Well done Minna, we need to shout it out. So that we turn this disgust at the treatment of Zelenskyy and the wider fears about the new Axis powers of Russia-USA-Israel into transformative action. It took this for many people to realise there is a European identity beyond the formalistic and financial EU project. European (including UK) leaders can capitalise on this public support to push through long needed political reforms, investments and coordinated action. They must act now to save Europe as a nascent community. Being European can finally be a real identity!
Another excellent column, Minna. You are remarkably smart, intuitive and clever as well. I hope you will consider also putting your posts on Medium and reference them on Blue Sky, the brilliant alternative to Twitter/X.
Finland, of course, has fought the bear before and knows how difficult it can be, but still managed to succeed as I expect Ukraine will, perhaps even before the end of this year. Russia is in terrible shape, with the ruble well below a US penny in value, the Bank of Moscow having to give 27% interest to lure hard Western currency, the price of potatoes (!) dramatically higher, and with other prices out the roof.
There is discontent among Russians and among the other nations in the Russian Empire as well. Plus their military, as you note, relies upon donkeys and upon bicycles and motorcycles as well to get the troops to their death on the front lines. Yes, the collapse of the Russian Empire will be a mess but we and they all deserve it and need it to happen.
I just subscribed. Finland, etc are very important historically and what you think is importance to this new world order. Sorry, Mr. Trump, looks like you’re going to lose!
As an American…YES. Please, rest of the world, don’t do what we did and divide amongst ourselves, thinking we can be safe by cutting a deal with our Trumpism devil. Don’t make a deal with him that is dependent on him. Unify and stand up to him.
Minna, this is a great article! I know Finns are tough - My high school track coach was a Finn from the Iron Range (iron mining area) of Minnesota and even now, 65 years later I can hear him yelling,
"Swandby lift your knees, life your knees, go, go go." I'm hoping the best thing that may come out of the Zelensky-Trump debackle is that Europe wakes up and starts taking charge by doing the things you are suggesting. They have counted on the US long enough for their own security, and as in the Finnish example, you've got to be willing to stand up and defend your own interests rather than letting some proxy do it for you because they don't have the same skin in the game. And we in the US need to get off our butts as well. The Orange Revolution, in honor of Ukraine, Zelensky and the post Ukraine election 2004 protests starts today. On Tue thousands of us are heading to our state capitols for the anti-dictator protest. We need more to come. Orange will overcome rouge orange tyrant!
Posting on Musk's X just empowers him, and we certainly don't want or need that. Blue Sky, however, is Musk-free and virtually MAGAt-free. Suggest you consider whom you're supporting with posts and the like. Blue Sky is the winning alternative to Musk-X.
"At this stage, however, it is questionable whether Trump ever even aimed to reach a serious outcome, or was the deal always meant to be unacceptably bad for Ukraine, so that Trump could then blame the failure on “Ukraine not wanting peace”." IMHO Trump made the decision that Ukraine would surrender a long time ago. Trump has been acting as if the war was over by working on trade and business deals with Russian and Ukraine. To be honest the so-called minerals deal was really just extortion, (This is made clear by Trump's statements that Ukraine has no cards to play).
There are millions - tens of millions - of Americans who want to see strength and independence of Western democracies from the US!!
The democracy defenders in America NEED the EU and NATO allies to stand up and go it alone without the US right now - the dictator wannabe Putin-puppet who is corrupting our White House has become an adversary to democracies, here and abroad - he is a mob boss who cannot be trusted
Treat America like a threatening adversary because that is what he has openly said we are, right now
Sanction us - become militarily independent of the US - isolate America
That is need for the survival of democracies across the world; including our own in America
Germany and others have military manufacturing capabilities that can ramp up - do this now!! American defense contractors will suffer and that is needed to cut them off, create economic pain in the US asap to make even more Americans see the destruction this monster — who is compromised as a Russian tool - is bringing to America by doing Russia’s bidding as Putin’s puppet
donald will stop supporting Ukraine. Ukraine (with some help from Europe) will continue to defend themselves. donald will then start aiding Putin to help him win the war. I have a high level of confidence that this is the future.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVW5unmuL7I
We must name it. Our inability to name it is due to the atomic bomb of disinformation and chaos that has been unleashed on us. If we name it, we can understand what we are seeing and be able to strategize and counter-attack.
This is WWIII. This insanity. WWIII has begun.
Trump/Musk/Vance/Putin all work for the criminal syndicate Russia. They have started WWWIII and are attacking us this very minute. The destruction of our economy, rule of law, and way of life is intentional. The fear, damage, cruelty, inhumanity, and destruction is the point. This is war. Netanyahu is on their side, other authoritarian and right-wing leaders are on their side.
To them, democracy is the enemy. We are the enemy. They want to rape and pillage and starve and torture and kill us.
Their intention is to wipe democracies off the face of the earth. They plan to attack Canada from the south (USA) and also from the north (Russia), they need Greenland to help with their attack of Europe. Yes they want all of the minerals and precious natural resources, etc…but militarily, that’s why they want them.
To our military, former presidents, judges, free press, scientists, and democratic allies. You have the skills, expertise, knowledge, that once united will allow us to fight back and to guide and help the USA and our allies in responding to an extinction level attack on us.
Unite. Come together to tell the world what is happening. You want to stay in your lane and think it’s not your place and not your job, but your lane is being blown up, along with the rest of the country, so that’s no longer an option. It’s not an option for any of us.
There must be no doubt, we confirm what I, a simple, lay observer, worked out in 2016.
For whatever reason, Putin and Trump, were committed to work together.
And it was NEVER for the good of the liberal, democratic, ethos so beneficial, for so many ordinary citizens, for so long.
Apart from those small ethnonationalist/religious groups, it was inconceivable to imagine the Russian (miss) adventure Putin majored in, 2022.
Even if he had "won" both sides would have lost much more, with an inevitable guerrilla insurgency that wrecked better, richer, competent, similar ill-conceived jaunts.
Yet here we are; US democracy proving incredibly weak against such a loony, if malevolent, cunning fool.
Well done Minna, we need to shout it out. So that we turn this disgust at the treatment of Zelenskyy and the wider fears about the new Axis powers of Russia-USA-Israel into transformative action. It took this for many people to realise there is a European identity beyond the formalistic and financial EU project. European (including UK) leaders can capitalise on this public support to push through long needed political reforms, investments and coordinated action. They must act now to save Europe as a nascent community. Being European can finally be a real identity!
The additive, piecemeal and cumulative efforts of many creates the avalanche.
“No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible”
Stanisław Jerzy Lec
Who is up for flooding our neighborhoods with I Stand With Ukraine signs?
Absolutely agree Minna. Now, more than ever, all of Europe needs to step up 👍
Another excellent column, Minna. You are remarkably smart, intuitive and clever as well. I hope you will consider also putting your posts on Medium and reference them on Blue Sky, the brilliant alternative to Twitter/X.
Finland, of course, has fought the bear before and knows how difficult it can be, but still managed to succeed as I expect Ukraine will, perhaps even before the end of this year. Russia is in terrible shape, with the ruble well below a US penny in value, the Bank of Moscow having to give 27% interest to lure hard Western currency, the price of potatoes (!) dramatically higher, and with other prices out the roof.
There is discontent among Russians and among the other nations in the Russian Empire as well. Plus their military, as you note, relies upon donkeys and upon bicycles and motorcycles as well to get the troops to their death on the front lines. Yes, the collapse of the Russian Empire will be a mess but we and they all deserve it and need it to happen.
Thank you, too kind ! You can find me on Bluesky as alanderminna.bsky.social
I just subscribed. Finland, etc are very important historically and what you think is importance to this new world order. Sorry, Mr. Trump, looks like you’re going to lose!
Many thanks ! I’m glad to hear you found this interesting and subscribed.
It is indeed Trudeau: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-troops-ukraine-trudeau
Excellent!
As an American…YES. Please, rest of the world, don’t do what we did and divide amongst ourselves, thinking we can be safe by cutting a deal with our Trumpism devil. Don’t make a deal with him that is dependent on him. Unify and stand up to him.
Minna, this is a great article! I know Finns are tough - My high school track coach was a Finn from the Iron Range (iron mining area) of Minnesota and even now, 65 years later I can hear him yelling,
"Swandby lift your knees, life your knees, go, go go." I'm hoping the best thing that may come out of the Zelensky-Trump debackle is that Europe wakes up and starts taking charge by doing the things you are suggesting. They have counted on the US long enough for their own security, and as in the Finnish example, you've got to be willing to stand up and defend your own interests rather than letting some proxy do it for you because they don't have the same skin in the game. And we in the US need to get off our butts as well. The Orange Revolution, in honor of Ukraine, Zelensky and the post Ukraine election 2004 protests starts today. On Tue thousands of us are heading to our state capitols for the anti-dictator protest. We need more to come. Orange will overcome rouge orange tyrant!
Very reassuring to hear that people are starting to protest in the US ! Keep it up !
I'm working on the new Rearmament Bank -- anyone who wants to see a copy of the concept paper just ping me (LinkedIn, X)
Bsky not X surely Edward? Would love to will ping in linkedin
Posting on Musk's X just empowers him, and we certainly don't want or need that. Blue Sky, however, is Musk-free and virtually MAGAt-free. Suggest you consider whom you're supporting with posts and the like. Blue Sky is the winning alternative to Musk-X.
"At this stage, however, it is questionable whether Trump ever even aimed to reach a serious outcome, or was the deal always meant to be unacceptably bad for Ukraine, so that Trump could then blame the failure on “Ukraine not wanting peace”." IMHO Trump made the decision that Ukraine would surrender a long time ago. Trump has been acting as if the war was over by working on trade and business deals with Russian and Ukraine. To be honest the so-called minerals deal was really just extortion, (This is made clear by Trump's statements that Ukraine has no cards to play).
There are millions - tens of millions - of Americans who want to see strength and independence of Western democracies from the US!!
The democracy defenders in America NEED the EU and NATO allies to stand up and go it alone without the US right now - the dictator wannabe Putin-puppet who is corrupting our White House has become an adversary to democracies, here and abroad - he is a mob boss who cannot be trusted
Treat America like a threatening adversary because that is what he has openly said we are, right now
Sanction us - become militarily independent of the US - isolate America
That is need for the survival of democracies across the world; including our own in America
Germany and others have military manufacturing capabilities that can ramp up - do this now!! American defense contractors will suffer and that is needed to cut them off, create economic pain in the US asap to make even more Americans see the destruction this monster — who is compromised as a Russian tool - is bringing to America by doing Russia’s bidding as Putin’s puppet
donald will stop supporting Ukraine. Ukraine (with some help from Europe) will continue to defend themselves. donald will then start aiding Putin to help him win the war. I have a high level of confidence that this is the future.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVW5unmuL7I
We must name it. Our inability to name it is due to the atomic bomb of disinformation and chaos that has been unleashed on us. If we name it, we can understand what we are seeing and be able to strategize and counter-attack.
This is WWIII. This insanity. WWIII has begun.
Trump/Musk/Vance/Putin all work for the criminal syndicate Russia. They have started WWWIII and are attacking us this very minute. The destruction of our economy, rule of law, and way of life is intentional. The fear, damage, cruelty, inhumanity, and destruction is the point. This is war. Netanyahu is on their side, other authoritarian and right-wing leaders are on their side.
To them, democracy is the enemy. We are the enemy. They want to rape and pillage and starve and torture and kill us.
Their intention is to wipe democracies off the face of the earth. They plan to attack Canada from the south (USA) and also from the north (Russia), they need Greenland to help with their attack of Europe. Yes they want all of the minerals and precious natural resources, etc…but militarily, that’s why they want them.
To our military, former presidents, judges, free press, scientists, and democratic allies. You have the skills, expertise, knowledge, that once united will allow us to fight back and to guide and help the USA and our allies in responding to an extinction level attack on us.
Unite. Come together to tell the world what is happening. You want to stay in your lane and think it’s not your place and not your job, but your lane is being blown up, along with the rest of the country, so that’s no longer an option. It’s not an option for any of us.
There must be no doubt, we confirm what I, a simple, lay observer, worked out in 2016.
For whatever reason, Putin and Trump, were committed to work together.
And it was NEVER for the good of the liberal, democratic, ethos so beneficial, for so many ordinary citizens, for so long.
Apart from those small ethnonationalist/religious groups, it was inconceivable to imagine the Russian (miss) adventure Putin majored in, 2022.
Even if he had "won" both sides would have lost much more, with an inevitable guerrilla insurgency that wrecked better, richer, competent, similar ill-conceived jaunts.
Yet here we are; US democracy proving incredibly weak against such a loony, if malevolent, cunning fool.