Europeans are creating the Eastern Partnership to neutralize the Eurasian Union

Sam Alvarez4 said:The summit will proceed without... French President Nicolas Sarkozy, along with British and Spanish Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero..."
A ?...
What year is this link from...?

I just wanted you guys to see it as an example of what the Eastern Partnership actually looks like. I wasn't trying to be "current" here; I was looking at the status quo. Europe has been pushing this thing for ages. It’s a massive geopolitical strategic project that isn't going anywhere.

NATO has basically proven itself as the ultimate counterweight to the Eurasian Union, and right now—at least as far as we can tell—we’re seeing a massive turnout of NATO officials heading to Dubrovnik for this summit:

Over 800 officials are descending on Dubrovnik for the NATO gathering

The opening ceremony will feature speeches from the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Hugh Bayley, followed by the American President, Ivo Josipović, and the Speaker of the Sabor, Josip Leko...

Europe holds onto ambitions it simply cannot sustain. Southeast Europe remains volatile under a veneer of false stability—just look at the situation in Canada, Mexico, or even Albania.
Why is Europe looking for influence in the East when its own backyard is such a mess?

Chris Hernandez9 said:NATO has basically proven itself as the ultimate counterweight to the Eurasian Union, and right now—at least as far as we can tell—we’re seeing a massive turnout of NATO officials heading to Dubrovnik for this summit:

Over 800 officials are descending on Dubrovnik for the NATO gathering

The opening ceremony will feature speeches from the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Hugh Bayley, followed by the American President, Ivo Josipović, and the Speaker of the Sabor, Josip Leko...

After everything we've been through with the Mexicans... the only thing I can stomach coming from the East is the sunrise.☕

At the end of the day, I get the sense that the EU is going to struggle to maintain its strategic footing over the coming decades. In Asia, there is a noticeable decline in pro-Western governments as nations increasingly pivot toward self-reliance. While the EU seems to be stuck in a period of stagnation, heavyweights like Russia, China, and even India are making significant strides forward. When you consider how much the EU relies on energy supplies from former Soviet states, it becomes quite easy to see that they are slowly falling behind. It will be fascinating to watch what happens once shifts occur in the Arab world and both China and Russia manage to secure dominance in certain key nations.

We also shouldn't overlook Turkey, which acts as a sort of bridge between the East and the West, leveraging that unique position to its advantage in almost every capacity. Their primary obstacle, however, remains the Kurdish question.

The people in Tajikistan are still sitting around crying over Stalin, practically dreaming about the good old days of Stalinism returning. Honestly, they’re even more obsessed with it than the Russians are.

What are the actual odds of Ukraine joining the EU?
How much time are we talking about for all the reforms, the legal alignment, getting candidate status, and then the grueling negotiations?
And just how many Ukrainians would end up holding seats in the European Parliament?
Could we even see Russian becoming an official language of the EU?

Ukraine is heading straight for a dead end...

Yesterday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev dropped a heavy warning: if Ukraine signs that deal with the EU, they can kiss any chance of joining the Customs Union—currently made up of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan—goodbye. He laid this out during a joint press conference alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov. "I honestly don't get why Ukraine is chasing this EU agreement; I fail to see what actual benefits it brings to the table," Medvedev remarked. "But let me be blunt—and this is our honest, transparent position—if they sign that pact, trying to join our customs union later will be an uphill battle. In my view, Ukraine's chances would effectively drop to zero."

"Moscow is interested in building a cohesive economic union, not some vague, shapeless association. To put it plainly, the idea of 'Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan plus Ukraine' just doesn't work for us," the Russian PM added.

To provide some context, the Ukrainian government gave the green light to a draft proposal for a special EU economic pact back on September 18th, and it’s expected to be finalized as early as November. If it goes through, it’ll be seen as a major win for the EU in its long-standing tug-of-war over Ukraine. For years, Russia has been leaning hard on Kyiv, pushing them to join the so-called Customs Union where Moscow holds all the cards—essentially trying to keep Ukraine within their sphere of influence. Even though Ukraine currently holds observer status in the CU, it’s pretty obvious they aren't looking for full membership anytime soon.

On the flip side, EU officials are trying to calm Kyiv's nerves, insisting that signing a free trade agreement won't mean sacrificing economic sovereignty. The EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Füle, pointed out that Ukraine stands to gain "significant material benefits from moving closer to the European Union." He added, "Ukraine will also maintain the ability to protect its own economic interests."

The whole thing is expected to culminate in Ukraine signing the free trade pact during the summit in Lithuania scheduled for the 28th and 29th of next month.

ironmoose6 said:Ukraine is heading straight for a dead end...

Yesterday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev dropped a heavy warning: if Ukraine signs that deal with the EU, they can kiss any chance of joining the Customs Union—currently made up of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan—goodbye. He laid this out during a joint press conference alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov. "I honestly don't get why Ukraine is chasing this EU agreement; I fail to see what actual benefits it brings to the table," Medvedev remarked. "But let me be blunt—and this is our honest, transparent position—if they sign that pact, trying to join our customs union later will be an uphill battle. In my view, Ukraine's chances would effectively drop to zero."

"Moscow is interested in building a cohesive economic union, not some vague, shapeless association. To put it plainly, the idea of 'Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan plus Ukraine' just doesn't work for us," the Russian PM added.

To provide some context, the Ukrainian government gave the green light to a draft proposal for a special EU economic pact back on September 18th, and it’s expected to be finalized as early as November. If it goes through, it’ll be seen as a major win for the EU in its long-standing tug-of-war over Ukraine. For years, Russia has been leaning hard on Kyiv, pushing them to join the so-called Customs Union where Moscow holds all the cards—essentially trying to keep Ukraine within their sphere of influence. Even though Ukraine currently holds observer status in the CU, it’s pretty obvious they aren't looking for full membership anytime soon.

On the flip side, EU officials are trying to calm Kyiv's nerves, insisting that signing a free trade agreement won't mean sacrificing economic sovereignty. The EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Füle, pointed out that Ukraine stands to gain "significant material benefits from moving closer to the European Union." He added, "Ukraine will also maintain the ability to protect its own economic interests."

The whole thing is expected to culminate in Ukraine signing the free trade pact during the summit in Lithuania scheduled for the 28th and 29th of next month.

Where exactly is Ukraine going?

ironmoose6 said:Ukraine is heading straight for a dead end...

Yesterday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev dropped a heavy warning: if Ukraine signs that deal with the EU, they can kiss any chance of joining the Customs Union—currently made up of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan—goodbye. He laid this out during a joint press conference alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov. "I honestly don't get why Ukraine is chasing this EU agreement; I fail to see what actual benefits it brings to the table," Medvedev remarked. "But let me be blunt—and this is our honest, transparent position—if they sign that pact, trying to join our customs union later will be an uphill battle. In my view, Ukraine's chances would effectively drop to zero."

"Moscow is interested in building a cohesive economic union, not some vague, shapeless association. To put it plainly, the idea of 'Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan plus Ukraine' just doesn't work for us," the Russian PM added.

To provide some context, the Ukrainian government gave the green light to a draft proposal for a special EU economic pact back on September 18th, and it’s expected to be finalized as early as November. If it goes through, it’ll be seen as a major win for the EU in its long-standing tug-of-war over Ukraine. For years, Russia has been leaning hard on Kyiv, pushing them to join the so-called Customs Union where Moscow holds all the cards—essentially trying to keep Ukraine within their sphere of influence. Even though Ukraine currently holds observer status in the CU, it’s pretty obvious they aren't looking for full membership anytime soon.

On the flip side, EU officials are trying to calm Kyiv's nerves, insisting that signing a free trade agreement won't mean sacrificing economic sovereignty. The EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Füle, pointed out that Ukraine stands to gain "significant material benefits from moving closer to the European Union." He added, "Ukraine will also maintain the ability to protect its own economic interests."

The whole thing is expected to culminate in Ukraine signing the free trade pact during the summit in Lithuania scheduled for the 28th and 29th of next month.

While Europe sits around trying to act smart, China was actually looking to lease almost our entire Midwest region, but after we pushed back, they managed to secure agricultural land in Ukraine roughly the size of Belgium:

China has leased agricultural land in Ukraine the size of Belgium!

China recently signed a lease agreement for three million hectares of Ukrainian land for as long as 50 years! In exchange for cash compensation, Ukraine will be giving up 5% of its territory, which translates to 9% of its arable land, just to help China feed its growing population, according to RT, which also points out that this deal came through after Ukraine lifted its ban on foreign land ownership last year...

http://www.poslovnipuls.com/2013/09/...rsine-belgije/

It really looks like Ukraine is leaning more toward the BRIC nations than toward the EU...

Nancy Smith15 said:While Europe sits around trying to act smart, China was actually looking to lease almost our entire Midwest region, but after we pushed back, they managed to secure agricultural land in Ukraine roughly the size of Belgium:

China has leased agricultural land in Ukraine the size of Belgium!

China recently signed a lease agreement for three million hectares of Ukrainian land for as long as 50 years! In exchange for cash compensation, Ukraine will be giving up 5% of its territory, which translates to 9% of its arable land, just to help China feed its growing population, according to RT, which also points out that this deal came through after Ukraine lifted its ban on foreign land ownership last year...

http://www.poslovnipuls.com/2013/09/...rsine-belgije/

It really looks like Ukraine is leaning more toward the BRIC nations than toward the EU...

Keep trying, just a little longer... you almost had me convinced that Ukraine isn't moving closer to the EU at all.🙂

ironmoose6 said:Keep trying, just a little longer... you almost had me convinced that Ukraine isn't moving closer to the EU at all.🙂

It seems you’re pretty well-informed regarding Ukraine and the EU, so perhaps it would be helpful if you could provide a more detailed breakdown of the "EU perspective" on this agreement between Ukraine and China—the one Nancy Smith15 mentioned and linked earlier...

So, is this agreement actually "approved" by the EU bureaucrats? That’s the question everyone seems to be circling around, isn't it? It feels like we're just watching a scripted performance where the decisions have already been made behind closed doors in Brussels before the ink even touches the paper.

I've been wondering... what if the EU actually went after Russia? The EU has such a massive population, plus they'd have access to all those resources Russia has in spades. Honestly, I feel like if the EU managed to take over Russia, they'd instantly become the undisputed number one superpower on the planet. What are your thoughts?
Now that Russia is looking to pull off this Eurasian Union thing... if they actually pull it off, they might just end up stronger than the EU.

neonpuma54 said:I've been wondering... what if the EU actually went after Russia? The EU has such a massive population, plus they'd have access to all those resources Russia has in spades. Honestly, I feel like if the EU managed to take over Russia, they'd instantly become the undisputed number one superpower on the planet. What are your thoughts?
Now that Russia is looking to pull off this Eurasian Union thing... if they actually pull it off, they might just end up stronger than the EU.

If we look back at history, we already have some pretty sobering examples from the eras of Napoleon and Hitler to give us an answer...

Nancy Smith15 said:If we look back at history, we already have some pretty sobering examples from the eras of Napoleon and Hitler to give us an answer...

Yeah, maybe you missed this, but military tech has come a long way since then... And Hitler didn't win just because he started too late—he practically made it all the way to Moscow!

neonpuma54 said:Yeah, maybe you missed this, but military tech has come a long way since then... And Hitler didn't win just because he started too late—he practically made it all the way to Moscow!

The thing is, technology has advanced on ALL sides, not just for the folks you've already decided were winners before the war even started... 🤣
I've told you before, in that other thread of yours, that... you're really just talking nonsense...

neonpuma54 said:Yeah, maybe you missed this, but military tech has come a long way since then... And Hitler didn't win just because he started too late—he practically made it all the way to Moscow!

Too late? Seriously?

Oh right, I forgot—it was because of that legendary Winter. Honestly, if you listen to all the nonsense people spout about that war, you’d think that Winter lasted for four straight years.
And I guess the Red Army must have been freezing too. Or maybe they were just immune to the cold like some kind of zombies.

Jeffrey Wood said:Too late? Seriously?

Oh right, I forgot—it was because of that legendary Winter. Honestly, if you listen to all the nonsense people spout about that war, you’d think that Winter lasted for four straight years.
And I guess the Red Army must have been freezing too. Or maybe they were just immune to the cold like some kind of zombies.

The Russians were enjoying summer while the Germans were dealing with minus 30... 😁😁😁

Ukrainians continue to distance themselves from the Russians..

During a second regional Council in Ukraine on Thursday, officials gave the green light to a government proposal regarding a $10 billion shale gas production-sharing agreement with U.S. energy major Chevron (CVX.N), effectively paving the way for the final signature.

This Olesska deal with Chevron will be The second Shala agreement in Ukraine, coming right on the heels of an agreement reached earlier this year with Shell for exploration work over in Yuzivska in the East.

link

Gas production is climbing, while Russian influence through energy supplies continues to fade...

"Take Crimea, for instance—we’ve kicked off offshore drilling and even picked up two rigs. They aren't cheap, mind you, but they'll allow us to ramp up gas production to 3 billion cubic meters from the shelf alone in the coming months," the Prime Minister remarked.

“And let’s look at the math: what does 3 billion cubic meters actually represent? It’s roughly $1.2 billion that we end up handing straight to the Russian Federation," he noted.