Dear Paul,

Negotiating with Putin is a recipe not for peace but for
an even longer war. He wants everything only on his
terms. You can't negotiate with a dictator. Putin is
not Gorbachev.

AC,

" I never say anything without a basis of merit."

I started talking about your sources when you started telling Foxy how your knowledge was much better than hers because of all the Russians you listen to. But it just ain't so.

When I first started visiting Russia, it took me years to convince my closest colleagues that they could talk freely with me. Generally all Russians learned to self-censor and never spoke of their disappointment with their Soviet masters. This has changed somewhat these days although not with the older generation. But even the younger generation know the limits that they can safely push in regards to outright criticism of the central authorities. Criticising the war effort is allowable but criticising the actual war or, worse, the rights of Russia to rule her neighbours is quite another.

Believing this or that Russian because they seem to be even-handed and somewhat sceptical of their government's policies, is fraught. Talking freely to Russians one-on-one where their true feelings can be expressed, you find a sizeable number who just want Russia to accept its boundaries and new lesser place in the world provided it works to provide them with a better life.

I said here previously, to the apparent surprise of many, Russia is a third world country with first world weapons. Most Russians would prefer to see that reversed.

______________________________________________________________________

shadowminister wrote "What AC forgets is the Budapest agreement where Russia guaranteed the sovereignty of Ukraine and its pre-2014 borders."

Indeed. Not just pre-2014 boarders but then current 1994 borders. Additionally The US et al guaranteed the Ukrainian borders including Crimea in return for Ukraine surrendering all the nukes left on its soil after the fall of the USSR. Given what we later learned of the Clinton liking for kick-backs who knows what they got for brokering the deal. But we can say for certain that this war would likely never have happened if Ukraine still had access to nukes and once they lost those weapons the Russians never had any intention of honouring their side of the bargain.

" the only avenue to peace is through goodwill and negotiation "

Perhaps a healthy supply of fairy dust and ground unicorn horn would do the trick.

Paul,

Peace where Putin is free to torture and kill Ukrainians in the occupied areas and ethnically cleanse them?

The thought of that butcher holding onto any Ukrainian territory is unthinkable. He is also not prepared to negotiate until Ukraine cedes Crimea, the Donbas, Kherson and Luhansk.

The way forward for peace is for Putin to realise that he is going to lose and lose badly.

"Peace where Putin is free to torture and kill Ukrainians in the occupied areas and ethnically cleanse them?"
- That's exactly what Ukraine was doing to ethnic Russians for 8 yrs before Putin said enough.
You forget that many people have been going to Ukraine to kill the seperatists since 2014.

You all realise we have a conflict between two nuclear armed states where both sides refuse to back down?
I'm sure you understand this, you can't be that stupid.

"I started talking about your sources when you started telling Foxy how your knowledge was much better than hers"

I never said anything of the sort, are you going to lie too?

It was Foxy who started it when she said:

"Armchair Critic, Give it a rest.
You're reputation on the forum is not looking credible."
Right after I posted a video to two elderly women stating Ukrainians had blown up the Mariupol Drama Theatre.
Obviously she didn't like me showing Ukraine in a bad light, and could've just said 'I don't believe these women' but wanted to attack me instead.

I stuck up for myself and told her to 'grow up', but she can't cop that, and has to quip out this smug shite.
"It doesn't change the fact that you're being judged by your ignorance of the facts."
Attacking me instead of the substance of the content.

And then I mosey on over and browse the 'Diminishing Democracy in Australia' forum thread.

And just after she put me down with the
"Give it a rest. You're reputation on the forum is not looking credible."

- Here it is spouting:
"Constructive critique should be welcomed by all
But need to be slammed if you're made to feel small"

She didn't like my constructive critique, and wanted to make me feel small, and I thought what am I supposed to do with this?
- I do exactly as she suggests.
And then it comes back with more niggly smug crap.
"You can't blame me for your lack of comprehension skills."
And 'I don't wanna talk to you anymore' like an even bigger child.
And lies, and even lies bout lying.

Every single thing I've added on this forum topic I've added a link, or taken the time to explain in detail what I meant.
At no time did I attack anyone else for having a different opinion than I.
And I freely admit when others comments hold merit.

But she thinks she can lord it over others and then be petty, niggly, and smug when called out.