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President Biden is doing good where he can, and getting it done.

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Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

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Trump makes a mockery of the legal system and cowardly judges just sit back and let him.

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Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

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Russia bombs Ukraine’s maternity hospitals; Republicans in the House can’t sort out supporting Ukraine.

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You are here: Home / Politics / Biden Administration in Action / President Biden Briefing on Humanitarian Efforts for Ukraine (LIVE)

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81Comments

  2. 2.

    Joey Maloney

    Did I just hear that the USA is going to essentially adopt GDPR standards for data protection?

  6. 6.

    Hildebrand

    Watching President Biden address the troops was riveting – he absolutely knows the stakes of this are huge, not only for Ukraine, but for democracy, and knows that this is all coming to a head, that it could get so much uglier.

    I’m very glad we’ve got his quiet resolve at the helm.  Jeez, this could have been catastrophically worse (and its already a nightmare)

    edit:  I think this was from earlier today – just wanted to comment on that part of it

  7. 7.

    MisterDancer

    @Joey Maloney: There’s not a lot of news on any data-sharing agreement, much less how it aligns to GDPR. The major source I can find is paywalled (WSJ); a summary of the article at Slashdot says:

     

    The deal, announced Friday by President Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, could if concluded resolve one of the thorniest outstanding issues between the two economic giants. It also assuages concerns of companies including Meta and Alphabet’s Google that were facing mounting legal challenges to data transfers that underpin some of their operations in Europe. An earlier deal regulating trans-Atlantic data flows was deemed illegal by the EU’s top court in 2020. That ruling was the second time since 2015 that the EU’s Court of Justice had deemed U.S. safeguards on Europeans’ data to be insufficient. The court said the U.S. didn’t provide EU citizens effective means to challenge U.S. government surveillance of their data. Mr. Biden and Ms. von der Leyen didn’t provide details of how the new agreement would work and withstand legal challenges. At issue in the talks has been whether the U.S. could convince the EU — and its top court — with new administrative appeals mechanisms for Europeans, but without a change to U.S. law, which would require approval by Congress, people briefed on the talks have said in recent months. Officials and observers on both sides of the Atlantic expect any new agreement to be challenged in court again, raising uncertainty about how long Friday’s deal will last.

     

    So it’s unclear what has actually been agreed to, much less if it’ll pass muster. I would not get too far ahead of this, from what little I can find on it.

  12. 12.

    Alison Rose ???

    @Old School: Yeah, especially since we only get to be there for a small part of the meeting (which I of course totally understand). But I suppose doing a live translation in subtitles would be tricky. Maybe they’ll have it added later?

  13. 13.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I take every story like this with a large grain of salt, but…

    Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah

    BREAKING: A Russian brigade commander has been killed deliberately by his own troops after his unit suffered many losses in Ukraine, a western official said.
    Colonel Medvechek, commander of 37 Motor Rifle Brigade, was run over by his soldiers, the official said (thread)

  15. 15.

    JoyceH

    You folks seeing the reports that Russia is announcing the initial phase of the war complete and they were going to concentrate on Donbas? Sounds like they’re planning to declare victory and go home.

  16. 16.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @JoyceH:

    Idrees Ali @idreesali114

    March 25 (Reuters) – Russia’s defence ministry said on Friday that the first phase of its military operation in Ukraine was mostly complete and that it would focus on completely “liberating” eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region.

    I’m incapable of optimism. Until proven otherwise I’d call this a feint for negotiations

  19. 19.

    Villago Delenda Est

    Naturally, some reactionary politician or pundit will complain that OHJB is not paying enough attention to domestic issues, such as the massive invasion of taco-hawking, brown-skinned, Mezkin-speaking hordes across the southern borders of Louisiana, Missouri, Iowa, and Michigan.

  20. 20.

    sdhays

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: It could also be getting ahead of a massive Russian surrender in the NW of Kyiv, which could be large enough to effectively end any hopes Russia had of actually taking Kyiv. That the Ukrainians have them bottled up has been discussed for days now, with the Ukrainians closing in.

  22. 22.

    Calouste

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Also reports that a 7th Russian general has been killed, and that around 20 Battalion Tactical Groups (BTG) are no longer combat effective. The Russian army has around 170 BTGs, of which 115-120 are estimated to be involved in the invasion.

    IIRC, “no longer combat effective” means less than 70% of full capacity, but I could be wrong.

  24. 24.

    JoyceH

    I hope the rest of the world doesn’t take a Russian withdrawal as a reason to lift sanctions. That rogue nation needs to be strangled until it stops interfering with us.

  25. 25.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Calouste: The Pentagon issued a similar estimate.  It seems that they are trying to extricate themselves, but it’s too late.  They are fucked.

  26. 26.

    Another Scott

    @Alison Rose ???: There was a Tweet somewhere in last day or so that claimed that VVP wanted/demanded victory before May 9ish (“Victory Day”) (May 8 is VE Day in the USA).

    No doubt he’ll redefine “victory” if necessary (and if he has the opportunity).

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  27. 27.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I”m not declaring victory, I’m one of those cowards who fears the cornered nuclear rat, but…

    Eerik N Kross @EerikNKross 21h

    A joke from Moscow: “According to Putin the special military operation is really a conflict btw Russia and NATO about World dominance. Whats the situation now?” “Russia has lost 15000 troops, 6 generals, 500 tanks, 3 ships, 100 planes and 1000 trucks. NATO hasn’t arrived yet.”

  29. 29.

    Geoduck

    @Cacti: For whatever it’s worth, Rowling immediately replied that a murderous invading despot probably isn’t the best person to be judging “Cancel Culture”.

  30. 30.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Cacti: In consonance with the troglodytes of the Russian Orthodox Church, Putin is spouting their line.  JK, if she can’t rethink her position on trans, should at least have Hermione cast Mimble Wimble (the tongue tying curse) on her.

  32. 32.

    bjacques

    @JoyceH: Should Russia’s military situation continue to deteriorate, I think it would help enormously if the west tried to help find a way out for Russia, just not for Putin and the leadership.The 50-60% of Russians who do support this government will have a helluva shock, but I don’t think they deserve to be punished any further. It”s getting a little ahead of things, but I hope the west are looking to fine tune sanctions if possible and start thinking of a sort of Marshall Plan for both Ukraine and offer something like it to post-Putin Russia. Few learned many hard lessons from World War 2 but none from Cold War 1.

    In the meantime, I hope someone in Biden’s administration is asking to the Gulf states where they think their bread will come from if “the North’s war” drags on.

  34. 34.

    Kent

    @JoyceH:You folks seeing the reports that Russia is announcing the initial phase of the war complete and they were going to concentrate on Donbas? Sounds like they’re planning to declare victory and go home.

    Basically they admitted that taking major cities like Kyiv is no longer an objective.  Gotta wonder how hard Russian troops on the northern front are going to fight if their own government has abandoned those objectives.  No one wants to die trying to take an objective that your own government has officially abandoned.

    Essentially the Russians have lost this war and know they have lost in the sense that none of their regime change objectives are no longer possible.   Kind of like the US knew by 1968 that it was going to lose the Vietnam war (despite never losing a battle) but still took another 5 or 6 years to get out.  Hopefully the Russians won’t take that long.

  38. 38.

    Kent

    @bjacques:

    @JoyceH: Should Russia’s military situation continue to deteriorate, I think it would help enormously if the west tried to help find a way out for Russia, just not for Putin and the leadership.The 50-60% of Russians who do support this government will have a helluva shock, but I don’t think they deserve to be punished any further. It”s getting a little ahead of things, but I hope the west are looking to fine tune sanctions if possible and start thinking of a sort of Marshall Plan for both Ukraine and offer something like it to post-Putin Russia. Few learned many hard lessons from World War 2 but none from Cold War 1.

    In the meantime, I hope someone in Biden’s administration is asking to the Gulf states where they think their bread will come from if “the North’s war” drags on.

    The “way out” is the same fucking way they came in.  It isn’t the business of the west to salvage Putin’s pride or reputation.  And it isn’t the place of the west to make compromises on behalf of Ukraine just to accomplish this.

  39. 39.

    Ksmiami

    @Baud: conditions of surrender include reducing their nuclear arsenal, allowance of defensive military capabilities only, a free press, repatriation of seized Ukrainians,  reparations to Ukraine and Putin’s retirement. Anything less is a non-starter

  40. 40.

    Kent

    @JoyceH:I hope the rest of the world doesn’t take a Russian withdrawal as a reason to lift sanctions. That rogue nation needs to be strangled until it stops interfering with us.

    Sanctions take a LONG time to unwind.  We are still sanctioning Russia for the USSR’s treatment of Soviet Jews in the 1970s.  And we are still sanctioning Cuba for their appropriation of property in the 1950s.

  41. 41.

    Cacti

    @Kent: The “way out” is the same fucking way they came in.  It isn’t the business of the west to salvage Putin’s pride or reputation.  And it isn’t the place of the west to make compromises on behalf of Ukraine just to accomplish this.

    This.

    Putin has exposed his military as a paper tiger to the entire world. The only terms he should be offered is “you go home in disgrace with your tail between your legs”.

  51. 51.

    Gin & Tonic

    @debbie: Public opinion polling in occupied territories is difficult. But after 8 years of those criminals, a significant majority prefers Ukrainian control.

  52. 52.

    Aubsole

    @Calouste:

    It could also mean:

    “Sir. If you order another attack, I cannot guarantee which direction my men will be firing.”

     

    @Cacti: What, after all the pixels spilled in battle with the woke ultra left centrist cringe sjw mob, she should turn around and admit defeat?

    Just roll over and hold the L??

    On Jack Dorsey’s internet???

    Oh, you deliriously sweet naif…

     

    If assholes were capable of admitting they acted like assholes, they wouldn’t be assholes.

  54. 54.

    sdhays

    Russia has had some success, at great cost and with horrible atrocities, in the east and south, but they’re fairly stuck there too, it seems. If the northern front collapses for Russia or even lets up (as seems to be the direction), the Russian positions in the south and east will no longer be quite as secure as they might seem from Moscow today as Ukrainian reinforcements start showing up.

  56. 56.

    Subsole

    @bjacques: That’s the thing. If every Russian soldier turned on their heel and marched back to Moscow, we don’t just snap back to status quo ante.

    Russia’s economy is  ash.

    Anybody lining up to do business in that wreckage is exactly who you don’t want anywhere near your economy. Because they aren’t there to do business – they’re there to cart off whatever didn’t burn.

  57. 57.

    sdhays

    @debbie: Ironically, Russia’s invasion in 2014 basically de-Russified eastern Ukraine in 8 years. The people in eastern Ukraine have gotten a very close and personal look over the last 8 years at what Russian control means: gang rule with violence, lawlessness, and no money. It doesn’t matter how “Russian” you may feel – seeing that as your future clarifies things.

  58. 58.

    Subsole

    @Cacti: I am genuinely curious how all of those nations who base their military procurement strategy on Russian gear and its derivatives are feeling right now…I mean, I don’t know how Javelin works against, say, a late-model Leopard 2 or a modern Abrams, so I can’t say tanks are dead.

    But the Russian solution (and most of the world’s solution, for that matter) of taking 50 year old surplus and hanging plastique bricks on it seems to have been pretty conclusively invalidated.

    If my fleet were T-80s or M-60A3s, I’d be sweating right about now.

     

    @Baud: I’m fairly certain Cillizza would qualify as some sort of torture.

  59. 59.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Ksmiami: We should insist that Russia pledge, in perpetuity, to honor Ukraine’s boundaries as of 1991 when the USSR broke up.  Some of your provisions would be rightfully perceived as an infringement on Russia’s sovereignty.  But as with regard to Urkraine, the boundary pledge and reparations are most certainly in order.  All the superyachts will be liquidated with proceeds to count against reparations.  Let the oligarchs suffer.

  64. 64.

    zhena gogolia

    @Baud:

    @Ksmiami: In the late 1980s Russia had the best, kick-ass television news and talk shows I’ve ever seen. That was when I saw a glimmer of hope for the place. I was glued to the screen.

  65. 65.

    oatler

    @JoyceH:

    Put a pillow on that country and bear down until it stops kicking (paraphrasing somebody but don’t remember who) .

  66. 66.

    JAFD

    @Calouste: ​
     Max Hastings, in Overlord, prints a report from a British battalion commander, Normandy 1944, with the details of ‘no longer combat effective’ really mean.

  71. 71.

    Kent

    @Geoduck: @Kent: That’s assuming the troops at the front are being told anything about what the Kremlin is doing or saying.

    You don’t think they have cell phones and Ukrainian broadcasts to tell them?  Rumors and gossip  spread faster in the military than just about anyplace else.  That has always been the case going back to Troy.

  72. 72.

    Kent

    @debbie:

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Is there any idea what percentage of the citizens of Donbass are pro-Putin?

    I’m willing to bet it is a lot lower today than say 6 months ago.

    Remember, Mariupol is in the Donbass.  I don’t think they are being welcomed with open arms there.

  73. 73.

    Chief Oshkosh

    Some of us may be leaning out way over our skis here, but it seems to me that we should expand what we’re giving Ukraine – more food, more blankets, more fuel, more anti-tank weapons, more anti-aircraft weapons, more longer-range AA missiles, more drones, more of everything, and expand it into even armor and heavy artillery. I think that we should provide them enough that it allows Ukraine to decide when and how they want this war to end, and what the terms of Russian surrender are. If anybody squawks about the heavy weapons, just tell ’em they’re on loan. If the US or NATO will not fight the Russians directly (which I agree with that stance), then we should become The Arsenal of Democracy on a huge scale. Afterwards, if invited, we should help Ukraine with a new Marshall Plan. Ukranina tech and manufacturing was good to very good in some sectors. We should help make it great.

    All paid for with Russian oil.

  74. 74.

    Chief Oshkosh

    @Kent: Reports were that a cell phones were collected from Russian troops prior to crossing the border into Ukraine. I have no idea how true and complete that was.

  75. 75.

    Kent

    @Chief Oshkosh:@Kent: Reports were that a cell phones were collected from Russian troops prior to crossing the border into Ukraine. I have no idea how true and complete that was.

    Sure, but you think they got them all?  And that Russian troops can’t find new ones in Ukraine?  They are looting everything else.  How many iPhones do you think they took off civilians in Ukraine?

  77. 77.

    Calouste

    @Chief Oshkosh: The problem with the heavy stuff is that it takes time to train people how to use it effectively, and there wasn’t much time. Maybe there is now that the Russians seem to be stalled. People can learn how to effectively use a shoulder fired missile in a few hours, learning how to effectively use tanks and artillery takes months.

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