Member Info for alex1978uk

All eyes on the EU summit in Brussels today and tomorrow. A strong response from the EU could see this back to a quid. A weak response, which is perfectly believable from the EU, could see us back to 50p.

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20251218-eu-leaders-to-meet-for-crunch-summit-on-massive-loan-to-ukraine

Also talk of more sanctions on Russia. Could be an interesting run up to Christmas.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-crude-futures-gain-trumps-venezuela-blockade-2025-12-17/

Retrace before tomorrow’s Euro trash meeting. Hopefully they’ll grow a pair and seize the Russian assets in their entirety. With the Russian budget in the red that will be the beginning of the end for Putins special military operation.

Nothing that comes out Lavrov's mouth is worth a toss.

Wasn’t Mamdani born in Uganda? Mark Kelly looks good. Should have chose him over Harris last year.

One thing that is relevant to Russia is the price of oil. 55 US a barrel today. The lowest level since Covid with a supply over hang going into 2026. With Russia having to sell at a significant discount they’ll be lucky to break even at those prices. Loose their reserves in Euro clear and they're in big trouble. Good job Vladimir.

https://www.ft.com/content/298eebd2-8a32-4eb1-881e-1baee75fe025

That’s what I’m thinking IP. Polls ain’t looking good for Trump and the republicans. Mid terms in November which hopefully they’ll lose miserably. It won’t be long after that until the likes of Rubio and Vance break rank to concentrate on a presidential bid. I think we are past peak Trump already. He couldn’t have made more of a mess of the Ukraine situation if he’d tried. Basically acting on behalf of the Kremlin. History will look back on him as the moron he is.

You may be right IP but surly Putin is thinking the opposite. If Trump losses the mid terms and power as the president then congress will have more power and therefore more likely to be harsh on Russia than Trump is.

Putin has no intention of peace. He's playing the Trump administration for the fools they are.

Russia already is a satellite state of China. Sooner rather than later China is going to march into Manchuria and theres nothing Putins rabble of an army can do about it.

I’d stick that lemontree and JohnNth on filter. Nothing to offer but regurgitated Kremlin cr£p.

I don't think they'll be any peace for the simple fact Putin doesn't want peace. He hasn't achieved any of his aims, killed a million of his own people and squandered his countries wealth. For what? Nothing.

I do think that if the Europeans give the green light to use Russian frozen assets to fund Ukraine this will be a big deal. If you was Russian and your leader has just lost 300 Billion of your sovereign wealth how would you feel? If you were a Russian Oligarch and you'd seen your business and homes abroad thrown away for nothing then the idiot in charge also loses your countries wealth what would you be thinking?

Bout time the Europeans stand up and grow a pair.

Lets hope so Sharefall. Trump seems to want force Ukraine into a bad deal however, because he wants Putin to be his friend.

Big meeting on the 18th should hopefully signal EU leaders are finally getting a grip of the situation:

EU leaders - the European Council - are to meet on December 18 to finalise details of the reparations loan and resolve remaining problems, which include guarantees from all EU governments for Belgium that it would not be left alone to foot the bill should a potential Moscow lawsuit prove successful.

The Russians (and the Americans) should stop sticking their noses into Ukraine's election process. Next PM could be General Zaluzhnyi. He'd be worse for the Russians and more likely to stick up to the incompetent White House.

Very true. The Russians keep repeating their propaganda and Trump and Witkoff are not only lapping it up they're actively promoting it. Sad state of affairs.

I can see Trumps point. Lots of meeting and strong words but no action. Putin only understands one language and that's force.

That said this is exactly what Putin wants. Drag this out for as long as possible to fracture the west. There's nothing Putin would like more than to divide Europe and America.

I think also there appears to be a sense of urgency amongst European leaders. Could go either way.

Https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukraine-war-russia-assets-starmer-zelensky-b2880686.html

Hand over the money, 100bn should keep ukriane in the fight for a few more years. Then he can tell Trump where to stick his surrender deal.

Https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-envoy-kellogg-says-ukraine-peace-deal-is-really-close-2025-12-07/

Lame duck Trump is in sight.

https://youtu.be/DJPYajMcTa4?si=F-uWGgGymNdccf-V

Putin is in to deep horses. The sooner Trump and his morons realise this the better. If the conflict was frozen where they are today, every news paper in the western world would have ‘Putin the Loser’ plastered all over it. If he takes all the Donbas the sanctions will remain in place and he’ll be stuck with a ruined economy and a load of destroyed cities and waste land. What ever way you look at it Putin has f£&ked up. The day he sent his troops into Ukraine he crosses a line you never come back from. He knows that, the muppet show in the White House don’t. The only way he’s leaving the Kremlin is in a pine box. Till then the world is stuck with him.