Under the shadow of "proxy war", trade between Ukraine and Russia grow and grow.
http://www.translate.ru/site/General/ru-en/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.rg-rb.de%2findex.php%3foption%3dcom_rg%26task%3ditem%26id%3d23626%26Itemid%3d13

US makes preparations to sail warship into Black Sea amid Russia-Ukraine tensions.
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/05/politics/us-navy-black-sea-russia-ukraine/index.html
U.S. Senator John Barrasso has called for deploying warships to the Black Sea in response to Russia's aggression.
"Putin is somebody that respects strength and territory. Words don't mean much to him, action does. I think we need to do more. I've called for sending ships to the Black Sea—and have NATO do it as well. To show the people of Ukraine that we are with them. To show Russia that international law must be followed,"

"Our US 6th Fleet is always prepared to respond where called," said Cdr. Kyle Raines, a spokesman for the Fleet, which oversees naval operations in the region.
"We routinely conduct operations to advance security and stability throughout the US 6th Fleet area of operations to include the international waters and airspace of the Black Sea," Raines told CNN. "We reserve the right to operate freely in accordance with international laws and norms," he added.

Russia has been building up the disinformation campaign around the Azov Sea for over a year.
https://euvsdisinfo.eu/russias-long-term-disinformation-plan-for-the-azov-sea/

All these disinformation messages have the same objective: to show that Ukraine is the aggressor and that it takes orders for its “provocations” from the West.
Always a convenient message for Russia’s disinformation; when we look at the illegal annexation of Crimea, or consecutive false claims that the Azov Sea is a Russian “inland sea” – or Russia’s celebration of the use of military force against Ukraine.

Is it a good idea the that US bring in armed forces in to the region?
It will only fuel the Russian idea that the US is to blaim for the crisis in Ukraine.
Anyway.
Kyiv Says Russia Blocking Kerch Strait, Plans To Send Ukrainian Navy Ships
https://www.rferl.org/a/kyiv-says-russia-blocking-kerch-strait-plans-to-send-ukrainian-navy-ships/29643366.html

Are you suggesting that Putin is as evil like Stalin?
That he doesn't know history well enough?
The problem to me is that the US doesn't know history well enough.
The Ukrainian/Russian history go way back.
It also include the Ottoman empire and the Swedish Empire. And probably some more.
In some sense I can agree that Kremlin is right about Crimea that was an autonomous part of Ukraine until the illegal annexation in 2014.
But that would be same as Sweden annexing Ã…land, now an autonomous part of Finland, because all of the citizens there speak Swedish!

If not...

Yes. We need to protect our Boarders:)
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1070879369432850433

If not...

Yes. We need to protect our Boarders:)
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1070879369432850433

Re: Ukraine/Crimea
I believe Putin is a bigger problem for Europe regarding Sovereign Peoples and Countries on the expanding Russian Empire's border.

Perhaps you didn't noticed Trump's typo:)
Anyway. Russia have already expanded by during the Soviet era transferring Russian peoples into neighbouring countries.
You can check this demographics out on Wikipedia.
For example Estonia with about 25% Russian ethnics.
In Narva almost everyone is Russian.
Putin "protect" former Russians abroad by annexing parts of sovereign countries.

My hope is that the Anti-Trump obsession of much of Europe would be directed towards their real threat,

Most of the European countries are not anti-Trump unless we are talking about trade.
Well, perhaps there are some other issues:)
But there are some real issues that first of all Ukraine is experiencing right now and mayby other countries will do.
Russia has started threating many countries now, including Scandinavian countries:(
What to do? Join NATO?

Putin "protect" former Russians abroad by annexing parts of sovereign countries.

That should apply to Alaska. Eh?

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Putin "protect" former Russians abroad by annexing parts of sovereign countries.

That should apply to Alaska. Eh?

I don't think there haven't been so many Russians living in Alaska.
But it's very close to Russia. Actually you can see Alaska when being at the far east Russia.
Like skinny dipping Ville Haapasalo noticed in a TV show.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ville_Haapasalo

Putin "protect" former Russians abroad by annexing parts of sovereign countries.

That should apply to Alaska. Eh?

And Washington and Oregon and California. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_River_(California)

Awaiting Mexico to return their Country to those who inhabited what we now call Mexico prior to the European invaders.

Dear Clyde, the Spanish are no longer in Mexico.

Awaiting Mexico to return their Country to those who inhabited what we now call Mexico prior to the European invaders.

Dear Clyde, the Spanish are no longer in Mexico.

But there are quite a lot in the US, Spaniards are the 8th largest group of Hispanics. Try telling my friend Ben he isn't Spanish, his family have been there in New Mexico since the 16th century.

Mexico?
I don't think that you can compare Mexican/US and Ukrainian/Russian relationships.
They are very different. Blin! Very different.
Anyway.
Half of Europe in crosshairs of Russian missile attack – Ukraine intel says.
https://www.unian.info/politics/10368948-half-of-europe-in-crosshairs-of-russian-missile-attack-ukraine-intel.html
Well we in that half of Europe already know that:)

Gawd how can you post such ungrammatical nonsense. I can guess what you are trying to say but the punctuation and dangling phrases leave me wondering.

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Oh... I forgot about the suicidal need of some Western European Nations to import Putin's energy.

You have been listening to Trump's nonsense.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davekeating/2018/07/19/how-dependent-is-germany-on-russian-gas/#5f7e53e43b48

in 2015 Germany imported 35% of its gas from Russia. About the same amount, 34%, came from Norway. 29% came from The Netherlands. The precise current amount is difficult to measure because Germany’s Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) stopped publishing import volumes in 2016 because of privacy regulations.

And it's an irony that Ukraine remains the main route of supply of Russian gas to Europe.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-economy/2504688-gas-transit-via-ukraine-after-2019.html

According to the European Commission, in 2017 the volume of gas transit to the EU was as follows: Ukraine - 44%, Nord Stream – 30% and Belarus 24%.

Since Putin controls the German economy and can shut it down at anytime Germany threatens what Putin wishes to do

Why would Putin do that? Shuting down one of the Russian's main incomes?
Russia cannot afford it.

What are Putin's priorities?

To become greater than Tsar Peter the Great of course:)

Is it the Russian people or his need to restore the Russian borders to those of the Soviet Union?

According to Putin, Russia restoring former borders is to protect Russian citizens.
Especially protecting citizens in Moscow and St Petersburg.

UNIAN: Poroshenko enacts law on termination of Ukraine-Russia friendship deal

https://www.unian.info/politics/10371039-poroshenko-enacts-law-on-termination-of-ukraine-russia-friendship-deal.html

P.S. Poroshenko every time speak about the Ukraine at war with Russia, almost 5 years already. And he terminate Ukraine-Russia friendship deal only now. And really it's not the termination but not-prolongation, from April 1 of 2019. Hm. Hypocrisy again and again...

Joel Lion, Ambassador of the State of Israel to Ukraine:
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I was shocked to hear the decision of the Lviv Oblast declaring 2019 as the Stepan Bandera year. I cannot understand how the glorification of those directly involved in horrible antisemitic crimes helps fight antisemitism and xenophobia.
Ukraine should not forget those crimes committed against Ukrainian Jews and in no way celebrate them through honoring their perpetrators.
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https://twitter.com/ambassadorlion/status/1073211208176726017