> MOSCOW/PARIS, Nov 12 (Reuters) – France on Friday warned Russia against harming Ukraine’s territorial integrity, after the United States shared with European allies its fears over Russian troop movements on the Ukrainian border and over a potential attack.
> Four European diplomats told Reuters that U.S. officials had raised their concerns about an attack on Ukraine with their European Union allies at a briefing in Brussels. Two said the meeting was held on Wednesday with 30 ambassadors at the level of the NATO transatlantic alliance.
> France’s foreign and defence ministers, Jean-Yves Le Drian and Florence Parly, issued an unusually blunt statement after meeting their Russian counterparts in Paris.
> “The two ministers expressed their concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Ukraine and clearly warned of the serious consequences of any further possible damage to the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the statement said.
> Earlier in the day, Russia had dismissed as inflammatory suggestions Moscow might be weighing an attack and accused the United States of aggressive moves in the Black Sea.
> The European diplomats declined to give further details on U.S. reasons or evidence for fearing an attack.
> In addition, one diplomatic source said that last week at a North Atlantic Council meeting – the principal political decision-making body within NATO – Karen Donfried, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, briefed in more detail on her recent trip to Moscow and shared her concern about the troop build-up.
> “The patterns of Russian behaviour are different from what we have seen before,” a NATO source said without elaborating. “So far, it is unclear if this military build-up is intended to lead to an incursion into Ukraine or if it is just another exercise.”
> Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and says the waters around it belong to Moscow now despite most countries continuing to recognise the peninsula as Ukrainian.
> Russian-backed separatists took control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region that same year and soldiers on both sides continue to be regularly killed in the conflict there.
“France doesn’t care about Russia.”
-People here who have no idea what they are talking about,
how stupid do people think putin is? attacking ukraine would be a lose/lose scenario that would create more problems than you can possibly imagine.
Its not worth it at all.
So what’s the real reason this time?
Just the normal dick waving between NATO and Russian forces on the border?
Putin needs a distraction from something?
Just trying to make the polish belarus situation a bit hotter?
It’s good that France does it. But practically it cannot do much: More sanctions? It seems Russia got used to living under sanctions. Stop buying Russian gas? It’s not up to France and Europe doesn’t have alternative to Russian gas. At least not now and not to cover all demand. Help Ukraine militarily? France is too far to do that and doesn’t have any military assets in Eastern Europe. I think black sea is too small for France to safely go there with its ships.
The Ukraine is doing Russia’s job for them just fine, why would they fiddle with attacking them now?
The old story went…
*A Russian, a French and a German tourist walk through New Guinea, when, suddenly, a cannibal tribe emerges from the jungle and attacks them. They’re caught and brought to the village, where the tribe’s chief walks out.*
*”Ah,” he says, “nice to meet you! Now, we’ll eat you, of course, that’s our tradition, but it’s nothing personal, I don’t want you to think of us badly. So, you’ll all get one wish before we begin.”*
*The Frenchman looks around and says “Well, if I have to die, let me spend the last hour with some of the prettiest girls from your tribe.”*
*”Of course,” the chief says. “Many seem to like you, no problem.”*
*An hour later, the tired but satisfied Frenchman leaves a hut and promptly gets slaughtered.*
*The German sighs. “Give me all the beer and sausages you have,” he says. “I won’t die hungry.”*
*The chief arranges a hearty meal, and the German fills himself up, then gets gagged and tossed onto a bonfire.*
*The Russian, who all the time has been staring daggers at the chief, points to his own chin and says. “See this? Hit!”*
*The chief, taken aback, says, “But…”*
*”No buts!” the Russian yells. “My wish! Do it! Hit!”*
*The chief shrugs and smacks the Russian in the jaw. The Russian inhales angrily, takes out an AK-47 out of his backpack, and massacres the entire tribe.*
*The German manages to roll off the bonfire; barely alive, he looks at the Russian and whispers… “You had this gun… all the time… and you didn’t do anything? Why?!?”*
*The Russian proudly puts his chin up and exclaims: “**Because Russia is never aggressor!**”*
7 comments
In case of paywall:
> MOSCOW/PARIS, Nov 12 (Reuters) – France on Friday warned Russia against harming Ukraine’s territorial integrity, after the United States shared with European allies its fears over Russian troop movements on the Ukrainian border and over a potential attack.
> Four European diplomats told Reuters that U.S. officials had raised their concerns about an attack on Ukraine with their European Union allies at a briefing in Brussels. Two said the meeting was held on Wednesday with 30 ambassadors at the level of the NATO transatlantic alliance.
> France’s foreign and defence ministers, Jean-Yves Le Drian and Florence Parly, issued an unusually blunt statement after meeting their Russian counterparts in Paris.
> “The two ministers expressed their concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Ukraine and clearly warned of the serious consequences of any further possible damage to the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the statement said.
> Earlier in the day, Russia had dismissed as inflammatory suggestions Moscow might be weighing an attack and accused the United States of aggressive moves in the Black Sea.
> The European diplomats declined to give further details on U.S. reasons or evidence for fearing an attack.
> In addition, one diplomatic source said that last week at a North Atlantic Council meeting – the principal political decision-making body within NATO – Karen Donfried, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, briefed in more detail on her recent trip to Moscow and shared her concern about the troop build-up.
> “The patterns of Russian behaviour are different from what we have seen before,” a NATO source said without elaborating. “So far, it is unclear if this military build-up is intended to lead to an incursion into Ukraine or if it is just another exercise.”
> Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and says the waters around it belong to Moscow now despite most countries continuing to recognise the peninsula as Ukrainian.
> Russian-backed separatists took control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region that same year and soldiers on both sides continue to be regularly killed in the conflict there.
“France doesn’t care about Russia.”
-People here who have no idea what they are talking about,
how stupid do people think putin is? attacking ukraine would be a lose/lose scenario that would create more problems than you can possibly imagine.
Its not worth it at all.
So what’s the real reason this time?
Just the normal dick waving between NATO and Russian forces on the border?
Putin needs a distraction from something?
Just trying to make the polish belarus situation a bit hotter?
It’s good that France does it. But practically it cannot do much: More sanctions? It seems Russia got used to living under sanctions. Stop buying Russian gas? It’s not up to France and Europe doesn’t have alternative to Russian gas. At least not now and not to cover all demand. Help Ukraine militarily? France is too far to do that and doesn’t have any military assets in Eastern Europe. I think black sea is too small for France to safely go there with its ships.
The Ukraine is doing Russia’s job for them just fine, why would they fiddle with attacking them now?
The old story went…
*A Russian, a French and a German tourist walk through New Guinea, when, suddenly, a cannibal tribe emerges from the jungle and attacks them. They’re caught and brought to the village, where the tribe’s chief walks out.*
*”Ah,” he says, “nice to meet you! Now, we’ll eat you, of course, that’s our tradition, but it’s nothing personal, I don’t want you to think of us badly. So, you’ll all get one wish before we begin.”*
*The Frenchman looks around and says “Well, if I have to die, let me spend the last hour with some of the prettiest girls from your tribe.”*
*”Of course,” the chief says. “Many seem to like you, no problem.”*
*An hour later, the tired but satisfied Frenchman leaves a hut and promptly gets slaughtered.*
*The German sighs. “Give me all the beer and sausages you have,” he says. “I won’t die hungry.”*
*The chief arranges a hearty meal, and the German fills himself up, then gets gagged and tossed onto a bonfire.*
*The Russian, who all the time has been staring daggers at the chief, points to his own chin and says. “See this? Hit!”*
*The chief, taken aback, says, “But…”*
*”No buts!” the Russian yells. “My wish! Do it! Hit!”*
*The chief shrugs and smacks the Russian in the jaw. The Russian inhales angrily, takes out an AK-47 out of his backpack, and massacres the entire tribe.*
*The German manages to roll off the bonfire; barely alive, he looks at the Russian and whispers… “You had this gun… all the time… and you didn’t do anything? Why?!?”*
*The Russian proudly puts his chin up and exclaims: “**Because Russia is never aggressor!**”*