Russia's 19th Century-style foreign policy prompts 16th century response

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian%E2%80%93Polish%E2%80%93Ukrainian_Brigade

Recent actions by Russia seem to have caused Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine to dust off defunct plans to create a joint force for peacekeeping duties, an idea that had gotten shelved several years ago.

What's interesting is that these three nations more or less correspond with the borders of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Russia's 16th century nemesis. What's more interesting is that it seems more aimed at NATO ("look what we have to do when you don't give us the protection we need"😉 than it is at Russia, who in a straight up fight could steamroll all three of these countries combined if it had to.

I think it's more to protect themselves in the mean time. Obama has put more US troops into the respective countries and has increased the amount of F16's that patrol them.

NATO would descend on Russia if they attacked one of them 3 but I reckon it's something for defending the initial attack. If they're more solidified as a group they are more coordinated to defend themselves.

It's worth noting that Ukraine isn't part of NATO, so it's very unlikely that the USA would intervene in the event of a Russian invasion unless Russia's actions threatened NATO states directly.

NATO's worst fear is that Russia will attempt a stealth invasion of the Baltic States as they did with Ukraine, because if there's no hard evidence (legally-damning evidence, which is different from conjectural "anyone who has a brain understands this" evidence like Russian supplying tanks to Donbass Rebels that were never in the Ukrainian inventory) then going to war with Russia over some small countries when the European member states are nowhere close to being on a war footing will seem like too big a cost. At the same time, NATO simply couldn't afford not to respond with force or else the entire spirit of the alliance would be dispelled.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
It's worth noting that Ukraine isn't part of NATO, so it's very unlikely that the USA would intervene in the event of a Russian invasion unless Russia's actions threatened NATO states directly.

NATO's worst fear is that Russia will attempt a stealth invasion of the Baltic States as they did with Ukraine, because if there's no hard evidence (legally-damning evidence, which is different from conjectural "anyone who has a brain understands this" evidence like Russian supplying tanks to Donbass Rebels that were never in the Ukrainian inventory) then going to war with Russia over some small countries when the European member states are nowhere close to being on a war footing will seem like too big a cost. At the same time, NATO simply couldn't afford not to respond with force or else the entire spirit of the alliance would be dispelled.

Yeah true missed Ukraine on your first message. Apologies for that.

Yeah it's sort of a damned if you do damned if you don't sort of thing. To be honest I reckon with the Russian economy tanking. If they don't own up to what they have done in part and try to help with the ceasefire (as much as they said they have helped) we haven't seen any change. Then I reckon Putin will just stay quiet.

Originally posted by One_Angry_Scot
I think it's more to protect themselves in the mean time. Obama has put more US troops into the respective countries and has increased the amount of F16's that patrol them.

NATO would descend on Russia if they attacked one of them 3 but I reckon it's something for defending the initial attack. If they're more solidified as a group they are more coordinated to defend themselves.

Indeed. These plans are aimed more at rebuffing an initial attack more than anything else and is by no means a substitute for NATO. Though I am not really sure how Ukraine will play into this, if at all.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
the European member states are nowhere close to being on a war footing will seem like too big a cost.

The European Union entering an open war would advance federal cooperation in the region by at least 25 years. It's well worth the investment for the pro-Europe hounds that are seeing their influence menaced by nationalist ambitions.

So don't count warring states out just yet.

Originally posted by Bentley
The European Union entering an open war would advance federal cooperation in the region by at least 25 years. It's well worth the investment for the pro-Europe hounds that are seeing their influence menaced by nationalist ambitions.

So don't count warring states out just yet.

An issue of Die Welt straight up accused the German government (and public) of being naive for not believing that there might come a point where Germany will have to go to war with Russia.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
I think it's silly for the European states not to at least seriously plan for the contingency of a Russian invasion of Eastern Europe.

An issue of Die Welt straight up accused the German government (and public) of being naive for not believing that there might come a point where Germany will have to go to war with Russia.

I don't think Russia will invade. While I agree with you on the Baltic States needing to solidify etc.

Putin runs a huge propaganda machine. He goes into Crimea. His ratings shoot up to over 90%. A lot of it is just posturing so Putin can act like he is defending against "enemies of the motherland" which gives him points back home.

The concern though is that to maintain that kind of volatile popularity Putin will have to keep upping the ante and doing other provocative things or possibly even pushing Russia back into a new Cold War.

WTF?! WHY I LEARNED ABOUT THAT FROM HERE?! When they are to be positioned in my city?! 🤨

IT's stupid. It's bad. I don't want it here! GO AWAY!

Link to article seems to have been removed by Wikipedia.

HERE

KMC link error 😬

hm.. it still adds a </br>

Originally posted by AsbestosFlaygon
Link to article seems to have been removed by Wikipedia.

But seriously WHY THE FCK OUR STUPID TV DID NOT MENTION IT IN A SINGLE TINY WORD?!?!?!?!?!

Sounds like a failure of the Polish press...I mean, I can't imagine the news is all that busy in a country like Poland.

erm.. aour prime minister just got promoted to the chief of some european union thing (too lazy to look out proper english term) and our whole gov is getting replaced.. so it is a bit busy 😬 oh.. about our national team won world championships in valleyball.

so please don't look down on us 😬 [and i don't like watching news.. but usually i hear about the important stuff eitherway]

The problem here is that Ukraine is not a part of NATO nor EU, iirc.

They will have trouble from gaining support from those governing alliances.

Originally posted by Clovie
WTF?! WHY I LEARNED ABOUT THAT FROM HERE?! When they are to be positioned in my city?! 🤨

IT's stupid. It's bad. I don't want it here! GO AWAY!

Getting a case of the NIMBY, aren't we?

Originally posted by ArtificialGlory
Getting a case of the NIMBY, aren't we?

Originally posted by Clovie
what;s nimby?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIMBY