this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2025
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who the fuck is russia, a non-EU, non-NATO empire to decide what a country that isn't them does?
Of course you're right morally, but it's still an interesting change in tone. This whole thing started when Russia threw a fit about Ukraine wanting closer ties to the EU instead of Russia. Now their official position is that even EU membership is totally fine. Seems like their position weakened quite a bit since 2014.
On the other hand, maybe this means Russia wants to fight the entire EU with their mutual defence pact when they attack again after recovering for a few years through a ceasefire. Or maybe they're gambling that the EU's requirements are too strict for Ukraine to join.
Or maybe it's just all lies again, of course. But still, an interesting weaker flavour of lies, in that case.
it's certainly a change from their declaration that Ukraine isn't a country and Ukrainians are actually Russians
I don't think that bit hasn't changed either. I think Putin made another one of those "Ukraine is historically Russian" statements, while completely ignoring the time when it wasn't Russia.
Part of the game is to put out many conflicting statements attached to as many opinions from state funded talking heads as possible.
I believe that when I researched last, the statement about Russia being able to take Ukraine "in three days" actually came from propagandists and I never found an official statement about it. Regardless, the point is that is gives the government plausible deniability with any statement if it was "accidentally taken out of context" by the state media.
or the more hilarious: when russia was ukraine
(though i haven’t done much research; that could be a funny little “kinda but it’s more complex” quirk to history)
Seems like they need a breather and none of those things are going to be finished in the time they need for their breather.