EU estimates 150,000 Russian troops near Ukraine’s borders
The European Union’s foreign policy chief has estimated that more than 150,000 Russian troops have already amassed for the biggest military buildup ever seen near Ukraine’s borders.
On Monday (early Tuesday morning NZT), Josep Borrell said it would only take “a spark” to set off a confrontation.
Russia sees NATO in the Ukraine as intolerable interference in their sphere of influence so it makes sense to start a military incursion against an untested Biden.
The danger is that while Putin is testing Biden, Xi may try the same trick in the South China Sea.
In her first major speech, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta made clear that NZ didn’t want to evaluate the NZ-China relationship through the 5 Eyes frame work in a clear nod that NZ didn’t want to be tied to any military adventurism America might adopt in response to Chinese aggression.
To make such an announcement while the drumbeat for war slowly beats is a clear indication that those tasked with keeping NZ out of a military conflict see an inevitability that America will respond.
What Russia’s build up near the Ukraine does is move any possible conflict to within months, not years.
Can a Taniwha stop a Dragon?
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One thing is for sure. No friggin’ Taniwha will be stopping the Liaoning if it turns up off the coast of one of our biggest cities.
Mahuta had better quickly sharpen up her act if she doesn’t want to put Aoteroa at risk of Emporer Xi and the CCP’s aggressive ambitions
We’ll need APEC, ASEAN and the Pacific Leaders Forum. There’s no way China is getting past all of that to get to New Zealand.
Oh Bruce Moose the Chinese will never be that unsubtle!
Wait for Nanaia to get a chance to visit Beijing and be woo-ed in style.
Tama Iti when in New Zealand makes great noise about Maori Sovereignty.
Invited to China by local Chinese businesspeople he is feted as a Maori Nationalist leader and does not say a single word about autonomy for Uyghurs, Tibetans, Mongols or China’s broken promises to those people.
Likewise Hone Harawira, and Donna Awatere. For Labour Dover Samuels, National John Key and ‘Crusher’ Collins.
The Chinese Communist Party is indeed completely neutral when it comes to bribery.
The Chinese will not use gunboat diplomacy when it is so easy to just buy our politicians. It reminds me of Lenin’s statement.
‘ We will not have to destroy capitalism. In the end the capitalists will hang themselves – we will sell them the rope.’
Not quite like Vladmir Illyitch intended but something the same.
fraternal greetings and kia kaha to the oppressed peoples of Asia.
No mate. We need big fighter jets of our own.
Rather, 2 or 3 S400 systems, expanded anti-sub capability, and a fleet of Gremyashchiy class corvettes
LOL. Putin has Biden’s balls in his back pocket. The US won’t go to war in Ukraine and Europe will sit by given their dependence on Russian gas. Taiwan is a different kettle of fish – seaborne invasion of a highly militarized and modern nation. Irrespective of China’s might there would be significant causalities with or without US, Korean or Japanese involvement.
China plays the long game and will wait till the West doesn’t have the might to stop them, Russia on the other hand plays based on bluff and bluster knowing full well the West’s breaking point is the Baltic states NOT Ukraine.
Weird – we have gone from a movement of Russian troops within Rusia – on Russian territory to “Russia’s build up in the Ukraine.”
I guess this illustrates that geopolitics is more important than facts (and why so silent about the US presence in Ukraine – working with nationalist, neo-nazi military units?)
It’s pure hyperbole to suggest Russia will start a conflict with Ukraine. Josep Borrell is a quisling who would say anything at the behest of the empire.
The US from the get go starting with execution of the coup in 2014 by Victoria Nuland et al (“fuck the eu, yeah her”) to a hot war in Donbass, has been pushing against Russia constantly with imperial hubris bordering on suicidal. Ukraine has completely ignored and not one iota of an attempt to implement Minsk 2.
If it happens it’s Ukraine that’ll start it on orders from the empire, Russia will finish it and that will be the end of the state of Ukraine. The EU don’t want that and neither does Russia so I hope the vassals in Brussels start growing a spine.
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