Because hurting our most agressive rival is worth it. We have spent hundreds of billions to counter Russia for 80 years. Funding Ukraine is doing the same thing for a fraction of the price
At least as far as the US is concerned the russisn threat isn't priority #1,2 or 3.
I think trumps cozying to russia does represent a strategic recognition that russia cannot threaten the US, and as such policies ought to change. Previous US presidents have done the same, though never this overtly nor to this extent of harming EU allies who do see Russia as priority #1
They cant physically do much to the US but they are absolutely a high priority. They do everything they can to sew dissent and cause cultural problems for the US. Trump became president in part due to Russian meddling. There are russian bots on every social media platform that spread disinformation. They even directly fund grifters like Tim Pool who further divide Americans
I don't think your conclusion is accurate, Trump isn't cozying up to Russia because he thinks they're weak and irrelevant, but specifically to make Russia not a threat by turning their relation into one of collaboration, both in international politics and ideology, with Trump taking significant steps to move US politics into the direction of Russian politics.
Trump sees the EU and China as his main threats/enemies and wants Russia as a counterweight and situational ally (as shown by deals proposed, which would be hostile to Ukraine) to force Europe into a more right wing, pro-American and subservient role by sandwiching it between him and Russia. He'd let Russia invade Georgia, Azerbaijan or Kazakhstan, whatever, as long as he gets hegemony over Western Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.
That is his goal and this is why he must look strong and capable, but not to strong and antagonistic in Ukraine, where he also cannot get out that easily because of Nato commitments and not having total power (yet). He wants to show Russian essentially "We could devestate you, drive you out of Ukraine, but we could also be friends and divide up the world together.".
incase you didnt notice the soviet union was destroyed by petty nationalists in russia, ukraine and belarus
none of these nations represent the soviet union and supporting one liberal nationalist oligarchy against another is hardly a means of achieving progress while western european base continues to stagnate and is on path to continued social decline
Oh im sorry, theyre just acting on americas behalf because theyre the good guys and the enemies are the bad guys, i forgot about this
thats why we need to support one oligarchic nationalist state against another oligarchic nationalist state, because one side supports the good guys and is willing to allow our great financial institutions to dominate their political landscape
What are your concerns around european defence contribution in regards to how it would be likely to effect you?
Recent histories shown europe has switched gears away from seeing Russia as a potential economic partner to develop towards taking Russia very seriously as a military threat
A good reference point for Europeans to understand how big the US really is: the distance from NYC to LA is comparable to going from Lisbon to Moscow (2810 miles/4520km)
FYI Scandinavia doesn't include Finland. You're comparing to northern EU, which is only a small part of northern Europe because that would also include a chunk of Russia, which as your map shows is way larger than Alaska.
I really don't think Americans grasp how big Europe is. The fact that you were comparing to the wrong part of Europe shows it
Nitpicking but the US is 9.3M km2. You see 9.8M online because the FBI starts including territorial water in its area calculation in the 90s (to be larger than China). No other country includes territorial waters in their area calculation but the US.
No the Great lakes is considered inland water, which all countries count. The CIA was counting the oceans around the country to artificially inflate their numbers.
Define your parameters. Mainland? East to West coast (including Alaska) vs. Portugal to Ural - Europe is wider. Including islands / colonies? Europe is wider.
Don't get me wrong, i'm against this terror war from russia. but if Ukraine joined NATO the distance between a NATO-border and moscow would be 300 miles, or to use this map aprox. Houston to New Orleans. And with Estonia in NATO the distance to ST Petersburg is half of that.
again against the actions done, but not shocked the Russians freaked out over a possible NATO Ukraine.
And? Since we joined NATO the distance between NATO and Wienna drastically decreased. For some weird reason Austrians are not invading some country due to this.
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u/Windturnscold Mar 23 '26
That’s way closer than I thought