That’s why the term “committed support [for russian genocidal imperialism]” is arguably a much better characterization of Lula’s views than “turning a blind eye”.

What I read also concerned other regions, not only Crimea.

I will give Lula the benefit of the doubt (I am assuming he knows nothing about russia or Ukraine), but yes, you can kick the russians out of Crimea (under putin or otherwise). If you want to do it, one easy supportive action would have been to allow high impact strikes deep into russian territory from day one of the full scale invasion.

Or not reward them with Nord Stream II after they annexed Crimea in 2014 (Merkel).

Generally speaking, being meek, cowardly and corrupt rarely contributes to any goals (military or otherwise).

I believe Lula da Silva publicly supported the annexation of currently occupied territories. It was presented in a more diplomatic manner, but I am talking about outcomes.

Brazil hasn’t legally recognized the occupation like Nicaragua, but from what I’ve read in our local (Ukrainian) media, it’s more like committed support, as opposed to “turning a blind eye”.

I believe Brazil basically supports russian occupation of Ukrainian territories (and extermination of Ukrainian citizens, language and culture).

Let’s hope when one day Ivanishvili gets what he deserves and isn’t able to run away to Moscow.

The US is a bigger military force (qualitatively and quantitatively) than all other NATO members combined (although UK/France are no slouches and some smaller countries like Poland, Sweden, Finland hold their own). This is a critical issue in holding back the russians.

You denying this (and ignoring that russia is currently occupying 3 non-NATO members, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia), says everything we need to know.

The real irony is that I lean much more towards the Palestinian side, but that doesn’t mean I am going to buying into “DATO forced poor putin to invade1!”

Find a new boogeyman to justify a “defense” organization that has never acted in self-defense.

Made up in my head. Poland and Baltic nations totally didn’t join NATO to protect themselves from Russian invasions like in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia.

You fake leftists are funny. Thankfully, no one gives a shit about you at all.

I have not, no.

Thank you for proving my point with your “BATO made putin do it” world salad!

I couldn’t have done a better job myself.

I am not a “lib”, the very term “liberal” isn’t even used correctly in North America.

This was a very specific answer to specific claims (get rid of the US, stop collaborating with Israel). These are ridiculous statements in context of NATO’s primary goal, defence against russian invasions.

I hope you and your family end up in a russian internment camp!

There is some truth to that, but I think you generally want savvy individuals even in ceremonial positions

Seems reasonable in the video.

But the “NATO opposition” is a massive red flag that suggests a complete inability to read and understand the russians.

Another fake socialist.

You do you.

So India was engaging in separatism from the UK in 1947?

No one is buying your attempts at pointless pedantry.

Speratists? What? Not wanting to be part of the USSR or even russia (like Chechnya tried to liberate itself from russian degeneracy) is not “seperatism”, it’s wanting to be free and engaging in your own culture.

It’s not about splintering, it’s about decolonisation. A continental colonial empire is still a colonial empire (just look at the state of local language education in most russian “republics”).

Something to think about for people in the West who hope for a magical “Deus Ex Machina” type change in russian society.

Lets not forget that Gorbachev, widely perceived in the west as some sort of liberal reformer did not want to end russian occupation of independent countires that were part of the USSR and he supported the annexation of Crimea. Not to mention that the impetus for the end of USSR/Warsaw pact came from countries such as Poland, the Baltic nations and Ukraine, not from russia.

And what of current russians liberals? Reading Vladimir Kara-Murza’s latest article in Washington Post would make you think that the issue is putin and not russian society:

Putin’s anxiety is understandable. The Kremlin knows that public opposition to the Ukraine war is much greater than what its propaganda would admit.

And yet Kara-Murza, the darling of the west, also said the following (in an address for the French senate no less):

There is another reason why the Russian Defense Ministry recruits so many members of ethnic minorities [to fight in the war against Ukraine]: as it turns out, because it is psychologically really difficult for [ethnic] Russians to kill Ukrainians. Because we are one people. We are very close peoples, as everybody knows. We have nearly the same language, the same religion, and centuries of history in common. But if it’s someone from another culture, allegedly it’s easier [for them to kill Ukrainians]. I hadn’t really thought about it before. I thought the reasons were primarily economic. But after what [a colleague who spoke about the Buryats] said, I started thinking about it too.

And this is a Western educated russian “liberal”. Can you imagine what goes through the head of the vast majority of russians?

As I said, I don’t buy the propaganda excuse. Independent information sources (in russian) have always been easily available and accessible by all (literally in under 10 seconds). Just look at the creation dates of the DW Russian or BBC Russian YT channels (or even their own TV Dozdh). By mid 2010s YT was widely available not only on desktop, but even on smartphones. Not to mention russians full well know what the KGB is like and how dishonest they are.

Let me give you an illustrative example.

You have Vladimir Kara-murza, darling of the west, went to jail for public opposition to the full scale invasion, western educated and with UK citizenship. And yet here is a recent statement from Kara-Murza:

There is another reason why the Russian Defense Ministry recruits so many members of ethnic minorities [to fight in the war against Ukraine]: as it turns out, because it is psychologically really difficult for [ethnic] Russians to kill Ukrainians. Because we are one people. We are very close peoples, as everybody knows. We have nearly the same language, the same religion, and centuries of history in common. But if it’s someone from another culture, allegedly it’s easier [for them to kill Ukrainians]. I hadn’t really thought about it before. I thought the reasons were primarily economic. But after what [a colleague who spoke about the Buryats] said, I started thinking about it too.

He said this in a speech to the French senate, no less!

We are not on people and I want nothing to with any of them, be it putin or Vladimir Kara-Murza.

And yet WaPo decided to give him the opportunity to write another bullshit article about russian victimhood and innocence.

Putin’s anxiety is understandable. The Kremlin knows that public opposition to the Ukraine war is much greater than what its propaganda would admit.

Is Vladimir Kara-Murza under the influence of propaganda while living in the west?

Agreed regarding the negative elements of American exceptionalism. But people in the US have a spectrum of views and the US has had a measure of dynamism in terms of social attitudes. The same cannot be said about the overwhelming majority of russians.