Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin – the Russian mercenary leader whose plane crashed weeks after he led a mutiny against Moscow’s military leadership – shows what happens when people make deals with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

As Ukraine’s counteroffensive moves into a fourth month, with only modest gains to show so far, Zelensky told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria he rejected suggestions it was time to negotiate peace with the Kremlin.

“When you want to have a compromise or a dialogue with somebody, you cannot do it with a liar,” Volodymyr Zelensky said.

  • Grant_M@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    Russia is a terrorist country. Terrorists can’t be negotiated with. #SlavaUkraini

    • sndmn@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Russia can’t be accepted back into the international community until Putin is in a jail cell or in the ground.

      • IndefiniteBen@feddit.nl
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        1 year ago

        While I’d like to believe this, if Putin comes to some peaceful agreement with Ukraine, the international community will just wait until people are distracted by the next big news story and then let Putin back in.

        I’d rather be cynical and happily surprised than optimistic and disappointed.

        • vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org
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          Actually likely not, he’s been building international relations similarly to the Russian criminal code of behavior, and while it’s sad that even Americans and Europeans would consider this kinda acceptable, now he’s shown himself to be weak and humiliated. In other words, of the lower caste, and simply said, a pidor.

          So no, he won’t be let back in. But some other (in appearances mostly, not in essence) government in Russia may.

            • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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              I tried to look it up, I am only finding that it is a slur used to call people gay when they may or not be. U.S. equivalent seems to be like saying “Suck a dick, removed!” With pidor being the word at the end that would be shunned for being said.

              I halted on submitting this over and over because I feel like I am going to get downvoted for using that term even to define a word/usecase. (Then I remembered the points don’t matter and intent changes context)

      • zephyreks@programming.dev
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        1 year ago

        I mean, by that logic we might as well dump everyone who’s started a major land war recently into the ground.

        Iraq, Ukraine, Afghanistan… ah fuck, eh?

          • Cyclohexane
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            1 year ago

            And? Should we not point hypocricy and double standards because it hurts your feelings?

            • Veraticus@lib.lgbt
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              1 year ago

              This isn’t hypocrisy or a double standard. Your argument is unironically “because America did bad things we must let bad things happen everywhere.”

              No one here is saying America smells like roses. Does that mean we can’t try to do good? Must we stand idle and let Ukrainians die when we could help them?

              • WuTang @lemmy.ninja
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                1 year ago

                /u/sndmn@lemmy.ca

                Russia can’t be accepted back into the international community

                Veraticus

                our argument is unironically “because America did bad things we must let bad things happen everywhere.”

                NO, idiot (sorry, sometime, let’s call a cat, a cat). Your “community” would have no sense and credibility as they still have one of the biggest warmonger at their table. This is not a stupid “whataboutism” argument that you are all blindly paroting! So sndmn@lemmy.ca’s comment is stupid.

                We, european, should not supply UA and follow USA’s plan in their proxy war. We should instead really work on a diplomatic level. BUT by playing the stupid rats we are, Putin has not reason to listen.

                No tankie, no Putin-sucker, i’m just plain rational and honest dude.

              • Cyclohexane
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                1 year ago

                Who here said “we must let bad things happen”?

                The commenter you replied to just mentioned that if we are outraged at Russia, we should be even more outraged at the US, and since a much longer time. But Ukraine and Russia are the only issues most hypocrites with double standards speak about. Say any criticism of the west and they lash out like is happening right here.

                • Veraticus@lib.lgbt
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                  1 year ago

                  Because criticism of the west is totally irrelevant to the question. It’s not even whataboutism; it’s absurdity. Even if the west is literally Satan incarnate, why does that mean we have to let Putin wage whatever war of aggression he desires?

                  The people who advance this argument are so anti-US they’ve become dictator simps. I think it’s good to shove the absurdity of their positions back in their faces.

                  • Cyclohexane
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                    Did you miss the very first sentence of my comment where I said:

                    Who here said “we must let bad things happen”

                    And the whole rest of the comment that refutes your claim that we “have to let Putin wage whatever war of aggression he desires”?

                    Please take the time to read it again, because your points were already addressed.

              • kd637_mi@lemmy.sdf.org
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                No, it’s pointing out a precedent set by the USA and allies that wholesale slaughter of innocents is acceptable to the international community. Russia’s invasion, whether legitimate or not, is no more spurious in its reasons than so many of the USA’s ones over the last how ever many decades.

                That doesn’t make this one right, it just points out that the “rules based order” is a falsehood. Otherwise every US president in recent to not so recent history would also have an arrest warrant out for them, and the US would be sanctioned into the ground.

                I generally have a hard time believing the US intends to do good outside of padding the pockets of corporate lobbyists and politicians. I’m not a fan of the whole “until the last Ukrainian” war that’s happening either.

                • Veraticus@lib.lgbt
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                  1 year ago

                  This seems totally unrelated to my point.

                  Even if this is true, we can still try to do the right thing. And we should try.

                  • kd637_mi@lemmy.sdf.org
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                    You said the other commenter’s point seemed to be ‘because America did bad things we must let bad things happen’. That wasn’t their point, at least not to my reading of it. I read it as trying to highlight the hypocrisy of the international community, which usually means the USA and associated countries.

                    None of this is to excuse the war in Ukraine, but if the international community is to mean anything, and to have any legitimacy, it needs to apply the rules across the board. Since it doesn’t mean anything beyond what is good for the US/corporate interests, the rules have not, and will not be applied evenly.

                    The US is not trying to do the right thing, it is trying to advance it’s interests in the region at the expense of Russia, and unfortunately for Ukrainians at the expense of them too, even if it benefits Ukraine as a state. The fact that the US can wage so many destructive wars that are later acknowledged as mistakes and still be seen as trying to do the right thing shows how effective the propaganda arm of the country is.

                • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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                  1 year ago

                  But the United States did not carpet bomb half of the Middle East like Russia is doing to Ukraine. The United States did not level Baghdad, or Kabul. Last time I checked both of those cities were still standing.

                  Do you want to talk about what aboutism? Go look at The destruction of Aleppo. That was done by the Assad regime with the backing of Russia. The United States never inflicted that level of destruction anywhere close to the scale of that war which has killed over 600,000 people.

                  https://youtu.be/n9cDP-UdP3E?si=_qWJYgdxvZR61X4X

                  • gnuhaut
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                    What? When the US attacked Iraq they obliterated the infrastructure with air strikes. Electricity was almost completely out for weeks and wasn’t fully repaired for years. Water treatment failed because of the lack of electricity, causing epidemics. Lots of other civilian shit got struck as well. Iraqi infrastructure got fucked way worse than Ukraine’s.

                    The United States never inflicted that level of destruction anywhere close to the scale of that war which has killed over 600,000 people.

                    Are you serious?

                    https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/

                    • Over 940,000 people have died in the post-9/11 wars due to direct war violence.

                    • An estimated 3.6-3.8 million people have died indirectly in post-9/11 war zones, bringing the total death toll to at least 4.5-4.7 million and counting.

                  • kd637_mi@lemmy.sdf.org
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                    No it didn’t level Baghdad or Kabul. It did level Fallujah. Russia hasn’t leveled Kyiv. It has leveled Mariupol.

                    It isn’t just the US, the issue is that it is all backed and supported by its allies, including my country. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, not to mention the previous wars the international community has been involved in. There are still extrajudicial killings using drones, which would be considered terrorism if done the the US or allies.

            • BigNote@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              No, you shouldn’t do it because it’s stupid. If you had real arguments you would use them, but you don’t, so instead you trot out this garbage. It’s a sign of intellectual weakness and dishonesty.

              • Cyclohexane
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                1 year ago

                If it really was such a bad and stupid argument, why can’t you address it? Spending paragraphs telling me an argument is bad without actually addressing it screens entitlement and incompetence to me.

                • BigNote@lemm.ee
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                  Where did I “[spend] paragraphs telling [you] an argument is bad”?

                  Go ahead, I’ll wait.

                  Maybe you’ve mistaken me for someone else.

                  I used a few short and simple sentences to explain why your position is crap. That’s it.

        • Matombo@feddit.de
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          Sorry to see you downvoted, but in ukraine topics you can’t have any other opinion then West=Good or you are a Putin apologist. We are back at cold war red scare disscusion levels, no nuace is allowed.

        • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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          Most of those actual deaths were Muslims killing Muslims. Deaths caused by United States soldiers are comparatively low.

          For example, the Iraqi body count website tracks 210,000 civilians killed between 2003 and 2020.

          According to your article, it cites US-led wars in countries such as Pakistan, Libya, Yemen and Syria. However, the United States did not launch a war in any of those countries and certainly did not fight a war in Pakistan which is a US ally.

          The Washington Post article as well as research from Brown University has Lucy affiliated anyone who has died outside of the expected peacetime death rate in any country in Africa in the Middle East to be attributable to the United States which is, frankly completely unfair. ISIL aka the Islamic State for instance killed tens of thousands of people, yet those deaths are attributed to the United States. Which is completely crazy!

          While I was completely against the 2003 Iraq war, and even March and protest against it, the truth of the matter is that Saddam was a complete bastard, the bath is party were fascist, and destroying them created enormous power vacuum which resulted in chaos death and destruction. However, this was probably an inevitability Saddam wasn’t going to last forever and had no system of governance to transfer leadership to someone else. The Middle East has been well known for centuries as a chaotic and violent region of the world and Sunni and Shiite Muslims have been at war with each other since time immemorial.

          • MeowZedong@lemmygrad.ml
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            1 year ago

            Maybe take a good look at that last paragraph you wrote and think about why you blame the conflicts in the middle east on a reductive basis of “they are savages” rather than looking at the actual historical context of what has caused instability in the region.

            Seriously, this entire comment is just a racist write-off of the middle east that is completely devoid of any true consideration of history. Ignorance personified.

    • vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org
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      I would understand if at least 20% of the Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel would be comprised of western volunteers talking about terrorists and no negotiations.

      But that is not a thing. So looks a bit ballsy, cause one would think that in a rather apocalyptic war on Ukraine’s soil, after they’ve reclaimed large swathes of territory, they’d be interested in some reduction of monthly casualties and rebuilding various capacities on that territory. Which a ceasefire would provide.

      I mean, even if you are right, you are eagerly advocating for spending mobilized Ukrainian lives on a costly offensive.

      • Badass_panda@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        what a ceasefire would provide

        Like the 2014 ceasefire? All it does is give Russia the opportunity to retrench and dig in. When the Ukrainians ask for a ceasefire, then I’ll support one.

        • vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org
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          Like every ceasefire.

          I suppose right now Ukraine just wants some better guarantees while it has a strong negotiating position.

          So that it takes some effort from Putin to even be heard.

          Or maybe what Zelensky says is what he means, you can’t negotiate with a pathological liar (just like a few of Ukraine’s allies, though) who doesn’t know how to lose with dignity. Be it a person or a whole elite of some country, like Russia. I mean, emotionally I’ve met some and I’d agree. Just don’t know what it is rationally.

      • Grant_M@lemmy.ca
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        I’m only repeating what Ukrainians say. They know any concession with ruzzian terrorists now will only lead to ruzzian terrorists regrouping and reloading to perfom more genocide in a few months/years all over again. The fascist moscow regime needs to be stopped NOW.

        • vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org
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          The word “genocide” means something else (which, in case of Turkey and China and even Yazidis in Syria, most of the world has problems recognizing).

          Yes, but Ukrainians need to regroup too.

          • Grant_M@lemmy.ca
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            Murdering, kidnapping and brainwashing Ukrainian children is genocide. Attempting to exterminate the Ukrainian people is genocide.

            • vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org
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              Murdering, kidnapping and brainwashing Ukrainian children is genocide.

              Then we’ll have to introduce degrees of genocide.

              Attempting to exterminate the Ukrainian people is genocide.

              Which is not happening.

                • vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org
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                  You don’t fucking know which things the words you use mean. And since you still dare voice your opinions on real world - blocking me is an important first step at stopping that.

                  • Grant_M@lemmy.ca
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                    1 year ago

                    Bye, moscovite. Your terrorist regime is about to meet the end.

      • abbenm
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        I would understand if at least 20% of the Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel would be comprised of western volunteers talking about terrorists and no negotiations.

        Now do Russia. There must be more western volunteers on that side, I take it?

    • zephyreks@lemmy.ca
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      Foundations of geopolitics? Fuck that, more war. More Ukrainians will die, and that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

      • oldmate@aussie.zone
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        More Ukrainians will die, and that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

        I genuinely can’t tell if you are saying this ironically considering you are all over this thread defending Russia’s invasion.

        • Pili@lemmygrad.ml
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          He’s making fun of all the libs/fascists who want to kill all the Ukrainians in the hope of owning Putin, while sitting comfortably on their gamer chairs in their mom’s basement.

      • TheLurker@lemmy.world
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        Fuck off tankie. No-one gives a shit what you think with your pathetic bootlicking whataboutism rhetoric.

    • OurToothbrushM
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      Slava Ukraini was literally the battle cry of the OUN, which collaborated in the holocaust. Find a different motto.

    • gnuhaut
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      “Slava Ukraini” is fascists slogan used by, and mainly associated with, the mass murderers of hundreds of thousands of Poles and Jews. I guess that doesn’t count as terrorism in your worldview.

      • Badass_panda@lemmy.world
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        Ah yes, “Glory to Ukraine,” seems like a super specific slogan that can only be associated with one movement. In no way is it a generically nationalist slogan.

        • gnuhaut
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          I already responded to this in a reply to another user:

          So it’s perfectly normal to revive a slogan that was last used by fascists? I’m sure the fact that Ukraine also made Bandera a national hero and put up statues of him and named streets in his honor right around the same time that slogan made its comeback is just a coincidence? Totally innocent slogan my ass.

          You might be blind in your right eye if you think this isn’t some fascist shit. This is like “the swastika is an old Hindu symbol” type defense, only worse because you’re ignoring the Hitler portrait right next to it.

          • jarfil@lemmy.world
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            I’m blind in my left eye, thank you very much… but since we’re copying other comments:

            https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_Ukrainian_Nationalists

            It’s mainly associated with “Ukrainian Nationalists” since WWI, adoped by the fascist organization which took part in the Holocaust and massacre of Poles, whose members have been granted veteran benefits in 2019, and its emblem is being used by present Ukrainians.

            I’m not defending it, and as a Pole I’m definitely suspicious of Ukraine’s true intentions behind the slogan and the emblem… but I’m also pro-EU, and right now it’s better to support Ukraine, than to let Russia think about which EU member state to invade next.

            Afterwards, if Ukraine wants to get its shit in order to a level where it could join the EU and NATO… then go ahead. Germany did it, Italy and Spain did it, and we’re all better for that.

            • gnuhaut
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              Germany and Italy literally did not get rid fascism willingly, they were defeated and this was imposed on them. And being from Germany, I assure you denazification was incredibly half-assed.

              Look at it for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SlCLSBr9sW0

              They’re doing the salute and everything. That salute was introduced by the fascist OUN.

              • jarfil@lemmy.world
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                FML… that is indeed the fascist salute.

                I know de-nazification was half-assed; I lived in Italy, now I live in Spain, and man, 45 years after the fascist regime was “gone”, there are still those opposing the removal of some fascist symbols. They used to argue that “it’s too soon”, now they’re arguing “it’s too late, let them be”, while there are still people killed by the dictature laying unidentified in some ditch or another.

                Guess we’ll have to live and see where it all goes.

        • gnuhaut
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          I really think “Slava Ukraini” is a fascist slogan, because it is. Since you’re mad at me for pointing it out, I suspect it might be you who would get banned if you said what you really think.

          In April 1941 in German-occupied Kraków, the younger part of the OUN seceded and formed its own organisation, called the OUN-B after its leader Stepan Bandera. The group adopted a fascist-style salute along with calling “Glory to Ukraine!” and responding with “Glory to the Heroes!”. During the failed attempt to build a Ukrainian state on lands occupied by Germany after its invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, triumphal arches with “Glory to Ukraine!”, along with other slogans, were erected in numerous Ukrainian cities.

            • gnuhaut
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              So it’s perfectly normal to revive a slogan that was last used by fascists? I’m sure the fact that Ukraine also made Bandera a national hero and put up statues of him and named streets in his honor right around the same time that slogan made its comeback is just a coincidence? Totally innocent slogan my ass.

                • gnuhaut
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                  Have a good day.

                  Look, you can’t just present an argument and then tell me not to reply.

                  The history of Ukrainian support of him is fairly new and is far more complicated than “we like fascists”,

                  I’d like to hear your arguments why worshiping the leader of an organization that took part in the Holocaust is somehow “complicated”. It’s not like this isn’t some well-known fact. Seriously, this is obviously totally fucked. Why would you feel to need to defend this? It’s not, actually, fucking complicated.

                  hostility so far

                  And whose fault is that?

      • mashbooq@infosec.pub
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        No, it’s neither fascist, nor mainly associated with mass murderers to anyone except redfash

        • jcit878@lemmy.world
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          hows your special operation going champ?

          edit: you still waiting for your response to be sent to you? arent able to think of one yourself? pretty sad. what about the other tankies downvoting, got any thoughts of your own fellas?