President Zelensky officially applies for Ukraine to be accepted into the EU..."immediately"

[butters]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...f-the-european-union/ar-AAUqsRq?ocid=msedgntp

Earlier Monday, Zelensky urged the European Union to grant his country "immediate" membership into the 27-nation bloc amid the Russian invasion.

"We appeal to the European Union for Ukraine's immediate accession under a new special procedure," Zelensky said in a video address, according to a translation from The New York Times.

The Ukrainian president continued, "We are grateful to our partners for supporting us, but our goal is to stand alongside all Europeans, and most importantly, stand on their level."

how long this will actually take, i can't say, but:

Over the weekend, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said the European Union wants Ukraine as a member.

of course, it also is a fact that member-acceptance requires unanimity from all 27 current members. Will Ukraine receive this? I truly hope they do and directly... i'm concerned, though, that some members might see russia as taking over in the Ukraine and so defer any decision until the conflict has reached a conclusion one way or another.

 

[Dribble]

And the EU should go into Emergency Session and pass the request

 

[KeithD]

Yep, the EU needs to fast track this. And wave it under Putin's nose.

In other news, the International Olympic Committee has just called for all Russian athletes to be barred from all international sports events. Hope this is applied to the Figure Skating World competitions coming up in three weeks. The Russians dominate that. It would be a clear message, combined with the Russian doping scandal at the Olympics, to bar them from those competitions.

 

[Wrong Element]

My understanding of the EU is that decisions to add new members move at a glacial pace. I know Ukraine was on some sort of wait list, but I don't know if even this crisis would change that. Of course, I didn't have "Germany decides to rearm and all its neighbors are fine with that" on my 2022 bingo card either. Things are changing pretty quickly.

This is a big part of what's been irking Putin all along, far beyond the bluster about NATO. Anything that binds Ukraine tighter to Europe lessens its historic links to Russia.

 

[oggbashan]

Yep, the EU needs to fast track this. And wave it under Putin's nose.

In other news, the International Olympic Committee has just called for all Russian athletes to be barred from all international sports events. Hope this is applied to the Figure Skating World competitions coming up in three weeks. The Russians dominate that. It would be a clear message, combined with the Russian doping scandal at the Olympics, to bar them from those competitions.

But the corrupt FIFA is proposing that Russia should compete in the World Cup only without their flag or Russian Identification or any fans.

The English FA has said they will not play a match with Russia in any circumstances in the foreseeable future. Other footballing nations are saying the same.

 

[pecksniff]

But the corrupt FIFA

It seems curious that a sporting association could be corrupt.

Had we not already seen examples.

 

[KeithD]

But the corrupt FIFA is proposing that Russia should compete in the World Cup only without their flag or Russian Identification or any fans.

The English FA has said they will not play a match with Russia in any circumstances in the foreseeable future. Other footballing nations are saying the same.

That's just as good. Just not play them. Accept a forfeit as an insult to them and to the league.

Same with Medvedev in men's tennis. He's just taken the #1 position from Djokovic. But his opponents in tournaments for now should just not show up to play him if the tournaments seat him. If, of course, he doesn't declare against the invasion.

LATER: I've seen that Medvedev HAS declared against the invasion. Good for him.

 

[pecksniff]

Of course, the EU is not a military alliance. Yet.

 

[hobbit.]

Yep, the EU needs to fast track this. And wave it under Putin's nose.

In other news, the International Olympic Committee has just called for all Russian athletes to be barred from all international sports events. Hope this is applied to the Figure Skating World competitions coming up in three weeks. The Russians dominate that. It would be a clear message, combined with the Russian doping scandal at the Olympics, to bar them from those competitions.

the main advantage being that when stuff like this happens, or doesnt happen, it gets hard to hide shit from the population who begin to ask questions.

 

[Bud_Spencer]

They'd soon longfor the day when their sovereignty was only trampled by tanks and troops from Moscow, not armies of loafered bureaucrats from Brussels.

 

[oggbashan]

It seems curious that a sporting association could be corrupt.

Had we not already seen examples.

Fifa has now surrendered to public pressure and has banned all Russian teams whether National or club.

 

[butters]

Ukrainian pilots have arrived in Poland to begin taking control of fighter planes donated by European countries, a Ukrainian government official told POLITICO.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...donated-fighter-jets/ar-AAUraGd?ocid=msedgntp

 

[pecksniff]

They'd soon longfor the day when their sovereignty was only trampled by tanks and troops from Moscow, not armies of loafered bureaucrats from Brussels.

Quite incredibly stupid even for you.

 

[JohnnySavage]

I wonder how much sleep Putin is losing over the ice skaters being shunned.

 

[Chobham]

Ahh yes ladies and gentlemen, let us not hesitate to escalate a regional conflict into a world war.

 

[oggbashan]

Ahh yes ladies and gentlemen, let us not hesitate to escalate a regional conflict into a world war.

A Regional conflict? Putin knew it would escalate. He was and is prepared to take it to World War 3.

 

[Champakian]

He's betting the West will back down.
They always do...



They will.

 

[oggbashan]

He's betting the West will back down.
They always do...



They will.

Not this time. they won't. One artillery round on NATO soil and things will get very bad for Russia very quickly.

 

[Chobham]

It takes two to tango Ogg. We're under no obligation to play Putin's game. Quite frankly I find what is taking place inside Russia far more interesting.

 

[oggbashan]

It takes two to tango Ogg. We're under no obligation to play Putin's game. Quite frankly I find what is taking place inside Russia far more interesting.

The 'West' approach to Russia over this has shown more unity than ever before. Putin has made the mistake of pissing everyone off. The purpose of NATO is to defend against a common enemy. Putin's Russia is now that enemy and other differences between western countries are now insignificant by comparison.

Putin has made NATO stronger and concentrated governments' minds on defence spending.

 

[Champakian]

Ukraine ain't NATO. Sacrifice them.

(We already did that when we failed to significantly match his troop movements.)

 

[Dribble]

Ahh yes ladies and gentlemen, let us not hesitate to escalate a regional conflict into a world war.

It is already a World War. You are just too stupid to realize it.

 

[Chobham]

Yes, the newly found unity is good but will most likely be short lived.

The way things are shaking out Putin's time in power may be coming to an end. The Ruble has tanked and the natives are restless. While it's true that Putin managed to squirrel away some $300 Billion in hard currency that's not going to last long, especially since he's shut the population off from the banks. The body bags are piling up around the Kremlin and he can't hide that either. There is every indication that Putin is doing as good, or maybe better, a job toppling his own regime as that of the Ukraine.

 

[hobbit.]

I wonder how much sleep Putin is losing over the ice skaters being shunned.

its about loss of face more than ice skating, and the more events that get 'pulled' the harder it gets to hide the truth. especially with people like gordon ramsey posting reviews on russian restaurants websites which sadly contain links to news items showing the reasons why russia is a lepper.

 

[Dribble]

its about loss of face more than ice skating, and the more events that get 'pulled' the harder it gets to hide the truth. especially with people like gordon ramsey posting reviews on russian restaurants websites which sadly contain links to news items showing the reasons why russia is a lepper.

Exactly. The only way Russia can change is from the inside. Make every Russian and Belarusian life miserable. Send them home to live in the filth they support. If they don't like it....they can work for change there. The World can not coddle this.