SirShymex:

Russia can't destabilise Europe. Europe is more about terrain, and apart from the Baltic states with Russian population - Russia isn't a threat to anyone in Europe.

If Russia cares that much about Europe, Mikhail Gorbachev wouldn't have allowed Germany to be re-united despite the fact that the UK and France against it, and Thatcher lobbied him not to re-unite Germany. The only ones trying to colonise Europe are the yanks, with their unnecessary expansion further east, despite agreements not to do so.

Ukraine is next to Russia with a huge Russian population, in the East, where majority of Ukraine's wealth comes from. What's the US looking for in the country? That's like Russia getting involved in Mexico - will the US allow that to happen?

hmm, I never considered that fact -Russia well spread population around Europe and the Re-Unification of Germany, while I agree Russia cannot destabilize WESTERN Europe, I only feel pity for Ukraine who have found itself in the middle of foreign conspiracies. But are the Europeans so daft that they will allow the US to fool them so easily?

Lmao @ someone alluding to EU reserve, the same EU that's almost dead with Germany keeping it alive, no? Clowns abound on NL.

Meanwhile Russia has the fifth largest foreign reserves in the world, far bigger than the UK, US, and Germany combined.

Most of these folks think new Russia under Putin, is the same one as Yeltsin's Russia - laughable. Go check all the war machines they're about to unleash. Even without those ones, the ones they've got now can take on any country.

What baffles me is that all these countries still fall for the pranks US plays on them...Putin has been preparing for this kind of game for a long time now by fostering ties with China and India (Asia) South Africa (Africa) Brazil (South America)...I know very soon the Europeans will back off and leave the Americans alone to slag it off with Russia...Interesting as it plays out.

BTW, why the mainstream media that had excessive coverage of downed Malaysian plane had suddenly and surprisely stopped reporting about it since Russia provided evidence that the puppet government in Kiev is responsible for the disaster.
Could it be that the black box and the American satelite have detected something that is not for ''public consumption''.
Something is fishy.

Once a European financial stalwart, Germany now in trouble

The standoff between Russia and the European Union is hurting the outlook for Germany. Europe’s biggest economy may have contracted for the first time since 2012 in the second quarter. We get Germany’s GDP data on Thursday, but Bob Doll, chief equity strategist at Nuveen Asset Management says Europe was fragile to begin with and then the standoff happened.

“As you know even prior to this, Italy was dipping back into recession, we’ve got some macro-economic numbers out of Germany that have been on the weak side, and so Europe is just kind of muddling through at best,” he says.

Doll adds quantitative easing may “not be out of the question, Mario Draghi recently hinted at that at some point, should Europe need it. Which should be a good help for risk assets (stocks) in Europe.” The ECB President recently said policy makers are willing to use unconventional measures including QE if needed.

Separately, inversions deals took a hit last week when Walgreens (WAG) decided it wouldn’t reincorporate overseas. Inversions refers to the practice of U.S. companies purchasing foreign firms so they can lower their tax bills by moving their domiciles out of the U.S. The move followed political pressure from the administration with President Obama threatening legislation. Doll dismisses it all as noise in an election year and he says unless the U.S. lowers it corporate tax rates, inversions aren’t going anywhere.

“I am surprised that we did not get a whole lot more prior to the last few months. I mean, it's part of the tax code, corporations have a responsibility of maximizing their bottom line and their growth rate for their shareholders. And if I can minimize my tax rate by moving to another geography, why wouldn’t I do that?”

One of Doll’s stock picks for 2014 is Pfizer- a company that attempted an inversion with its failed bid for Astra-Zeneca. If you want to find out more of the stocks Bob Doll likes, check out our interview with him on Yahoo Finance Wednesday morning.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/once-a-european-financial-stalwart--germany-now-in-trouble-162645735.html

usba:

hmm, I never considered that fact -Russia well spread population around Europe and the Re-Unification of Germany, while I agree Russia cannot destabilize WESTERN Europe, I only feel pity for Ukraine who have found itself in the middle of foreign conspiracies. But are the Europeans so daft that they will allow the US to fool them so easily?

Europe and US have an alliance pact, with NATO which has been in existence since the cold war. So, it's difficult to break away from that.

The crisis in Ukraine has nothing to do with EU...and from the get-go, they never wanted part of it, hence US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs Victoria Nuland. Victoria Nuland said, "Fvck EU!"

Russian aid convoy puts Ukraine in difficult position

The Kremlin's rush to get a massive aid convoy to civilians trapped in eastern Ukraine has confronted the Kiev government with the dubious choice of appearing insensitive as it delays delivery to inspect the cargo or letting through unchecked goods that could resupply a sputtering separatist rebellion.

Either way, Russian President Vladimir Putin scores a moral victory with the Russian-speaking communities in eastern Ukraine, where state-run Russian television has already convinced most residents that their suffering is due to a brutal Ukrainian government offensive.

The provision of water, baby food, sleeping bags and medicines could also blunt any Russian domestic backlash should Putin let the encircled separatists fall to the resurgent Ukrainian forces, analysts say.

Pro-Russia gunmen seeking to wrest eastern Ukraine from Kiev's rule seized much of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in a spring uprising inspired by Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in March. But as the militants have been pushed out of more than half of the seized territory over the last month, Russia has amassed 20,000 troops on Ukraine's eastern border in what NATO officials have warned could be a prelude to an invasion.

Russian military veterans who commanded insurgent operations in the spring have withdrawn in recent days, leaving a weakened separatist force that the Ukrainian government says is now surrounded in its last two strongholds.

The signs of a failing rebellion and the potential for Russian intervention to save it have made Kiev fearful that the Russian relief mission could be a Trojan Horse operation to reinforce the militants with arms and fighters.

Russia's emergency services ministry dispatched a 280-truck convoy Tuesday, before details of its entry into Ukraine and distribution of the aid had been agreed to by the government in Kiev.

A top advisor to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko warned that Russian military vehicles and personnel wouldn't be allowed through the border and that the Russian aid must instead be transferred to vehicles owned or leased by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-ukraine-convoy-20140813-story.html

Russia Could Invade Ukraine On Multiple Fronts If Putin Chose

Russia could be maneuvering itself into a position from which it could carry out an invasion of Ukraine from multiple fronts, including a possible strike close to the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
According to The Interpreter, there has been a sharp increase in Russian troop movements in Belarus. Belarus borders Ukraine to the north, and the border crossing between the two countries is located less than 150 miles from Kiev.

Belarus and Russia share close relations. Russia maintains military bases in the country, and Russia recently announced plans to build an airbase in the west of Belarus.

A YouTube video, thought to have been taken today in the Belarusian city of Vitebsky, shows a large number of Russian troops and equipment. The city is located approximately eight hours due north of Ukraine.

A second YouTube video, shot on August 10, depicts another large armored convoy in Novoshakhtinsk, by the Rostov region of Russia. This convoy is less than 20 miles from the Ukrainian border, and it is less than 150 miles to either of the separatist-held cities of Luhansk or Donetsk.

Simultaneously, a Russian aid convoy is set to enter Ukraine in the north east through the city of Kharkhiv, according to a document translated by The Interpreter. The convoy is said to contain humanitarian cargo for the east of Ukraine and it will fly under the signal of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) once it passes into Ukrainian territory.



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-able-to-invade-ukraine-2014-8#ixzz3AHoiORn0

I just pity Ukraine, they allowed the Americans to use them, now their country is likely going the Libya/Iraq, Egypt way..

Was telling a friend of mine in Ukraine that he should be planning an exit strategy but he never believed me. If the west don't stop this their meddling this war will soon reach Kiev by way of suicide bombing.

With this latest sanction on Kiev from Moscow, an uprising is on the pipeline. No hot water at the moment in Kiev and some suburb, they have started rationing the gas already to save for the rocky months ahead. Even at that the reserve cant last all winter.

US just wanna keep Europe as their slaves cos this tit for tat game will hurt Europe 100 times before US will feel it. If I am Putin I will exempt one Eurozone country like Germany or France from the sanction but with a specified tonnage of supply from them to mitigate other sanctioned country coming through them. This will destabilise the already tattered unity in EU. As far as EU is together America will keep on using them to achieve her selfish aim which is always at the expense of Europe. Thought Europe will come to their senses after NV Fvck off outburst but nope they have no choice.

For me I think it is certain that EU will some how severe it's links with the US, maybe not now but probably in the nearest future.

The madness Uncle Sam keeps pushing EU into is becoming worrisome and disadvantageous for the EU hence their desire to make a strong decision. The crises between Ukraine and Russia will always be won by Russia. Unfortunately Ukraine will become another Somalia or ... All these are happening to warn some african countries who are always won't to get into one stupid partnership or the other with the west. The west are just bloody selfish!

Certainly after this Ukraine imbroglio multipolarity will be confirmed, as Putin has always been a strong advocate of it.

presido1: Was telling a friend of mine in Ukraine that he should be planning an exit strategy but he never believed me. If the west don't stop this their meddling this war will soon reach Kiev by way of suicide bombing.

With this latest sanction on Kiev from Moscow, an uprising is on the pipeline. No hot water at the moment in Kiev and some suburb, they have started rationing the gas already to save for the rocky months ahead. Even at that the reserve cant last all winter.

US just wanna keep Europe as their slaves cos this tit for tat game will hurt Europe 100 times before US will feel it. If I am Putin I will exempt one Eurozone country like Germany or France from the sanction but with a specified tonnage of supply from them to mitigate other sanctioned country coming through them. This will destabilise the already tattered unity in EU. As far as EU is together America will keep on using them to achieve her selfish aim which is always at the expense of Europe. Thought Europe will come to their senses after NV Fvck off outburst but nope they have no choice.

Honestly, me too taught the same way. Upon proven Victoria Nuland outburst yet those lily liveried leaders will never learn. I have given up on EU leaders and I even hope this their confrontation with Russia will escalate - so that their will be crises in EU such will cause the ouster of most of their weakling leaders.

SirShymex: And Putin strikes again(breaking news):

RUSSIAN FOOD SAFETY WATCHDOG ROSPOTREBNADZOR BANS BEER AND ALCOHOL IMPORTS FROM UKRAINE - NEWS AGENCY RIA

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/08/13/russian-food-safety-watchdog-rospotrebna-idINL6N0QJ3KX20140813


^^^^This is going to be a long cold winter for everyone.

I think the ban exclude brandy and vodka.

doctokwus: What's d point of this thread?To glorify one nation annexing another?Putin's ambition if not checked wud not stop @ukraine.The man's aim is to annex all former soviet territories.If anyone is under any delusion dat d EU wud suffer d most,den its a pity.
D russians are going dis far to apply retaliatory sanctions bc its faltering economy wud b left in ruins if any extended sanctions on it are applied.
D EU,though wud take a hit,but once russia gets cut off frm dat mkt for its oil and gas,den we wud see if it wud not back off frm its dangerous path.

Do nigerians really follow world political trends? Who sarted the crisis in ukraine by instigating civil disobedience to a duely elected government because they are pro-Russian? What is wrong with a government being in good terms with their nearest neigbhour & kins in next door country? American wants to dictate what happens in every country in the world but abandon them when they fall into deep shit. When the break-up of nigerian was not playing to their prediction they have to infect us with ebola through one of their agents from liberia.

SirShymex:

However, Germany is still paying for it, and I believe the US still has military bases in the country. Angela Merkel is a decent leader, and I believe she's from the former East Germany. So, I honestly don't think she's that much of an American puppet and the German economy is more intertwined with Russia than most countries in Western Europe(maybe Italy but Italy is more or less Southern Europe to an extent). But the pressure is just to big to do something, as the leader of the Eurozone.

Honestly, I don't think Snowden has a bearing on this. He's more or less a bait. I think it has more to do with the elites from both sides, and American elites wanting free access of Russian resources. And also US domination of the EU, since the Euro is more or less also a threat to the dollar. The dollar is pretty much on its last legs, and America's ability to print money is what's keeping it afloat.

I agree.

Snowden is irrelevant in the scheme of things and i believe EU leaders will come to their senses very soon in other not to loose their seats. Most Russians are seeing this as a political war and are standing firm behind Putin (apart from few elites in the country. but it is difficult for them to speak out because of his poll ratings so they have to fall in line for now)

aresa: NL and micky mouse analysis sef....

Russia's sanctions means little or nothing to UE in the long run since they have reserve funds to mop up any excess produce by EU farmers going to Russia which is exactly what they are doing. This is even good for EU food reserve.

EU is a diversified economy while Russia is basically a one pony Oil economy that they can not even service with new technology and equipment from the west . Russia is crumbling under sanctions and they've lost over $100 billion already and the ruble, has lost 10 percent of its value.

Russia's sanction means little or nothing to EU...PERIOD.

You are the mickey mouse analyst thou.

Greensaint:

Do nigerians really follow world political trends? Who sarted the crisis in ukraine by instigating civil disobedience to a duely elected government because they are pro-Russian? What is wrong with a government being in good terms with their nearest neigbhour & kins in next door country? American wants to dictate what happens in every country in the world but abandon them when they fall into deep shit. When the break-up of nigerian was not playing to their prediction they have to infect us with ebola through one of their agents from liberia.

Word! Not every post on nairaland you respond to, (like the post above you) some posts are just meant to be ignored. Nevertheless your post is on point.

SirShymex:

Europe and US have an alliance pact, with NATO which has been in existence since the cold war. So, it's difficult to break away from that.

The crisis in Ukraine has nothing to do with EU...and from the get-go, they never wanted part of it, hence US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs Victoria Nuland. Victoria Nuland said, "Fvck EU!"

Interesting, . . ., but the crisis in Ukraine started as a result of Ukraine wanting to join the European Union.

BekeeBuAgbara: ...Since Russia banned importation of apple from Poland, the Polish government had been urging its citizens to increase eating apple...

this is hilarious!

Why in God's world is this thread not in FP

This is a non story. Economies go through cycles, and it is no different for Germany. German politicians must however choose between bearing economic pain or protecting the long standing principles of inviolability of European borders. Merkel considered her options and she made her choice, knowing fully well that there will be a blow back on the German economy! -

Victoria Nuland's "F*ck the EU" statement does not necessarily imply that the Ukrainian affair was solely a "US Project" to imply so will be similar to the folly of picking a single line from a fictional novel to make an argument on the entire story. Ukraine is not as strategically important to the US as it is to EU. Germany's trade by volume with Ukraine is much higher than its trades with some other EU member states such as Greece. Additionally, Europe really does consider a rising Russian Empire as a threat to its security needs. It would have been unwise to lose Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and Belarus to Russia which will only become bigger and dominant over several other European countries. - Between a dominant US and a dominant Russia, i suspect many EU countries will rather have a dominant US.

castrogee: For me I think it is certain that EU will some how severe it's links with the US, maybe not now but probably in the nearest future.
The madness Uncle Sam keeps pushing EU into is becoming worrisome and disadvantageous for the EU hence their desire to make a strong decision. The crises between Ukraine and Russia will always be won by Russia. Unfortunately Ukraine will become another Somalia or ... All these are happening to warn some african countries who are always won't to get into one stupid partnership or the other with the west. The west are just bloody selfish!
Certainly after this Ukraine imbroglio multipolarity will be confirmed, as Putin has always been a strong advocate of it.

I do not think so! Actually it is the other way round. EU is looking to strengthen its links with the US vis a vis the transatlantic trade and Investment partnership. It this goes through both economies will become more inter-wined than ever. Additionally, if more and more countries adopt conventional energy policies, Russia will become even less relevant as a partner. Will the Germans really forgo the opportunity to sell their BMWs, Mercedes, Addidas or banking system with the US for a relationship with Russia? I don't think so! - Additionally, many of them haven't really invested in their security apparatus. The US foots 70% of the entire NATO bill, I don't think many EU leaders are willing to forgo that - especially for a country that doesn't offer anything besides gas.

Finally, you cannot be certain who will win the conflict. Besides a full scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, or a permanent conflict freeze, i do not see what other options Russia will have. And even if these two are the results of this conflict, i do not see how Russia can be a winner. 1 year ago, it had a peaceful puppet state at its doorstep, today it has lost its influence! That's not winning. Russia's dream of becoming an empire will never be complete without Ukraine.

Putin had said ukraine is the battlefield for the new World order. Going by his alliances with China n the establishment of a parallel bank just like IMF for BRICS,truly is just a matter of time petroldollar system collapses. Until then, US won't feel the heat of all these sanctions n counter-sanctions.

both economies seem to be a mess