I believe your assessment is spot on, as is your delivery. Thank you for this! Keep up the outstanding work.
With respect to Turkey, Erdogan has many irons in the fire right now, and all good ones. I view what he's doing as very positive for the region as a whole, yet decidedly neutral. I understand that he can go to either side, and I have thoughts about that for later. I'll be interested in hearing perspectives. For now, Erdogan doesn't need to know the details or be involved directly, but needs to know that there is movement happening. He has ties directly with Ukraine, so we want to maintain some degree of alignment, and integrate with his plans when the time is right. I believe that Macron should be the one to manage that connection if he's so willing.
"... As of the latest available data, the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the 19 countries that met on February 19, 2025, stands at approximately $30.5 trillion USD—coincidentally, very close to where President Biden left the United States. ..."
I don't know about Japan/Au. They've got their own crap going on right now
Yes - agreed but the visual is needed - many millions gone know the slightest thing about Econ numbers. Visuals hit quick and stay lodged in the brain. Someone had an AI image of all the flags with helicopters war ships drones etc flying together - I screen shot here but can’t post a photo . It’s impressive - remember we have a volunteer army in the states right now and all this will hamper recruitment - some people who have already met their obligation will leave. So visuals impact support right? And they’re rapid .
Good writing as usual, Shankar. I hear little about Austria. Have we given up on them? I call my Congress people often and remind them to continue supporting Ukraine and block lessening sanctions. They are breaking things faster than we can repair, but we will not give up.
It’s really not hard to say - this movement is-at long last- beginning to crumble inside . Anti Trump anti musk gaining momentum. And there are senators who do not admire Putin.
Not sure, if we have free and fair elections next year then most likely can win back the house but without the Senate it won’t do much good. The Democrats are not conveying strength, in fact, they look pathetic.
This is very good news. Macron is interesting as a leader of the pivot. He has strong economic relationships with the Middle East so this bloc may not be as isolated as it seems at first look. I do concern myself with the US joining BRICS which is forming as alt trade currency backed by gold standard (orange menace mumbled some about BRICS a week ago) but for now this is good. They have to keep the southern coast of Ukraine open to secure shipping lanes for food and energy so I'm hoping we don't at least do anything counterproductive there while this new alliance is forming.
This is fantastic news. I am feeling hopeful that others on the world stage are taking preemptive action to protect their economies, communities, and democracy while the US either bows to evil or hides in the shadows. NATO is essentially defunct at this point. We must construct as fast as they dismantle. Onward!
Has anybody considered that the objective here is to create enough chaos to get people to publicly revolt, so that he can declare martial law, and then use that situation to first postpone elections, and then later to cancel elections, making him the dictator he wants to be.
As an American, I am ashamed of our President’s unconscionable behavior towards Ukraine, but heartened to see the Europeans rising to Ukraine’s defense. Those of us who haven’t lost our minds over here, will try to rein in or oust our wannabe emperor so we can return to behaving like a liberal democracy instead of a 19th century imperial power.
Good analysis and a great step towards what must be done by democratic states who can see the certain consequences of Trump and Putin attempting to colonise or wipe out Ukraine. We must collectively stop them with providing anything required by Ukraine to push them out to pre-2014 boundaries. I also think Ukraine in NATO would be a huge asset for us all. I also do not believe Putin has the remaining resources to defend the stolen lands. Trump's incoherent utterings have isolated the USA from having any part in further discussions.
Why not the pre 1914 boundaries which includes the greater Ukrainian culture plus the Circassian people near the Back sea. This with a liberal democratic Georgia would be a longer term bulwark.
I believe your assessment is spot on, as is your delivery. Thank you for this! Keep up the outstanding work.
With respect to Turkey, Erdogan has many irons in the fire right now, and all good ones. I view what he's doing as very positive for the region as a whole, yet decidedly neutral. I understand that he can go to either side, and I have thoughts about that for later. I'll be interested in hearing perspectives. For now, Erdogan doesn't need to know the details or be involved directly, but needs to know that there is movement happening. He has ties directly with Ukraine, so we want to maintain some degree of alignment, and integrate with his plans when the time is right. I believe that Macron should be the one to manage that connection if he's so willing.
This is magnificent news. I feel the first burst of joy I have had in weeks. Bully for Europe. Shame on the U.S. Thank you, Shankar.
We are moving in the right direction.
My fervent hope was that Canada would be at the table yesterday. When I saw TRUDEAU’s release, I was beyond relieved. May Carney continue his work 😉
That was one breathtaking surge by Carney...
Call me crazy but my sense is that he's been sitting in a back room for months. Trudeau has always used him for policy advice anyway.
This alliance will eventually be huge - this rightfully needs to incl EU , then add Canada , add Japan (?), add Australia (?)
Put together an alliance of this size, and publish notices and photos of their conference - make them think , they’ve already lost senators
Keep this in your mind, as written by Shankar:
"... As of the latest available data, the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the 19 countries that met on February 19, 2025, stands at approximately $30.5 trillion USD—coincidentally, very close to where President Biden left the United States. ..."
I don't know about Japan/Au. They've got their own crap going on right now
Yes - agreed but the visual is needed - many millions gone know the slightest thing about Econ numbers. Visuals hit quick and stay lodged in the brain. Someone had an AI image of all the flags with helicopters war ships drones etc flying together - I screen shot here but can’t post a photo . It’s impressive - remember we have a volunteer army in the states right now and all this will hamper recruitment - some people who have already met their obligation will leave. So visuals impact support right? And they’re rapid .
I'm still prying my eyes open. Do you have a link directly to that release? Will save me searching. I need that time to search for my glasses...
GOOD MORNING! It was a statement. To me, statements like these go hand in hand with Europe solidarity and have more than an underlying meaning.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-ukraine-russia-us-negotiations-1.7462628
Thank you again for your reporting Shankar, such good work on our behalf.
🇺🇦
Good. Best to move on from the US for the next little bit.
Good writing as usual, Shankar. I hear little about Austria. Have we given up on them? I call my Congress people often and remind them to continue supporting Ukraine and block lessening sanctions. They are breaking things faster than we can repair, but we will not give up.
Will check what is going on with Austria.
What a great analysis. Thank you, our people need all the support and truth telling we can get right now.
And the keystone in the arch: Ukraine leadership and guidance in building the new EU armed forces.
Now that they have the most experienced military complex (through misfortune)
I stand with Europe and Ukraine now and against my own country.
Hard to say what the US stands for. Now it is falling down. May not stand up for quite a while. Decades?
It’s really not hard to say - this movement is-at long last- beginning to crumble inside . Anti Trump anti musk gaining momentum. And there are senators who do not admire Putin.
Canada is going to need a wall
Same
Not sure, if we have free and fair elections next year then most likely can win back the house but without the Senate it won’t do much good. The Democrats are not conveying strength, in fact, they look pathetic.
Don’t think we will be able to count on free and fair
Musk will be contaminating things and the disinformation will be wild
However - the Senate incl those who do not hold Putin in the same regard as DJT
This is very good news. Macron is interesting as a leader of the pivot. He has strong economic relationships with the Middle East so this bloc may not be as isolated as it seems at first look. I do concern myself with the US joining BRICS which is forming as alt trade currency backed by gold standard (orange menace mumbled some about BRICS a week ago) but for now this is good. They have to keep the southern coast of Ukraine open to secure shipping lanes for food and energy so I'm hoping we don't at least do anything counterproductive there while this new alliance is forming.
This is fantastic news. I am feeling hopeful that others on the world stage are taking preemptive action to protect their economies, communities, and democracy while the US either bows to evil or hides in the shadows. NATO is essentially defunct at this point. We must construct as fast as they dismantle. Onward!
Yes.
Has anybody considered that the objective here is to create enough chaos to get people to publicly revolt, so that he can declare martial law, and then use that situation to first postpone elections, and then later to cancel elections, making him the dictator he wants to be.
Possible.
As an American, I am ashamed of our President’s unconscionable behavior towards Ukraine, but heartened to see the Europeans rising to Ukraine’s defense. Those of us who haven’t lost our minds over here, will try to rein in or oust our wannabe emperor so we can return to behaving like a liberal democracy instead of a 19th century imperial power.
canada will sit at the table, they are already in discussions with the eu as regards trade, avoiding the orange menace
Absolutely - and the EU will be allied with Canada ,too , right ?… Australia ? Japan?
I’d like to come out of this with a massive worldwide alliance that makes these sickening men take a big step back and scramble
Europe and Canada should set up a “Radio Free Murica,” to bolster fledgling democratic movements in the US.
Good analysis and a great step towards what must be done by democratic states who can see the certain consequences of Trump and Putin attempting to colonise or wipe out Ukraine. We must collectively stop them with providing anything required by Ukraine to push them out to pre-2014 boundaries. I also think Ukraine in NATO would be a huge asset for us all. I also do not believe Putin has the remaining resources to defend the stolen lands. Trump's incoherent utterings have isolated the USA from having any part in further discussions.
Why not the pre 1914 boundaries which includes the greater Ukrainian culture plus the Circassian people near the Back sea. This with a liberal democratic Georgia would be a longer term bulwark.