russia simply do not have.

You can't just have some nukes and a big military to be a world power, you need the economic power to back it up. Russia's economy could be crippled so easily by outside influences, China couldn't.