Europe

This is specifically why France developed their nuclear arsenal under De Gaulle.

De Gaulle believed that the Americans could not be trusted to defend Europe, he was afraid that if the Russians would attack Europe with nuclear weapons the US would not defend us.

America is already out of the question and I think most politicians in Europe are finally seeing that. But the problem runs much deeper still. With the US out of the picture, will Madrid declare war on Russia if they send little green men to a border village in Latvia?

I really hope our politicians are not THAT dumb..... Hope is what we have

America is going to be balls deep in greenland and europe will not go to war over THAT.

Which is ironic, because the only time article 5 was invited was by the Americans, after 9/11.

But with Trump on his side, he might make some progress.

They’ll make it ✨ inconvenient✨ for people.

Sabotaging water sources (already practiced this in Finland), power stations (happened in Sweden), cutting undersea cables.

Way too many people are willing to let other people die rather than be inconvenienced.

Clearly, Putin underestimated Ukraine at the beginning of his invasion. But Russia can maintain the war against Ukraine for a long time to come.

Putin has no other choice: the entire Russian economy is dependent on war and armaments and would collapse if peace were concluded. Putin could no longer control his country without an external enemy.

Hence his narrative of the "Nazis" who must be fought in Ukraine (and soon on other borders (see Suwalki Gap)). This narrative of the Nazis ties in with the russian history of the Great Patriotic War, and this resonates with the Russian population. Putin is building a sequel to WWII, with renewed external threats, and the people are receptive to that.

Therefore, Putin is not at all interested in a peace treaty. And the conflict with NATO countries has already begun: the severed power cables and data cables in the Baltic Sea and the attacks on our information systems should have been regarded as acts of war from their beginning. The threat is there NOW. And Europe and NATO must build up strength.

i mean, don't we all just assume this now?

i don't mean to make light of the news, but it's clear as day: america isn't america any more.

Men who are still alive

Oh no... Putin found Dunharrow. Being alive isn't needed.

collapsed inline media

People who follow this subject have been talking about it as a crisis before the invasion even began. Now it's being described as "demographic collapse". They have remarkably low birth rates, an ageing population, xenophobia issues, and few friendly nations from which to borrow workers. I saw one headline that they've begun trying to bribe young ladies to have children. I believe I've seen Putin on record saying he sees demographics as one of his biggest issues, but his policies belie a more cynical stance. It is likely that Russia will continue to decline throughout the century, and in geopolitical terms they are positioned to eventually become a client state of some sort, likelier than not beholden to China.

It is definitely impacted but you also need to consider how indoctrinated and thoroughly militarized the younger generations are at this point. Russia might not have good birth rates, but their children are forced to learn marching in formation early on (I think it was at kindergarten level) and practice with wooden rifle mockups.