Russia says it will take nothing less than NATO expansion ban

Let Russia set up military based near American borders, see what they say then.

this makes sense and there are thick red lines cant be crossed by NATO.

i have nothing more to say about this.

Russia have no choice.

So, let me get this straight, are some of the right-wingers here saying it’s OK for one bigger country to attack and invade another smaller & peaceful country?

Is that right?

Russia: invades their neighbor at time of internal turmoil, annexes a piece of territory, keeps the separatists forces supplied, fans hatred of Ukraine on their TV

Also Russia: omg, but why would you seek protection from NATO, Ukraine? Help, I feel threatened!

First target, Camp Bondsteel. Largest US military base outside of USA and has no permission from the government of Serbia to be there.

At 955 acres it is a very small base. Fleet Activities Yokosuka is three times as large. Ramstein AB is even bigger. Kadena AB is five times the size. Camp Fuji is over 33,000 acres and Thule AB in Greenland is over 233,000 acres. And obtw, Camp Bondsteel is in Kosovo, and independent country. It is not in Serbia.

I have never had the acquittance of an aggressive Russian.

Either a friend or colleague. Imperceptibly well-mannered and educated. Well read of Russian history, arts etc.  

On a recent skype call, I inquired into a close friend’s thoughts of Putin.

"He is lethal, old-school soviet. KGB trained, and ruthless".

She stated, "under estimate Putin regime at your peril".

"English people don’t realize what freedom means, until it is forcibility taken away from them"

The Ukrainian people don't feel threatened. Even corporate media admits it. The regime and neo-Nazis propping the regime up feel very threatened.

Yeah, this kind of hateful narrative I was talking about. "Nazis", "regime" and other propaganda monikers from Russian media.

How come a "nazi" country has a Jewish president, I wonder.

Also, as one who lived in Ukraine all my life, I can say your assumption about Ukrainian people feelings is laughable.

First target, Camp Bondsteel. Largest US military base outside of USA and has no permission from the government of Serbia to be there.

At 955 acres it is a very small base. Fleet Activities Yokosuka is three times as large.

Isn't it a naval base? Perhaps the Russians can everyone in Japan a favor and get rid of Yokosuka as well.

but the regime still has several of it's members in key government posts.

But you can't name a single one.

But you can't name a single one.

Arsen Avakov, Sergei Korotkykh, Oleg Tyahnybok and many more. In the top posts and in the posts below them.

Arsen Avakov,

He has no government posts. He never belonged to far right party. What makes him a nazi?

Sergei Korotkykh,

Had a minor position in 2015—2017, in department of defence of government strategic objects. Has no government posts since 2017.

Oleg Tyahnybok

Had no government post ever.

and many more.

Could you google anything more? Maybe some people who actually had any influence on current politics?

I'm loving @Ingvars (our man in Moscow) manic Russian propaganda today :) Veryu careful to say he is an 'Ethnic Scandinavian' many times. Sure many in Eatern Ukraine will be happy to return to Russian rule but that is not the whole country, is it now?

it’s exactly what he just said.

No, it is not what he said. He said there was disunity within NATO how to respond to an incursion that was short of an invasion. That is an entirely different case than what you implied. It means the allies have not decided how they want to do in that situation. Please be honest and stick to facts.

The current Ukraine government is the result of 2014 coup masterminded by Hillary Clinton and Victoria Nuland.

Everything that Ukraine have been doing since then is about dragging the country into a military conflict with the much more powerful Russia. No sane, self governed country does this to its people. Something is seriously wrong. The country is basically a remote controlled zombie at this moment.

After Russia "uncoup" and restore the legitimate government in Ukraine, and bring stability back to Europe, they should also declare the aforementioned US politicians war criminals, as the US has all but openly declared war on Russia

Putin doesn’t care what anyone says. Bringing Ukraine back under Russia is his legacy. Beware of people trying to fulfill their legacy. Putin is fully prepared to be severely scolded.

NATO was established to counter the Soviet Union. There is no more Soviet Union. Therefore there should be no more NATO. Or Russia should be integrated into NATO.

The Soviet Union disbanded and then Russia crated CSTO, a military alliance similar to NATO.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_Security_Treaty_Organization

NATO is as relevant today as when it was created in 1949. Russia still threatens the peace of Europe and beyond.

Ya gonna stamp your feet and turn blue in the face, Putin? G'head.

Putin causing mischief to get his Puppet or a facsimile back in the White House in 2024...

And your proof is...wait for it....

It's as clear as all the election fraud proof Trump has presented....

Expect Xi to do the same with Taiwan next year....

And Biden will do what to curtail that?

Guaranteed he won't say; "Terrific working with President Xi, a man who truly loves his country. Much more to come!”

Both are also providing assistance to Kim's missile program....

It's clear they have made a pact to put pressure on the US in hopes they can get their BFF Trump back in office, and make Russia and China Great Again...

Yeah, Trump is bad, we know

Well it's about time the light bulb came on....

But Americans won't fall for their trap...

Americans will not dictate if Biden will go into Ukraine or not.

And?

even with all the Russia-cheering from the pro-Trump camp here...

Not one single person is doing that. But we do have legitimate concerns about Biden's ability (or lack of) to lead or to be even taken seriously by his adversaries.

True, it's not a single person, it's all the pro-Trump, pro-Russia posters here - just look at your posts....

Putin causing mischief to get his Puppet or a facsimile back in the White House in 2024...

Keep dreaming away in your fantasy or conspiracy theory

Keep reveling in your Putin adoration....

Why would Xi talk about Taiwan independence?

Why would Biden oppose his old friend?

Why did Trump say Xi's power grab for life was "great"?

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trump-china-idUSKCN1GG015

For you - "Trump is bad"

meaning: Lincoln, don’t change my words, you know what I meant!

Indeed, they're your words in black and white - "Trump is bad". Well said....

"Glad doesn't take Biden seriously"

Neither Xi nor Vlad (sorry typo) take Biden seriously.

No, I think you really meant "Glad" - as in how you feel about Putin...

Who has 130,000 troops, untold tanks and artillery etc, on whose border?

In whose country are those troops? How many foreign troops are in eastern Europe and Ukraine itself?

How many foreign troops are in eastern Europe and Ukraine itself?

That is a matter for the countries themselves. The troops were not placed there as the result of an invasion and are there at the behest of the countries involved. They are literally there to stop Russia invading, as it is preparing to do right now in Ukraine.

Should Russia invade it will be to establish a land corridor to Crimea. Should conflict start the first target of Ukraine will be the new bridge Russia built linking Russia to Crimea. They will blast it in multiple places making it useless.

Russia has plans. What they are we will find out in time. We wont like them and Ukraine will be the loser.

Putin causing mischief to get his Puppet or a facsimile back in the White House in 2024...

Expect Xi to do the same with Taiwan next year....

Both are also providing assistance to Kim's missile program....

It's clear they have made a pact to put pressure on the US in hopes they can get their BFF Trump back in office, and make Russia and China Great Again...

But Americans won't fall for their trap...even with all the Russia-cheering from the pro-Trump camp here...

Putin causing mischief to get his Puppet or a facsimile back in the White House in 2024...

Keep dreaming away in your fantasy or conspiracy theory

As Glenn Greenwald pointed out:

”Trump spent 4 years attacking 2 core Russian vital interests: he 1) flooded Ukraine with lethal arms to fight Russia (which Obama refused to do) and 2) did everything to sabotage Moscow’s pipeline to Germany (which Biden allowed).”

President Putin has stated his Government fait accompli to UK/EU NATO.

NATO has never posed a threat to the Russian Federation.

There is no invasion force encamped on the Russian boarder.

Relations with Russia

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50090.htm

Putin has taking full advantage of EU/UK NATO disunity, lack of political will.

Worse of all is the retched pong of appeasement.

The Germany government refusal to even discuss sanctions, or even offer any military assistance to Ukraine people.

is it any wonder the media is reporting a choice of words, in all respects a political fudge, semantics "minor incursion",

Putin has an full militarily capable invasion force.

The Russians are funny. They are saying if NATO doesn't do as they say they will invade Ukraine. They demand NATO foreswear ever admitting Ukraine into NATO, claiming to object to having NATO nations directly on their border. They say it is too much of a threat to them. Yet if they invade Ukraine as they threaten to they will end up sharing borders with several NATO nations.

Mr. Putin is talking out his exhaust pipe if you ask me. It is all bluster. Put air power in Poland and Romania and call his bluff.

The AvengerToday  07:47 am JST

Ya gonna stamp your feet and turn blue in the face, Putin? G'head.

If Russia does invade Ukraine it could turn into another Chechnya.

zichiToday  11:08 am JST

Biden is not Obama. But Obama did also impose sanctions.

https://2009-2017.state.gov/e/eb/tfs/spi/ukrainerussia/index.htm

Biden said he would impose the harshest of sanctions.

Looks like some posters wants Putin to invade Ukraine.

Obama hit Russia with sanctions, but his usurping successor lifted them because trump is a sputnik.

And sanctions can and do work over time. They resulted in the end of South African apartheid and Libya paying the survivors of bratty boy Qaddafi's terrorist acts.

Joe is nobody's sputnik. And Putin is peeved that the one had is out.

Inevitable.

What both aggressive connected commis fear is free Talibs now add NATO vodka wont get Pu Xi a hour night sleep

reaffirmed that Moscow has no intentions of invading Ukraine as the West fears

French President Emmanuel Macron urged the European Union to quickly draw up a new security plan containing proposals to help ease tensions with Russia

Russia has denied that it intends to attack its neighbour

Sounds like what happened just before with Hitler.

That did not work out well.

Doesn't Russia know anything about the supposedly "obsolescence" of tank warfare?

actually since American and Russia have the best surface to air missile defense systems its unlikely their will be many planes flying over Ukraine during an invasion. The only way you can invade a country is by ground

 Why is it that Russian supporters and Chinese supporters always fail to mention anyone but the US? They fool nobody.

well maybe because of Korea, Vietnam, Gulf, Iraq, Afganistan Syria wars. America seems to always getting involved or starting wars .

In other words, give up your ability to defend yourselves, and maybe I won't attack you.

Good point from the above writer.

NATO was established to counter the Soviet Union. There is no more Soviet Union. Therefore there should be no more NATO. Or Russia should be integrated into NATO.

jeancolmar

Good point from the above writer.

NATO was established to counter the Soviet Union. There is no more Soviet Union. Therefore there should be no more NATO. Or Russia should be integrated into NATO.

100% correct. When the Warsaw Pact was abolished, the promise was that naturaly its counter-part NATO would abolished too. Western power broke that promise and kept Nato alive to do.... what exactly, except illegall warmongering?

Sure, if you must have Nato and expand it endlessly, Russia should be in it too. Who would the opponent be'? CCP China, the growing imperalistic power'? There would be some logic to that, at least.

There will not be a huge invasion, I think, but stepped up attempts to destabilize Ukraine from within.

attempts to destabilize Ukraine from within.

Hasn’t anyone told you? Ukraine has been destabilized for years but definitely after the CIA coup. I wonder what Victoria (cookies-n-coup) Nuland is doing these days.

When the Warsaw Pact was abolished, the promise was that naturaly its counter-part NATO would abolished too.

Incorrect fantasy. The US under Bush Snr suggested to Gorbachev that NATO would not expand Eastwards but no agreement or treaty was ever signed. Discussions on the topic were held and have been well documented. At no point was NATO to disband and no discussions on that have ever been held.

Go pound sand

The next-gen anti-tank missiles the UK has been airlifting to Ukraine will make short work of the majority of the tanks and other armoured vehciles the Russians are using should Putin be stupid enough to go ahead.

Doesn't Russia know anything about the supposedly "obsolescence" of tank warfare?

If I were to have a wild guess, I'd say the Russians know more than anyone else about warfare. They most certainly know about hypersonic missiles which the fascist powers admit they have no defense against.

If the Russians were to say something to the end of, "these NATO facilities in Eastern Europe which NATO promised us would never exist are going to disappear by the end of the week. Any local armies and civilians are advised to keep well away from them. Any attacks coming from any country on Russian infrastructure, will see a terrifying response on those countries." What could the fascists do? Launch nukes most of which the Russians would intercept over Japan, Canada and Eastern Europe and then prepare for the counter attack which wouldn't be intercepted?

The next-gen anti-tank missiles the UK has been airlifting to Ukraine will make short work of the majority of the tanks

I have my doubts. It is unguided and very short effective range, 20-600 meters. It's basically an RPG with a fancier targeting system on the launch tube but the missile itself has no homing ability. It makes them inexpensive and supposedly un-jammable but the shooter has to get awfully close to the tank to engage it. With tanks that have supporting infantry such short ranges might be too dangerous. Javelin has a range of 2500 for the earliest versions and 4000-4700 meters for the most recent versions and has imaging infrared guidance. Their primary advantage seems to be price, under $40K each for an NLAWS vs about $175K each for a Javelin.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday predicted a Russian invasion of Ukraine, citing existential concerns by the country's president, Vladimir Putin, even as he warned of significant economic consequences should such an incursion occur.

But he suggested a "minor incursion" would elicit a lesser response than a full-scale invasion of the country.

Link please. Waving the bs flag on this one.

It was the US invading countries for the last 70 years. Correct me if I am wrong...

The wolf cries Peter. LOL

Putin is afraid of harsh sanctions that would sink his country.

After Crimea, how did the sanctions workout? And let’s not forget, he now has better ties to China, doubt he really worries about those threats.

Yes Collective defense - Article 5

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_110496.htm

Unity means there will inevitably be scarifies, my god we are talking acceptable lossless.

Russia remove's the threat and agrees independently negotiated to UN security council agreed resolutions

Or else accept the inebtiable

actually since American and Russia have the best surface to air missile defense systems its unlikely their will be many planes flying over Ukraine during an invasion. The only way you can invade a country is by ground

The US has a large fleet of all-aspect Low Observable or "L-O" aircraft specifically designed to fly over the best ground based air defenses without being detected.  Russia has one design so far that is not all aspect L-O like the F-22, F-35 or B-2 . It has frontal aspect L-O but even then it still exposes some of the compressor to radar, which is highly reflective.

Western militaries tend to rely on their air forces for air defense rather than relying on ground based systems.  The west sees ground based missile defenses as a second best choice to a well trained combat air force. The Russians rely on missiles because they do not have the resources to afford the flight hours typical of NATO and US pilots and their aircraft are nowhere near as durable as western designs. A USAF pilot flies around ten times as many hours per year as their Russian counterparts and that is typical of NATO pilots. Western jet engines can last more than three times the flight hours of their Russian counterparts before needing overhaul, and western airframes are rated at six to twelve times the number of flight hours as the best Russian designs. For the Russians to fly as much as the USAF does they would have to buy six to twelve times as many aircraft as the US buys because their kluge wears out so much rapidly. Instead the Russians have to rely on ground based systems the west has the means to defeat. An air war against Russia or China won't look like anything anybody has seen before. That is all I can say.

NATO is surrounding Russia with bases, missiles & navy warships, It's arming corrupt Ukrainian junta with all kinds of assault weapons, but still its politicians have enough impudence to call Russia an aggressor.

Don't Russian propagandists care about meaning of words they spread anymore? Do you know what junta means? A rhetorical question.

The bottom line is, it had already been more important for a while but since the American-German owned coup in Ukraine and subsequent liberation of Crimea, China has become a far more important economic partner for Russia than Europe. Sanctions on Russia would hurt Europe more than Russia. Cutting off Russia from SWIFT is a good idea. It'd be funny to see Germany and etc hire armored trucks and enough guards to occupy Paris in order to deliver cash to the Russian central bank for the gas, oil, platinum and etc.

M Jamil,

It's arming corrupt Ukrainian junta with all kinds of assault weapons, but still its politicians have enough impudence to call Russia an aggressor.

Who has 130,000 troops, untold tanks and artillery etc, on whose border?

Guaranteed he won't say; "Terrific working with President Xi, a man who truly loves his country. Much more to come!”

Xi, old buddy seems disillusioned, maybe that’s why he won’t talk about Taiwanese independence, don’t want to rock his buddy’s boat.

Why would Xi talk about Taiwan independence?

Well it's about time the light bulb came on....

Not for this administration.

For you - "Trump is bad" - glad you admitted it after four years....

Keep reveling in your Putin adoration....

No adoration, just stating the fact. Glad doesn’t take Biden seriously and why would he?

"Glad doesn't take Biden seriously" Who is Glad - Putin's pet name for his BFF Donald?

Why would Xi talk about Taiwan independence?

Why would Biden oppose his old friend?

For you - "Trump is bad"

meaning: Lincoln, don’t change my words, you know what I meant!

"Glad doesn't take Biden seriously"

Neither Xi nor Vlad (sorry typo) take Biden seriously.

Oh yeah the new cover up story fir Biden’s huge error/ weakness is that Putin is doing this to cause “trouble” for Biden to get Trump back into office.

so that he can then take over Ukraine just like he didn’t do when his supposed puppet Trump was already in office.

*Obama hit Russia with sanctions, but his usurping successor lifted them because trump is a sputnik. *

Did it help? Nope!

And sanctions can and do work over time.

After the invasion, could be.

They resulted in the end of South African apartheid and Libya paying the survivors of bratty boy Qaddafi's terrorist acts. 

Joe is nobody's sputnik.

Putin is not afraid of this guy, quite the opposite.

Russia is correct. Nato has no business "expanding", in fact it has no business existing. Nato should have been dismantled together with the Warzaw Pact, instead it is being kept alive as a warmongering organization.

i think NATO and the west should review on how they have been appropriate in dealing with Russia since the fall of Berlin wall.

they should make efforts to incorporate Russia into Nato and the west group with a kind approach to Russia. i think Russia had the will of cooperating with the west at that time, but the west didn't response to that.

If they had a more lenient approach to Russia, it would have changed the behavior to the west today.

It is nealy ineffectuall for Mr. Golby's breakthough!

i think the west should be conciled and is resposible for this situation not just claiming Russia as dictorial country and eivil.

How come a "nazi" country has a Jewish president, I wonder.

Ukraine is not a "Nazi" country. The regime relies on Azov Battalion, Right Sektor and other neo-Nazi groups to stay in power. In return, several minsters in the regime come from these groups and are recorded in videos and images giving Nazi salutes. The vast majority of the population hates the neo-Nazis and the regime.

I know for a Ukrainian to glorify Nazis is taking self-loathing to ridiculous levels but maybe that's why most Ukrainians hate them.

I don't think the president is a Jew. If he were, it would say more about him than anything else. We know the regime glorifies the "Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists" from the war. How did they treat Jews? Ditto for Poles. Poles made up about 30% of the population in 1940. When the Red Army arrived in 1944, there were basically zero Poles in western Ukraine. What happened to them?

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/19/politics/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-news-conference/index.html

it’s exactly what he just said.

The largest country n the world just wants to grow a little bigger. She has a big appetite!

isnt it time to ask what "kompromat" Putin has on Biden that he would allow a "minor incursion" into Ukraine?

isnt that how this works?

Russia should get back the three Baltic states as well, if NATO could not deploy nuclear weapons in Ukraine, they will deploy those nukes in the Baltics!l. This is a very big danger to Russia as well!

Well this is Russia confirming it will invade Ukraine. NATO will not be denying membership based on Russian threats.

Russia will wait until the end of the Beijing Olympics, then invade Ukraine and see if US shifts forces to intervene. Any movement of US forces will signal China to go ahead and invade Taiwan. There will be coordination to ensure the US is unable to deal with both issues. The US will end up staying out of both and Russia will gain eastern Europe territory while China gains Taiwan changing the situation on both sides of the world.

The future looks bleak and filled with mass deaths thanks to Russia and China.

Unless NATO and the USA go in militarily to the Ukraine, they will be run over in weeks if not days.

Putin will nukes if he feels needed

Germany, England, Japan with all the military bases the USA has will make Japan a target and also South Korea.

This is the next segment of the Russian Cuban missile crisis, WW3 is knocking on the door!

Doesn't Russia know anything about the supposedly "obsolescence" of tank warfare?

After all the Septim's.JT "experts" keep on banging on about the absurdity of Japan having tanks, don't they?

Maybe (according to all the "expertise"on this site), tanks are obsolete only when it refers to Japan?

Cool story, do you know how much actual "nazis" (the far right party Svoboda) got on 2015 parliamentary elections? Less that 5%.

I think it was way less than 5% but the regime still has several of it's members in key government posts.

What you think is irrelevant, it's a well know fact, admitted by Mr. Zelenskiy himself.

Firstly, I'm at ethnic Scandinavian from a Scandinavian country. Most workers in Scandinavia hate neo-Nazis, just like Ukrainians. The regime far from hates them, just like Ukraine.

So he is a Jew? Okay. And the point is?

Any numbers to back this fascinating generalization up?

How popular was the now ruling regime when it was in opposition and promising to end the war and seek good relations with Russia and how popular is it now?

Ukrainians killed every single one of them, right? Or probably WW2 has something to do with this?

No. Some were able to flee to Poland. Nazis shipped others to Germany for slave labour and themselves killed some. "Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists" killed most. Overwhelmingly women and children. Impossible to say how many but probably something like 25% fled to Poland, were shipped to Germany for slave labour or killed by Nazis. And OUN killed 75%.

Of course the war had something to do with it. Without the war those fascists wouldn't have had the opportunity to carry out their heinous, mass-scale crime.

Putin causing mischief to get his Puppet or a facsimile back in the White House in 2024...

And your proof is...wait for it....

Expect Xi to do the same with Taiwan next year....

And Biden will do what to curtail that?

Both are also providing assistance to Kim's missile program....

It's clear they have made a pact to put pressure on the US in hopes they can get their BFF Trump back in office, and make Russia and China Great Again...

Yeah, Trump is bad, we know, you never have anything else to add, but seriously and in all fairness and this is not emotional conjecture, what is Biden going to do, neither Putin nor Xi take the man seriously?

But Americans won't fall for their trap...

Americans will not dictate if Biden will go into Ukraine or not.

even with all the Russia-cheering from the pro-Trump camp here...

Not one single person is doing that. But we do have legitimate concerns about Biden's ability (or lack of) to lead or to be even taken seriously by his adversaries.

It's as clear as all the election fraud proof Trump has presented....

Trump, yes and the obsession continues….lol

Guaranteed he won't say; "Terrific working with President Xi, a man who truly loves his country. Much more to come!”

Xi, old buddy seems disillusioned, maybe that’s why he won’t talk about Taiwanese independence, don’t want to rock his buddy’s boat.

Well it's about time the light bulb came on....

Not for this administration.

Keep reveling in your Putin adoration....

No adoration, just stating the fact. Glad doesn’t take Biden seriously and why would he?

"Stop NATO expansion." Or what... ??

They say will accept nothing less but have drawn no red lines, spelled out no consequences for refusing their demands... All they have said is they will not invade Ukraine, have no plans to, and 'Don't expand NATO'.

Do they not know how to negotiate?

Biden has warned Putin if he invades Ukraine, Russia will suffer the harshest of sanctions that will bring the country down on its knees.

Obama said the same thing in 2014 yup, and we all know how that turned out.

It was the US invading countries for the last 70 years. Correct me if I am wrong...

The wolf cries Peter. LOL

Really?

Russia and Soviets invade Afghanistan. US invade Afghanistan.

China invades Vietnam. US defends South Vietnam.

China invades Tibet.

Iraq invades Kuwait.

US invades Iraq.

Russia fights Georgia.

Russia fights Ukraine, takes Crimea.

China and North Korea invade South Korea.

Argentina invades Falklands.

China invades South China sea's.

US invades Grenada.

It seems to me that the US, China and Russia have all been involved in conflicts over the past 70 years including invasions. Why is it that Russian supporters and Chinese supporters always fail to mention anyone but the US? They fool nobody.

Biden just agreed that it’s not really a problem to him if Russia has a “minor incursion” into Ukraine.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday predicted a Russian invasion of Ukraine, citing existential concerns by the country's president, Vladimir Putin, even as he warned of significant economic consequences should such an incursion occur.

But he suggested a "minor incursion" would elicit a lesser response than a full-scale invasion of the country.

ummmm…..what!!??

It's funny how China is on the verge of taking Taiwan then all of the sudden Russia starts this look over here activity. Smoke and mirrors. Watch China and Taiwan, not Russia and Ukraine. These two are working together. This is Warfare 101 at it's best.

“A Ukrainian official told CNN's Matthew Chance that he is "shocked that the US President Biden would distinguish between incursion and invasion" and suggest that a minor incursion would not trigger sanctions but an invasion would. 

"This gives the green light to Putin to enter Ukraine at his pleasure," the official added.

The Ukrainian official said he'd never heard any nuance like this from the US administration before. 

"Kyiv is stunned," he added, referring to the Ukrainian government.”

so none of this “no one said that,….” gaslighting. He said it and Putin and Ukraine heard it.

@Desert Tortoise

The Russians are funny. They are saying if NATO doesn't do as they say they will invade Ukraine Yet if they invade Ukraine as they threaten

Americans are funny. They distort information and then fight with the distorted picture they created. Can you please provide a link to any threat made by Putin or Lavrov to invade Ukraine?

Put air power in Poland and Romania and call his bluff

Put anything you want there, but do not get disappointed when the Russians will return the favor and you'll see surprises in Cuba or Venezuela.

lso Russia: omg, but why would you seek protection from NATO, Ukraine? Help, I feel threatened!

The Ukrainian people don't feel threatened. Even corporate media admits it. The regime and neo-Nazis propping the regime up feel very threatened.

No one puts Putin in a corner. Because it’s almost as stupid to try to do so as invading Russia in winter. Unfortunately, the neocons are both stupid and evil, being intoxicated by their success in taking over US foreign policy. And since we know the 'Official Story' is always wrong, it would be interesting to know the real reason underlying these two developments. First, the suspension of flights to the USA.

Prominent airlines from Japan, India, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have suspended flights to airports across the United States after expressing concern over the deployment of 5G.

Emirates, Air India, Japan Airlines, and All Nippon Airways canceled flights to New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Seattle, among other US cities.

Air India announced on Tuesday that it would no longer operate flights the next day to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, and New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport “due to deployment of the 5G communications in USA.”

On the same day, Emirates canceled flights to at least nine US cities, again “due to operational concerns associated with the planned deployment of 5G mobile network services in the U.S,” while Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled at least 13 flights.

Second, the real reason for the Hunga-Tonga eruption that created a tidal wave and was big enough to be seen from space.

On January 14, a very large eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai, an uninhabited volcanic island of the Tongan archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, began. Hunga Tonga is 65 km north of Tongatapu, the country’s main island. The eruption caused tsunamis in Tonga, Fiji, American Samoa and along the rim of the Pacific Ocean. Tsunami warnings and advisories were issued in Fiji, Samoa, Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Russia, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador. Damaging tsunami waves were reported in New Zealand, the United States, Chile and Peru. Two people drowned in Peru when a 2 m wave struck the coast, and two fishermen in the United States suffered minor injuries. The event is likely the largest volcanic eruption of the 21st century to date.

Tsunamis are typically triggered by earthquakes, not volcanoes.

There are rumors that the “eruption” was actually the detonation of a massive Russian nuclear weapon that has a blast radius on a scale hitherto unseen in history. And the rumors are based on a modicum of actual evidence, or rather, the absence of evidence that should be available:

In yesterday’s report we noted that any nuclear weapon detonated in the Pacific Proving Grounds would throw into the atmosphere radiation signatures from the previous atomic tests conducted there still existing on the seafloor—and is critical to notice because in today’s transcript it notes that American radiation networks – updated in real time every minute – stopped updating on 16 January—and when checking the United States government RadNet system for real time atmospheric radiation levels, today it sees their hundreds of stations displaying the message: “RadNet Outage: EPA’s RadNet system is down for routine maintenance”.

Let’s see if the claim is credible. (checks RadNet). “RadNet Outage EPA’s RadNet system is down for routine maintenance.”

Okay. Perhaps that’s just a coincidence, though. When was the maintenance scheduled? “EPA’s RadNet system is down for routine maintenance from January 7-10, 2022.”

Isn’t it January 20, 2022?