• They did for months. Russia was blocked from the SWIFT system which was used for the international transactions, mostly in euro and dollars. So Russia could literally not sell anything because it would not get paid. So they wanted to get paid in rubles and even set up exchange accounts in Russia in order to do so. Several EU countries did it, like Hungary, Bulgaria and Italy. Only after months of naked hostility and economic warfare Russia refused to trade, small wonder considering EU is openly declaring itself enemy to Russia.

      • @Sh3Rm4n@lemmy.ml
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        41 year ago

        The SWIFT ban was specifically designed to not block any gas, oil or coal related trades between Russia and Europe, so that these can continue as the EU was very much aware that this kind of sanctions results into no benefit for them.

        • @PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          At the same time western banks frozen all russian assets. That’s declaration of the total economic warfare, so those clauses were not serious. Not to mention so many different sanctions to confuse even hardened clerk from Brussels.

          • @Aarkon@feddit.de
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            31 year ago

            Well, that’s what you get if you de facto invade a country that’s friends with major parts of the EU. Kreml should be glad that it’s only soft power being used against Russia as of today.

            • @PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml
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              1 year ago

              Completely ignoring NATO encroachment and coup attempts at it’s allies. You imperialists shills scream about “national intertests” and “enemy at the gates” but never allow any other countries to act on theirs.

              Kreml should be glad that it’s only soft power being used against Russia as of today.

              Nice warmongering, you’re itching at the very prospect of nuclear war.

              friends

              You mean “puppet”. Unless you’re at this level of hawking where you cannon foddering your friends.

              • @Aarkon@feddit.de
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                1 year ago

                You mistake what I say as endorsement where it is largely just a description.

                Nice warmongering

                In my book, war should be the very, very last resort. You may call me an imperialistic war mongering shill all that you want, but just know that I was already out on the streets back in 2003, protesting, when the US was about to invade Iraq. Major countries of the EU openly opposed that war, btw., enraging the US so much that the “freedom fries” issue came to place - remember?
                Today, I very much support Ukraine’s right to self-defence, and I also believe it was right to throw down Nazi Germany in the 20th century (without implying that Putin and Hitler are alike). And it wasn’t Ukraine who fired the first shots, too.
                Be my guest to speak your mind, yet I fail to see how you come to say this.

                You […] scream about “national intertests” […] but never allow any other countries to act on theirs.

                You can’t justify wrongdoings of A with wrongdoings of B.

                You mean “puppet”.

                Countries are not people, and the EU and Ukraine are very different in regards to their power. That’s just as close as you can come to friendship on that level.

                … you cannon foddering your friends

                You seem concerned about a global escalation of the war. What do you think would happen if NATO & EU led their own citizens to the battlefield? Then Russia would be at war with said institutions. What is it that you want now?
                All in all, “economic warfare” looks like the most appropriate way of action for supporters of Ukraine, while I can understand that they wish for more.

                you’re itching at the very prospect of nuclear war.

                If we’re to blink every time people mention their nuclear arsenal, countries with such weapons could do whatever they want. Ymmv, but that’s not a world I want to live in.
                Also, I wouldn’t call myself an experienced poker player, but even I have learned that when someone has to say that something is not a bluff, it most certainly is.

                • but just know that I was already out on the streets back in 2003, protesting, when the US was about to invade Iraq.

                  Yet today you are supporting neonazi puppet of USA being used to attack the opposition to the US hegemony.

                  Today, I very much support Ukraine’s right to self-defence

                  I support the people of Donbas right to selfdefence and selfdetermination.

                  Major countries of the EU openly opposed that war, btw., enraging the US so much that the “freedom fries” issue came to place - remember?

                  Oh yes the time when entire EU banded together to impose every imaginable sanction on the invader, and NATO organized all kind of pressure against it. Wait, that did not happened at all. Nor any other time of the 200+ armed conflict US had their fingers since 1945.

                  That’s just as close as you can come to friendship on that level.

                  I also rember when Victoria Nuland organized coup in Ukraine (how was it “fuck EU”, right?), when Ukraine shat on the effort of Germany and France to mediate the Minsk agreement and when Boris Johnson torpedoed peace attempts few months ago. And EU also did not sanctioned anyone then. It would indeed turn out that Ukraine is not EU puppet, it’s more like all three entities of UK, EU and UA are just puppets of the greater world hegemony.

                  You seem concerned about a global escalation of the war. What do you think would happen if NATO & EU led their own citizens to the battlefield? Then Russia would be at war with said institutions. What is it that you want now?

                  Stop projecting, it’s you who is making remarks about Russia should be glad EU is not at open war at them. I would be more glad if they stopped supporting neonazi regime of UA and take a step back to REALLY mediate the peace. Unfortunately the Minsk agreement is not feasible now after the referendums, but UA had 8 years to stop killing people in Donbas and failed. Maidan clique is the core problem in this entire issue.

                  All in all, “economic warfare” looks like the most appropriate way of action for supporters of Ukraine, while I can understand that they wish for more.

                  It’s because not eveyone is craving for war like american reddit warhawks. Seems like hopefully not even Pentagon actually want this. Point is, the situation is not exactly going in their favour now and those fuckers might really get to the point of “apres mois, le deluge” at some point (not talking about Ukraine in particular but general situation). Agree with you that EU clearly do not want open war with Russia, but then again few months ago i also did not thought they will jump headfirst into such economy crisis of their own manufacturing.

                  If we’re to glimpse every time people mention their nuclear arsenal, countries with such weapons could do whatever they want. Ymmv, but that’s not a world I want to live in.

                  Agree, but it’s also majorly USA fault, from the very first bombs aggressively used to assert their expansion, through cold war arms race, raegan era unwillingness to disarm, to the recent case of DPRK where the constant USA hawking and incidents only receded after it got the means to actually threat USA. It even forced USA to actually sit and talk with them instead of spouting contant stream of threats. Not to mention Iran which resigned from its nuclear program only to get to the brink of being attacked by the ver same administration which talked to DPRK (and again EU mediating things was completely ignored the moment it stopped being useful to US).

                  Also, I wouldn’t call myself an experienced poker player, but even I have learned that when someone has to say that something is not a bluff, it most certainly is.

                  I would ignore Putin’s speeches as of now, they seems to be addressed internally rather than externally, which would not be surprising from their forms and that it is what he did even before. To get the actual stance of Russia i would rather watch the moves of their foreign ministry and ambassadors.

                  • @Aarkon@feddit.de
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                    31 year ago

                    you are supporting neonazi puppet of USA

                    Man, honestly? I don’t even know where to start here. Let’s just say so much: At least Ukrainian neonazis are not elected in their parliament, opposed to those in France, Germany, Italy, you name it. If Ukraine is a neonazi US puppet state, who isn’t? And if that’s what you’re saying, you may be deeper into conspiracy thinking than you know (something even more apparent in “Ukraine is not EU puppet, it’s more like all three entities of UK, EU and UA are just puppets of the greater world hegemony.”).
                    Listen to yourself for once.

                    I support the people of Donbas right to selfdefence and selfdetermination.

                    That is probably the broadest definition of self defence in a long time. “Your honour, it all started when the other one punched back.”

                    the time when entire EU banded together to impose every imaginable sanction on the invader

                    I didn’t say those situations were 100% alike. My point was that there may be more to the EU’s position than being imperialistic war mongering shills.

                    I also rember when Victoria Nuland organized coup in Ukraine

                    Your posts on the topic are easy to find here, and display that you refrain from doing even the least amount of research that could shake your frail world view. Believe what you want, that’s none of my business, but you’re convincing no one.

                    UA had 8 years to stop killing people in Donbas

                    If you’re referring to the accusations of genocide by Ukraine, there never was never any proof of the whole thing. On the other hand, OSINT repeatedly showed fresh mass graves Russian occupiers had dug out before leaving, with very diverse bodies in those graves. You have to be knee-deep in propaganda to ignore these cases.

                    the situation is not exactly going in their favour now

                    I may be misinformed here, but to my latest knowledge Russia is not precisely advancing on all fronts, to put it mildly.

                    but it’s also majorly USA fault

                    It may be difficult acknowledging that there is not just one malevolent force behind all evil in the world (I was there too as a teenager and in my early twenties), but it pays off to widen your view.

                    I know that there are countries going after nuclear weapons as a matter of protection from invasion by the US, and I can see their point from their perspective. But still, that’s nothing I’d want to be implemented on a global scale.

                    I would ignore Putin’s speeches as of now, they seems to be addressed internally rather than externally

                    He is probably many things, but not stupid. He has to know how those speeches are perceived in the west. Even if they were for his in-group, the question remains why he has to dedicatedly say that he is not bluffing if he really isn’t.

        • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
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          11 year ago

          EU started an economic war with Russia and then was surprised when Russia retaliated. Why would Russia sell energy to EU when EU is openly hostile to Russia?

          • @Sh3Rm4n@lemmy.ml
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            01 year ago

            Russia started the war on Ukraine and was surprised that Ukraine (and it’s allies) retaliated. Why would the Ukraine stop fighting Russia if Russia is obviously invading the Ukraine?

            • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
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              01 year ago

              I’m not sure where you got this notion that Russia was surprised by anything here. If anything, it’s pretty clear that Russia was well prepared for the war unlike the west. Ukraine should stop fighting because the longer the war goes on the more of their country becomes destroyed, and eventually there may not be an Ukraine left. Ukraine cannot win this war.

              In fact, Ukraine was going to negotiate peace with Russia back in April at which point it would’ve kept all of its territory. That’s when Bojo intervened to convince Ukraine to walk away from the deal. Now, Ukraine has lost four regions, and will keep losing territory.

              • @Sh3Rm4n@lemmy.ml
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                1 year ago

                Ukraine should stop fighting because the longer the war goes on the more of their country becomes destroyed, and eventually there may not be an Ukraine left.

                Stop fighting will definitely result into no Ukraine being left. I don’t think this is a viable alternative.

                Ukraine cannot win this war.

                Well the future is not looking bright for Ukraine but I’ll hope there will be peace sooner than later. It’ll probably end up in a frozen war. But you can not expect the Ukraine to not defend it’s county just because the chance are higher that it looses. Still no justification of the Russian aggression.

                Now, Ukraine has lost four regions, and will keep losing territory.

                Let’s see. Current events suggests otherwise. But no one knows for sure.

                • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
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                  01 year ago

                  Stop fighting will definitely result into no Ukraine being left. I don’t think this is a viable alternative.

                  If Ukraine agreed to remain neutral and respect Minsk protocol then it would have lost no territory.

                  If Ukraine negotiated peace in April then it would have lost less territory than Russia annex this week.

                  The longer this war goes on the more territory Ukraine will lose, and the worse position it will be in both militarily and economically. These are the basic facts of the situation.

                  Well the future is not looking bright for Ukraine but I’ll hope there will be peace sooner than later. It’ll probably end up in a frozen war. But you can not expect the Ukraine to not defend it’s county just because the chance are higher that it looses.

                  Russia is methodically grinding down Ukrainian military and eventually it will break. At that point Russia will install a friendly government there. That is the most likely outcome of this situation.

                  The only thing the regime in Ukraine is defending is American interest in weakening Russia and Europe.

                  Still no justification of the Russian aggression.

                  The fact that Ukraine fought a civil war for eight years against the Russian speaking population in the east instead of implementing Minsk agreements is the justification for Russia intervening.

                  Let’s see. Current events suggests otherwise. But no one knows for sure.

                  Current events do not suggest otherwise. Russia chose to cede some territory by pulling troops back while they build up their 300k reserves. Ukraine did not defeat Russian army or the LPR and DPR militias in combat to gain the territory they captured. The balance of power has not changed. This is a war of attrition where Ukrainian army is being ground down.

                  • @Sh3Rm4n@lemmy.ml
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                    -11 year ago

                    Russia is methodically grinding down Ukrainian military and eventually it will break. At that point Russia will install a friendly government there. That is the most likely outcome of this situation.

                    This is wishful thinking. This war will grind to a halt some time in the future, like so many other wars do as well. There is no clear “winner”

                    The only thing the regime in Ukraine is defending is American interest in weakening Russia and Europe.

                    What about all the lives of the Ukrainian civilization? What about the right to be a sovereign state. Do you really think Ukraine is just fighting because the US said so? How stupid.

                    The fact that Ukraine fought a civil war for eight years against the Russian speaking population in the east

                    The framing … it sounds like Ukraine was starting the fight. AFAIK it was the rebel groups in the east who started the civil war. At the very least both were fighting and both sides were violating the Minsk agreements / the ceasefire.

                    You keep repeating and cherry picking details supporting the Russian narrative. Please for once take other perspectives into consideration. Your current comments just sound like well educated and good formulated propaganda.